The Care Quality Commission

Archived: Shared Lives

Queens House, Queens Row, Queens Street, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF1 1DF (01924) 302681

Provided and run by:
Wakefield MDC

All Inspections

6 June 2013

During a routine inspection

We spoke with the acting manager, members of the staff team, people who use the service and their carers. They all said that people who used the service were encouraged to make decisions about their care and support. People told us that they could make their own choices about what they did. One person told us 'I like everything about it'.

Members of staff and the carers we spoke with had a good knowledge of the needs of the people who used the service. Carers said that they respected people's rights as individuals and they knew how to make sure their needs were met. Our discussion with carers showed that they were dedicated to their role and committed to making positive experiences for people they supported. One carer described the people who used the service as being "like part of the family". People who used the service told us they liked social activities, such as bowling, darts, gardening and going on holidays. They said they were happy with their care and that they felt safe within the Shared Lives scheme.

We saw evidence that carers had been carefully selected to provide suitable placements for people who used the service. We looked at some individual records for people who used the service, although staff explained that records were in the process of becoming computer based. Individual records for people showed that their personal needs were considered when arranging care and that this information was regularly reviewed and stored confidentially.