Enter & view, extra care schemes - 2016 & 2017

Summary

Extra care schemes - 2016

The purpose of this research was to gain an understanding of how social activities are supported in Sunderland Extra Cares Schemes and how management within these schemes communicate change to residents.

We chose to look at this type of service because:

• Sunderland Council is expanding the number of schemes (from 2017 there will be 12 schemes operational in the city).
• The care provided is regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) but the facility itself is not inspected.
• Commissioners wanted to determine whether communication with residents and the provision of social activities is dependent on individual schemes.
• Little is known about whether schemes of this type support the reduction of social isolation and loneliness and/or promote social interaction.

Extra care schemes re-visit - 2017

Our initial report published in 2016 made several recommendations aimed at the Commissioners and Extra Care Scheme managers which related to how management communicates with residents and how social activities are supported in the schemes.

We carried out a series of revisits to the 5 schemes to assess how management has responded to the recommendations.