Updated 26 February 2024
An assessment has been undertaken of a specialist service that is used by autistic people or people with a learning disability. 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. April Lodge provides care and support to people living in their own home. Not everyone using April Lodge receives regulated activity; the CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also take into account any wider social care provided. At the time of this inspection there were 2 people at the service who were receiving a regulated activity. We carried out our on-site assessment on 4 March 2024, off site activity started on 27 February 2024 and ended on 09 April 2024. We looked at 12 quality statements; Learning culture; Safeguarding; Involving people to manage risks; Safe and effective staffing; Infection Control; Assessing needs; Consent to care and treatment; Independence, choice and control; Equity in experiences and outcomes; Governance, management and sustainability; Freedom to speak up and Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we wanted to make sure someone would be available to support us with the inspection.