We carried out a review of the data available to us about Royal Greenwich 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 Royal Greenwich Shared Lives, you can give feedback on this service.
There was a registered manager 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.
At the last inspection on 27 January 2015, the service was rated Good.
At this inspection we found the service remained Good.
People's health and social care needs had been appropriately assessed. Care plans were person-centred, and specific to each person and their needs. Care preferences were documented and carers we spoke with were aware of people's likes and dislikes. Care plans were regularly reviewed and were updated when people's needs changed.
Systems and processes were in place to help protect people from the risk of harm. Carers had received training in safeguarding adults and knew how to recognise and report any concerns or allegations of abuse. Risks to people were identified and managed so that people were safe
Systems were in place to make sure people received their medicines safely.
Carers had been carefully recruited and provided with induction and training to enable them to support people effectively. They had the necessary support, supervision and appraisals from management.
Carers we spoke with had an understanding of the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). Capacity to make specific decisions was recorded in people's care plans.
People were supported with the nutritional and hydration needs. Carers were aware of people’s dietary requirements and the support they needed with their food and drink.
Carers told us that they received up to date information about the service and had an opportunity to share good practice and any concerns they had at team meetings.
There was a management structure in place with a team of carers, five placement officers, an administrator, the registered manager and the provider. Carers spoke positively about working for the service.
The quality of the service was monitored by regular monitoring visits and annual reviews of people’s care. Feedback about the service was also sought through questionnaires. Feedback was positive about the service people received.
This inspection took place between 27 October and 18 November 2015. The inspection was announced to ensure someone would be available to provide us with the information we needed. Our last inspection of 29 November 2013 found that the service met essential standards relating to care and welfare of people who use services, cooperating with other providers, assessing and monitoring the quality of the service, and complaints.
Royal Greenwich Shared Lives provides support with personal care to around 55 people with learning disabilities in Shared Lives placements. Some people also have physical disabilities or need support to maintain their mental health. Support is provided by 31 self-employed Shared Lives carers (SL carers) who are contracted by the scheme to support people as well as provide them with a place to live. Some people who use the service live with their SL carer full-time, while others live with unpaid, family carers and stay with their SL carer for short breaks or respite. The scheme employs five placement officers who monitor and support the SL carers in their work. The service is provided by the London Borough of Greenwich.
The scheme had a registered manager in place. 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 who use the service were provided with highly personalised, individualised support that met their needs. SL carers encouraged and supported people to learn new skills, undertake the activities they wished to do and maintain relationships with their family and friends. People told us they were supported to maintain good health and access health care services when they needed them.
People were supported by SL carers who had been through an extensive vetting and approval process to ensure they were suitable people to provide support. The service had an approval panel in place, chaired by a person independent of the scheme, and people who use the service played an integral role in assessing and presenting prospective SL carers to the panel for approval.
Scheme staff supported SL carers and people who use the service through a structured programme of monitoring visits. SL carers also had an annual review of their work, and were presented to the approval panel for re-validation every three years to ensure their ongoing suitability for the work. Training for scheme staff and SL carers was specific to the Shared Lives model and new SL carers had an extensive induction and probationary period.
People who use the service, their relatives and representatives and SL carers were highly involved in decision-making about the scheme. The scheme sought feedback in a number of different ways and acted upon it. Feedback from professionals involved with people who use the service was highly positive.
People were supported safely. Risks associated with people’s support were assessed and strategies were in place to mitigate those risks. Most SL carers had regular support SL carers they used to ensure safer, consistent support when they took their annual leave or were otherwise unable to support the person.
The scheme used a personalised ‘matching process’ to ensure compatibility between the person and the SL carer before the placement commenced. People were also empowered to become full members of the SL carer’s household.
The scheme was well-managed and plans were in place to further develop the scheme to provide support to more people. Scheme staff and SL carers were provided with opportunities to further develop their skills and knowledge and the registered manager effectively monitored the quality of the service people received.
We looked at how the provider co-operated with other agencies; we found they had a strong network which benefitted the people who used the service. This inspection also looked at how the provider was monitoring the quality of the care its staff were giving. We found that there was a strong emphasis on training and that communication with staff was made available through a variety of means.
We spoke to carers who were supported by the provider. The vast majority of them were positive and felt supported, though a couple felt that sometimes the provider was conducting too many reviews. We also looked at how the provider handled complaints about the service. We found they had a thorough system in place and were able to use the lessons learnt by an incident to inform their practice in the future.
Five people we spoke with who used the service told us they were involved in the planning of their care, and had been asked for their views when reviews were carried out.
We reviewed information five people's care and found that their care needs were being planned for. We spoke with carers and found that they understood people's care needs and how to protect them from risk and harm. We found that supervisory staff and carers had adequate training and supervision and were supported by the agency's management to do their job. Carers we spoke with said the management were supportive and provided good training and supervision. The provider used effective systems to regularly check that care was being provided safely and appropriately, including regular visits to people's homes each month.
People told us that they had good relations with the carers and staff. They were treated with respect and dignity and had been assisted to maintain their independence.
People felt safe and comfortable with carers and staff, and were satisfied with the level and quality of services being provided to them.