Shared Lives

Shared Lives is a shared lives scheme which provides people with long-term placements, short breaks and respite care, within shared lives carers (SLC) own homes. At the time of the inspection there were one hundred and ten people living with shared lives carers and receiving a registered service.

The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

The provider had not ensured they had displayed their previous rating on their website as they are required to do by law.

People and shared lives carers were positive about the way the service was managed and told us this helped provide the support they wanted. The registered manager and staff checked the quality of support provided, so they could be sure people received the care they wanted, and care was provided in ways which promoted people’s independence. Staff reflected on their practice and were supported to work with people and other health and social care professionals to improve people’s support further. The registered manager planned future developments of the scheme in line with nationally recognised best practice standards.

People’s care plan and assessments reflected their needs and choices and were regularly reviewed. Shared lives carers and staff supported people to enjoy a wide range of activities, and to keep in touch with people who were important to them. Procedures were in place to take learning from any complaints or concerns and people were confident their shared lives carers and staff would take action to support them. Staff gave us examples of actions they had taken, including working with other health and social care professionals, so people’s decisions at the end of their lives would be met. The registered manager planned to further develop people’s care plans, so people’s wishes would be respected in the event of their sudden death.

Staff recognised people’s right to independence when considering their safety needs and developed care plans and risk assessments which supported people to do things they enjoyed safely. Shared lives carers and staff knew what action to take if they had any concerns for people’s well-being and safety and were confident senior staff would support people to be as safe as possible. People told us they had prompt assistance from their shared lives carers and staff when they wanted support. Some people enjoyed the independence of managing their own medicines. Where people needed assistance from shared lives carers to have the medicines they needed to remain well, people could rely on staff support shared lives carers who had been trained to do this safely.

People had developed close bonds with their shared lives carers. People and shared lives staff told us staff were kind and empathetic when supporting people. Shared lives carers and staff knew people well and spoke respectfully about them. People were assisted and supported to make their own decisions about their care. Shared lives carers and staff understood people’s rights to dignity, privacy and supported people to develop their independence.

People’s needs were carefully considered and assessed before they started to be supported by shared lives carers and staff, and care was planned which reflected people’s preferences and needs. Shared lives carers and staff had been provided with training and developed skills which were linked to the needs of the people they supported. Some people liked the independence of preparing their own drinks and food. Where people required specific support from shared lives carers to have enough to eat and drink assistance was provided, which reflected people’s preferences and so they would remain well. Staff and shared lives carers assisted people to see other health and social care professionals promptly, so they would enjoy the best health possible. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was Good (published 25 May 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Enforcement

We have identified a breach in relation to the requirement to display previous inspection ratings at this inspection. Full information about CQC's regulatory response to the more serious concerns found during inspections is added to reports after any representations and appeals have been concluded.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our inspection programme. If any concerning information is received we may inspect sooner.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

The Shared Lives scheme recruits, trains and supports Shared Lives carers. Shared Lives carers provide personal care and support to people who live in their family home, which enables people to live as independently as possible. The scheme supports people aged over 18 who have a learning disability. Shared Lives workers are also employed by the scheme, their role is to assess, monitor and support Shared Lives carers and the people they support. There were 113 people who were using the service at the time of our visit.

People continued to receive safe care as they were supported by staff who knew how to protect them from harm. Staff were aware of people’s individual risks and plans were in place to minimise these while maintaining the person’s independence. People lived in the carers home, the registered manager told us that there was a maximum number of people the carers could support. This was based on people’s individual needs, the carers capacity within their home and dependency level of people who the carer was already supporting.

The service continued to be effective. The registered manager supported staff by arranging training so staff developed the skills to provide care and support to people, which was in-line with best practice. People receive care and support that was in line with their consent. People were supported by staff who knew their individual dietary requirements and how to support them in the right way. People had access to healthcare professionals when they required them.

The service remained caring towards people. People were treated well which had a positive impact on their well-being. People we spoke with told us that all staff spoke kindly to them and they felt happy and comfortable in their homes. Staff helped people to make choices about their care and the views and decisions they had made about their care were listened and acted upon.

The service remained responsive to people’s needs. People were involved in the planning and review of their care and support. People were supported to continue with their hobbies and interests which promoted their independence. Information was provided to people should they wish to raise a complaint. The provider had not received any complaints over the last 12 months.

The service remained well-led. The registered manager demonstrated clear leadership. Staff were supported to carry out their roles and responsibilities effectively, so that people received care and support in-line with their needs and wishes. The checks the registered manager completed focused on people’s experience of care. Where areas for improvement were identified, systems were in place to ensure lessons were learnt and used to improve the service delivery.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.