We carried out this review to check on the care and welfare of people using this service. We met two people who lived at the home, two staff, the manager and area manager. The people we met were not able to verbally share their experiences of what it was like to live at Blackfriars but they looked happy in the company of the staff on duty. We saw that people lived in a comfortable home and had been supported to personalise their bedrooms and make them their own. We spoke with the staff on duty and the manager about the people they supported. They demonstrated a good understanding of the needs of the people in their care. One member of staff shared the records of a recent meeting they had with the person they were designated worker for. They told us about the steps they had taken to ensure the persons dignity was not compromised when travelling in the home's vehicle. They told us about the busy lifestyles people led. These included attending day services, shopping, theatre, concerts, bike riding, swimming and visits to family. Staff told us that people were happy living at the home and received healthy diets in line with their dietary needs.
We saw staff supporting people with respect. Discussions held with staff and records sampled evidenced that people were supported to access healthcare professionals on a regular basis. Staff have worked in partnership with other professionals in the best interests of the people in their care. We saw lots of equipment in place to support people's physical needs.
People were supported by an established staff team who knew them well. Staff spoken with confirmed they had received training to keep people safe and meet their specific needs. They said they were well supported by the manager and considered there were enough staff on duty to meet the individual needs of the people at Blackfriars. One person told us, 'There is not a day I don't enjoy coming to work, the service users are happy here'.