Auditing Service Quality in Residential and Supported Housing Services: Creating Conditions for Service Improvement

It is essential that the quality of residential services is monitored, both to identify service deterioration and to improve service quality. Current models of community services have produced fragmentation among service providers, and a separation of purchasers and providers. These different groups need to work together to share a vision and a model of good practice. Participation in the auditing of each other's services, and a focus from commissioners on being supportive rather than punitive, assist in this. Audit also enables a view of the strategic challenges which face services to be developed. These challenges include ensuring that staff are skilled in supporting clients to live as ordinary a life as possible, as well as meeting any additional complex needs they may have.