Archived: Dorset County Council - Shared Lives Scheme

Updated 4 November 2014

This inspection was carried out by one inspector. The scheme was given 48 hours notice of the inspection. We visited the service on 12 August 2014. At the time of the inspection there were 92 people using the service. This included people who received support from a shared lives carer on a short term basis and 39 people who were living with shared lives carers on a long term basis.

We reviewed the Provider Information Record (PIR) and previous inspection reports before the inspection. The PIR is a form that asks the provider to give some information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We also reviewed the information we held about the service. At our last inspection in August 2013 we did not identify any concerns with the care provided to people who used the service.

Before the inspection we received completed questionnaires from 29 people who used the service, 15 shared lives carers, five members of staff and five health and social care professionals. Some of the findings and comments from these surveys have been used in this report.

During the inspection we met with four people who used the service and six shared lives carers. We also met with all seven staff at the scheme and the registered manager. We spoke with three relatives and four shared lives carers on the phone. We also spoke with two independent members of the Dorset County Council – Shared Lives Panel. This panel monitors the quality of the service provided and is responsible for the approval of all new shared lives carers.

As part of the inspection we read records which related to the running of the service and records relating to people’s individual care and support.

This report was written during the testing phase of our new approach to regulating adult social care services. After this testing phase, inspection of consent to care and treatment, restraint, and practice under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) was moved from the key question ‘Is the service safe?’ to ‘Is the service effective?

The ratings for this location were awarded in October 2014. They can be directly compared with any other service we have rated since then, including in relation to consent, restraint, and the MCA under the ‘Effective’ section. Our written findings in relation to these topics, however, can be read in the ‘Is the service safe’ sections of this report.

Updated 4 November 2014

We carried out this announced 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 and to pilot a new inspection process being introduced by CQC which looks at the overall quality of the service.

The scheme was last inspected on the 30 August 2013. No concerns were raised with the care and support provided to people at the inspection.

The shared lives scheme provides care and support to people in a family situation. Shared lives carers share their family and community life with someone who needs support to live independently. Dorset County Council Shared Lives Scheme offers personal care to people on a short term basis as well as long term placements for any adults over the age of 18.

The scheme had a team of seven staff who were employed by Dorset County Council. Shared lives carers worked on a self-employed basis and supported people within the carers’ home.

There was a registered manager for the service. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service and has the legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the law; as does the provider.

The scheme was well led by the registered manager who was committed to providing a high quality service which was personalised to the people who used it.

People were cared for as part of a family unit and were involved in all family occasions and events. One person told us “I feel very at home with my carer.” A relative said “It’s just like having a whole new extended family. We couldn’t be happier with how it has all worked out.”

Everyone we asked about the scheme told us it provided a service that was personalised to each individual. Comments included: “The scheme treats everyone as an individual and with the respect they deserve” and “It is all personalised to them. There is a mutual respect and they have a lot of fun as well.”

People using the scheme and their representatives were involved in all aspects of the assessment process to make sure they were matched to shared lives carers who were able to respond to their needs and preferences. One relative told us: “You just couldn’t get a more personal service. They do everything they possibly can to find the right placement.”

Shared lives staff and carers received training that was appropriate to the scheme and the specific needs of the people they cared for. One shared lives carer told us they had been matched with a person who had mental health needs and the scheme had provided specific training in this.

Risks of abuse to people were minimised because of the rigorous approval process in place for shared lives carers. One member of staff told us: “The process can take up to a year. People we work with are very vulnerable and we need to make sure they will be safe.”

There were enough staff to safely support the scheme. Shared lives carers said they were always able to contact a member of staff if they had any concerns or needed support. One shared lives carer told us: “My allocated worker visits regularly and I know they are always at the end of the phone if I need them.”