Sylwia Care Limited

At the time of the inspection, the location did not care or support for anyone with a learning disability or an autistic person. However, we assessed the care provision under Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture, as it is registered as a specialist service for this population group.

About the service

Sylwia Care Limited is a domiciliary care service providing personal care and support to people in their own homes. It operates under the name Home Instead Camden. At the time of the inspection the agency was supporting 25 people. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

Right Culture

There was a robust, distinctive culture of providing excellent care. The management team led by example and ensured staff always felt supported to provide a good quality service. The managers went “the extra mile” to make a difference to the lives of people using the service and in the wider community.

There were systems in place to monitor the quality of the service and recognise when improvements were required. People and staff were asked to give feedback about the service. The service worked in partnership with other professionals to meet people’s needs and help them to access healthcare support. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Right Care

People felt safe, staff were caring and treated them with dignity and respect. People and relatives felt the service was managed well and people received excellent care and support that met their needs. Relatives said, “The service is very special” and “I would recommend them to others and have done so.”

Care and risk management plans set out people’s care needs, preferences, and communication support. Staff found these plans helpful. Staff received regular training, supervision and the provider checked their competency. Staff and managers knew how to report and respond to potential safeguarding adult concerns.

Right Support

Staff supported people with their medicines appropriately. There were procedures for responding to and learning from accidents, incidents and complaints. There were enough staff to meet people's needs and the provider followed robust recruitment processes. People and families had opportunities to meet with staff before they visited to provide their care so they could decide if they felt staff would work well with them. People were then visited by the same staff with whom they were familiar.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (3 November 2017). The rating for the service following this inspection remains good.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.

At the time of the inspection, the service was providing care and support to nine people.

There was a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’ Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

At the last inspection on 10 August 2015 the service was rated Good.

At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

Why the service is rated good.

People's health and social care needs had been appropriately assessed. Care plans were person-centred, and specific to each person and their needs. Care plans were reviewed and updated when people's needs changed.

Relatives and advocates informed us that they were satisfied with the care and services provided. They also told us that they were confident that people were safe.

Systems and processes were in place to help protect people from the risk of harm. Staff had received training in safeguarding adults and knew how to recognise and report any concerns or allegations of abuse.

Systems were in place to make sure people received their medicines safely.

Staff had been carefully recruited and provided with induction and training to enable them to support people effectively. They had the necessary support, supervision and appraisals from management.

Staff we spoke with had an understanding of the principles of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA 2005). Capacity to make specific decisions was recorded in people's care plans.

There were suitable arrangements in place to ensure that people's dietary needs were met.

Staff were informed of changes through staff meetings. Staff told us that they received up to date information about the service and had an opportunity to share good practice and any concerns they had at these meetings.

There was a management structure in place with a team of care workers, senior care workers, the care manager, registered manager and the provider. Staff spoke positively about working at the service. They told us management were approachable and the service had an open and transparent culture. There were systems in place to monitor and improve the quality of the service.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.