We carried out a review of the data available to us about Shared Lives on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Shared Lives, you can give feedback on this service.
Not everyone using Southend Care Shared Lives receives a regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with 'personal care'; help or prompting 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:
People received person-centred care that met their needs, encouraged them to learn new skills and increased their confidence, it helped them to achieve their goals and be active in the local community, where this was their choice.
People's privacy, dignity and independence was promoted. Southend Care Shared Lives (SLC) and scheme staff understood the Equality Act and supported people's diverse needs.
The service applied the values and principles of CQC guidance Registering the Right Support (RRS) and other best practice guidance; as people were enabled to make choices about their lives and were supported to be as independent as possible. These principles 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.
People told us they felt safe. Staff and SLC knew how to recognise signs of abuse or harm and what action they needed to take to keep people safe.
Robust recruitment and assessment checks were completed before SLCs were approved to join the scheme. People were matched to suitable SLCs who fully involved them in their home and family life as much as people chose. There were enough staff and SLC to run the scheme.
SLCs told us they were very well supported by the scheme and they received suitable training to meet the needs of people using the service. Dedicated training was supplied to meet people's individual health needs.
People's needs were assessed before they joined the scheme and where risks were identified, there were plans in place to manage these safely.
Medicines were safely managed. SLCs knew how to reduce any infection risks for people.
People were supported to maintain good health and had access to healthcare services. SLCs worked with health professionals to meet people's needs.
People were encouraged to eat healthily and to develop skills in food preparation.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. The policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
There was a registered manager and people, SLCs and staff spoke positively about the way they ran the service.
There were effective systems in place to assess and monitor the quality of the service provided.
Feedback from people, SLCs and families was requested and acted on.
Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection since registration. We found the service to meet the characteristics of Good in all areas.
Follow up: We will continue to review information we receive about the service until we return to visit as part of our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner. For more details, please see the full report which is on the website at www.cqc.org.uk