Arthur

At the last inspection in February 2016 the service was rated Good overall. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

Why the service is rated Good.

Dame Hannah Rogers Trust is a charity organisation which provides both children and adults with safe, effective, compassionate and high-quality care from a number of sites in south Devon. Arthur was run by Dame Hannah Rogers Trust and provided care to young adults who had access to the Trust's facilities and activities.

The people who lived in Arthur had a wide variety of needs and health conditions. All the people living in Arthur at the time of our inspection were young adults with learning disabilities and complex physical disabilities. Some people required more significant support than others and most were wheelchair users. The people who lived in Arthur were provided with high quality, safe, caring, person centred support which was responsive to their needs. People received highly personalised support and there was a clear understanding of seeing each person as an individual, with their own social needs.

The service focussed on wellbeing and ensuring people had a sense of purpose and enjoyment. The care service had been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin "Registering the Right Support" and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service could live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

Staff demonstrated to us they cared strongly about people's wellbeing in every aspect of their lives and worked towards improving each person's happiness and wellbeing. Staff promoted people's equality, diversity and ensured their human rights were upheld. Staff spoke confidently to us about how they fought for people's rights and gave us examples which demonstrated they put people's individuality and personal wishes before all else.

Staff received thorough training in all areas relating to people's individual health needs and holistic activities. Staff also received support from external healthcare professionals to best care for people. People

were encouraged to socialise, pursue their interests and hobbies and try new things in a wide variety of innovative ways. For example, one person was supported to create their own celebrity fashion page in the organisational newsletter as this was an interest of theirs.

People were involved in all aspects of their care and were supported by staff to communicate their wishes, likes, dislikes and decisions. People were supported through the use of verbal communication, pictorial forms and electronic aids.

People were protected from risks relating to their physical and mental health and possible abuse. Staff had assessed individual risks to people and had taken action to seek guidance and minimise identified risks. Staff knew how to recognise possible signs of abuse.

Recruitment procedures were in place to help ensure only people of good character were employed by the home. Staff underwent Disclosure and Barring Service (police record) checks before they started work. Staffing numbers at the home were sufficient to meet people's needs. Staff received regular supervision and appraisal. Staff had a good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and put this into practice.

Staff treated people with respect and kindness. There was a warm and pleasant atmosphere at the home where people and staff shared jokes and laughter. Staff knew people and their preferences well. People were supported to have enough to eat and drink in ways that met their needs and preferences. Meal times were social events and people were supported individually to ensure their specific needs around food and drink were met.

Where accidents and incidents had taken place, these had been reviewed and action had been taken to reduce the risks of reoccurrence. Staff supported people to take their medicines safely and staffs' knowledge relating to the administration of medicines was regularly checked. Staff told us they felt comfortable raising concerns.

People, relatives, staff and healthcare professionals were asked for their feedback and suggestions in order to improve the service. There were systems in place to assess, monitor and improve the quality and safety of the care and support being delivered.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

The five questions we ask about services and what we found