Positive inspection for Vivo’s Shared Lives service

Vivo Care Choices’ Shared Lives service has maintained its good rating following another positive inspection by the Care Quality Commission.

Now an in-house service at Cheshire West and Chester Council, Vivo offers a range of care and support to people with learning disabilities and autism and older people across the borough.

Shared Lives is one of six services that is regulated by the CQC, providing an alternative to more traditional services by matching carers with people who have similar interests so there are positive outcomes for everyone.

Long-term, short-term and sessional placements are all provided through Shared Lives, meaning some carers welcome people into their own homes and others support them out and about in the community.

This latest positive inspection means all of Vivo’s regulated services remain rated as good, with the CQC report highlighting how people benefitted from a service that provided safe, high-quality and compassionate care.

Good ratings were received in all five main areas inspected on and these were safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led.

After speaking to carers and support staff, the CQC found that environmental checks were carried out to help make sure carers' homes and premises provided people with a home that was safe, comfortable and suitable for their needs, while people were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible in their best interests.

Councillor Val Armstrong, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, said: “This is fantastic news for Vivo and the Shared Lives service, showing how valuable the care and support is for people in the local community.

“We’re very proud of our Shared Lives service and some of the wonderful outcomes it achieves for the people we support.

“The matching process is really important to make sure the carers and people they support have similar interests so they have the best possible time together.

“Shared Lives is delivered at the heart of the community and helps people become more independent, with plenty of opportunities to enjoy life to the full.”

Vivo’s Shared Lives service is always on the lookout for new carers to provide care and support to people across West Cheshire.

Apply to become a Shared Lives carer or find other roles at Vivo