- Care home
West Banbury Cottages
Report from 11 December 2024 assessment
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of Assessment: 10 December 2024 to 5 February 2025. At our last assessment of West Banbury Cottages, we rated the service as good. At this assessment, the rating has remained as good.
West Banbury Cottages provides accommodation and personal care for up to 15 adults with autism and a learning disability. The service consists of 10 cottages. At the time of our inspection, there were 14 people using the service.
An assessment has been undertaken of a specialist service that is used by autistic people or people with a learning disability. We assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted.
Right support: Model of care and setting maximised people’s choice, control and independence. Risks were managed appropriately; measures to manage risk were as least restrictive as possible. Medicines were managed safely. There were enough staff to meet people’s needs, who had been recruited safely. We found people’s choices regards to food likes, dislikes, preferences and intolerances were limited in support plans. This was addressed during our inspection.
Right care: Care was person-centred and promoted people’s dignity, privacy and human rights. People’s care, treatment and support promoted equality and protected their rights.
The service was working within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA).
Right culture: Ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of leaders and care staff ensured people using services led confident, inclusive and empowered lives. Staff supported people through recognised models of care and treatment for people with a learning disability or autistic people. There were clear and effective governance, management and accountability arrangements in place.
People's experience of this service
People were kept safe from avoidable harm because staff knew them well and understood how to protect them from abuse. People were not able to comment on their safety. However, their body language while interacting with staff was relaxed and positive, which indicated they felt safe.
Relatives commented, "They [staff] have a great understanding of [relative]; my son seems to be generally more relaxed, and I feel this is a reflection of his time spent at West Banbury. I believe it to be a safe and caring environment.” and “The staff at West Banbury Cottages are very professional and caring. We believe our son to be safe and happy in their care and well looked after in the 6 months he has been with them.”
People lived safely and free from unwarranted restrictions because the service assessed, monitored, and managed safety well. A relative commented, “All staff have been very friendly and enthusiastic, and my son always responds to them with a big smile.”
People were supported to have choice and control over their own care and to make decisions about their care, treatment, and wellbeing.
Support focused on people’s quality of life outcomes and people’s outcomes were regularly monitored and adapted as a person went through their life.
People had the opportunity to try new experiences, develop new skills and gain independence.
Throughout our visit, people were proactively encouraged by staff to make choices and be in control of their own lives.