Agenda item

Review Of Hillingdon's Shared Lives Scheme - Update On Review Recommendations

Minutes:

The Head of Early Intervention and Prevention introduced the report which provided an overview of the Shared Lives Scheme (HSL) and an update on the status of the five recommendations made by the Committee which were considered by Cabinet on 12 February 2015.

 

The Committee noted that the aim of the Shared Lives scheme was to provide accommodation, care and support for a vulnerable adult in a safe, appropriate manner in a family setting.

 

Examining the progress made on the five recommendations the Committee learnt that:

 

  1. During the past nine months the scheme had reviewed how it recruited carers and offered placements. Despite the challenges, the scheme had managed to increase the number of registered carers to 36, which was inclusive of carers who provide respite.  This was an increase of 3 people who were fully registered and able to provide a service.

 

There were currently 7 further applications in progress that would give the scheme 43 registered carers.

 

2.    With regards to the potential challenges and ensuring robust management was in place, the Committee heard thatsystems were in place to recruit new carers, assess any potential service users and ensure the matching process and monitoring of placements were completed to the highest standards.

 

Officers explained that HSL was a CQC registered scheme and as such, adhered to robust quality auditing and monitoring standards to ensure compliance.  A full compliance inspection was due to take place during 2015/16 and the registered manager reports had already indicated that she was satisfied that standards would be met.

 

3.    In relation to the recommendation giving consideration to extending the scheme, the Committee were informed that were currently 33 service users in either short, long term or respite placements within the scheme. At present the scheme has the capacity to increase the placements to 40 as identified in the major review and this work was ongoing.

 

4.    The Committee heard that as part of the scaling up of the scheme, Hillingdon Shared Lives had commenced work with Shared Lives Plus to expand the scheme to 16+ young adults. This action would give opportunities in accommodation to a younger group in order to relieve the pressure on the current building based residential services and to encourage young adults to receive respite care within a family environment whilst focusing upon building semi independent skills to assist them to become independent in the future or consider the scheme for placement as opposed to residential care or supported living in the future.

 

5.    The final Committee recommendation focused on the importance of appropriate matches being found in the community and consequently the time frame for any extension to the scheme needed to be flexible.

 

Officers explained that increased numbers of carers that could provide placements was dependent on the marketing plan. In future, the Council would be targeting people who had or were used to caring for young people for the 16+ group.  It was also noted that ground floor accommodation was also a key factor in accepting a carer.

 

In terms of future work, the Committee heard that the Shared Lives Team were working with Hillingdon Corporate Communications to explore further promotional and marketing ideas to raise awareness of the scheme and recruit carers as well as highlight the scheme as an attractive option for placement.

 

Resolved –

 

  1. To note the report

 

Supporting documents: