Congratulations to our 2022 Care Heroes Awards winners
Since their launch in 2017, the City & County Healthcare Group Care Heroes Awards has become a firmly established celebration of the passion and commitment shown by our care staff across the UK. 
The awards are an opportunity recognise inspiring colleagues across all of the companies which make up the City & County family – whether they are responding to life-threatening situations, or simply being there to listen when someone needs support.
Taking place virtually through the pandemic, this week we were pleased to welcome our finalists, their managers and guests from across the Group to our first in-person ceremony since 2019!
Hosted at the NEC in Birmingham, we presented seven inspirational awards, covering a broad range of care disciplines. We’re proud to announce that our 2022 winners are:
Care or Support Worker of the Year
Leanne Gardiner – Abacare, Ebbw Vale
Specialist Care or Support Worker of the Year
Ben Kelly – Guardian Homecare, Blackpool
Care Team of the Year
R.L. Care Team – Advantage Healthcare, Croydon
Care Coordinator of the Year
Claire Bulmer – Careline Homecare, Newcastle
Changing Lives Award
Nicola Harlow – Human Support Group, York
Lifetime Achievement Award
Jane Fry – ISS Healthcare, Cardiff
Above and Beyond Award
Julia Griffiths – ISS Healthcare, Cardiff
A huge well done to you all, and to each of our finalists as well – it was an almost impossible task to choose our winners! With more than 15,000 eligible staff across the City & County family, it’s clear that each and every finalist represents the very highest standard of front-line care delivery.
We’re looking forward to profiling each of our winners over the coming weeks, and we hope that you’ll join us in celebrating their inspiring commitment to the people we care for every day.
Our Management Award winner for the Service of the Year: Waterside Court ECS, Help at Home
When Kim Nicholson found out that Waterside Court was broken, she picked up her life and moved in. “I told everyone in the branch that I would be Nanny McPhee and would fix it. I made that promise and I would not leave until it was fulfilled. Even when it felt impossible,” said Kim. 
Kim has worked in care for the past 33 years. She is currently a Regional Manager responsible for making sure that KPIs are met, services run effectively, quality is high, and that customers and carers are well looked after. She oversees 10 sites, one of which is Waterside Court.
Standards at Waterside Court quickly deteriorated during covid and Kim’s ability to visit the site was limited because of restrictions. “I couldn’t get much direct access to the site but started getting whistle-blows. I got 15 of them, the most I had seen in my entire career”, said Kim. That is when she decided to pack up her bags, move nearby and dedicate herself fully to fixing things. “We were understaffed, the manager had lost motivation, families were fed up, the local authority was unhappy and CQC were ready to close us down,” explained Kim. Many would have given up, but not Kim.
With her back against the wall, Kim rolled up her sleeves and began delivering care herself to the residents. At the same time, she was working operationally to fix the service. “When a service is broken, time is poor. Time was against us. This meant simultaneously rebuilding the team, restoring the reputation and the taking care of the service users”, said Kim.
After six months, Waterside Court was a different place entirely. In fact, CQC showed up with the plan to close Waterside Court down, but were so impressed by of the service and the work that had been done that they upgraded them from “Needs Improvement” to a “Good” rating in all areas.
One service user pointed out to CQC, “I love it here now. It’s a different place. The manager and the staff are fantastic and so kind”. A relative said, “The staff have worked so hard to bring this place up to scratch”.
The residents are now thriving and the CQC gave a glowing review. The turnaround at the scheme was nothing short of miraculous. We sat down with Kim to hear the story and learn from her experience.
What kept you motivated?
My motivation was the tenants. The care delivery was poor when I arrived and the biggest driver for me is to ensure that the tenant’s quality of life in the schemes is as good as it can be. Once the tenants understood that I was giving my all to help them, they would leave me notes or a biscuit to keep me going. Those small acts of encouragement touched my heart. I also had the support of my Regional Director, Charlotte Donald. She was always at the end of the phone to prop me up.
What was your biggest challenge?
My biggest challenge was winning the service users over and growing a care team that really wanted to drive forward with me. To begin with the care team pushed against what we were trying to achieve and then the majority left. It was a case of then growing the scheme again from the ground up.
How did the scheme recover when the brand was damaged?
First off, we had to bring the residents on the journey with us. I had a meeting with all the customers and said, ‘I am Nanny McPhee. I am here to fix everything, and I will make sure that we make this an incredible place to be’. And the residents saw that we were giving it our all, day in and day out.
We revamped the advertisements, interviewed potential carers and told them what we were working towards. The story of the site appealed to the heart of the candidates. One thing every great carer has is a lot of empathy. Once we had some good carers, they spoke to their friends and word travelled. It took us two months to recruit a team.
I came into care because I wanted to make a difference. And this was an opportunity to make a tremendous difference to the lives of all 62 residents.
How did it feel when the Waterside Court team won the award?
Winning is always a wonderful feeling and makes me feel proud of everyone who came on that journey with us. However, most of all it showed that the hard work and determination really did pay off and those tenants received exactly what they deserved.
Building partnerships for spinal injury
Gareth Williams – Service Development Manager: Complex Care – and Jonathan Byrd – Director: Complex Care – recently attended a networking event in London, hosted by Lady-Marie Dawson-Malcolm from the Spinal Injuries Association (SIA). 
The SIA are a leading disability charity supporting those affected by spinal cord injuries and it was a great opportunity to represent the City & County Complex Care division. We are proud of our ongoing relationship with the SIA – with Complete Care Amegreen as a SIA partner and Total Community Care as a SIA business member.
The event was extremely successful and, as Gareth said, “it was really good to not only interact with everyone involved in such a good cause, but to witness first-hand the commitment, passion and care that everyone shared”.
Let’s Talk About… Social Health
As part of our Let’s Talk About Wellbeing campaign, we’ll be tackling a wide range of wellbeing topics across the year.
Our next quarterly theme, which will run through July, August, and September, covers Social and Community Wellbeing.
Social and Community Wellbeing
Human beings are natural social beings with an evolutionary desire to be with, around or connected to others. This generates feelings of safety, happiness and belonging, all of which contribute to our sense of wellbeing.
Over the next 3 months we’ll be looking to build our awareness and understanding of the importance of a healthy work life balance, being connected and promoting inclusion. We will also provide tips and strategies to help learn ways to build and sustain healthy, productive relationships at home, at work and in our communities.
You tell us what matters
We are building an approach to wellbeing that works for you. To do this, we want to hear from you to help shape the campaign over the coming months. Email us at communications@candchealthcare.co.uk to tell us what matters to you, what concerns you have and any tips you’ve discovered which you would like to share.
A compliment for Ebony at Comfort Call
Joanne Brannen, Regional Manager – North West and West Yorkshire, has passed on some fabulous feedback received by the Comfort Call branch in Tameside.
A member of the public got in touch with the branch after meeting a member of the team to say, “I provide community care work myself, so I know exactly what it is like and what it entails. I have just bumped into one of your staff members and stopped her for a moment.
“I see your staff coming and going on my street all the time and out of curiosity, I wanted to know which company it was that go to my neighbours. The lady I spoke to was very polite and professional about her role and the service users that she visits. I’m sure I must have delayed her visits as I was asking her lots of questions. I just wanted to say how lovely she was.”
“I know myself how difficult it is to do the job and she stood and talked to me for a moment with no hesitation. I often think that as a community care worker, we do not get enough praise. We all do a wonderful job for the people we visit, and she should be proud of what she does, as should you be proud of her as her employer.”
