Tameside Learning Disability Service

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided. At the time of inspection, 58 people were receiving personal care.

People's experience of the service and what we found: We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people. We considered this guidance as there were people using the service who have a learning disability and or who are autistic.

Right Support: People were involved in their care planning and care plans were regularly reviewed, and support was adapted to people's changing needs. People told us they were encouraged to be as independent as possible. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Staff received training in safe medicines practices. Staff had been trained in safeguarding and abuse and were aware of how to report concerns.

Right Care: There were sufficient numbers of staff to meet people's needs. Staff knew people well and care records contained person-centred information to guide staff in how support should be delivered. Information was available to people in alternative formats to support people's communication needs if this was necessary. Staff protected and respected people's privacy and dignity. Staff understood and responded to people's individual needs.

Right Culture: The management team promoted a positive culture at the service. Managers led by example and advocated staff provided support to people which was person-centred to their individual needs. The ethos of the service was to promote people's independence where possible which was tailored to the person's needs rather than service led. There was a focus on providing support to people specifically at the time they requested rather than directed by staff availability and service needs. Staff evaluated the quality of support provided to people, involving the person, their families and other professionals as appropriate.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection The last rating for the service was good (published 15 September 2017).