Sunlight Care Sutton

On this page

• Overview
• Assessing needs
• Delivering evidence-based care and treatment
• How staff, teams and services work together
• Supporting people to live healthier lives
• Monitoring and improving outcomes
• Consent to care and treatment

Effective – this means we looked for evidence that people’s care, treatment and support achieved good outcomes and promoted a good quality of life, based on best available evidence.

This is the first assessment for this service since registration in July 2025. This key question has been rated good. This meant people’s outcomes were consistently good, and people’s feedback confirmed this.

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 made sure people’s care and treatment was effective by assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them.

Managers assessed people’s individual needs for care and support. The information obtained through these assessments was used to develop care plans detailing the care and support people required at each scheduled care call.

Managers also reviewed people’s needs to help ensure their records remained accurate and up to date, including details of the care and support they required at each scheduled care call.

The provider planned and delivered people’s care and treatment with them, including what was important and mattered to them. They did this in line with legislation and current evidence-based good practice and standards.

People’s choices and preferences informed how and when they received care and support from staff, helping to ensure this was delivered in line with their individual needs. A staff member told us, “I read the care plan and follow what is written there. I also listen to the person because they know what they like and how they want things done. If I am not sure, I ask.”

Staff undertook regular training to keep their skills and knowledge up to date with current practice and standards. A staff member told us, “Training keeps me confident with things such as moving and handling, medicines and other aspects of care.”

Managers monitored and reviewed the care and support provided to people to help ensure this continued to reflect their choices and preferences and was delivered in line with expected standards.

The provider worked across teams and services to support people. However, staff did not always work together as effectively as they could. The provider shared assessments of people's needs when people moved between different services, helping to reduce the need for people to tell their story more than once.

Overall, staff shared information about the care and support provided to people to help ensure continuity of care. However, we identified a small number of staff who did not record the care and support provided immediately after completing a care call. We found no evidence that people had been harmed as a result of this practice. However, delays in recording care increased the risk that important information about people’s needs would not be identified, communicated, or acted on promptly, potentially affecting the continuity, safety and effectiveness of their care.

During our site visit, the provider took immediate action to address this practice and subsequently met with staff to remind them of their responsibilities to maintain timely and accurate records.

When people moved between services, managers obtained information from the relevant health and social care professionals involved in their care. This helped to ensure people did not need to repeatedly share information about their care and support needs. A relative told us, “There was a handover from [local authority] to Sunlight Care Sutton, and it was all written down.” The registered manager told us, “Most people are coming out of the reablement service. We do the first visit with the outgoing carer, and we do a handover of the package of care at that point.” Reablement services provide short-term, intensive support to help people regain or maintain their independence following an illness, injury, fall, or hospital discharge.

The provider supported people to manage their health and wellbeing to maximise their independence, choice, and control. Staff supported people to live healthier lives and where possible, reduce their future needs for care and support.

People’s records contained information about their healthcare needs and how these should be met. This helped staff provide care that supported people to maintain their health and wellbeing in line with their needs and wishes. One person told us, “They moisturise my legs every day and occasionally when the district nurse pops around they say what good order the carers have kept my legs in.”

Staff closely monitored people’s health and wellbeing and recognised when they were unwell or in pain. Concerns were reported promptly to the relevant health and social care professionals to help ensure people received timely and appropriate support. A relative told us, “[Family member] had another stroke last year and the carer called an ambulance and waited until it arrived.”

The provider routinely monitored people’s care and treatment to continuously improve it. They ensured that outcomes were positive and consistent, and that they met both clinical expectations and the expectations of people themselves.

People’s records set out the outcomes they wished to achieve from the care and support provided. Staff recorded the care and support delivered and their observations of people’s health and wellbeing after each scheduled care call. Managers reviewed these records to monitor the care and support provided and check whether people were achieving their intended goals and outcomes.

The provider told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment.

Staff supported people to understand what their care and support involved and sought their consent before providing care. One person told us, “They will explain to my [family member] what they are doing.” A staff member said, “Before doing anything, I explain to the person what I am going to do and ask for their permission. I make sure they understand and are comfortable before providing care. I respect their right to say no or change their mind. If there is ever a situation where I am unsure about consent, I would speak to a senior or manager and follow the correct procedure.”

The service was working within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). Mental capacity assessments were completed with people and others involved in their care. If people could not make decisions and consent to their care, processes were in place to make sure any decisions would be made in their best interests.