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.