Legal News
Croydon Shared Lives scheme given outstanding CQC rating for mental health and learning disabilities services (9 May 2016)
Date: 09/05/2016
A Croydon Council-run service that helps adults with learning disabilities, mental health problems and other support needs has been rated outstanding by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
The Croydon Shared Lives scheme places vulnerable adults in the homes of specialist carers for day-to-day support and help. The programme is run by a council-based, registered manager who oversees the carers – and the programme aims to give greater independence to vulnerable adults with highly complex needs.
The CQC report states that the Croydon Shared Lives service provides an “exceptional model of personalised care” – and the service cares successfully for people with highly complex needs.
The report also says that carers work closely with local health professionals to achieve their aims – and that patients value and trust their carers and feel well looked after.
CQC inspectors say that the service’s experienced manager “provided outstanding leadership” – and the service was rated as outstanding overall, with individual ratings of outstanding for being well-led and caring, with good ratings for being safe, effective and responsive.
The inspection in December’s 2015 involved CQC visits to clients’ homes, speaking to their relatives, reviewing council records and policies – and interviewing staff.
Interim Deputy Chief Executive of adult social care for the CQC, Deborah Ivanova, said:
“We found that Croydon Shared Lives was providing an outstanding service to the people it supported – individuals were encouraged to be part of their community and the team there should be extremely proud of the work they do.
“We were struck by the extent to which the service places the people it supports at the heart of everything it does.
“While this should be standard practice across the sector, we do not see it often enough – and this, among other good practice found, is why this service deserves the outstanding rating which has been awarded.
“The manager and all of the staff deserve the credit for this outstanding service.”
Duncan Lewis Mental Health Solicitors
Duncan Lewis is the UK’s largest provider of Legal Aid mental health services and can advise mental health patients on a wide range of issues – including access to NHS mental health services and detention under the Mental Health Act.
Duncan Lewis mental health solicitors regularly visit NHS hospitals and police stations to advise on mental health law – and are available nationwide at short notice for hospital and police station appointments.
In some cases, Duncan Lewis mental health solicitors may be able to advise the nearest relative or carer of a mental health patient on a range of issues, including initiating treatment reviews where appropriate.
For expert legal advice on mental health law, call the Duncan Lewis Mental Health Solicitors Helpline on 0333 772 0409.