Archived: Shared Lives Scheme

Updated 21 September 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 24 August 2016 and was announced. The provider was given notice because the location is office based and provides a shared lives service. We needed to be sure that the appropriate staff would be available to assist with the inspection.

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Before the inspection the registered manager completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We looked at the PIR and at all the information we had collected about the service. This included all information and reports received from health and social care professionals and others. We looked at the notifications the service had sent us. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to tell us about by law.

During the inspection visit we spoke with two people who use the service, three carers, four staff members and the registered manager. After the day of the inspection we received written comments from one carer. We contacted seven local authority and other professionals and received one response.

We looked at a sample of records relating to individual’s care and the overall management of the service. These included six people’s care plans, a selection of policies, quality assurance records and a sample of carers’ and staff files and training records.

Updated 21 September 2016

This inspection took place on 24 August 2016 and was announced.

Shared Lives is a service which supports carers to provide a home for people who are unable to or choose not to live on their own. They live as part of the carer’s family. Carers are not directly employed by the scheme but are paid a fee which is dependent on the amount and type of support they provide for individuals. People using the service and their shared lives carers enjoy shared activities and life experiences. Generally, the people who use the service have learning and/or associated disabilities.

The service is provided by the local authority. At the time of the inspection 18 people received long or short term (respite) care which included the regulated activity (personal care). There were 26 carers approved to offer support to people who required personal care as part of their needs assessment. Additionally the service offered day care and other services which were not regulated by the Care Quality Commission.

There is a registered manager running the service. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC 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, carers, staff and others were kept as safe as possible because staff and carers were appropriately trained and followed health and safety procedures. They knew how to recognise and manage any form of abuse or risk of harm. Carers and staff members knew how and when to follow safeguarding procedures. Detailed risk assessments advised people, carers and staff and how to reduce risks, as much as possible. The robust risk assessment process enabled people to live in domestic homes and take the risks that this type of living involved, but as safely as possible. The recruitment procedure checked that staff and carers were safe and suitable to work with and/or provide people with care. The service carefully assessed what support people needed to take their medicine. Carers provided any help needed, safely.

People were totally involved in making decisions about their care. They chose where to live, who with and planned their care and support, with the help of others. Staff made sure that carers were able to uphold people’s legal rights with regard to decision making and choice. People’s capacity to make decisions was recorded, if appropriate and necessary. Staff ensured carers provided people with care that met their individual needs, preferences and choices. People’s rights were protected by staff who understood the Mental Capacity Act (2005). Staff provided carers with this knowledge, as necessary. This legislation provides a legal framework that sets out how to act to support people who do not have capacity to make a specific decision

People were respected as a family member and their privacy and dignity was encouraged and promoted. People’s diversity was fully understood and people’s carers and support plans reflected their particular needs. People were matched with carers who could offer them a home where any special needs could be absorbed into family life.

The service was well-led by a registered manager who was knowledgeable about the service and the needs of people. Although they managed two services staff felt they were always available. Staff felt valued and supported by the registered manager and this reflected on the standard of support they were able to give to carers. The service monitored and assessed the quality of the service. Improvements had been identified and had been or were being acted upon.