Sylvian Care Swindon

On this page

• Overview
• Shared direction and culture
• Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders
• Freedom to speak up
• Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion
• Governance, management and sustainability
• Partnerships and communities
• Learning, improvement and innovation

Well-led – this means we looked for evidence that service leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture.

This is the first assessment for this registered service. This key question has been rated good.

This meant the service was consistently managed and well-led. Leaders and the culture they created promoted high-quality, person-centred care.

This service scored 71 (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 had a shared vision, strategy and culture. This was based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and understanding challenges and the needs of people and their communities. Staff were able to tell us about some of the company values and demonstrated how they worked in line with these. The manager told us staff were aware of these values as they were discussed in team meetings and supervisions, and they were displayed in the service’s office. People told us they felt listened to and supported.

The provider had inclusive leaders at all levels who understood the context in which they delivered care, treatment and support and embodied the culture and values of their workforce and organisation. Leaders had the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead effectively. They did so with integrity, openness and honesty.

Leaders had the appropriate skills, experience and knowledge to manage the service effectively. They understood people's needs and made sure systems and process’s supported good quality of care. The manager told us they felt supported in their role. They explained, “I have weekly meetings with my manager on a Thursday and have supervisions. We have access to our company compliance manager, who is a massive support. We have our business lead who also helps.”

People and their relatives spoke positively about the leadership of the service. One person told us, “The manager came round at the start and we sorted the care plan. They were very supportive.”

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. The provider had an open and transparent culture where staff were able to raise concerns and felt listened to. They ensured staff had access to 1:1 meetings in line with the provider’s policy. One staff member quoted, “If there were concerns, I would feel confident to report them through the appropriate channels, knowing they would be taken seriously and acted upon.” The manager told us there was a freedom to speak up policy for staff, directing staff who to contact if there were concerns or if they were not satisfied with the response.

The provider valued diversity in their workforce. They worked towards an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for people who worked for them.

The manager told us of examples of how they supported workforce equality, diversity and inclusion. They explained, “I did a communication workshop for staff which helped some staff that could not communicate so well with clients. I had a staff member who [did not have access to a car], where I made adjustments, so his care calls were closer together.” Staff told us the service supported workforce equality, diversity and inclusion.

The provider had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. However, the service had not notified CQC of some reportable safeguarding incidents, which meant CQC did not have oversight of the incidents which occurred at the service. However, these had been referred to the local authority safeguarding team.

There was evidence of clear governance systems in place, which meant leaders had a good oversight of the service and were able to identify risks. For example, there were audits undertaken to improve the quality of the service. These were effective as the service operated in line with regulations.

Staff felt the service was well managed.

The provider understood their duty to collaborate and work in partnership, so services worked seamlessly for people. They shared information and learning with partners and collaborated for improvement. The manager told us, “We work with [care provider] and have provider meetings, they put on workshops, we use this as a learning tool and find what’s good and bad, we have a monthly meeting with all franchises [an authorization granted by a government or company to an individual or group enabling them to carry out specified commercial activities] within Sylvian Care. Sometimes they have a guest speaker that we learn from, there is also newsletter that goes around weekly.” People and relatives told us the service worked well with professionals.

The provider focused on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and local system. They encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcome and quality of life for people. They actively contributed to safe, effective practice and research. Leaders explained how they had identified some shortfalls with the care planning system and the online training system for staff and therefore new systems were being introduced. The service engaged with other services to promote learning, improvement and innovation.