Archived: E S C C Supported Accommodation and Independent Living Solutions (SAILS) Shared Lives Scheme

At this inspection we met with the registered manager and two staff. We sent questionnaires to all carers of the scheme. Feedback from returned questionnaires was positive. We sat in on a carers meeting and listened to the issues that concerned them, and saw how scheme staff managed this. We spoke with four carers about their specific experiences. We also viewed a range of staff, carer and service user records.

We looked at how issues of consent were managed for people who lived in the scheme and found that consideration was always given to the choices and decisions people made for themselves. We looked at how their care needs were supported and monitored by scheme staff, and found comprehensive assessment and care plan information was provided to carers to inform their care. This was kept under regular review.

We looked at the systems in place for the recruitment and vetting of scheme staff and carers and were satisfied that procedures were well established and thorough. We viewed information about concerns and complaints and saw that this was well managed with staff intervening early to resolve issues where possible. We saw that carers and people using the scheme had opportunities to express their views. We looked at how records were maintained and kept secure, and found there were appropriate systems in place to ensure information was kept confidentially and secure.

We attended a shared lives carer re-approval panel. We viewed documentation maintained by the scheme about the people who were supported, and also their Shared Lives carers. We looked at documentation relating to staff training, and supervision.

Staff and Shared Lives carers spoken with felt that they had access to mandatory and specialist training. Staff said they received regular supervision and annual appraisal and we saw recorded supervision information. Shared Lives carers told us that they felt well supported. They confirmed they received regular support visits and the majority felt confident that if any issues arose the scheme would provide the necessary support to them.

Shared Lives carers and Shared Lives workers thought that there were systems in place for them to voice their own views and opinions and to receive feedback about this.