Hillingdon Shared Lives

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the service involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

The last rating for this key question was good. At this assessment the rating has remained good.

This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

People were treated with kindness, compassion and respect. People and their shared lives carers lived together in a family setting. Comments from people using the service and relatives included, “My carer is very supportive. I have been at this home a very long time and feel part of a family. I am happy here”, “I can see it myself how caring and kind they are”, “The carers are very kind people and [person] is part of the family” and “They are superb.”

Shared lives carers spoke positively about the people who they cared for. They demonstrated a close bond and passion about their work. One shared lives carer told us, “We include [person] in everything we do. [They are] part of our family.”

People told us their privacy was respected, and they were treated the way they wanted to be.

We met some of the shared lives carers and the people they supported. It was clear that there was a close, personal connection between them and people were relaxed and trusted the carers.

People received individualised support and care. People were treated as members of a family and empowered to make decisions. Relatives, shared lives carers and staff gave us examples about how people’s lives had improved and changed whilst using the scheme.

People had been with carers on holiday. People were supported to celebrate their culture, religions and things that were important to them. One relative told us how a person had taken part in a religious ceremony with their shared lives carers that was very important for the person and carers. They said, “[Person] is very proud to be included as part of the family in this way which reflects the cultural traditions of both [our] and the shared lives carer’s family.”

People were supported to become part of the shared lives carers wider families, spending time with different generations and pets.

There was a strong ethos of promoting independence. Everyone told us people were supported to try new things, be involved in the house they shared and develop skills. Some people were supported to be more independent with the aim of moving to a less supported setting in the future. However, for most people, they were supported to learn skills and be independent so they could enjoy living with their shared lives carers long term. Comments from relatives included, “[Person] has come out of [their] shell”, “[Person] has become independent, and the carers send me photos of [them] shopping”, “[Person] helps make food, washing up, makes [their] bed and helps in the garden”, “The carers help [person] to be involved in the daily running of the home” and “[Person] has their own door key.”

Professionals confirmed they had seen people’s skills and independence develop whilst using the service. One professional told us, “It’s a great service which provides support to people with learning disabilities while allowingthem to remain as independent as possible but in a family environment.”

People using the service and their relatives told us people had full and active lives, pursuing things that interested them and making choices about how they lived their lives and what they did. A relative explained that they were impressed with how the shared lives carers understood the person and had supported them to make choices the relative did not think would be possible. A shared lives carer told us, “It is about giving them choices. They are unique with the level of care they need. It has to be tailored to them.’’

Shared lives carers were good at responding to people’s immediate needs. They knew people well and could identify when something was wrong and when people needed additional support. The carers liaised with staff to make sure everyone involved in their care was able to provide holistic support. For example, following an unexpected bereavement, the shared lives carer and staff worked closely with a person to provide support to help the person process this and deal with their emotions in a supportive environment.

Records showed that shared lives carers had acted quickly and appropriately when people became ill and following accidents.

There was a supportive environment for shared lives carers and staff. The registered manager made sure they were available, open and transparent with everyone. Shared lives carers told us they felt very well supported and cared for. Their comments included, “[Office staff] are very caring and supportive”, “We are very happy with the support we get” and “Office staff are just fab.”

The provider ensured staff and shared lives carers had regular training, took part in meetings, had opportunities to discuss their wellbeing on an individual basis and had additional guidance about good practice.

Staff told us they were very happy and loved their jobs. They felt well supported and did not want any changes. They felt the provider ensured they had the resources and tools required to perform at their best.