Sylvanhurst House

Updated 9 October 2018

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This comprehensive inspection took place on 7 September 2018. The inspection was unannounced and carried out by one inspector. Before our inspection we reviewed information we held about the service. This included notifications the provider is required by law to send us about events that happen within the service. We used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

During our inspection we spoke with three people using the service and observed interactions between people and staff to help us understand their experiences of receiving care and support. We spoke with the registered manager, the deputy manager and two staff members. We looked at records which included three care plans, three staff files, medicine records and other records relating to the management of the service.

After our inspection the registered manger sent us additional information concerning staff and service user guides and staff meetings.

Updated 9 October 2018

Sylvanhurst House is a residential care home that offers housing and personal support for up to six adults who have a range of needs including mental health and learning disabilities. The service has a lounge with dining room, a well-kept garden and six bedrooms all of which are en-suite. Bedrooms are situated on the ground and first floor and the first floor is accessed by stairs. At the time of our inspection six ladies were using the service.

At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

Systems were in place to safeguard people from abuse and staff knew the procedure and guidance to follow if something went wrong.

Risks relating to people’s care were identified and staff knew how to manage these risks to help keep people safe but still encourage people’s independence. Staff spoke to people about the risks they faced to help people understand how to keep safe. People’s medicines were managed safely by staff.

There was enough staff to care for people and they received adequate training, induction and supervision to support them to do their jobs. The recruitment process ensured staff were suitable to work with people.

People’s needs and preferences were assessed by the service before they began receiving care. People had a choice of food and planned their weekly menu. Staff encouraged people to make healthy choices when they needed to.

Staff promoted the healthcare needs of people and worked well with healthcare professionals, they took on board recommendations to help make sure individual health needs were met. Specialist dietary needs such as those associated with diabetes were provided for.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. The policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People were encouraged to be as independent as they could be. Staff treated people with dignity and respect.

People were supported to be involved in hobbies and activities that interested them. This included access to the community and involvement with clubs and outside social events when people wanted to.

People’s care plans were sufficiently detailed to inform staff about people’s needs and to guide staff in caring for them.

The service had a complaints procedure which addressed any complaints within the agreed timescale. Systems were in place to make sure managers and staff learnt from events such as accidents, incidents and complaints. This reduced the risk to people and helped the service continually improve.

The service had a range of audits in place to assess, monitor and drive improvement.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.