A SERVICE supporting people with disabilities and mental health illnesses has impressed watchdog inspectors.

Bolton Supported Living has received a good rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

The Tonge Moor centre provides care and support through shared accommodation and has recently transferred to a new provider.

CQC inspectors visited in September and rated it good for safety, care, effectiveness, responsiveness and leadership after speaking to managers, staff, service users and their families, Bolton Council and Healthwatch Bolton.

Inspectors were told the staff were 'lovely', 'very kind', with one relative describing how they were 'so grateful' for the service making their loved one happy.

It was also praised for its training, patient plans, approachable management and plans to roll out an autism champion programme which would be run by an external facilitator and someone with experience of living with autism to provide relevant, current guidance and information.

They added: "We observed interactions between people who used the service and staff at the houses we visited. We saw that interactions were friendly, relaxed and respectful.

"People who used the service and relatives told us staff were skilled and able to care for them well.

"The houses we visited were clean and bright and the environments were suitable for the people who lived

there.

"We asked people if the service was responsive to their needs. One person who used the service said, "I have a team of all females. I don't like working with males".

This demonstrated that the service responded to people's wishes and preferences."