After some digging, the team found out that it was a brand-new member of staff the person had met that day – Ebony Whitehead.
We certainly are proud! Sounds like you made a big impression that day Ebony, and it goes to show how a small interaction can make a big difference for the way our teams are viewed in their local community.
Getting active at Willow House
And finally, the team at Willow House are pleased to announce that they have re-started their group activities this week, which are being offered to all of their residents.
The residents so enjoyed their exercise class lead by Hanan on Tuesday, it they requested for another on to be scheduled in later in the week! The scheme’s Registered Manager, Prabhjot Atwal, told us, “All residents who attended said they had a lovely time and said it is a good way to keep active”.
The Willow House team then followed the session with some well-earned teas and coffees for everyone who took part. Sign us up for next time!
Weekly Blog 26 August 2022
Care & Share – our newsletter for care workers
Did you know that City & County sends out a weekly newsletter called Care & Share to care workers?
The newsletter is distributed every Thursday to our frontline care workforce and includes a range of good news stories about the fantastic work that care workers are doing out in the field. It aims to recognise care workers and their teams from across the City & County Healthcare Group.
Please be on the lookout for good news stories about the great work that care workers are doing and send these to us so we can feature them in the Care & Share newsletter. Stories can range from testimonials from service users or their families; activities and events held in branch; how care workers have made a difference and helped service users; and tips on sharing best practice.
We want to compliment and celebrate the efforts of our care staff.
Email communications@candchealthcare.co.uk to share your stories today!
Home worker safety
With many of us working partly or entirely from home, it is ever more important to consider our safety in the home environment.
Remember that home-workers should:
You can get advice on safety matters from hse@candchealthcare.co.uk and on general home worker issues from hr@candchealthcare.co.uk.
COVID-19 – autumn booster vaccines
COVID-19 case rates are now back down to levels last seen in mid-May but we may see a new surge of infections as schools return at the start of September.
The good news for care staff is that they will be near the front of the queue for autumn COVID-19 vaccine boosters, which are likely to be available from the second week of September, along with free seasonal flu jabs. We are expecting more details in the next week of how and where staff can book their appointments.
“Getting my life back on track” – Greg’s story
Charlotte Groves (Care Coordinator, HSG Middlesbrough branch) shares a letter received from service user Greg Tate. He wants to share his mental health journey and show that there is light at the end of the tunnel for anyone who may be struggling.
Greg’s story:
“My name is Greg Tate.
About three years ago, unfortunately, I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety and over a period of around two years there was no improvement. I was told I must go into Roseberry Park to recover. I was in there for about a year and unfortunately whilst in there I had a suicide attempt. I was released from Roseberry Park about two years ago.
I was still not in a good place but with the help of medication, a change in my daily routine and especially the Human Support Group care workers coming in to see me, I am pleased to say I have almost completed my recovery.
As you can imagine, I am so grateful to everybody who has supported me through what was the worse time of my life, as well as helping and supporting me through my mother’s death.
My family, friends and the carer workers have played a very important role in getting me back to almost my usual self again! I am so happy to say that at least one good thing has come from this horrible experience and that is meeting the care workers. Especially Noel, Neo and Garry. They have become good friends who have supported and aided in my recovery.
Recently, I hosted an event to get everybody together who is important to me to say thank you as they have all played a big part in my journey to recovery. Everyone had a lovely day; it was a total success! It was something I knew I wanted and needed to do as I appreciated everyone who was invited and wanted to show them that. I am now pleased to say I am focused on getting my life back on track.”
(Many thanks to Greg for sharing his inspirational story.)
Praise for staff at Broad Meadow for person-centred approach
City & County HR Advisor – Kyle Rowley-Williams recently visited Broad Meadow branch (Advance Healthcare) and was impressed by the person-centred approach of staff.
Kyle said: “Joanne Preece, Branch Manager for Advance Healthcare Broad Meadow, and her team have recently had a CQC audit and together achieved a good rating. It is no secret this branch has been through the mill due to staff shortages, but they have been brilliant together to achieve this rating.
“Whilst on site I witnessed person-centred care myself. I was in the office and there was a knock on the door from a service user who was extremely confused. The team dropped everything they were doing and took the service user back to his apartment and contacted his family. This was lovely to see, they didn’t hesitate to go and support. They didn’t talk over or down to the service user and did everything with a smile and kept calm.
“When they got back to the office, they discussed going back to check on the service user later.
“It makes me proud to witness this in person. Well done team!”
Weekly Blog 12 August 2022
Welcome to staff and clients from Guinness Care
We are incredibly pleased to welcome around 170 staff from Guinness Care into the City & County family this week.
These new colleagues from across the south and west of England have, in all but one location, joined our local teams in a transfer of services into existing branch locations and all have transferred into the City & County operating company portfolio.
Part of The Guinness Partnership, Guinness Care formerly delivered homecare to clients in Plymouth, Hampshire, Bristol, Cheshire, Cornwall, Devon, and Gloucester. These clients – along with those in three Gloucester Extra Care schemes – will continue to be supported by the care staff they know as part of our Sage Care, Comfort Call and Homelife Carers teams.
We will be working with local authorities, integrated care boards and privately funded clients in these areas to make sure the transfer is as smooth as possible for everyone affected without any disruption to the services these clients receive.
‘Good’ CQC inspection for Homelife Carers
Homelife Carers in Weston-Super-Mare has received a ‘Good’ rating in all areas of the latest CQC inspection.
This was an unannounced inspection which took place on the 16th and 21st June 2022. It was also the first inspection since the service re-registered with CQC under City & County on 8th April 2021.
The last rating for this service (under the previous provider – Notaro) was ‘requires improvement’ (published 22nd May 2019). Christina Kettle took over as branch manager in October 2021 and thanks to her team and their dedication and hard work, the branch has welcomed a new rating of ‘good’ in all five areas.
Comfort Call carers win Cavell Star Award
Mandy Hall – Branch manager at Comfort Call, (Ashton Under Lyme) wanted to share the fantastic news about carers Jordan Carden and Debra Dodd who recently won the Cavell Star Award.
District Nurse Farrer Ahmed nominated them for being the first carers in the country to administer insulin to their service users. Farrer trained the two carers up to this level – which is an important achievement for them both.
The Cavell Star Awards is a national awards programme that celebrates the dedication of nurses, midwives, nursing associates and healthcare assistants, and recognises the care they provide to patients, families and colleagues.
Mandy said, “Jordan and Debra have achieved so much and have been recognised through this award. The branch is very happy for them and this award is well deserved.”
Extra Care manager wanted for Health and Safety Committee
We are still looking for a manager of an Extra Care scheme to join the committee.
This is a very important position because of the safety risks we face in our Extra Care services, so we are extremely keen to get someone into the vacancy as soon as possible.
There’s not a huge commitment in terms of your time, so if you would like to express an interest, please email hse@candchealthcare.co.uk
Weekly Blog 29 July 2022
Impressing the inspectors at Jackson Gardens
Richard Wheatley, Regional Manager – North West, has asked us to share a special ‘well done’ to Michele Johnson and her team at Jackson Gardens for their amazing achievement on receiving their overall good rating with their first CQC Inspection.
Richard told us, “It was a pleasure to read such amazing comments about the care that is delivered by the onsite team and how the scheme is managed. Michele is newly in post at Jackson Garden and has made such a difference is a short space of time”.
Some comments from the report included “Kind and Caring”, “Marvellous” and “Out of this World”.
