A home for adults with learning disabilities near Ottery St Mary, previously rated ‘inadequate’ by the health watchdog, has now been rated ‘good’.

Otterhayes provides accommodation and personal care for five people at Hayes House, and help for others in seven supported living settings.

It was placed in special measures after the ‘inadequate’ report by the Care Quality Commission in January 2020, and could have faced closure. Following an inspection in November that year, it was rated as ‘requiring improvement’, which was a big step forward. The report recognised that Otterhayes was being run better, but said more needed to be done.

Since the ‘inadequate’ report a new organisation had come in to run Otterhayes, called Sense, who the trustees said had helped turn things around, and were bringing about further improvements, including those the CQC had said were needed.

The most recent inspection took place in June 2022 and the report was published on Wednesday, August 10.

It rated Otterhayes as ‘good’ in all five key areas: safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led – all of which had previously required improvement.

A staff member was quoted saying: “Otterhayes has come on leaps and bounds. [Operations manager] has been amazing. The day the gates were opened, everything has changed for the better. I feel well supported. Lots more community involvement. The Jubilee party was great, local people came, spoke to the guys, they had never known what Otterhayes was. People have progressed, for example, reduction in medication and discharge from Intensive Assessment and Treatment team. There is a calmer environment. I love coming to work.”

The report said Otterhayes supported its service users to have maximum choice and control of their lives. They were kept safe from avoidable harm because staff knew them well and understood how to protect them from abuse. The service was monitored and managed well. Their care reflected their personal preferences and took into account their views and suggestions.

The report also said the staff who looked after the service users were well trained in meeting the needs of people with a learning disability and or autism, and that they in turn felt respected, supported and valued by senior staff ‘which supported a positive and improvement-driven culture’.