Official praise for Spilsby at-home service that helps people in need

CSL Spilsby, which is run by the Linkage Community Trust charity, offers supported-living assistance that enables residents with disabilities or health issues to live independently in their own homes.

Typically, staff visit to help with daily tasks such as cooking, washing, shopping or managing money, providing a service that is tailored to a person’s needs.

When CSL Spilsby, based at Toynton Hall in the village of Toynton All Saints, was inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in October, it had 15 people on its books.

And the CQC report, just released, reveals that service-users and relatives gave “positive feedback about their care experience”, which resulted in inspectors awarding a rating of ‘Good’.

"They told us they were happy with the care they received, describing staff as kind, respectful and aware of their needs,” the report says.

"People said they felt listened to and were supported to plan how they wanted to spend their time, which helped them maintain a sense of independence and personal choice.

"They had access to health professionals when needed, and most people told us they were encouraged to stay healthy by learning about nutrition and exercise.”

The inspectors discovered that relatives “expressed some concerns about staff shortages, particularly how this impacted on consistency of care and one-on-one support”.

"However, they told us staff continued to work hard to provide good care and, overall, they remained happy with the service their family members received,” the report continues.

"While people felt there were areas for improvement around staffing levels, and we found that the recording of care outcomes could be better, overall the service was delivering in line with people’s wishes. It was supportive and contributed positively to people’s quality of life.”

The inspectors also describe staff as “compassionate and responsive”, working well with other external professionals, who “raised no concerns”.

They received good support from the new manager and deputy manager, whose leadership was “visible and inclusive”, allowing any concerns to be raised at regular meetings.

Infection controls were effective, medicines were administered safely and safeguarding was understood, while new staff received induction, training and supervision.

One area of criticism concerns care plans which, the CQC said, “could be generic and repetitive, lacking clear, specific guidance for staff”. Internal communication needed improvement, the report asserts.

The Linkage Community Trust describes itself as “a registered charity that supports people with learning disabilities and autism”.

It adds: “Everything we do is about valuing and supporting individuals, their carers and families to ensure they can achieve their aspirations. We are committed to creating opportunities to improve their lives.”