We carried out a review of the data available to us about Leeds Shared Lives on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Leeds Shared Lives, you can give feedback on this service.
Leeds Shared Lives Service is a shared lives scheme which provides people with short breaks and respite care, within shared lives carers own homes.
Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided. At the time of our inspection 21 people (referred to as customers) received personal care support.
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 that 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
Customers were protected from the risk of abuse and avoidable harm by staff and carers who understood how to recognise and respond to concerns. Staff are employed by the local authority. Carers provide short breaks and day support in their own homes. Risk assessments had been developed to minimise the potential risk of avoidable harm. Carers had suitable training to ensure customers received their medicines as prescribed. The registered manager had robust safe recruitment procedures.
Relatives were positive about the service and said carers were kind and caring. Carers were respectful when discussing customers and promoted their independence. The care and support had been planned in partnership with customers and their relatives. One relative told us, “[Shared Lives] it’s good, it works well and the carers care.”
Staff had received regular training and supervision to support them in their roles. Carers also received regular training to update their knowledge and promote best practice. Customers were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff and carers supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests.
Customers received person-centred care which was responsive to their needs. Customers' communication needs had been assessed and where support was required these had been met. The registered manager managed any concerns and complaints appropriately.
The service worked in partnership with a variety of agencies to ensure customers received all the support they needed. Relatives and carers were happy with how the service was managed. Staff felt well supported by the registered manager.
The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.
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.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was good (published 23 September 2017).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.
Leeds Shared Lives provides personal care and support to adults and older people. Most people who use the service have a learning disability or are living with dementia. There are two aspects of the service. The outreach team provides a service which supports people in their own home or out in the community. The short breaks service provides a break for people in another family setting. The aim of the service is to support people to lead independent lives and provide respite for relatives and carers. The service currently provides support to 303 people. Only a small proportion of these people required support with personal care.
A registered manager was in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (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. The registered manager has been referred to as 'manager' throughout the report.
Although a new manager had recently started at the service, there had been a number of changes in management over the last year. The manager had a good oversight of the service and was aware of areas of practice that needed to be improved. There were systems in place to look at the quality of the service provided, although these required review to make sure they were sufficiently robust.
People told us they felt safe at the service. Staff were confident about how to protect people from harm and what they would do if they had any safeguarding concerns. Medicines were managed safely and in line with procedures.
Risks to people had been assessed and plans put in place to keep risks to a minimum. An ‘out of hours’ service was in place so that people could contact a member of staff in an emergency.
There were enough staff in the team to make sure people’s needs were met. The provider had robust recruitment procedures to make sure staff had the required skills and were of suitable character and background.
Care staff were supported through training, supervisions and meetings to help them carry out their roles effectively. Staff were supported by an open and accessible management team.
The manager and staff were aware of the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA).
People told us that staff were caring and that their privacy and dignity were respected. Care plans were person centred and showed that individual preferences were taken into account. Care plans gave clear directions to staff about the support people required to have their needs met. People were supported to maintain their health and to access health services if needed.
People’s needs were regularly reviewed and appropriate changes were made to the support people received. People had opportunities to make comments about the service and how it could be improved.