Updated 7 December 2023
An assessment has been undertaken of a specialist service that is used by autistic people or people with a learning disability. The service also supported people who live with dementia and physical disabilities. We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it. This assessment was carried out between 19 March to 17 April 2024. It was prompted in part by concerns raised regarding the governance. We found the service had improved. People’s needs were assessed. Assessments were used to develop comprehensive care plans which now provided staff with the guidance they needed. Risks from the environment were suitably managed. People were protected from abuse. Staff knew people well and promoted people’s independence. People were supported to make choices and decisions. Activities were adapted for people with dementia and people being cared for in bed to ensure equity of access. Improvements had been made to the management of the service. A range of audits were now undertaken regularly, and action plans were put in place when they needed to be. People, their relatives and staff now had a range of ways in which they could feed back their views. Staff meetings were now more frequent, and staff felt supported. The service worked in partnership effectively with health and social care professionals to improve outcomes for people. However, there were areas where staff training needed to be updated. Staff responded to people’s requests for assistance. Although some relatives told us there were occasions when they felt there could be more staff.