1. Health Quality Checkers Team Confidential Inquiry Conference 28 March 2014

2. About us Lead happy and independent lives
Skills for people are a user led organisation. Working in the
North East, inspiring people from across the UK and elsewhere
Our aims are to help and support disabled
people to:
Lead happy and independent lives
Be living the lives they choose
Be included in the communities of their choice
Be strong, confident and able to speak up for themselves
Have more control over the organisations which effect their lives
Tell others about the challenges faced by disabled people

3. Our work is led by people with learning disabilities, their experiences are at the heart of all we do
Skills for People have been supporting people like us to speak up and take more power and control over our own lives.
Leading and carrying out Quality Checks are just part of the paid work we do.
We want to make sure that health and social care services are meeting the needs of people with learning disabilities.

4. Background to quality checks
Since 2002 Skills for People have carried out lots of quality checks around the country using the “Its my life” standards.
We have trained lots of people around the country to become Quality Checkers.
Our team have carried out checks on:
Independent Supported Living
Day services
Services for young people
Supporting people to find services that best meet their needs
In 2011 our team wanted to focus on healthcare.

5. Why healthcare
Over the past 14 years there have been a lot of reports that tell us we need to improve health services for people with a learning disability.
The reports have raised serious questions about the quality of care and treatment.
They tell us that health services still do not understand how to treat and support people with a learning disability.

6. These are some of the reports that tell us about the lives of people with a learning disability.
2009
2007
2001
2009
2008

7. And more
2006
2004
2007
2011
2012
2013

8. Our Health Quality Checkers Team
We are ‘self advocates’ involved because we are experienced in checking the quality of services for people with a learning disability
“Self advocate” is a term we use to describe people with learning disabilities that have the confidence to speak up for others
We are “experts by experience” because we use health services
We know what it is like to be supported by healthcare professionals

9. The Health Quality Check Pilot
In 2011 the NHS North East Strategic Health Authority funded and supported Skills for People and Sunderland People First to create and test out the “Good Health for all Standards” with GP Practices in North Tyneside and Sunderland. To do this we worked with three practices. We learnt a lot from the pilot . This helped us to start to develop a Step by Step Guide which includes tools and resources to carry out a health quality check.

10. About the same time our team got involved in the Acting Together programme and worked with CQC on the national review of Learning Disability services after the Winterbourne incident.
We now have 5 experts by experience who work with the inspection teams in the North East of England.

11. The role of the Health Quality Checkers
We are experts because we use local health services so why not learn from us.
We find out if the patients that use local health services are getting the right support.
We find out if health professionals understand about reasonable adjustments
We use standards that are important to people with a learning disability

12. The Good Health for all Standards
These are the standards we will use to check your service
I am involved in my care at all times. My care, treatment and support is planned to meet my needs. I get good care and feel safe. I get good care from staff who are trained and know how to do their job well. I get care from a service which carries out regular checks to make sure they are doing a good job.

13. Our standards include the reasonable adjustments that services should be making
A longer appointment if you want one
An annual health check
There are good clear signs that you can follow
Easy access into and around the building
Someone to help you at all times
Quiet space to wait if you want one
Easy to understand information
Provide pictures about the body that can help you understand what is happening
Give you time and listen to what you say.
It is our job as Health Quality Checkers to make sure these things are happening

14. Health Quality Check journey.

15. Find a service

16. Talk to the practice manager

17. Look round the service

18. Talk to people with a learning disability

19. Meet the health professionals

20. We the put it all together and write a report.
The report highlights good practice
What needs to be improved
And we suggest how we can support the practice to move forward.
Our “Step by Step Guide” takes
you through this process

21. Health Quality Checks
A step by
step guide

22. What is in our guide Introduction to the health quality checks
Quality and the Health Service.
What do we know about health services for
people with a learning disability?
What is a quality check?
What are reasonable adjustments?
The Good Health for all Standards.
Step by Step Guide to carrying out a check.

23. Our experience so far

24. If you would like to talk to us please contact 01912818737
Thank you for your time
Do you have any questions?
If you would like to talk to us please contact