Every year the Care Quality Commission (CQC) publishes its report based on inspections of all health and care services in England. The report does not distinguish Shared Lives from the much wider community care sector this year, which obscured the fact that, according to data supplied to us by CQC, 5% of Shared Lives schemes are outstanding (the joint best results in the sector) and 91% are good (the best results in the sector). 4% require improvement (the best results in the sector) and none are inadequate. 96% good or outstanding sets a new standard for what’s possible, in the teeth of continuing austerity and budget cuts.
Congratulations to our members for raising the bar again this year. Feedback from members tells us that the support they get from the Shared Lives team, including tools such as our quality framework and outcomes measuring tool, have helped achieve great results, particularly for schemes which have made it to ‘outstanding’.
We are proud of our sector, but not complacent: no model or group of providers is perfect, so we will be continuing to work with people with lived experience, Shared Lives carers and scheme workers to spot what can get better, and make sure it does!
Escaping the invisible asylum 