We carried out a review of the data available to us about Sycamore Hall on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Sycamore Hall, you can give feedback on this service.
Sycamore Hall provides personal care to people in their own homes. The service also provides personal care to people living at Kirkwood Hall in Leyburn. Both services are carried on and managed from the Sycamore Hall location.
The service can be provided to adults over 18 years, older people, people living with dementia or mental health difficulties, physical disabilities, autistic spectrum disorder or people with sensory impairments. At the time of our inspection, the service was providing care for 44 people.
This service provides care and support to people living in specialist ‘extra care’ housing. Extra care housing is purpose-built or adapted single household accommodation in a shared site or building. The accommodation is rented, and is the occupant’s own home. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support service.
People using the service at Sycamore hall lived in apartments. The Kirkwood Hall facility had apartments and bungalows that were situated in the grounds.
Sycamore Hall has a room reserved for people from the community who need additional support following discharge from hospital or to prevent them from being admitted to hospital. Kirkwood Hall has two of these rooms. These are known as step up / step down beds. Health professional's work alongside staff to ensure people who require this level of support have their needs met.
The service did not have a registered manager. The previous registered manager left in May 2017. The manager in charge of the service had applied to be registered.
At the last inspection, the service was rated good. At this inspection, we found the service remained good.
People were protected from harm by staff that recognised the signs of abuse and were confident to raise concerns. Care plans and risk assessments were in place and there was enough staff to safely provide care and support people.
There were safe recruitment processes to prevent unsuitable staff working with vulnerable people. The administration of medicines was well managed and people received support from health professionals when required.
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.
Arrangements were made for people to see health professionals when they needed to and to have a healthy balanced diet to promote their wellbeing.
The care and support people received was person centred to meet individual needs. Staff were kind, treated people with dignity and respect and were sensitive to their needs regarding equality, diversity and their human rights as their choices and preferences were respected.
People’s independence was promoted and they were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives.
The service was well-led. Staff said the management team were approachable and supportive and there were good working relationships with health and social care professionals. The safety and quality of support people received was monitored and the provider completed quality assurance audits to drive continuous improvement of the service.
Feedback systems were in place where the views of people and relatives were sought. People were given information on how to raise a complaint should they choose to do so.
Further information is in the detailed findings below.
We carried out this unannounced inspection on 08 and 15 October 2015.
The registration of Sycamore Hall covers two distinct services provided by North Yorkshire County Council. One is the personal care and support provided within the extra care housing scheme at Sycamore Hall. The other is the START (Short Term Assessment and Re-ablement Team) service, which provides focused, short term domiciliary support, to help people regain maximum independence after illness or hospital admission. Both services are carried on and managed from the registered Sycamore Hall location, under the Regulated Activity ‘personal care’. At the time of our inspection 26 people received a personal care service at Sycamore Hall and 17 people received a personal care service from the START team.
The service had a registered manager, who had been registered with us in respect of this service since 08 January 2014. 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.
People using the service told us they received a safe and reliable service. Staff knew how to report any concerns about people’s welfare and had confidence that senior staff would taking appropriate action.
Health and safety policies and procedures were in place. People had individual risk assessments in place, to help ensure staff were aware of the risks relevant to people’s individual care.
Staff were recruited safely. The service had staff vacancies, but the service was safely covering these with the existing staff team and had staff management plans in place.
Staff had been trained on how to administer medicines safely and had their competency checked. The records we saw showed that people received their medicines, although more detailed information and recording around medicines would be beneficial.
Staff were provided with relevant training and support. The registered manager and senior staff monitored staff performance through supervision and appraisal systems.
The service was following the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
If people needed support with eating and drinking this was assessed and included in their care plan. People confirmed they were given choices about their food and drink and where they ate their meals.
People told us that they were cared for by staff who treated them with dignity and respect. Staff were able to explain how they protected people’s privacy and dignity.
People had their care needs assessed, planned and reviewed appropriately, although the recording of reviews could be more detailed and robust. The staff we spoke with were able to describe people’s needs and people who used the service told us that staff were kind and caring in their approach.
Information about the complaints process was made available in people’s care records. People we spoke with told us that they would feel able to raise any issues or concerns, although some people were unfamiliar with the formal complaints process.
People we spoke with told us that the staff, including senior staff, were approachable. There were regular checks and audits taking place and the registered manager monitored the services performance.
We found that people were provided with information about the services available to them and involved in decisions about their care and support. Comments made by people who used the service included 'I've always been asked what I wanted' and 'They couldn't be kinder to me.'
People had their care needs appropriately assessed and planned, and received a reliable service. People's comments about their care and support included 'They are very reliable yes' and 'I think we are very well looked after.'
People were protected because staff had received training on recognising and reporting abuse and took appropriate action if they suspected abuse might be occurring.
Staff were supported to do their jobs well, through relevant training, support and monitoring. People told us that staff were competent and professional in their work.
Systems were in place to gather feedback from people who used the service and monitor the quality of the service that was being provided.