Archived: Royal Mencap Society - 3 Springfield Road

We observed positive engagement between the staff and the people who used the service, and noted from the documentation we saw, that people's consent and agreement was sought before care and support was carried out. People were encouraged and supported to make their own decisions. Where they lacked the capacity to make decisions independently, appropriate processes had been followed to ensure best interest decisions were made with them or on their behalf.

We observed people in this home were comfortable and at ease in the company of the staff that supported them, and we found the recruitment systems were sufficient to ensure the staff employed were suitable to work in this environment.

There was a complaints procedure in place, and people who use the service knew who they should report any concerns to. A summary of the complaints policy was displayed and was readily accessible to people in the home.

Robust medication systems ensured people received their prescribed medication on time and in a way that suited their needs.

We found that people were very satisfied with the care and support they received. They told us they felt safe and the staff were friendly and supportive. One person said "We do like our staff team, they always listen to us".

We observed that people were offered support at a level which encouraged independence and ensured that their individual needs were met. There was a relaxed atmosphere in the home, and the staff were friendly and polite in their approach and interacted confidently with people.

We noted that people were encouraged to express their views and were involved in planning their care and making decisions about their support and how they spent their time. One person said "I like it here, my Mum lives close by, the best thing is going shopping on my own". They also talked about the range of activities and entertainment that was available to them.

Within the care files we saw that care documentation had been signed by the individual to confirm their involvement and agreement with their particular care needs. People also took an active role in writing daily diaries about how they had spent their day and their experiences.