Short Observation Framework for Inspections (SOFI)
20 July 2007
People who live in a care home and find it difficult to
communicate with our inspectors will now get the chance thanks to a
new observation technique.
When visiting a home, inspectors will watch how people with
dementia or a learning disability behave to find out what they
think of the care they receive.
The tool, called the Short Observation Framework for Inspections
(SOFI), has been developed between us and the
University of Bradford.
Download the guidance used by our
inspectors:
How does SOFI work?
Some care home residents may find it hard to express what they
feel about the care they receive.
Our inspectors can use SOFI to understand more about their
experiences by:
- watching a small group of residents in a communal area, like a
lounge, for a period of about two hours
- looking for clues from residents of their mood and how well
care staff engage with them
- recording the findings by using a set of rules.
Training and feedback
All our inspectors are being trained in how to use SOFI and will
tell providers and people who use services how it works.
When we have used SOFI as part of inspections, providers have
been happy with the results and feedback given by our
inspectors.