Richard added that “it has been a pleasure to get this feedback from service users and care staff. And it is amazing to see such a warm culture at Jackson Gardens. Well done Michele and team, your hard work and dedication does not go unnoticed.”
Becci’s going the extra length for breast cancer
Hazel Richardson, one of our Complex Community Nurses has shared a story highlighting her colleague Becci’s charity swim to raise money following her sister’s cancer diagnosis in December 2021.
Becci’s sister, Toni a young Mum with two children, was diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer late last year. TNBC is a type of Breast cancer whose cells don’t have hormone or Her2 receptors, and accounts for 15-20% of Breast Cancer diagnoses, and is more common in women under 40. Toni is part way through her treatment plan, including 11 chemo cycles and an operation. She has rung the bell on Chemo and is awaiting Radiotherapy next month. Becci told us “She has fought it like champ and as a family we are so very proud of her for not only fighting this disease but for also doing it as a single mother and not letting her treatments affect the children”.
Toni’s determination and strength has inspired Becci to take on her own challenge to complete a 10 mile swim to raise money to support all other warriors, but mainly for her sister. To complete this challenge Becci needs to swim 895 lengths of her local 18 metre pool, and has under 200 lengths to go with three swims planned for the remainder of this week and is on target to complete it! Becci said “I’ve swam at every opportunity I can, around shifts and my children”.
Hazel commented “Becci works full time on one of my ICCM packages in Cheshire and is a great asset to her team – to see her completing this outside of work and with her own family to care for is amazing and warrants sharing. Hopefully our colleagues will donate to this worthy cause and congratulate one of our hard-working team members for completing such challenge.”
You can find out more about Becci’s challenge and make a donation on her Facebook Fundraisers page.
The Advantage Healthcare team excels in Cardiff
Congratulations to Theresa Giles, our Advantage Healthcare Branch Manager in Cardiff on her successful CIW Registration! Theresa joined Advantage Healthcare in August 2020 as a Client Manager, and progressed to Branch Manager in September 2021 when Leanne Henderson, the previous Branch Manager, took a new role in the Governance Team for the Complex Care division.
Rachel Davy, Head of Operations who shared the news, said “Congratulations Theresa, this wasn’t an easy journey but your passion, commitment and hard work paid off. Well done and keep believing in your ability to be the best!”
This comes on the back of another significant achievement for the branch regarding a young man with a family who had suffered a spinal stroke in 2020. The Cardiff team were first approached in November 2020 to support this client and after a very challenging and carefully phased discharge he was finally fully discharged last week! This package required a very large team of 10+ staff presenting several recruitment challenges in an already tough market and was significantly disrupted by the ongoing and changing COVID 19 restrictions and continuing lockdowns.
The team worked closely with the multi-disciplinary team meeting – a regular meeting that takes place between health care professionals to discuss the client’s case – including consultants and ward staff. Theresa, Nurse Andrew Pettey and Care Service Manger Vera recommended trialling a phased discharge strategy, enabling us to build the right team around the package and prioritising safety. It worked! That strategy has exceeded all expectations and is a model which has impressed the lead consultants who are considering rolling it out on a large scale for their future complex care patients.
Today Theresa’s client is home with his three children and partner Sam, after three long years in hospital.
Vera Robinson the lead Care Service Manager leading on the mobilisation wrote “This couldn’t have been achieved without the hard work of the previous manager Leanne Henderson and Theresa, who transitioned into her new role as Branch Manager whilst maintaining the ever changing rota and the challenges this care package brought. Thank you Theresa and Andrew for those long hours spent on recruiting and keeping engaged the current staff who are all now part of a large and successful team that have brought this client home to his family. The challenges have been from every side, and you have done a fantastic job!”
Weekly Blog 22 July 2022
A special thank you from James Thorburn, Chief Executive
I would like to thank all of you for your perseverance in the extreme weather and for your commitment in not letting down those we care for.
On Monday and Tuesday, the country experienced record-breaking temperatures, in some places hitting 40 degrees and over. You have put up with considerable discomfort travelling to work or between calls, sweating and trying to concentrate in hot offices and homes, and having to wear masks in hot weather. This is also a time of high vulnerability for those who depend on us. You have checked hydration and made sure everyone is safe and as comfortable as possible.
The country was on high alert and you have again truly acted as the fourth emergency service. Thank you to each and every one of you for everything that you do, for making a difference to people’s lives, and for your commitment to the wellbeing and welfare of our service users. You have been amazing
James Thorburn
Chief Executive
Have your say by joining our Health and Safety Committee
We are currently seeking representatives from across the organisation to join the City & County Health and Safety Committee.
This is a really important group that allows you to have your say so we can discuss and understand your needs and views about issues related to health and safety. If you are interested in joining, all we ask is that you attend a two-hour meeting, held by video call, every two months.
If you want to make an impact and have your say, please email hse@candchealthcare.co.uk.
There are currently vacancies on the Health and Safety Committee for:
Keeping locals hydrated in Nottingham
Anna Connor and Lorna Graham, from the Nottingham Advantage Homecare branch, finished their palliative run early on Tuesday and so went to the local church that Lorna attends to hand out water due to the heat.
They dropped by to the Shiloh United Church of Christ in Sheffield during their break and handed out water to the church staff, congregation and the community to help everyone stay hydrated and safe during the heatwave.
Thanks for keeping the local community hydrated Lorna and Anna!
Covid boosters this autumn
The Government has accepted the recommendations of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) for the UK’s autumn COVID-19 vaccine booster programme.
Those eligible for a further dose in will include:
All eligible groups are encouraged to take up the vaccine when it is offered, even if they have had a spring booster, to give themselves the best possible protection.
Talk to Us campaign 2022
Throughout July, the Samaritans has been running its annual Talk to Us campaign.
The campaign aims to raise awareness about how we can all become better listeners and shares expert tips on how we can do this.
Samaritans branches are holding events throughout the UK and Ireland to highlight their services in local communities – so it’s not too late to look them up if you’re interested.
Visit the Samaritans website, Facebook and Twitter pages feed for more details of the campaign:
COVID-19 is still here – please help to reduce infections
The latest data suggests that the most recent covid wave is now at its peak, with more than 4.5 million people experiencing symptoms across the UK at the start of this week. We can now expect cases to fall again, although scientists expect that a new wave will emerge as we head towards the autumn.
All this suggests that COVID-19 is not going anywhere soon and means that we must all take precautions to minimise infections. Please continue to:
Remember that if you have any queries, we have a dedicated COVID-19 support mailbox at covid19response@candchealthcare.co.uk .
Revised COVID-19 precautions in Northern Ireland
COVID-19 guidance for Northern Ireland differs slightly from that issued in the rest of the UK as follows:
A daughter’s praise for staff at Monica Court
Joanne Brannen, City & County’s Regional Manager for the North West and West Yorkshire shares a heartfelt compliment from the daughter of a service user at Comfort Call’s Monica Court:
“I would just like to express my gratitude to you, about all the amazing caring staff you have in Monica Court! All staff have been excellent in delivering care professionally above and beyond, recently with my mum. They definitely are the best! I’m so glad they’re staying and Monica court is going nowhere!”
Care Quality Commission’s timetable for new approach to regulation
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published a broad timetable for implementing the regulation strategy it launched in 2021:
CQC has also published:
The existing five key questions will remain but will be supplemented by a set of topic areas and quality statements, which will replace the existing Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOEs) and describe what good care looks like and will link to the regulations.
