We found people were treated respectfully, given support to have their say in how they wanted to be helped and were supported to do the things they wanted to do.
Systems were in place to offer protection to the people who used the service from abuse and people spoken with confirmed that they felt safe and had no concerns regarding the care provided.
People using the service and their families told us that they felt well cared for and safe and they were satisfied with the support they received.
We received positive feedback about the staff team and we observed care staff carrying out their duties. The team appeared organised and there were sufficient numbers of staff on duty to meet the needs of the people who were being supported by the agency. We were told that there is an open atmosphere and that the manager and staff team were approachable. Other comments included 'The support my relative receives is very good. The staff provide support very well', 'The staff team are wonderful, they go beyond the call of duty for example they recently took my son on holiday and supported him for the whole time he was away, and he had a great time there' and 'The manger is excellent, he really cares for the people who use the service and the staff team.'
Other comments from relatives included 'The training of staff is excellent and we are involved in meetings which is good as it keeps us up to date with what is going on. The manger is excellent and he really cares for the people who use the service and the staff team', 'Sometimes I think my relative spends too much time on his own, but I do know that is what he likes to do, and the staff respect the time he likes to spend alone', 'This is a very good agency. My son has been supported by them for over 12 years. We have carers meetings and these are very useful as we can raise any concerns or issues we have and they are usually dealt with very quickly. My son has a programme of activities which are designed to meet his individual needs. We are lucky to have this service and we are involved in his life. My son feels safe at home and out and about with the staff team' and 'The carers meetings are good but we are not always informed well in advance and this can cause problems with attendance. My son's day to day care is good and his medical condition is well managed. He is well looked after by the staff. His activity plan has improved recently and he is getting out and about more often. On occasions there have been a lot of staff changes and this is upsetting and disruptive for my son. It takes staff quite a long time to get to know him and his needs and then the staff change. It is also frustrating to me as I just get to know people and then they move.'
On discussions with the staff team it was evident that they were aware of the peoples needs and that they had taken time to get to know them. Other staff comments included 'The staff team do a lot of good work. People who use the service get out and about in the community and have full lives. The manager and senior manager are very supportive of the service users and staff.' He said he was confident he could speak to either of them and know that his concerns or issues would be taken into account. He said 'there is a wide range of training available and people were encouraged to attend training courses' and 'The staff team need some direction and support but they are a good team who work well together. The manager is okay and you can chat to him and air any problems or concerns you may have. He is good at addressing issues. The training is good here with many courses you can attend and also mandatory courses that you have to attend.'