The Sycamores

Updated 15 May 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 checked 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 was a comprehensive inspection which took place on 19 April 2018 and was unannounced.

The inspection was carried out by one adult social care inspector and one expert by experience who had experience with supporting people with a learning disability. An expert-by-experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service. Before the inspection we reviewed the information we held about the provider, including information they had supplied in the Provider Information Return (PIR). A PIR is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

Before our inspection we reviewed all the information we held about the service. This included any statutory notifications that had been sent to us. We contacted the local authority and Healthwatch. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England.

During our visit we spoke with two people who used the service and two members of staff including the registered manager and the head of residential and nursing services. We spoke with two relatives of people who lived in the home on the telephone on the day of inspection. We spent time observing support given to people and we looked at documents and records that related to people’s care and the management of the service. We looked at two people’s care plans.

Updated 15 May 2018

The Sycamores provide accommodation and personal care for up to eight people who have a physical disability and who may also have a learning disability. People are encouraged and supported to live as independent lifestyle as possible. At the time of inspection there were seven people living at The Sycamores.

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 on going 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.

Staff had opportunities to update their skills and professional development. Staff demonstrated an understanding of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005. 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 and their relatives told us they felt safe.

Care records contained clear information covering all aspects of people's individualised care and support and staff had a caring approach to working with the people who used the service. At the time of inspection the service was reviewing all care plans.

People had access to a range of activities in and outside the home.

Staff were confident in supporting people with medicines and knew people very well.

There was a clear management structure and staff clearly understood their roles and responsibilities. There was an open and transparent culture in which staff felt valued and able to approach the registered manager. Staff told us they felt valued and really enjoyed their role. The management team continued to work to improve the service provided and work as much as possible with people if they had any concerns or complaints. We saw lessons had been learnt through review of accident and incidents.

Further information is in the detailed findings below