What You Think.
Sylvia has conducted 2 Safeguarding Adult Reviews (SARs) in the last 12 months for Cumbria Safeguarding Adults Board. Sylvia’s skills include her ability to understand complex health and social care arrangements across the system and use the information gathered to identify learning and make recommendations for the SAB and our partner agencies. Sylvia is highly organised and committed to ensure that both SARs were completed within timescales producing a professional but also easy to read report which was commended by our SAB members. Sylvia is also a highly skilled facilitator who, through learning events with practitioners encouraged reflection and learning.
Sylvia ensured that the subject of the SAR remained central to each review and was empathetic when engaging with families during the process. It was a pleasure to work with Sylvia and I would have no hesitation in recommending her as an independent reviewer.
Simone Eagling, Business Manager Cumbria Safeguarding Adults Board. 2023
Sylvia undertook a Safeguarding Adult Review (SAR) for the Derbyshire Safeguarding Adults Board in 2020/21. The review was complex and involved two subjects. Sylvia is a very experienced, knowledgeable and professional reviewer who showed great sensitivity to the practitioners involved in the case as well as the family members who took part in the review. She ensured that the adult was at the centre of the review at all times. The practitioner learning event and panel meetings were handled extremely well and there was excellent communication throughout the process with the Board office. The final report was written to a very high standard and we would not hesitate to recommend Sylvia to other Boards.
Natalie Gee, Project Manager and Andrew Searle,
Independent Chair, Derbyshire Safeguarding Adults Board. 2021
SSAB commissioned Sylvia Manson to undertake a Safeguarding Adults Review. The review was undertaken in a prompt yet appropriately paced manner with a clear structure and timelines that where adhered to. All activity was undertaken on a Virtual platform, which presented its own challenges… Sylvia was very centred on producing a quality review and acknowledged the importance of engaging all partners , and supporting an active learning culture.
Sylvia engaged well with the Board Manager and Business team produced work as agreed and was supportive and flexible with arrangements. Finally she engaged very well with distressed family members, heard what they were saying to her, ensured the Board heard the challenge and created a report that will act as leaver for real change
Deb Ward Sandwell Safeguarding Adult’s Board Manager 2021
Sylvia was commissioned by us to undertake a Domestic Homicide Review, having been recommended by colleagues in the safeguarding arena. Throughout the process Sylvia was professional, inclusive and sensitive, and her knowledge enabled her to provide constructive challenge. She was able to quickly establish rapport with the panel and also engaged with family members to ensure their voice was reflected in the review. The final report was delivered on time and to a high standard with clear recommendations.
Christine Flinton Head of Community Safety Derbyshire County Council 2020
This was our first experience of working with Sylvia. We found her to be professional, operationally astute and analytical, comfortable managing multiple agencies and their demands and judicious in asserting her independence. We soon realised we were in safe hands.
Joy Hollister, Independent Chair, Nottingham City
Safeguarding Adults Board 2020
Sylvia undertook two Safeguarding Adult Serious Case Reviews and a review of adult safeguarding review for us. They were completed to a the highest standards, delivered on time, inclusive of a wide range of partners and evidenced based. Sylvia is a consummate, highly knowledgeable consultant and a pleasure to work with.
Glenys Johnston OBE,
Independent Chair Jersey Safeguarding Adults Board
November 2018
Sylvia’s commitment and focus in facilitating and authoring our safeguarding adults review was impressive. Alongside her facilitation skills, Sylvia’s knowledge of the subject matter and detailed preparation for the learning event, ensured that it ran smoothly and identified important learning for the partnership. Throughout the review, Sylvia ensured that the individual at the heart of the review was central to it. We received a good quality and timely report
Lindsey Brampton, Leicester Safeguarding Adult Board Manager and Robert Lake, Leicester Safeguarding Adult Independent Chair
October 2018
The HSAB have commissioned Sylvia to carry out two pieces of work for us over the last year. The first piece was a multi-agency audit on self neglect. Sylvia produced an exceptional piece of work, from the planning stage to the presentation to the board. The work was exactly as required and highlighted some excellent recommendations for the board to take forward. Sylvia also completed a SAR on behalf of the board which again was to a very high standard. This included the terms of reference, liaising with the family, multi agency practitioners event and producing a very comprehensive report.
Liz Hanlon, Hertfordshire Safeguarding Adult Board Independent Chair
November 2017
‘Sylvia was commissioned to undertake a complex multi stakeholder learning review. The review entailed engaging with a wide number of stakeholders and throughout the process Sylvia's approach was professional and focused. The report provided and learning event facilitated by Sylvia was of an exceptional standard’.Elaine Ruddy Jan 2017, Safeguarding Adults Lead (London Region)
Learning review – Serious Concerns within a Provider of Acquired Brain Injury care.
