Sylvian Care Farnham

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

This is the first assessment for this newly registered service. This key question has been rated good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

People and their relatives were positive about the care and support provided by the service. They told us staff treated them with kindness, compassion and dignity. People said they had developed positive, trusting relationships with staff and that their privacy was respected during care delivery. Comments included, “They are very caring, they help me with everything, they wash and dress me. They are very gentle. They chat, we talk about our children”, “The carers are kind, caring, and respectful” and “100% they are very kind and caring towards my mum.”

Staff told us of the importance in ensuring people received care that was kind and respectful. One told us, “If I am with the client, I will shut the door and close the curtains to have a private space. If they have to use the commode, I will lay a towel over them.”

The provider treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. They took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

People confirmed that staff were polite, treated them as individuals and respected their choices and how they wished to live their lives. One person told us, “We choose what hours we need them to come…. They stay for as long as I need them.” A relative told us, “They look at what’s important to [family member].”

People’s care plans were person‑centred and included information about their background, care needs, abilities and preferences, as well as how they wanted to be cared for. Staff demonstrated a good understanding of people’s cultural needs and backgrounds and took these into account when providing care. A relative told us, “[Provider] really takes her time to choose the right [carers] for the job. And I think she takes into consideration [family member] and what he likes.”

A member of staff told us, “I was introduced to all the clients by the [registered] manager. I never started care without being introduced to people first.” Another told us, “When I go to a client, I read the care plan and know what their needs are. To have an approach that is best for them. It’s different from person to person. Not all clients are the same.”
 

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

People were supported to remain as independent as possible and to stay in control of their lives and care needs. Comments from people and relatives included, “[Family member] gets her own clothes out and they respect that and her independence, (they are) very personable but professional.” One person fed back to the service, ‘The carers are very friendly. They are efficient at supporting me with tasks that helps me live a life independent.’

Staff understood the importance of promoting independence to help people continue living at home for as long as possible. One member of staff told us, “I need to support and assist, not do the things for them, try and promote independence. If they can’t do it, I will of course do it for them.”

Care and support plans clearly identified what people could do independently and how staff should provide support when needed. This helped people to retain choice and control over their care and support.
 

The provider listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress. One relative told us, “

People and their relatives told us staff were attentive and responded promptly when people’s needs changed. Staff spoke confidently about each person’s typical presentation and were able to describe how they recognised and responded to signs that someone required additional support. One relative told us, “If they [staff] think she is low they will bring [family member] some flowers. They are so caring.”

This detailed understanding of people’s individual needs meant staff were able to act appropriately to provide reassurance, comfort or access to medical support when required. A member of staff told us, “If I am speaking to someone where they are telling me they are upset, I try to empathise and ask what happened, stay and listen.”

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.

Staff told us their wellbeing was considered by leaders. One told us, “I have all the support I need with the clients to do my job effectively. I also have days off; they always support if I need anything.” Another said, “It’s perfect, for me, they always ask me if I am ok. I would confident they would support me personally.”

The provider took steps to promote staff wellbeing and support staff to deliver person‑centred care. Staff were encouraged to share feedback through staff surveys. The provider told us, “We do monthly team meetings. We do have an open-door policy. We have the feedback box. So, clients and staff, if they come and visit us. They can leave feedback. We are very open and transparent. They can come to visit anytime they want.”

The provider also supported staff wellbeing through effective rota planning. Staff told us they were able to take breaks during their day, whilst some staff had set working days or half‑days. This helped staff maintain a healthier work‑life balance and supported them to deliver consistent, compassionate care. The provider told us, “The franchise is actually setting up a wellbeing platform when they can get any support if they feel stressed or if they feel overwhelmed.”

The provider also acknowledged staff wellbeing by offering staff a day off on their birthday. These initiatives demonstrated a commitment to valuing staff and promoting morale, which helped support a positive and motivated workforce.