Big Shout out to Lisa Miloro – in the fleet cars team
And finally, Nicola Johnson, Registered Manger at Comfort Call, Cheltenham, would like to give a big shout out to Lisa Miloro, City & County Healthcare Group Estates Administrator:
“I would just like to say a big thank you to Lisa Miloro who is part of the City & County fleet cars team. Lisa is involved in the organisation of the company’s fleet cars. She has been a font of information and support since she took over the fleet cars and she has made my life a great deal easier. She’s been so helpful over the last few months and has been kind and understanding and has given me full support with all fleet problems. She’s quick to answer any questions – big or small – and she has a splendid sense of humour! She really is an asset to City & County.”
Weekly Blog 15 July 2022
Congratulations to our 2022 Care Heroes Awards winners
Since their launch in 2017, the City & County Healthcare Group Care Heroes Awards has become a firmly established celebration of the passion and commitment shown by our care staff across the UK.
The awards are an opportunity recognise inspiring colleagues across all of the companies which make up the City & County family – whether they are responding to life-threatening situations, or simply being there to listen when someone needs support.
Taking place virtually through the pandemic, this week we were pleased to welcome our finalists, their managers and guests from across the Group to our first in-person ceremony since 2019!
Hosted at the NEC in Birmingham, we presented seven inspirational awards, covering a broad range of care disciplines. We’re proud to announce that our 2022 winners are:
Care or Support Worker of the Year
Leanne Gardiner – Abacare, Ebbw Vale
Specialist Care or Support Worker of the Year
Ben Kelly – Guardian Homecare, Blackpool
Care Team of the Year
R.L. Care Team – Advantage Healthcare, Croydon
Care Coordinator of the Year
Claire Bulmer – Careline Homecare, Newcastle
Changing Lives Award
Nicola Harlow – Human Support Group, York
Lifetime Achievement Award
Jane Fry – ISS Healthcare, Cardiff
Above and Beyond Award
Julia Griffiths – ISS Healthcare, Cardiff
A huge well done to you all, and to each of our finalists as well – it was an almost impossible task to choose our winners! With more than 15,000 eligible staff across the City & County family, it’s clear that each and every finalist represents the very highest standard of front-line care delivery.
We’re looking forward to profiling each of our winners over the coming weeks, and we hope that you’ll join us in celebrating their inspiring commitment to the people we care for every day.
Our Management Award winner for the Service of the Year: Waterside Court ECS, Help at Home
When Kim Nicholson found out that Waterside Court was broken, she picked up her life and moved in. “I told everyone in the branch that I would be Nanny McPhee and would fix it. I made that promise and I would not leave until it was fulfilled. Even when it felt impossible,” said Kim.
Kim has worked in care for the past 33 years. She is currently a Regional Manager responsible for making sure that KPIs are met, services run effectively, quality is high, and that customers and carers are well looked after. She oversees 10 sites, one of which is Waterside Court.
Standards at Waterside Court quickly deteriorated during covid and Kim’s ability to visit the site was limited because of restrictions. “I couldn’t get much direct access to the site but started getting whistle-blows. I got 15 of them, the most I had seen in my entire career”, said Kim. That is when she decided to pack up her bags, move nearby and dedicate herself fully to fixing things. “We were understaffed, the manager had lost motivation, families were fed up, the local authority was unhappy and CQC were ready to close us down,” explained Kim. Many would have given up, but not Kim.
With her back against the wall, Kim rolled up her sleeves and began delivering care herself to the residents. At the same time, she was working operationally to fix the service. “When a service is broken, time is poor. Time was against us. This meant simultaneously rebuilding the team, restoring the reputation and the taking care of the service users”, said Kim.
After six months, Waterside Court was a different place entirely. In fact, CQC showed up with the plan to close Waterside Court down, but were so impressed by of the service and the work that had been done that they upgraded them from “Needs Improvement” to a “Good” rating in all areas.
One service user pointed out to CQC, “I love it here now. It’s a different place. The manager and the staff are fantastic and so kind”. A relative said, “The staff have worked so hard to bring this place up to scratch”.
The residents are now thriving and the CQC gave a glowing review. The turnaround at the scheme was nothing short of miraculous. We sat down with Kim to hear the story and learn from her experience.
What kept you motivated?
My motivation was the tenants. The care delivery was poor when I arrived and the biggest driver for me is to ensure that the tenant’s quality of life in the schemes is as good as it can be. Once the tenants understood that I was giving my all to help them, they would leave me notes or a biscuit to keep me going. Those small acts of encouragement touched my heart. I also had the support of my Regional Director, Charlotte Donald. She was always at the end of the phone to prop me up.
What was your biggest challenge?
My biggest challenge was winning the service users over and growing a care team that really wanted to drive forward with me. To begin with the care team pushed against what we were trying to achieve and then the majority left. It was a case of then growing the scheme again from the ground up.
How did the scheme recover when the brand was damaged?
First off, we had to bring the residents on the journey with us. I had a meeting with all the customers and said, ‘I am Nanny McPhee. I am here to fix everything, and I will make sure that we make this an incredible place to be’. And the residents saw that we were giving it our all, day in and day out.
We revamped the advertisements, interviewed potential carers and told them what we were working towards. The story of the site appealed to the heart of the candidates. One thing every great carer has is a lot of empathy. Once we had some good carers, they spoke to their friends and word travelled. It took us two months to recruit a team.
I came into care because I wanted to make a difference. And this was an opportunity to make a tremendous difference to the lives of all 62 residents.
How did it feel when the Waterside Court team won the award?
Winning is always a wonderful feeling and makes me feel proud of everyone who came on that journey with us. However, most of all it showed that the hard work and determination really did pay off and those tenants received exactly what they deserved.
Building partnerships for spinal injury
Gareth Williams – Service Development Manager: Complex Care – and Jonathan Byrd – Director: Complex Care – recently attended a networking event in London, hosted by Lady-Marie Dawson-Malcolm from the Spinal Injuries Association (SIA).
The SIA are a leading disability charity supporting those affected by spinal cord injuries and it was a great opportunity to represent the City & County Complex Care division. We are proud of our ongoing relationship with the SIA – with Complete Care Amegreen as a SIA partner and Total Community Care as a SIA business member.
The event was extremely successful and, as Gareth said, “it was really good to not only interact with everyone involved in such a good cause, but to witness first-hand the commitment, passion and care that everyone shared”.
Let’s Talk About… Social Health
As part of our Let’s Talk About Wellbeing campaign, we’ll be tackling a wide range of wellbeing topics across the year.
Our next quarterly theme, which will run through July, August, and September, covers Social and Community Wellbeing.
Social and Community Wellbeing
Human beings are natural social beings with an evolutionary desire to be with, around or connected to others. This generates feelings of safety, happiness and belonging, all of which contribute to our sense of wellbeing.
Over the next 3 months we’ll be looking to build our awareness and understanding of the importance of a healthy work life balance, being connected and promoting inclusion. We will also provide tips and strategies to help learn ways to build and sustain healthy, productive relationships at home, at work and in our communities.
You tell us what matters
We are building an approach to wellbeing that works for you. To do this, we want to hear from you to help shape the campaign over the coming months. Email us at communications@candchealthcare.co.uk to tell us what matters to you, what concerns you have and any tips you’ve discovered which you would like to share.
A compliment for Ebony at Comfort Call
Joanne Brannen, Regional Manager – North West and West Yorkshire, has passed on some fabulous feedback received by the Comfort Call branch in Tameside.