‘Generally, I think this is one of the best written and well balanced reports I have seen for some considerable time. It provides a helpful and clear analysis of the issues and recommends what can be done to improve the provision of the service.’
Partner; Capsticks Solicitors; (15th September 2016)
‘Sylvia's constructive approach to a complex thematic review around the issues raised from a learning review into the management of serious concerns in an NHS funded neuro behavioural and acquired brain injury service ensured that the multiple partner agencies had a clear understanding of the key lesson arising from the case. The recommendations for improvements were succinct and whole systems improvements identified.
The methodology employed meant that the voice of agencies were encouraged and captured and attempts made to engage other stakeholders including clients and families. Sylvia's work fulfilled the terms of reference for the review within the budget afforded her. Her report was evidenced based and concise. Lewisham Clinical Commissioning group would thoroughly recommend Sylvia as an independent reviewer. The review held its own challenges but Sylvia’s calm methodical approach was to be applauded’.
Lewisham Clinical Commissioning Group (10th November 2016)
Safeguarding Adults Review 2016
‘Sylvia brought creativity, wide-ranging mental health experience and honesty to a highly complex safeguarding adult review(SAR). She completed all tasks to the proposed timescales and her organisational skills were impeccable. The completed SAR was extremely thorough and detailed. However most importantly at the heart of the SAR was the person. This impacted on all agencies involved and gave a clear understanding of the key lessons learned.’
Tracy Keats, Chair to NSAB SAR Sub group - Assistant Director of Safeguarding, NHS Nene and NHS Corby Clinical Commissioning Groups
(20th September 2016)
‘in nearly ten years in safeguarding I don’t think I have ever read a report done to the standard that this one has been undertaken. Sylvia has undertaken this review fairly, fully and fearlessly whilst maintaining a great respect for CM, her life and personality throughout the report.’
Ben Leach Head of Safeguarding Northampton General Hospital
(4th August 2016)
A Briefing for Organisational and Multi-Agency Learning
A briefing which provided a summary of learning from two independent reviews of the sexual safety of service users in mental health inpatient services. Both Reviews were conducted in a highly collaborative and supportive way. The Reports were high quality resulting in significant organisational and multi-agency learning. The recommendations have had a strategic impact across CNWL resulting in workstreams that will undoubtedly result in better patient outcomes. We hope that you are able to use this letter as a testimonial for further commissioned work in this area of Consultancy"
Josephine Carroll, Borough Director
Philip Bolland, Deputy Director (Brent 2016)
"Sylvia was appointed the Project Facilitator for Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards Project from November 2014 – December 2015 with Croydon Clinical Commissioning Group.During this time Sylvia shared her wealth of knowledge, experience and skill across the health and social care economy of Croydon with carers, practitioners and organisations achieving increased awareness regards implications for all. The project has been evaluated, as an extreme success, and exceeded the original project objectives and outcomes due to Sylvia’s tenacity and professionalism."
Rachel Blaney, Croydon CCG (2015)
Sylvia Manson of Sylman Consulting has been commissioned over the last two years by Hertfordshire to audit some of our practices and procedures.
Sylvia audited our Serious Concerns about Providers processes and made some very constructive and helpful suggestions as to how we might work smarter and more proportionate in the way we approach and address provider who are failing.
Sylvia then went on to audit social work practice around safeguarding along similar lines.
Sylvia has just completed her third audit around the application of the Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards in both social work practice and also in terms of how our systems do or don’t support what we aim to do.
In all three commissioned audits Sylvia approached them in a professional, flexible and friendly manner. She worked alongside our teams offering support along the way.
She attended the Hertfordshire Safeguarding Adults Board to feed back on the two safeguarding related audits, again this was both constructive and extremely professional, Sylvia definitely commanded the respect and credence for the recommendations made, these have now formed an action plan for the boards strategic work over the next year.
I would most definitely engage in Sylvia’s services again.
Sue Darker, Operations Director and safeguarding lead for Hertfordshire County Council Adults Services (2014)
"I would concur with other panel members feedback that the report is well written, the analysis is sound and the conclusions and recommendations are the right ones. Sylvia should be congratulated for her work on this review, not only in producing a quality report but also for her skilled chairing of the panel meetings."
Panel Member DHR Leicestershire (2014)
"Sylvia delivers difficult, thought provoking material with a light touch which belies how difficult it is to both inform and provoke a mixed group. She is a stunningly skilled trainer who uses an effective mix of training techniques to keep everyone learning throughout the day."
Dr Jane Canavan RMN PhD Head of Learning & Development,
Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (2014)
Listen here to Sylvia's interview with Ben Jackson on BBC Radio Leicester, (broadcast on the19th of August 2014).