Portsmouth Shared Lives Service

Updated 25 March 2020

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection was conducted by one inspector.

Service and service type

Portsmouth Shared Lives Service is a shared lives scheme, they recruit, train and support self-employed shared lives carers (SLC) who offer accommodation and support arrangements for vulnerable adults within their own family homes in the community.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

Inspection activity started on 19 February 2020 and ended on 10 March 2020. We visited the office location on 19 February 2020.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed the information we had received about the service, including previous inspection reports and notifications. Notifications are information about specific important events the service is legally required to send to us. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return, which we received just after our visit to the office. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with two people who used the service and two shared lives carers about their experience of the service. We spoke with five members of staff including the registered manager, and shared lives support staff.

We reviewed a range of records. This included five people’s care records and medication records. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We looked at records in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. We sought feedback from external health and social care professionals and three shared lives staff.

Updated 25 March 2020

About the service

Portsmouth Shared Lives Service is a shared lives scheme which provides people with long-term placements, short breaks and respite care, within shared lives carers own homes. This type of service provides care and support with emphasis on providing an ordinary family life within the community. There were 46 people being supported at the time of the inspection. However, 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 five people were being supported with a personal care.

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

People received support that was person centred and reflected their individual needs. People were fully involved in making decisions relating to their care and support needs. People had time to get to know potential shared lives carers before a decision about any placement was made.

People were supported to be safe. Risk assessments were completed for people and they were supported to manage risks in their home environment, to ensure safety. The provider had a policy and procedure for safeguarding adults and the registered manager and staff understood their responsibilities.

Where people required support with their medicines, they received them on time and correctly. Staff worked with the local health professionals and pharmacies to ensure people had the right medicine and health support at the right times.

The provider used a values-based recruitment process, which encouraged a diverse range of shared lives carers with varying skills and backgrounds. They considered shared lives carers and staff members ability to provide person centred care and meet people’s human rights. There were robust processes in place to ensure only suitable staff and shared lives carers were recruited.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

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.

Shared lives staff and carers had received appropriate and varied training, that supported them to carry out their role safely. They received regular supervision to help develop their skills and assist them in their role.

People told us they were happy living with their shared lives carers and felt valued and cared for. There was a complaints process that people could follow if they needed to.

People were involved in the development of personalised support plans that were reviewed regularly. Shared lives carers knew people well and were skilled in delivering their care in the way they preferred. This ensured people’s preferred routines were met.

There was a clearly defined management structure and regular oversight and input from the provider’s representative. The registered manager and shared lives staff carried out regular checks on the quality and safety of the service. Shared lives carers and staff felt supported by the provider and registered manager and told us they felt valued.

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 30 August 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.