Archived: Parkside (Aldershot & District Mencap)

People we spoke with told us they were able to make their own choices about what activities they took part in. People told us that they attended regular activities such as, bowling, trips to the cinema, the garden centre and local walks in their community. Staff knew exactly how each person communicated which meant people's wishes were understood and respected.

Staff that we spoke to said that training was good. However training records that we looked at showed us that a majority of staff had not received regular training updates.

We saw that the agency managed complaints well and that there were detailed investigation and correspondence records in place. However the provider had not carried out regular quality assurance audits in 2013.

A relative and people we spoke with told us that they felt safe being cared for by the agency. Safeguarding records that we looked at were well detailed and evidenced that the agency had worked with social services to ensure that people were protected from abuse and harm.

We spoke with a relative of a person who used the service. They told us that the care team always sought consent from the person they supported. They also told us that the care team spoke with the family if there were any issues about the person's ability to consent. We saw that the provider had good procedures in place to seek people's consent and worked with others to make best interest decisions on behalf of people who lacked the capacity to make the decision for themselves.

Staff we spoke with were knowledgeable about the needs and abilities of the people they supported and were responsive to changes in their needs and to any complaints they made.

We saw that the people who used this service had a diverse range of needs in relation to self care, nutrition and medicines and that their care plans were detailed and clear with regard to how these needs were met.

The provider had effective policies in place to recruit staff.