Leeds Shared Lives

Updated 28 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

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

Leeds Shared Lives is a shared lives scheme, they recruit, train and support self-employed shared lives carers (SLC) 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 5 days’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection and carers and customers are often out and we wanted to be sure they would be available to speak with us.

Inspection activity started on 03 March 2020 and ended on 04 March 2020. We visited the office location on both dates.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and Healthwatch. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. We used all of this information to plan our inspection. 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 spoke with two relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with seven shared lives carers and four staff. These included the registered manager, one social worker and two wellbeing workers.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.

Updated 28 March 2020

About the service

Leeds Shared Lives Service is a shared lives scheme which provides people with short breaks and respite care, within shared lives carers own homes.

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. At the time of our inspection 21 people (referred to as customers) received personal care support.

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.

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

Customers were protected from the risk of abuse and avoidable harm by staff and carers who understood how to recognise and respond to concerns. Staff are employed by the local authority. Carers provide short breaks and day support in their own homes. Risk assessments had been developed to minimise the potential risk of avoidable harm. Carers had suitable training to ensure customers received their medicines as prescribed. The registered manager had robust safe recruitment procedures.

Relatives were positive about the service and said carers were kind and caring. Carers were respectful when discussing customers and promoted their independence. The care and support had been planned in partnership with customers and their relatives. One relative told us, “[Shared Lives] it’s good, it works well and the carers care.”

Staff had received regular training and supervision to support them in their roles. Carers also received regular training to update their knowledge and promote best practice. Customers were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff and carers supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests.

Customers received person-centred care which was responsive to their needs. Customers' communication needs had been assessed and where support was required these had been met. The registered manager managed any concerns and complaints appropriately.

The service worked in partnership with a variety of agencies to ensure customers received all the support they needed. Relatives and carers were happy with how the service was managed. Staff felt well supported by the registered manager.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.

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.

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 23 September 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

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.