Archived: Shared Lives Scheme - Coronation Centre

The service provides long term family support, respite care and sessional support to people in Cheshire West. Most of the people who used Shared Lives - Coronation Centre did not receive a regulated activity. CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also take into account any wider social care provided.

Shared Lives used to be referred to as ‘adult placement schemes’, which remains the legal term used to describe them. CQC does not regulate individual shared lives carers and ‘placements’. We regulate at scheme level, through agency locations. Like any other person’s own home, we have no powers to enter shared lives carers’ homes. They are also the person receiving care’s own home.

We last visited Shared Lives - Coronation Centre on 12 May 2016 and the service was rated ‘Good’. This inspection took place on 3 January 2019 and we gave notice to the registered manager prior to our visit to ensure they would be available to assist with the inspection. At this inspection we found that the service remained ‘Good’. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

The service had a registered manager. 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.

Staff and carers were aware of the provider’s safeguarding policies and procedures and had undertaken safeguarding training.

Robust recruitment processes were in place for staff and for carers which meant that people were protected from staff and carers who were unsuitable to work with people who may be vulnerable to abuse or neglect.

Regular checks were made to ensure that carers’ premises were safe and suitable. Risk assessments were completed as needed, for example when people were going away on holiday.

Staff and carers had induction training with regular updates. Staff and carers had regular supervisions and meetings. Both the staff and the carers we spoke with felt they were supported well.

Each placement was subject to a full annual review including finance and medication checks.

A complaints policy was available and the manager maintained records of complaints received and how they were addressed.

Quality assurance processes were in place which included meetings held with carers and reviews of people's care. People using the service and their carers were also able to make their views known through questionnaires. There was a range of audits to monitor the safety and effectiveness of the service.

The service is managed by VIVO Care Choices Limited to provide long term family support, respite care and sessional support to adults. The scheme currently supports 14 people. People live with carers in the carer’s own homes.

There was a registered manager employed to work at the service and they had been registered for five months. 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.

People told us they were happy and they liked living with their carers. They said “I feel safe with my carer”, “I like to go out with my carer” and “I am okay”.

People and carers told us that they did not know who the registered manager was and no contact had been made with them. This meant that the registered manager did not know the people who used the service or the carers and relied on the knowledge and experience of the deputy manager and care co-ordinators.

Care plan documentation was person centred and gave good information about the individual needs of each person. A risk assessment was tailored to each person’s particular requirements. Some people were supported with their medications and these were managed by the carers. All documentation seen was up to date.

There were robust staff recruitment processes in place which meant that people were protected from staff that were unsuitable to work with people who may be deemed vulnerable. Staff had undertaken an induction and had access to supervision sessions, staff meetings and training relevant to their job role.

People and carers had access to information about the service that included a statement of purpose and this was written in large print to help people who might find standard print difficult to read.

A complaints policy was available and processes were in place should a complaint be received. The registered provider had not received any complaints and CQC had also not received any complaints about this service.

People said they were safe with their carers. Staff and carers were aware of safeguarding policies and procedures and had undertaken safeguarding awareness training. The registered manager understood the principles of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and the implications on people who used the service. Staff had an awareness of the MCA through the induction process and safeguarding training.

Quality assurance processes were in place which included meetings held with carers and annual reviews of people's care. There were also a range of audits undertaken in relation to the service provided that monitored its safety and effectiveness.