Archived: Michael House

We spoke with eight staff, who demonstrated a good understanding of their responsibilities for obtaining consent. We also spoke with four people who all confirmed that staff respected their wishes and that they could refuse care if they wanted to. One person said: 'Staff do just what I want and will stop if I tell them to.'

Each person had 'support guidelines' which staff told us was a working document and was constantly changing in line with people's care and support needs. All records were person centred and showed that the person they related to had been involved in the planning and review of their support.

A colour coding scheme for cleaning materials had been introduced to ensure that different items were used in kitchens, bathrooms and communal areas, therefore reducing the risk of cross contamination or infection. One of the people we spoke with told us about the staff: 'They are good at helping in the house.'

We spoke with staff who told us that they had taken part in a number of training courses and were aware that more were due to take place. One personal assistant said: 'I've had so many courses.' Other staff told us they felt supported by senior staff and that they could discuss any issues at any time with senior staff.

We were able to see how the provider had responded to complaints and that they had been dealt with in a timely way.