Proxy Care Personnel

An assessment has been undertaken of a service that is used by autistic people or people with a learning disability but is not registered as a specialist service. We have assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. We found the service was working in line with this guidance.

Staff delivered care in line with people’s care plans and risk assessments. These were updated regularly to ensure information for staff on people’s needs was up to date and relevant. Safe medication management systems were in place, and staff ensured they followed infection prevention and control practices.

Staff were aware of their responsibility to protect people from harm and abuse. Any accidents or incidents that occurred were learned from to prevent recurrence in the future. There was a culture of learning to improve quality of care rather than one of blame. Staff felt supported by the management team, with their wellbeing being promoted through incentives and individual support.

Staff ensured communication with people and their relatives was proactive to build trust and rapport. This included when referrals were made to external agencies and authorities to ensure people received holistic care from a multi-disciplinary team. Staff were aware of the importance of gaining consent when delivering care, and ensuring all care was dignified and compassionate.

Staff were appropriately recruited into the service and received a thorough induction and ongoing training to ensure their skills and knowledge were up to date and relevant.