A member of the public got in touch with the branch after meeting a member of the team to say, “I provide community care work myself, so I know exactly what it is like and what it entails. I have just bumped into one of your staff members and stopped her for a moment.
“I see your staff coming and going on my street all the time and out of curiosity, I wanted to know which company it was that go to my neighbours. The lady I spoke to was very polite and professional about her role and the service users that she visits. I’m sure I must have delayed her visits as I was asking her lots of questions. I just wanted to say how lovely she was.”
“I know myself how difficult it is to do the job and she stood and talked to me for a moment with no hesitation. I often think that as a community care worker, we do not get enough praise. We all do a wonderful job for the people we visit, and she should be proud of what she does, as should you be proud of her as her employer.”
After some digging, the team found out that it was a brand-new member of staff the person had met that day – Ebony Whitehead.
We certainly are proud! Sounds like you made a big impression that day Ebony, and it goes to show how a small interaction can make a big difference for the way our teams are viewed in their local community.
Getting active at Willow House
And finally, the team at Willow House are pleased to announce that they have re-started their group activities this week, which are being offered to all of their residents.
The residents so enjoyed their exercise class lead by Hanan on Tuesday, it they requested for another on to be scheduled in later in the week! The scheme’s Registered Manager, Prabhjot Atwal, told us, “All residents who attended said they had a lovely time and said it is a good way to keep active”.
The Willow House team then followed the session with some well-earned teas and coffees for everyone who took part. Sign us up for next time!
Weekly Blog 8 July 2022
Marjorie Haynes: Winner of the Impact Award
Marjorie Haynes was home when she heard the news that she had just won the Impact Award. As the story goes, there was a lot of excited shouting and jumping around her living room. “I didn’t think I would win”, said Marjorie.
Marjorie has been Head of HR services at City & County for nearly three years. Prior to joining, she worked as an HR director at Arriva transport. When she came across City & County, the role was just right. “I didn’t want to be the most senior, but I wanted to be able to use my skills to make a difference”, says Marjorie.
But this seasoned professional joined the team just before one of the biggest catastrophes in HR history: covid. Along with tackling covid crises after covid crises, she also managed to change the way HR functioned. “When I first joined, everyone was in a shared service centre in the Northeast, delivering HR support across the country. There was limited local, face-to-face interaction”, says Marjorie. She did not like that HR was that removed and concocted a plan. “We worked to employ HR advisors in the regions in which they support so that they can react to managers in a more connected way. I am proud of this improvement and how our team operates now”, explained Marjorie.
The team also gushed about Marjorie as a person and the work she has done, “Her attitude is almost unfailingly positive, despite significant challenges. This industry is unforgiving and she always seeks to be the one who can provide a solution and that positive, can do attitude is infectious”, said a colleague.
We managed to steal a bit of Marjorie’s time to find out more about this impact maker.
What makes working at City & County unique?
The passion that every single team member has for delivering care.
What motivates you?
Working with a great HR team and the wider business keeps me going. We have a lot of incredible people who are notably dedicated. I also have strong work ethic (when I had to take 2 days off with Covid, I felt like I was letting people down).
What was your reaction when you won?
I was shocked but very delighted. I was secretly hoping we would get the team award for which we were also nominated, as I wanted my team to be recognised for all of the hard work they do to support the branches. They know that I could not have won this without their support.
What was your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?
Covid. What the whole business went through during covid was earth-shattering.
Every day we in HR we learnt something new, we had to answer questions that we didn’t know the answer to immediately. Managing the covid inbox was a big task, especially at the beginning when PPE was short and staff were upset we were not able to provide what they wanted. Furlough was something we knew nothing about but became experts in. And it was concerning when we realised how many of our care workers were deemed Clinically Extremely Vulnerable.
We overcame it in the only way possible, through perseverance. We got the whole team involved and we pushed through some exceptionally long days in order to get everyone processed on furlough. Getting the furloughed staff back to work was another challenge but branches were incredibly helpful. We all pulled together to support our staff during a torrid time. On the bright side, you only recognise the strength of a connection when times get tough. And our team proved very connected and extremely resilient.
Is there something you would have liked to say at the award ceremony?
I am so grateful to receive this award. I am thrilled to be recognised for the support the HR Team provides to all members of the business.
I would have also have liked to thank my team for their continued support. And I would praised Judith for believing in my ideas and plans and for being the voice of reason when times get tough.
Facts about Marjorie Haynes
Personal fact: Marjorie has a new grandson and is completely in love.
Book or movie: Movie
Sweet or salty: Sweet
Cat or dog: Neither
Introvert or extrovert: Extrovert
UK Care Week 2022 report
Many of our teams attended UK Care Week at the NEC in Birmingham over the past few days. The annual event brings together the care community; addressing the biggest challenges facing the care sector, celebrating the talent of care workers and holding a collective voice for change.
Steph Mohan, Service Development Director in our complex care division, has kindly shared her experience of visiting the event with us:
Myself, Lucy Farwell, Kristine Pidgeon and Jo Hooton attended the UK Care Week event at the NEC yesterday, spread across three halls and co-located with Neuro Convention and Naidex Flagship Event.
Keynote speakers included Adam Purnell (Director of Social Care of the Institute of Health and Social Care Management), Kate Terroni (Chief Inspector for Adult Social Care) and Jane Townson from the Homecare Association – as well as conversations with James Cracknell, and Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson.
Jane Townson’s talk focused on homecare specifically and the need to shift the dial in demand from crisis management to prevention, along with a shift in funding to support that. The HCA reported that 35% of the general population surveyed would prefer care in their own homes as a result of the pandemic, which has been impacted by a 16% increase in homecare hours undelivered between October 2021 and March 2022. Along with challenges that face the homecare sector, such as a £75m unfunded increase in fuel costs due to rising petrol costs and the contrast in mileage rates for care workers – which are in the range of 10-30p compared to 54p for NHS workers.
As you may imagine the UK Care Show hall was largely attended by recruitment organisations.
The highlight of the day however had to be the Naidex Hall – showcasing positivity, possibility and progression within the independent living sector and is disabled community. Service users – young and old – took to the mobility test tracks trying out new products and watching live demos from those with lived experience. The whole event was action-packed, with dance and cooking workshops, a ‘pimp my mobility’ competition and adaptive climbing wall.
Kristine Pidgeon commented, “How refreshing to be in an event when we as ‘able bodied’ are the minority”, as assistance and therapy dogs weaved in and out of a quite frankly dazzling range of mobility products whizzing by – including Neon Walk Sticks as featured on Dragons Den!
Lauren’s long service recognised in Ebbw Vale
And finally, Shannon Meredith at Abacare has asked us to share the Ebbw Vale team’s appreciation for one of their colleagues – Lauren Saunders.
Celebrating five years of working at Abacare this week, Lauren was recognised for her continued support and commitment to her colleagues and clients. Lauren was presented with a long-service award by her manager Sam, and the team gathered to share their gratitude for her valued work.
Thank you for everything you’ve done over the past five years to support the team and service users Lauren, we’re all looking forward to many more years with you at our side!
Weekly Blog 1 July 2022
Catherine Spence: Winner of our Unsung Hero Award
When Catherine joined City & County she thought she was signing up for a steady 9-5 job. What she didn’t know is that she was finding her tribe and unleashing her passion. “When you love what you do, there is no start or finish time”, said Catherine.
Catherine Spence is City & County’s first and only learning content specialist responsible for coming up with key content for all our training modules. The role was created for Catherine to utilise her unique skillset.
