Shared Lives Isle of Wight

Updated 28 May 2021

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 completed by one inspector.

Shared Lives Isle of Wight is a shared lives scheme, they recruit, train and support self-employed shared lives carers 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 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

Inspection activity started on 29 April 2021 and ended on 11 May 2021. We visited the office location on 29 April 2021.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since it was registered. This included registration reports and information the provider had sent us. We reviewed statutory notifications the service is required to send us. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law.

We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. 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 viewed records relating to three people living within the shared lives scheme and records relating to the recruitment of four shared lives carers. We also viewed a variety of records relating to the management of the service and we spoke with the registered manager.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We spoke with three people who were living in a shared lives placement and four shared lives carers. We spoke with the senior support worker and the provider’s nominated individual. A nominated individual is the providers legal representative.

We received feedback from five health or social care professionals who had regularly contact with the service. We looked at a range of information the registered manager sent us including quality assurance records.

Updated 28 May 2021

About the service

Shared Lives Isle of Wight is a shared lives scheme which provides people with long-term placements within shared lives carers own homes. At the time of our inspection there were 23 people who used the service. Three people were receiving a personal care service. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where people receive personal care we also consider any wider social care provided.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People told us they were happy living within their shared lives homes and felt supported to live their lives in the way they wished to do so. Shared lives carers spoke about people with kindness and compassion.

The shared lives service helped people to express their views, preferences, wishes and needs meaning they were fully involved in decisions about their care. People were involved in the planning and reviews of their care and were supported to be as independent as possible.

People received care and support in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Shared lives carers showed an in-depth understanding of equality and diversity and people were treated with dignity, and their privacy was respected.

People said they felt safe and shared lives carers knew how to keep people safe from harm.

Shared lives carers were recruited safely and had received appropriate training and support to enable them to carry out their role.

A comprehensive range of risk assessments and management plans were completed for people and their home environments to ensure safety. Risk assessments promoted positive risk-taking meaning people were able to participate fully in a range of activities and their local communities. People received their medicines safely and as prescribed.

The registered manager and senior support worker worked with other external professionals to ensure people received effective care. External professionals were extremely positive about the support people received from shared lives carers and the management team.

There was a clearly defined management structure and regular oversight and input from the provider's representative. Shared lives carers were positive about the management of the service and told us the registered manager and senior support worker were very supportive and approachable. Any concerns or worries were listened to, addressed and used as opportunities to make continuous improvements to the service.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right Support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

This service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.

Right support:

• The shared lives model of care maximised people’s choice, control and independence.

Right care:

• People received care which was person-centred and promoted people’s dignity, privacy and human rights.

Right culture:

• The ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of the shared lives Isle of Wight management team and shared lives carers helped ensure people lead confident, inclusive and empowered lives.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 10/10/2018 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the date the service commenced providing a personal care service.

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.