Background to this inspection
Updated
14 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
One inspector and one assistant inspector.
Service and service type
Dorset Shared Lives Scheme is a shared lives service, they recruit, train and support self-employed shared lives carers (SLC) who offer accommodation and support arrangements for people 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 specialist 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 4 February 2020 and ended on14 February 2020. We visited the office location on 4 and 10 February 2020.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since registration. We sought feedback from the local authority contract monitoring team. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.
During the inspection
We met with eight people who used the service, six shared lives carers, a family member and two prospective shared lives carers. We also spoke with five shared lives carers on the telephone about their experience providing care. We spoke with the registered manager, four shared lives officers (staff) and the nominated individual. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.
We reviewed a range of records. This included two people's care records. We looked at one shared lives carer’s recruitment and assessment files. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including quality assurance records were reviewed.
After the inspection
After the inspection, we reviewed further evidence sent to us by the registered manager and we received further feedback from six shared lives carers via our website.
Updated
14 March 2020
About the service
Dorset Shared Lives Scheme is a shared lives service which provides people with learning disabilities, autism, mental health needs, and or are living with dementia, with long-term placements, short breaks, respite care and day opportunities, within shared lives carers (SLC) own homes.
A total 46 shared lives carers had been appointed (36 households). Some shared lives carers had been approved to care for more than one person. At the time of our inspection 35 people were living in long-term shared lives arrangements, 26 people accessed shared lives for respite and 8 people were receiving day opportunities. Dorset Shared Lives Scheme employed five shared lives officers (staff) whose role was to co-ordinate and support shared lives carers.
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.
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.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People were supported by staff and shared lives carers who understood the risks they faced and how to support them to reduce these. People, shared lives carers and staff understood how to identify and report abuse.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and shared lives carers supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
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.
People received a person-centred service and they were treated with dignity and respect. Shared lives carers encouraged people's independence.
Shared lives carers and staff supported people to understand the choices available to them in ways they could easily understand. People led full and active lives in their homes and in the community. Shared lives carers and staff knew people well and understood what was important to them. They supported people to live their life the way they chose.
Staff and shared lives carers were recruited safely, and people were carefully matched with shared lives carers. People were supported by skilled, well trained and caring shared lives carers and staff.
The service was well-led and there were effective quality assurance systems in place to assess, monitor and improve the quality and safety of the service people received.
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 16 January 2019 and this is the first inspection.
The service was previously part of another registered service with a different provider that covered a larger geographical area.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the date of registration.
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.