Prior to joining City and County in 2019, Catherine worked as a self-employed training expert hired by companies across the UK to design and conduct training modules. After welcoming a baby, she relocated to the North and got clear instructions from her wife to find a job with sensible, consistent hours.
That is when Catherine found City & County. She was initially brought on as a trainer but in her spare time (weekends and evenings) dedicated herself to advancing our induction materials. “Finishing at a certain time was the least of my concerns, I spotted so many exciting ways to improve our materials and deliver a world class training program. I couldn’t put my computer down”.
Catherine’s commitment didn’t go unnoticed. As a colleague mentioned, “Catherine’s work has allowed us to grow as a company with best practice at its heart”. Explaining that, “Ultimately what she is involved in whether sourcing, checking or developing information and training impacts our service users and staff in a positive way”. We sat down with Catherine to learn more about this behind-the-scenes champion.
What motivates you?
My team, being part of this amazing group and witnessing the awesome things we achieve. It is an incredibly lucky place to be when you get paid to do something you thoroughly enjoy, with people you adore, respect and are inspiring.
How did you feel when you received the award?
Shocked, in utter disbelief and then instantly proud. It is difficult to describe the satisfaction of working at a place that brings so much good to others. To be recognised as someone who has helped bring that good is an unbeatable feeling.
What makes City & County unique compared to other companies you have worked with?
The ethos is unique. We have such a grounded ethos. When you listen to James Thorburn speak, it is clear he realises all the work that is put in daily and is incredibly thankful for it. I have worked with quite a few directors that have become out of touch. That is not the case here. There is no such thing as levels, each of our roles are equally important. And at the core of everything is heart. We all work in the best possible way for the best possible reasons.
What has been your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?
I have many challenges every day, but I would say my biggest one (more personal than work) was learning to believe in myself. Learning to see the good I do and to stand tall and proud for the things I achieve as a part of my team (super important to me) but also as an individual. Listening to the things people said about me in the context of the awards was a huge eye opener.
Amanda and Anita impress at Mount Carmel Court
Joanne Brannen, Regional Manager – North West and West Yorkshire, has asked us to share this letter, received from Salford Safeguarding Adults Board. The Board contacted Amanda Lowe, Registered Manager, and Anita Baker, Care Coordinator, at Mount Carmel Court to express their appreciation for the support provided to a client, Mr Dodson.
Dr. Stephen Pugh, Joint Independent Chair of the SSAB, wrote to say, “On behalf of the board, we would like to acknowledge and thank you for the excellent joint work that you and your colleagues have been doing to support Mr. Dodson. We know that it can be extremely difficult to support people who are self-neglecting, and this requires a patient and persistent approach.
“We can see from the information that has been shared that there has been a strong commitment from partners to put Mr. Dodson at the heart of the process and really understand his views, wishes and feelings. We can see that by working together, in a person-centred way, Mr. Dodson has begun to engage with services, which has led to a positive impact and reduced risk of harm.
“We hope the great work you are doing to support Salford residents continues.”
Joanne told us, “I think that both Amanda and Anita deserve a special mention in the comms”. We completely agree Joanne, it’s clear from the feedback how much of a commitment the team have made to involving Mr. Dodson in the decision-making around his support, and how the successful the outcomes have been as a result. Amazing work!
Community recognition for Vicki at Poppy House
Last week, the Careline team in Tameside received a special visit by two representatives of Tameside Council – Stephanie Butterworth, Director of Adult Services, and Tracy Harrison, Assistance Director of Adult Services. The duo took time to see first-hand the impact that Vicki Kinder is making on building community around the service.
Vicki’s regional Manager, Joanne Brannen explained, “I invited them along to visit the branch to showcase the work which Vicki Kinder carries out with the service users and the local community. Vicki hosts a ‘Thursday Club’ in Poppy House each week where she invites service users. They play bingo, cards, have a cuppa and a chin wag. During the visit, they were celebrating two 80th Birthday parties.
“One of the stories which really touched me was to hear how she had worked with a social worker to place a gentleman in Hurst Meadows instead of going home after a hospital stay to a flat, where he was potentially a victim of cuckooing – a type of crime where drug dealers take control of someone’s home as a base for trafficking. They worked together and gathered donations of household items so that he could move into a comfortable home instead.
“Working with the team in Tameside, the gentleman is now rehabilitated and attends the ‘Thursday Club’. He passed these compliments on to Stephanie Butterworth and she was simply blown away. She was really impressed with the club, the Jubilee party and all of the fundraising activities.
“They were proper impressed, and I would really like to say thank you to Vicki for all of her hard and it to be acknowledged by the Director and Assistant Director was really great to hear!”
Thank you for all the work you are doing to support people in your local community Vicki. It certainly seems that your club and the support you provide have both made a huge impact on the lives of people across Tameside. We are so pleased to see your achievements given such appreciation by the local council – a massive ‘well done’ from all of us across the City & County family.
Welcome to baby Lloyd
And finally, Steph Mohan and Lisa Holden in our complex care division have asked us to share a big ‘congratulations’ to Dean Shotton from the Desktop Services team.
Dean and his partner welcomed the new addition of baby Lloyd to their family last week. Arriving at the slightly early time of 3:40 am, Lloyd was delivered in the space of just ten minutes (!) weighing 6 pounds and 5 ounces.
We’re told that Dean will be taking some well-earned time with his family for the next few days.
Weekly Blog 24 June 2022
Christine Noble: Winner of our Impact Award, Operations
When Christine Noble’s name was called it was easy to spot her surprise and hear the quiver in her voice as she gave a five word speech: “this is for team North”.
Christine Noble is a Regional Manager in the North East covering six domiciliary care branches. Her role is to support managers in the best way possible, make sure the service is safe, everyone adheres to compliance, the business grows, that she finds innovative solutions for challenges that are bound to arrive “and a lot more”, explained Christine.
Christine’s career began in 2002 as a care worker for Community Homecare Services, which was acquired by City & County in 2012. Over the last twenty years she has progressed to where she is today.
The humility and generosity that the audience saw on the stage when Christine collected her award is what she has become renowned for. She has been described as “an all-around excellent example of an excellent manager”. One team member even remarked, “I am not sure we would have gotten through these past few years without her”. We sat down with Christine to better understand this rising star.
What attracted you to care?
I like having the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives. I was originally studying to be a nurse but then my father became critically ill when he was only 48. We could not get care at home – at the time it wasn’t as readily available as it is today. He passed away in the hospital, which was heart-breaking for him and for all of us. That is what pulled me into domiciliary care. I wanted to support others to remain at home so that they could be as independent as possible. I wanted to give them what we were unable to have.
What keeps you motivated?
The love for my role is a key motivator. I am lucky enough to make a difference to people’s lives by supporting both service users and staff, even if from a distance. I am also driven by the incredible team, both in the area I work but also the wider City & County family. We all want to achieve the same goals and we always encourage each other to be the best we can be. It is a unique and special place to work.
What was your reaction when you won?
I was shocked and overwhelmed. I certainly wasn’t expecting it. I also found it extremely emotional listening to the kind words from the people who nominated me. Once it sunk in, I felt a sense of pride and achievement. Not only for myself but for our entire team. Our mutual respect and belief in each other is what allows me to do my role.
What was your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?
A challenge for me has been finding my confidence. Whilst I was confident in the smaller local teams, it was very difficult to find the same confidence on a wider scale. However, the changes within our structures and teams have brought everyone together. At City & County you are encouraged to be involved in developing the teams, the business and utilising the support mechanisms. While confidence still remains a challenge in some scenarios, the want and need to do my role well motivates me to develop this.
