Douglas Close

Douglas Close is a residential care home providing personal care and accommodation for up to three adults with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, and autistic people. The service aims to promote independence, choice, and dignity while ensuring residents have meaningful access to their local community. Following a recent inspection, families and professionals shared positive feedback about the personalised support provided by the team, highlighting a warm and inclusive home environment where individual preferences and routines are genuinely respected.

Residents and their families felt that the home was a secure place to live, supported by robust risk assessments, thorough staff background checks, and proper safety measures. Staff demonstrated a clear understanding of how to protect individuals from harm and managed incidents proactively. Medicines were handled safely using electronic systems, and infection control procedures were properly maintained to keep everyone protected.

The home delivered positive outcomes through well-trained staff who understood specific health and developmental needs. Residents were actively involved in choosing and preparing their own meals to maintain a balanced diet, and care was closely coordinated with outside healthcare professionals. The physical environment was comfortable, fully accessible via wheelchair, and featured personalised bedrooms alongside garden spaces tailored to residents' hobbies.

Relatives consistently described the staff as kind, compassionate, and respectful of personal dignity. Care practices avoided an institutional feel, allowing residents to move about freely and maintain their connections with family, religious communities, and local day activities. Staff placed a strong emphasis on protecting personal privacy while encouraging individuals to do as much for themselves as possible.

Care plans were highly personalised, capturing individual preferences, communication styles, and specific healthcare instructions, including oral hygiene steps. Residents were given meaningful choices in their daily lives, and staff sought their feedback in ways they could easily understand. The home was located in an ordinary residential street, helping residents blend into the local community and access outside activities seamlessly.

The overall culture of the service was described as open, inclusive, and empowering. Relatives felt that the management team and staff were approachable, willing to listen to ideas or concerns, and quick to carry out service improvements. Staff members also reported feeling supported by the registered manager and confident in raising any issues.