Smitham Downs Road

Smitham Downs Road is a care home supporting up to 9 people with learning disabilities and autistic people, with 7 people living there at the time of assessment. The CQC found the service had improved and was now rated Good overall, having moved on from previous breaches around safe care, consent and governance. Staffing levels were sufficient, risks were well managed, and medicines were handled safely.

Inspectors found people looked comfortable and were offered choices and involved in decisions about their care. There had been frequent changes of manager, which relatives felt had affected leadership and communication, though a new permanent manager had just started with plans to improve this. The environment needed some refurbishment, with a plan already in place to address it.