Supplementary Objectives Guidance

Guidance for Local Authorities ODPM issued May 2004

Paperwork:

In validating Supplementary Objective S1.2 you are likely to need to see the following kinds of evidence:

• The statement(s) of rights and responsibilities of service users, specifically that detailing the right to be consulted. This might be contained in a specific document, may be included in the licence agreement or tenancy agreement or may form a part of a service users' handbook or information pack.
• Records kept by the service of meetings with service users, individually and/or in groups, at which consultations take place. These might exist as minutes of meetings or focus groups specially convened for that purpose or of regular “house meetings” or similar forums.
• A written strategy statement detailing a range of opportunities for service users to give their views and feedback. This might be described as a tenant involvement strategy or tenant participation (“T.P.”) strategy and may be a part of the overall handbook, information pack or similar document detailing service users' rights.
• Evidence of the support given to service users empowering them to take advantage of consultation mechanisms, be that training, external support (e.g. advocacy) or financial assistance. (The latter would be appropriate, for example, where an agency holds a consultation meeting at a venue away from the location of the specific service being validated.)
• Documents detailing how consultation mechanisms have been reviewed and the part that the views of service users have played in shaping/reshaping these mechanisms.
• Confirmation from service users themselves that the policies and procedures are understood by them and freely used by those who wish to do so.

Staff Questions

Supplementary Objective S1.2 requires that the service consults service users about the services provided and offers them opportunities to be involved in the running of the services.

These or similar questions may be used in discussions with staff in order to verify that this objective is being met. The list is by no means exhaustive and follow-up questions may be needed to supplement those that are listed. (Some suggested supplementary questions have been included.)

1. How does your organisation consult service users about significant proposals, which affect their lives or comfort?
   1. How is the feedback that service users give recorded?
   2. In what ways does their feedback alter how proposals are developed or amended?
   3. Please provide some recent examples
2. In what ways is it made clear to service users which aspects of the service they can influence and which they can't?
   1. Please provide examples of each
3. How do you know that the consultation processes you follow are effective?
   1. Are service users themselves involved in determining this?
4. How do you ensure that there are ways of including service users who lack confidence or who find it difficult (or aren't used to) expressing their views?
   1. What kinds of support do you give them?
5. To what extent do service users shape the agenda?
6. Can service users get together, with or without staff being present, to share experiences and determine what will meet their needs (e.g. house meetings or service user forums)?

Service Users

Supplementary Objective S1.2 requires that the service consults service users about the services provided and offers them opportunities to be involved in the running of the services.

These questions may be used in discussions with service users (and/or carers, advocates etc) in order to verify that this objective is being met. The list is by no means exhaustive and the style of questions may need to be adapted in some circumstances. Some follow-up questions are included and these may serve as prompts to the main question that they supplement.

1. Are you consulted about issues which directly affect your life or your comfort or the nature of the service that is provided to you?
   
   • In what sorts of ways are you consulted?
     • Meetings as a group?
     • Individual Meetings?
     • Surveys?
     • Questionnaires?
     • Focus Groups?
     • Any other ways?
   • How do you prefer to be consulted?
     • Has the service asked you how you prefer to be consulted? If so do you think it takes your preferences into account when consulting you?
     • If you aren't keen to get involved is that accepted?
     • If you want to get involved but need support doing this what kinds of support do you get and from whom?
2. How can you make comments and suggestions about services provided?
3. Can you give any examples of how you have influenced the way the service is run and managed.
4. What aspects of the service can you influence and what aspects can't you influence?
5. Regardless of whether or not you have taken part in consultations how are you informed about the results of this?
   
   • Do you understand this information?
   • Can you get help having it explained to you if you need that?
6. How effective do you think consultation mechanisms are?
   
   • If you believe they need to be changed how would you be able to tell the service this?
   • Has this actually happened? Describe what happened- did it work well?
7. Do you think you are asked about the things that matter? Please give an example if you can.

Paperwork

In validating Supplementary Objective S3.3 you are likely to need to see the following kinds of evidence:

• Certificates or other documentation to show that the premises meet the requirements of:
  
  • the local fire service;
  • the local environmental health department;
  • the Health and Safety act;
  • Buildings Acts and Regulations; and
  • (from 1/4/2004) Part 3 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
• Written evidence that the suitability of the premises for the use(s) to which it is put has been thoroughly appraised within the last five years and that any remedial action which was identified is scheduled to be carried out (and resources have been secured for this) within a reasonable time.
• Information and/or literature made available to service users detailing the extent to which they can:
  
  • Choose redecorations;
  • Add their possessions;
  • Add their furnishings; and
  • Have adaptations made or equipment added to suit their particular needs.

  This information may be contained in the occupancy agreement, a service users’ handbook or some similar document.

