New service to keep an eye on quality

The new Quality Checkers initiative has now gone live after a successful pilot which began last month.

The Quality Checkers Service, commissioned by Oxfordshire County Council involves experts by experience, six learning disability service users and six family carers who care and support a family member with a learning disabilities.

This 12 strong team, provided by Oxfordshire organisation My Life My Choice and Oxfordshire Family Support Network, will review local learning disability services such as supported living through visiting services and meeting people supported by paid carers. They will follow up their visit with a report and recommendations. Some recommendations will suggest improvements other comments will highlight and share good practice.

Oxfordshire County Council Quality Contracts Officer Lisa O’Nishi said: ”This is an exciting new initiative which is specifically designed to support the quality of services and raise standards whilst linking in with the council’s quality and contracts officers.”

Dawn Wiltshire, 56, Quality Checker and Trustee of My Life My Choice said: “It’s really fantastic to be working alongside the Council to make things better for people who have learning disabilities. We’re so pleased that they recognise the value of ‘experts by experience’ and user involvement in inspecting services. I’m also really happy that I’m being paid for this work!”