Updated 22 March 2019
The inspection:
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked 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.
Inspection team:
• The inspection team consisted of one inspector and an expert by experience. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.
Service and service type:
• Ategi Shared Lives Scheme is a service that support adults with a learning disability, autistic spectrum disorder, a mental health condition or physical disability. People using this service receive care and support by individuals, couples and families who have been approved and trained for that role and are called a ‘shared lives carer’. Care can be on a long-term basis with the adult living with the carer as part of their family, or as respite care to provide regular carers with a break.
• The service had recently appointed a Scheme Manager who was in the process of registering with the Care Quality Commission to become the Registered Manager. Once registered, this would mean that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
Registered Manager responsibilities were undertaken by the Ategi Registered Manager in Buckinghamshire with oversight from the Registered Responsible Individual.
Notice of inspection:
• Our inspection was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a shared lives service and we needed to be sure that someone would be in.
• Inspection site visit activity started on 14 February 2019 and ended on 14 February 2019. We visited the office location on 14 February 2019 to see the manager and office staff; and to review care records and policies and procedures.
What we did:
• Before the inspection we checked the information we held about the service. This included any notifications and safeguarding alerts. We also contacted the local borough contracts and commissioning teams that had placements at the service and the local borough safeguarding team.
• We asked the service to complete a Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.
• We spoke with the scheme manager, area manager, two care coordinators, the office manager and three shared lives carers.
• After the inspection, we spoke with three people who used the service.
• We reviewed four people's care records, three staff personnel files, staff training documents and other records about the management of the service.