Proudest moment?
My proudest moment was being made Regional Manager and getting this award, of course.
Recognition for Heather at Comfort Call Cheltenham
Nicola Johnson, one of our registered managers at Comfort Call, has asked us to help share her appreciation for a member of the Cheltenham team.
Nicola told us, “We have finally moved back to face-to-face team meetings in Cheltenham and have reinstated carer recognition awards. Our first winner is Heather Dubberley who has received the most compliments over the last 12 months.
“Heather received a certificate and a flamingo mug as she always pops into the office every Thursday for a coffee, therefore we felt it only appropriate for her to have her own office coffee mug!
“Well done Heather, keep it up!”
Congratulations Heather – and thank you so much for sharing Heather’s achievements with us Nicola.
Do you have someone like Heather on your team that you’d like to champion to the City & County family? Let us know at communications@candchealthcare.co.uk and they could feature in our Weekly Roundup too!
A Model Branch milestone
A huge milestone was achieved this week, with our final site to go live on the Model Branch platform from our existing estate.
The team at Chestnut House Extra Care scheme were the final site out of 261! Raj Singh and Veena Shingadia from the implementation team were on hand to celebrate with cake.
Jon Kerr, our Senior Implementation Manager, told us “This has been the largest digitisation project we have seen at City and County and has standardised our entire organisation onto the same platform. More integrated sites to follow in the upcoming weeks to complete the acquisition part of Model Branch. Thank you to the team at Chestnut House for such a successful transition, we hope you enjoyed the cake.”
A huge well done to everyone involved in this impressive project and congratulations to you all on completing the roll-out. We’re looking forward to hearing more about the next phase – launch of Model Branch into our recent acquisitions – over the coming weeks.
Katie Beckley rides to success as Para Ambassador
We’re incredibly pleased to announce that our very own Katie Beckley – Clinical Nurse Specialist at Total Community Care – has been chosen as a Para Ambassador for Great Britain. Not only will Katie help to champion Para Sport, but her long-distance riding skills have earned Katie a place on the England squad!
Katie told the Endurance GB website team, “I am a Clinical Nurse Specialist and I work with complex spinal patients in the community. I am also a lifelong horse owner who has participated in many different competitive areas.
“My spinal injury happened in November 2019 and has left me with a left sided weakness and chronic nerve pain. I have had to be creative with ways of allowing me to ride and my horse, Bobby, has learnt to live with a lopsided rider!
“I have struggled but am slowly improving and my love for my horses and endurance is helping me continue doing something I love.”
Amazing news Katie, and fantastic to see your riding skills recognised with a place on the team. You can read more about Katie’s story and how she has used horse riding to support her rehabilitation on the Endurance GB website.
Let’s Talk About Health… International Day of Yoga
On Tuesday it was International Day of Yoga!
Did you know?
Yoga began in India almost 5,000 years ago as a spiritual practice.
There are several different traditions of yoga, but they all combine postures, stretching, breathing, and meditation to make your body and mind relax. Some of the postures are difficult—never force your body to do something it’s not ready for. A yoga instructor will be able to help you adapt the postures for your abilities.
Benefits of Yoga
Yoga postures, breathing exercises, and meditation combine to provide stress relief and improved physical fitness. Yoga can also increase flexibility; help with high blood pressure and circulatory problems; relieve back and neck pain; and improve conditions like asthma, fatigue, insomnia, arthritis, rheumatism, and anxiety.
Try out Breathing and Meditation Exercises on LifeWorks
Why not try the following breathing and meditation exercise videos available free on LifeWorks:
You can access the service here – if you are unsure of your login detail or have any questions about LifeWorks please contact the team.
Summer memories shared at HSG in Middlesbrough
Charlotte Groves, Care Coordinator at Human Support Group in Middlesbrough has shared an update on the branch’s activities with staff and service users to make the most of the recent good weather and rekindle memories of summers past. Charlotte told us:
This week in the Middlesbrough HSG Branch we are celebrating all things summer!
With Summer solstice on the horizon and the lovely sunny weather that has finally start to grace us with its warm embrace, we thought it would be no better time than to give you all a glimpse of what we have been up to.
When we have been sitting looking at the sun shining away in the sky and feeling the warmth on our skin, it got us thinking about our lovely service users and care workers. What do they enjoy about summer? Do they have any fond and favourite childhood memories? Are they an ice-cream lover or more likely to reach for a fruity ice pop?
We spoke to one of our service users Audrey Laws and her daughter Ann. Audrey has been with HSG Middlesbrough now since January 2021. Here are some of Audrey’s thoughts on summer time…
“I like the warmth of the summer. It’s nice and cheerful and makes everyone happier and feel better. As a child I used to walk the dog on Blackhall beach and collect brambles later in the summer.
“I stayed with my gran in Durham and we walked along the river and looked after her chickens. I’ve always loved the outdoors. Later in life we took the girls to Hob Hole and had picnics. We had a caravan in Filey and loved our holidays there. I don’t like being stuck in the house so my favourite thing is to take Bailey (my dog) for a walk and to go for drives over the moors. I like a nice cool drink in a pub garden to meet other people. An ice cream at Redcar is also a treat”
Thank you Audrey for you wonderful memories and we must agree with you that an ice-cream at Redcar is most defiantly a treat.
We also spoke to Katherine Wilson who has been a valued care assistant for HSG Middlesbrough since April 2019. Here are her thoughts on the perfect summer …
My most favourite part of summer is making the most amazing memories with my family and friends by going on days out to the seaside and going on holiday. My favourite childhood memories were going to Spain with my parents and I was incredibly luckily to be able to cherish these memories! Another favourite thing do is go for a drive to Redcar or Whitby to eat fish and chips and enjoy the sun. My favourite cool treat to indulge in is definitely an ice lolly!
We hope everyone has a happy summer solstice and hope you have enjoyed reading our summertime stories!
Amanda Frankton levels up leadership in Leicester
And finally, Julie Hunter and the Quality and Governance team have asked us to extend a huge congratulations to Amanda Frankton at Help at Home in Leicester.
Impressively, alongside overseeing additional hours into the branch, not only has Amanda recently passed her Level 5 Leadership and Management qualification – but she’s done it with a distinction!
Fantastic news Amanda, and such an amazing achievement – especially considering everything else that’s happening at the branch.
Weekly Blog 17 June 2022
Congratulations to our 2022 Management Awards winners
After a three year hiatus due to the pandemic, more than 140 of our staff came together in Birmingham on Thursday 10th June for our 2022 Management Meeting and Awards. This was the first time some members of the team had seen each other in three years and, for many, their first face-to-face meeting.
Unquestionably the highlight of the day was our evening awards ceremony, covering five categories: Support Team of the Year; Unsung Hero; Impact award – Operations; Impact Award – Central Support and Service of the Year. Members of the Senior Leadership Team fought back tears as they read nominations and presented trophies to the winners.
We are incredibly proud to announce that our deserving 2022 winners are:
Support Team of the Year: Payroll
Unsung Hero: Catherine Spence
Impact award – Operations: Chris Noble
Impact Award – Central Support: Marjorie Haynes
Service of the Year: Waterside Court, Help at Home
A huge well done to you all, and to each of our finalists as well. It was an almost impossible task to choose winners given the impact every one of you has made in supporting your colleagues and service users across the group.
We’re looking forward to profiling each of our winners over the coming weeks, and we hope that you’ll join us in celebrating their inspiring contributions to the City & County family.