• Maintenance targets and schedules, maintenance logs and evidence that comparisons are made between actual and target performance and that this information is shared with service users.
• Information about how service users can (or have) play a part in shaping the maintenance service operated by the service.
• Physical evidence that the fabric of the premises, the equipment, furnishings etc are in reasonable repair and so far as is practicable are non-institutional in their design and that safety measures, surveillance etc is kept to a minimum and is justifiable in terms of safety considerations.
• Physical evidence that residents have unfettered access to all parts of the premises within reason at reasonable times and with no unjustifiable restrictions.
• Confirmation from service users themselves that the general standards of the premises, how they are maintained, furnished and equipped and the extent to which they are involved in shaping these issues are to their satisfaction.

Staff

Supplementary Objective S3.3 requires that where accommodation and support are provided as a single linked package, the living environment is suitable for its stated purpose, accessible, safe & well maintained, appropriate to the needs of residents and meets the requirements for independence privacy and dignity.

These or similar questions may be used in discussions with staff in order to verify that this objective is being met. The list is by no means exhaustive and follow-up questions may be needed to supplement those that are listed. (Some suggested supplementary questions have been included)

1. What steps do you take to ensure that the premises comply with the law and that they are well maintained?
   
   1. How do you log maintenance needs?
   2. What are the targets for carrying out the different types of maintenance?
   3. How quickly are emergency repairs carried out?
2. What policies does the service have about residents adding their own possessions and/or furnishings?
   
   1. What about choosing decoration materials or carrying out decorating themselves?
3. When were the premises last fully assessed as to their suitability?
   
   1. How was this carried out?
   2. What sorts of factors were looked at?
   3. Were residents involved in this? How?
   4. Were there any shortcomings identified? What is being done or will be done about these?
4. How secure are the premises in your opinion?
   
   1. What security measures do you take?
   2. What are the pros and cons of these?
5. If you need to talk privately to a resident where would you do this?
6. In what ways does the living environment here promote independent living?
7. What are the "house rules" about the following and how are they justified:
   
   1. residents being able to entertain in their own rooms or flats or in other private spaces.
   2. individuals being able to leave and enter the premises and their own rooms or flats at any time.
   3. the policy regarding visitors and overnight visitors.

   rules about access to laundry, cooking and washing facilities

Service Users

Supplementary Objective S3.3 requires that where accommodation and support are provided as a single linked package, the living environment is suitable for its stated purpose, accessible, safe & well maintained, appropriate to the needs of residents and meets the requirements for independence privacy and dignity.

These questions may be used in discussions with service users (and/or carers, advocates etc) in order to verify that this objective is being met. The list is very lengthy (though not exhaustive): do not attempt to cover everything. Choose a sampling of questions based on the areas you particularly wish to focus on. The style of questions may need to be adapted in some circumstances. Follow-up questions are included; these may serve as prompts to the main question that they supplement.

1. What do you think about the general standards of maintenance here?
   
   • If you report a problem how is it dealt with?
   • Does the service tell you how long it will take to sort out repairs?
   • If it's an emergency how quickly is the problem sorted out?
   • Does the service tell you about what kinds of maintenance it has been doing, how much it costs and the timescales?
2. Do you share a room? What do you think about that?
3. In your own room or space can you do these things:
   
   • add your own possessions?
   • add your own furniture?
   • choose how you want it decorated?
4. What do you think about the rules for communal rooms and public rooms?
   
   • Are there any rules about how these are used?
   • What are they?
   • Were you asked about these or consulted about what the rules should be?
   • Are the rules reasonable?
   • [Prompts - ensure you name some of the areas using the local convention basing the names of rooms, spaces etc on what you were told during your tour]
     • utility room/bathroom(s).
     • toilet(s).
     • area around telephone.
     • common rooms (i.e. a lounge, TV room, games room etc).
     • meeting areas.
5. Do you have access to laundry, cooking and washing facilities?
   
   • Are there any restrictions to you using these facilities?
6. What about your visitors?
   
   • Can you meet with them in private somewhere? Where?
   • Are you able to have any visitors anytime you want?
   • Are there are rules about when visitors can come, what parts of the building they can go into, how long they can stay and so on?
   • Were you asked about these?
   • Do you think they are reasonable rules? Why?
7. Is the building okay to use for people who have a physical disability?
   
   • Is the building okay to use for people who have difficulty with their vision or hearing?
8. Do you get enough privacy here?
   
   • Is there anything that could be done to improve levels of privacy?
9. What do you think about the security here? [For example CCTV, screened off reception area, entry phone system, card-key system etc]
   
   • Were you asked about this?
   • Can you come and go when you want?
   • If there are rules about when you can come and go were you asked about these?
   • Do you think they are reasonable rules? Why?
10. What do you think of the furniture that is provided?
    
    • Were you consulted about this at all?
    • What about fittings - things like carpets, notice boards, blinds or curtains?
    • Were you asked for your ideas about these when they were last replaced?
    • What about adaptations and equipment [e.g. shower for disabled people, handrails, hearing loop system etc.]?
    • Were you asked about these when they were fitted or updated?
11. What do you think about the standards of decoration?
    
    • Were you asked about what colours to use?
12. Does this feel more like a home or more like an institution?