Share lives Scheme Soft Market Test

Plymouth City Council is engaging in a soft market test exercise to assess the market’s capacity, interest and capability in the management of a Shared Lives Scheme.

A Shared Lives Scheme offers placements that provide people aged 18 years and older with an alternative and highly flexible form of accommodation and/or care or support which is provided by ordinary individuals or families in the local community.

A Shared Lives Scheme is an alternative to home care and care homes for people in need of support. A Shared Lives Scheme offers a personalised model of care and support where carers share their lives and in most cases, their homes with those they support. Shared Lives Carers are self-employed carers supported by the provider, which is regulated by the Care Quality Commission.

The Shared Lives scheme will be expected:

 To recruit a range of appropriate short and long term Shared Lives carers

 To offer high quality shared lives placements to service users

 To expand the long term shared lives service to meet the needs of service users and the development priorities of the service purchaser

 To develop and expand the existing short break service to meet the needs of service users.

 To offer support for service users referred to the scheme in Plymouth

 To help develop service users independent living skills

 Support service users to be empowered to make informed choices and decisions about their care and treatment and to take greater control over their lives

 To help develop service users to become more independent and move on to a more independent environment if appropriate

Within Plymouth there is currently 12 long-term Shared Lives clients, currently no short break placements; there are a range of client groups such as adults with a learning disability, physical disability or mental health need. Plymouth City Council spent in the region of £266,000 on this service in the financial year 21/22. The local authority wishes to see the use of Shared Lives Schemes grow and expand.

Commissioners are committed to promoting Equality and Diversity and eliminating unlawful discrimination. Equality will be built into all aspects of the commissioning cycle to reflect this.