This inspection took place on 7 and 8 June 2018 and was unannounced.

Sydenham House is a residential care home for up to 19 people. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. Sydenham House is registered to provide care for older adults who may be living with dementia, physical disability and/or sensory impairment. At the time of this inspection 19 people were living there.

This home was registered under a new legal entity on 17 May 2018, when the provider changed from being an individual to a limited company. There has been no change to the ownership or management of the home despite the change in legal entity. At the last inspection on 25 February 2015, under their previous registration, the service was rated Good. This was our first inspection since registration of the new legal entity and at this inspection we found the service was Good.

Accommodation at Sydenham House is provided in one adapted building over three floors, with bedrooms located on each floor. The upper floors were accessed via a passenger lift, suitable for wheelchairs, or via the stairs. Most bedrooms had en-suite facilities and adapted communal bathrooms were available to all. People had access to the lounge, dining area, conservatory and garden. The well-maintained garden was large, flat and enclosed, with outside seating areas. Parking was available to the side of the house.

There was a registered manager in post. 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.

Sydenham House enjoyed a good reputation locally and was recommended by everyone we spoke with. People received safe, personalised care from a well-established staff and management team. There were enough suitable staff to meet people's needs. People’s needs were reviewed regularly and risks were managed with the support of health and social care professionals. Staff worked openly with other agencies to safeguard people. The home and specialist equipment were appropriately maintained and people were protected from risks associated with cross infection. There were few incidents, accidents or complaints at Sydenham House, but learning from these and external events was taken forward to improve safety and people’s experience of the service.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control over their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. People's privacy was respected and they were treated with dignity and kindness. People were supported to maintain relationships with others who were important to them. They were supported to access preventative and specialist health care and to live as full a life as possible.

People benefitted from a caring staff team who knew them well, could communicate with them and worked flexibly to meet their needs, including social and emotional needs. People's preferences were taken into account and they were listened to. People received good end of life care. Feedback about the service was sought regularly and this was used to improve the service.

The culture at the home was open and nurturing. People and staff were valued and their needs were prioritised by the management team. Staff and managers worked together and collaboratively with external agencies to ensure the provide the best possible experience for people.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.