Archived: Sunderland Shared Lives

Updated 1 November 2017

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 22 and 27 September 2017 and was announced. One adult social care inspector carried out this inspection.

Before we visited the service we checked the information we held about this location and the service provider, for example, inspection history, statutory notifications and complaints. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send to the Commission by law. We also contacted professionals involved in caring for people who used the service, including commissioners and safeguarding staff.

Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

During our inspection we spoke with two people who used the service and six carers. We also spoke with the registered manager and senior support worker.

We looked at the care records of four people who used the service. We also looked at the personnel files for four carers and records relating to the management of the service, such as quality audits, policies and procedures.

Updated 1 November 2017

This inspection took place on 22 and 27 September 2017 and was announced. This was to ensure someone would be available to speak with us and show us records.

Sunderland Shared Lives is an adult placement scheme. The scheme oversees carers who provide care and support to adults who have learning disabilities. On the day of our inspection there were 17 people using the service. The registered manager and senior support worker are employed by Sunderland Shared Lives, however, carers are self-employed and have a contract with Sunderland Shared Lives.

The service had a registered manager in place. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to manage the service. Like 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.

We last inspected the service in September 2015 and rated the service as ‘Good.’ At this inspection we found the service remained ‘Good’ and met all the fundamental standards we inspected against.

Accidents and incidents were appropriately recorded and monitored. The manager understood their responsibilities with regard to safeguarding and carers had been trained in safeguarding vulnerable adults.

Appropriate arrangements were in place for the safe administration of medicines.

Appropriate health and safety checks had been carried out, and risk assessments were in place.

The provider had an effective recruitment and selection procedure in place and carried out relevant vetting checks when employing carers. Carers were suitably trained and received regular supervisions and appraisals.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives, and carers supported them in the least restrictive way possible.

People were protected from the risk of poor nutrition and carers were aware of people’s nutritional needs.

People were treated with dignity and respect and were helped to maintain their independence.

Care records showed that people’s needs were assessed before they started using the service and support plans were written in a person-centred way. Person-centred is about ensuring the person is at the centre of any care or support plans and their individual wishes, needs and choices are taken into account.

Activities were arranged for people who used the service based on their likes and interests and to help meet their social needs.

The provider had an effective complaints procedure in place and people who used the service and carers were made aware of how to make a complaint.

The provider had an effective quality assurance process in place. Carers said they felt supported by the management team.