AN AUTISM support service has bounced back after receiving a poor rating from the care watchdog.

Creative Support - Bolton Service was rated “requires improvement” last year but has just received a “good” rating from the Care Quality Commission.

Inspectors found guidelines were being adhered to and the safety of the service had improved.

The inspection was carried out in July and the report says: “At this inspection we found that medicines management had improved and systems were now safe.

“The service had sought advice around medicines management from a healthcare professional external to the organisation and had incorporated a new system for auditing medicines.”

Adding: “We observed positive relationships and observed the management team and staff interacting with people in a caring, good humoured and friendly manner.”

Inspectors noticed that staff were supporting one person who had been prescribed medicine for agitation and was rarely given it because “staff were supporting them to manage their behaviour in alternative and proactive ways”.

Creative Support was also praised for the training and development it offers staff. The report said: “We saw that the office had computers for staff to use to access their online learning. The registered manager told us, ‘We encourage new starters to come to the resource room and develop their portfolio. Staff at all three tenancies are working towards accreditation with the National Autistic Society’.”

When Creative Support, based in Manchester Road, was inspected May 2017 concerns were raised about the safe recording and administration of people’s medicines and noted that some staff had not undergone refresher training.

The service had been rated requires improvement in three areas, leadership, effectiveness and safety but all those areas are now rated “good” as are Creative Support’s care and responsiveness.

Denise Bretherton, registered manager for the service, said: "The Management team in Bolton have worked tirelessly to improve the service to have an overall good CQC rating.

"We have demonstrated our success through the positive outcomes which have been achieved by all the people we support."

Creative Support supports people living with autism in their own homes providing personal care.