Subject access requests – what you need to know
Individuals have the right in law to obtain a copy of their personal data. When they request such access, it is known as a subject access request or SAR.
In our business, SARs most often involve employment records or service records, but they could be any records that include people’s personal data, including emails and other correspondence.
A subject access request does not need to be in writing, but you do have to respond to it within prescribed timescales. It is essential that you and any staff you manage recognise a subject access request when you/they receive one and follow the procedure.
Once you receive a SAR, you must:
For more information, visit the subject access requests operations guide here . You can also send your questions to the Data Protection Officer at dataprotection@candchealthcare.co.uk.
Safari trip for the Pullen Day Centre
Maria Gerardo and the London Care team at the Pullen Day Centre have shared these photos of a wild day out for service users at Woburn Safari Park in Bedfordshire.
Maria explained, “For the Jubilee our main event was taking our clients to the safari. We held a Jubilee lunch in the safari picnic area followed by teas, coffees and cake and then animal entertainment around the safari.
“Despite a slight downpour after our Jubilee lunch, the sun came out and so did all of the animals. We had a very lucky day where we saw elephants, lions, tigers, rhinos, zebras, black bears, giraffes and even a monkey caught a lift on our bus.
“Some of our lovely clients had never been to a safari park before so they were thrilled with the trip. One said it was beautiful and nearly cried – it made so pleased that I could take our clients on such a wonderful wellbeing trip.”
Sounds like an absolutely amazing day Maria, and it’s clear from the photos just what a great day the clients had at the safari park!
Care and medication – special mention
The Business Support Team has been working with operations for some time now on the management of Care and Medication Tasks.
Belfast Branch had struggled with very high numbers in their backlog and operational challenges it was slow progress for some time. Just 3 weeks ago they had 63,607 and Monday they were down to 34,074 – which is a whopping 29,533 reduction all whilst keeping their current week at zero!
This is an amazing effort achieved by Belfast Branch with Support and encouragement from Sam Bond!
WEll Done and Thank You
Men’s Health Week 13th – 19th June
This week is Men’s Health Week, celebrated globally to heighten awareness of preventable health problems for males of all ages, and encourage the early detection and treatment of health difficulties in males.
This year’s theme is Time for your MOT!
Why do Men need an MOT?
During the pandemic we’ve taken our eyes off other serious conditions. Men’s Health Forum advise that early stage cancer diagnoses fell by a third in first lockdown because men weren’t seeing their GPs to begin to get diagnosed. Also, although re-started in April 2022, NHS Health Checks offered to most people over 40, were paused during Covid. These checks help to prevent diabetes, heart disease, kidney diseases, stroke and dementia.
A good enough reason for us to keep an eye on our own bodies and minds and give ourselves an MOT.
Time for your MOT
Men’s Health Forum suggest the following health checks and support:
This week, let’s encourage the men we work with, live with or are friends with, to give themselves an MOT.
Let’s Talk About… Loneliness
Loneliness Awareness Week takes place this week. Hosted by Marmalade Trust, the annual campaign raises awareness of loneliness and gets people talking about it.
Loneliness affects millions of people across the UK.
Loneliness is the feeling we experience when there is a mismatch between the social connections we have and those that we need or want. Loneliness can be different for all of us. Loneliness is something that we all feel at times but when it is chronic or long-term it can have serious effects on our mental health.
Dealing with loneliness can be difficult. But there are things we can all do to cope with loneliness and prevent some of the negative feelings and mental health problems that can come with it.
Here are some coping strategies that you might find useful to help improve your mental health:
You might want to think about how you can support other people who are feeling lonely – why not try the following:
Support available
Whether you want to take the first steps towards getting some help or learn more about helping those around you, there are many different ways to get help and support:
Sylwia’s putting in the miles for the British Heart Foundation
Sylwia Olszowka, from our Rates Team, and her partner will be taking part in the challenging ‘The Lap – Windermere’ later this year.
‘The Lap’ is a 47-mile Ultramarathon around Lake Windermere, on some of the most stunning and runnable trails in The Lake District. Sylwia and her partner will be competing in aid of the British Heart Foundation to power pioneering research into heart and cardiovascular diseases.
You can find out more about the challenge and donate on their Just Giving page. Any support would be immensely appreciated.
Abacare says thanks to Pauline James
And finally, Leah Haslam and the whole team at Abacare in Rhondda Cynon Taf have asked us to share their appreciation for a valued colleague, Pauline James.
After an impressive 15 years of dedicated service to the branch, Pauline is taking her well-earned retirement.
Thank you for everything you’ve done to support the team over the years Pauline, and best of luck for your retirement.
Weekly Blog 1 June 2022
Early Jubilee celebrations in Middlesbrough
Charlotte Groves, Care Coordinator at Human Support Group in Middlesbrough, has let us know about their big jubilee celebrations. The branch team has organised a raffle for the big day, with a range of donated prizes available for service users.
Charlotte explained that, because the team wanted to make sure that the winning ser
vice users could enjoy their goodies through the extended celebrations, they picked the winners a few days early.
We’re pleased to confirm that the winners are Andrew Kelly, Joyce Addison, Elizabeth Taylor, Carmel Jayasuriya and Peter Rawlinson.
Walking for Cancer Research in East London
Amal Rziek and the team at London Care East London have pledged to walk an impressive 1,000 miles through the month of June to raise money for Cancer Research UK.
Amal told us, “We are doing this to raise more awareness and honour one of our fantastic Care Workers, who is battling cancer as we speak.
“I would love if City & County employee can back the team in raising as much money as possible and raise awareness by sharing the link to our fundraising page.”
Such an amazing and worthy cause Amal – especially when supporting one of your own colleagues. You can find out more about the team’s progress and donate to support the fight to beat cancer on their fundraising page here.
Capturing our customer’s voice
A big thank you to some of the branch staff from Carmarthen, Middlesbrough and Preston, who have helped us to review a new QA form and process to capture our customer’s voice. We received some really useful and constructive feedback to progress an initial draft, and are really grateful to have operational input at this design stage.
We’re working towards a new more person-centred approach to our existing QA forms, to really capture how our service users feel about their service, putting them at the heart of what we do. We’re keen to relate this back to key outcomes and to identify where we are making improvements to our service over time.
Our next steps are to finalise the design, ready to pilot this in our complex care service. We’ll capture initial feedback here, before rolling this out to our homecare services later in the year! We’ll keep you updated!
We plan to have working groups with operational teams for other topics in the future. If there is something you are keen to see improve and would like to be involved in, please let us know your idea and we’ll reach out to you! There is no idea too big or too small! Email us : modelbranch@candchealthcare.co.uk
Artistic activities at Westbourne Park Day Centre
Joanna Budhu and the team at Westbourne Park Day Centre in London were extremely lucky to have a professional artist come into the centre recently. Over a four week period, the artist worked with a selection of their service users to complete personalised framed pictures.
Joanna told us that, “each picture represents what is important to each person. The range of pictures now hang on the wall in the dining area for all to enjoy.”
What a creative way to help your service users express what matters to them Joanna, we’re certain they all had a fantastic time creating their frames.
A grand day out for Hayley and Cath
And finally, take a look at this photo of our royal representatives – Hayley Wells and Cath Stobbs – who recently attended the Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace.
Hayley told us, “We were given the opportunity to attend through City & County and it was a once in a lifetime opportunity, which we are both very grateful for. It was a fantastic day.”
We’re so glad to hear that you both enjoyed yourselves at the event – looking suitably spectacular as well!