AJ and Friends is a small domiciliary care agency supporting five young people with complex physical health needs and autism/learning delays, rated Outstanding overall at its first inspection in September 2021. The service demonstrated exceptional person-centred culture and leadership with no failure themes identified.
Strengths
· Exceptionally person-centred culture with highly motivated staff who built deep, trusting relationships with people and families, producing life-enriching outcomes.
· Provider's personal lived experience drove a passionate, values-led service described by professionals as 'person/family focused, accommodating, nurturing, ethical, non-judgmental and solution focussed'.
· Holistic, detailed care planning with thorough risk assessment, regular review, and close collaboration with health and social care professionals.
· Medicines managed safely by appropriately trained staff with regular competency checks and external specialist training where required.
· Extensive community engagement including charity partnerships, disability awareness work, family therapy facilitation, and development of a new residential service.
Quality-Statement breakdown (22)
safe: Assessing risk, safety monitoring and managementGood
safe: Staffing and recruitmentGood
safe: Using medicines safelyGood
safe: Systems and processes to safeguard people from the risk of abuse; Learning lessons when things go wrongGood
safe: Preventing and controlling infectionGood
effective: Assessing people's needs and choices; delivering care in line with standards, guidance and the lawGood
effective: Staff support: induction, training, skills and experienceGood
effective: Supporting people to eat and drink enough to maintain a balanced dietGood
effective: Staff working with other agencies to provide consistent, effective, timely care; Supporting people to live healthier livesGood
effective: Ensuring consent to care and treatment in line with law and guidanceGood
caring: Ensuring people are well treated and supported; respecting equality and diversityOutstanding
caring: Respecting and promoting people's privacy, dignity and independence; Supporting people to express their viewsOutstanding
responsive: Planning personalised care to ensure people have choice and control and to meet their needs and preferencesGood
responsive: Supporting people to develop and maintain relationships; support to follow interests and activitiesGood
responsive: Meeting people's communication needsGood
responsive: Improving care quality in response to complaints or concernsGood
responsive: End of life care and supportNot rated
well-led: Promoting a positive culture that is person-centred, open, inclusive and empoweringOutstanding
well-led: Managers and staff being clear about their roles, and understanding quality performance, risks and regulatory requirementsOutstanding
well-led: Working in partnership with others; Continuous learning and improving careOutstanding
well-led: Engaging and involving people using the service, the public and staff, fully considering their equality characteristicsOutstanding
well-led: How the provider understands and acts on the duty of candourOutstanding