Norfolk Affinity Care Services Ltd

Norfolk Affinity Care Services cares for people in their own homes. The service supports older people, those with physical or learning disabilities and autistic people. At the time of our inspection there were ten people using the service.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

The service met the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.

Right support: People were supported to maintain or increase their independence and had their choices respected. Staff listened to people who used the service and encouraged them to take small steps to gradually increase their skills and independence. Care plans documented how staff should achieve this.

Right care: Care was person-centred and promoted people’s dignity, privacy and human rights. Staff knew people very well and provided sensitive care which met people’s needs. Staff were aware of the limits of their role and people who used the service were actively encouraged to direct their own lives.

Right culture: Ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of leaders and care staff ensured people were supported to develop their skills and independence and take part in their local community if they wished. The registered manager led by example and senior staff worked alongside newer staff to ensure everyone was delivering care in the same way.

There were clear safeguarding procedures in place and staff understood their responsibilities. Risks were assessed and managed well. People’s medicines were administered safely. There were enough staff and recruitment procedures were robust. Staff followed best practice in reducing the risk and spread of infection.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Staff were trained and received a good induction into the service.

Staff worked in partnership with other health and social care professionals to meet people’s healthcare needs. Where people needed support with their eating and drinking this was well managed and their food choices respected.

Staff were kind and caring and feedback from people who used the service and relatives was very positive. People felt they received individualised care which met some very specific needs. The registered manager, who was also the owner of the business, was held in high regard by staff and people who used the service.

There were systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service and further systems were being developed. Incidents and accidents were analysed and learnt from to reduce the likelihood of a repeat.

There was a clear plan and vision for the future of the business and any learning was identified and acted on. Staff said they received good support from the registered manager and the supported living co-ordinators.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Why we inspected

This service was registered with us on 01 December 2020 and this is the first inspection.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.