Community Support Service

The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the 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 can live as ordinary a life as any citizen." Registering the Right Support CQC policy.

People who used the service were safe as the provider, registered manager and staff had a clear understanding of the risk associated with people's needs as well as activities people chose to do. There were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified staff, who had a good understanding of protecting people from the risk of abuse and harm and their responsibilities to report suspected abuse. Medicines were administered by staff that had received training to do this. The provider had procedures in place to check that people received their medicines as prescribed to effectively and safely meet their health needs.

Staff had been recruited following appropriate checks on their suitability to support people in their homes and keep them safe. The provider had arrangements in place to make sure that there were sufficient staff to provide support to people in their own homes and when going out in the community. People told us they received reliable care from a regular team of staff who understood their likes, dislikes and preferences for care and support.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Staff demonstrated their understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and its relation to protecting people who used the service from unlawful restrictions. Records confirmed consent was sought for a variety of decisions in relation to the care people received. This confirmed people who used the service or their relatives had been consulted about and agreed to the care they received.

People told us that they were happy with the way in which staff supported them with cooking their meals, learning about different foods to keep them healthy and in accessing health and social care services when they needed them.

People who used the service, their relatives described the care people received as meeting people's needs in a positive way. Staff were caring and showed commitment to the people they supported. People felt they

mattered to staff and were involved in every aspect of their lives.

People's needs were assessed and staff understood these needs and responded appropriately when people's needs changed. People's interests and preferences were documented and they were encouraged to pursue social events and areas of interests. Social inclusion was an important priority for people and the staff who supported them.

People were encouraged to share their opinions about the quality of the service through telephone conversations, visits with the management team and regular satisfaction questionnaires.

The provider and the registered manager had a clear vision for the service that was shared by the staff team. This vision was about complete inclusion and involvement of people and staff in shaping their lives and the service.

Leadership of the service at all levels was open and transparent and supported a positive culture.

The five questions we ask about services and what we found