essex cares newsletter 2: august 2012
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Essex Cares Newsletter 2: August 2012TRANSCRIPT
• Our Reablement service goes from strength to strength • Celebrating three years as Essex Cares Limited
• Shortlist announced for the Celebrating Our Success Awards to be held in September
• Making a difference to our customers every day - a HomeSafe case study • Excellent achievements for our Sensory team and their customers
®Newsletter 2August 2012
Essex Cares continues to grow and develop.
We’ve had a busy few months here at Essex Cares so there’s a lot to fill you in about since our last newsletter was published.
Firstly we recently heard thefantastic news that we have been awarded the West Sussex County Council Reablement (Regaining Independence Service) contract.
After entering into the tender process several months ago we are also pleased to announce that we have been successful in winning the Essex County Council Reablement contract. You can read more about both of these new contracts over the page.
Earlier this month we published our latest Impact Report. The report outlines our key highlights over the last 12 months and more importantly the positive impact that we have made on the lives of our customers and their loved ones. If you would like to receive a hard copy of our report please let us know otherwise it is available in full from our website.
Another success story for Essex Cares this month involves our bid to gain ISO 9001 Quality Management Standard. We had an initial assessment in early July which went very well with a final review of paperwork soon after. We are pleased to announce that we are have been successful.
If you know someone who might also like a copy of this newsletter, please email us at [email protected].
[email protected] 035 9770
Mark Lloyd, Managing Director Essex Cares
Our 2011/12 Impact Report is now available - view it online at www.essexcares.org
West Sussex award Regaining Independence Service contract
We are delighted to announce our recent success in being awarded the countywide Reablement contract from West Sussex County Council, which will run from 1st October 2012 initially for three years. This contract recognises Essex Cares excellent track record in delivering high quality services.
The contract will deliver
annual Reablement services to approximately 2,000
individuals, being discharged from hospital, helping them regain independence in their own homes. The existing West Sussex County Council workforce for this current Council service will transfer to Essex Cares ensuring a smooth continuation of day-to-day service delivery.
Essex Cares NewsletterAugust 2012
From Left - Right: West Sussex Councillor Graham Tyler, Essex Cares Chairman Sherry Malik, Essex Cares Managing Director Mark Lloyd and West Sussex Director of Adult Social Services Amanda Rogers
Essex County Council award Reablement contract
Just after the news of the West Sussex County Council Reablement contract came the news that we had also been awarded the county-wide Reablement contract from Essex County Council. Like the West Sussex contract, this one will run for a three year period, from 1st November 2012.
In this case, we have retained the contract which we have been delivering for the last three years, which demonstrates the company’s commitment to delivering outstanding service; as well as delivering a cost effective solution.
Sherry Malik, says: ‘We are extremely proud of our workforce, it is because of them that our reputation is so strong in the market. Our track record and breadth of experience has made us the ideal partners for Essex County Council. We are extremely pleased to continue working for them.’
Mark Lloyd, adds: ‘Over the last year we have assisted over 3800 customers in Essex with our Reablement service, providing over 111,000 hours of support. Our focus has always been to support people to remain as independent as possible in their own homes and this vision continues. Innovation is at the heart of everything we do, we endeavour to deliver preventative solutions that enable people to remain in their communities.’
A nationwide first - Essex Cares
is first adult social care Local
Authority Trading Company to be
awarded a contract outside
of its county
This contract is our second contract award in just over a month
Celebrating our third birthday
Customers and staff from across the county recently joined together to celebrate Essex Cares’ third birthday.
An afternoon tea party was hosted at Barley Twist; our work based training café situated in the Ashleigh Concorde centre in Basildon. Over 50 people attended the event including Councillor Theresa Higgins, with customers attending from across the county.
The highlight of the afternoon was a heart-warming performance from the Crafty Drama group who are based in
Colchester. The team are currently preparing for a show later in the year and performed five numbers, culminating with a beautiful version of ‘A moment likethis’.
The traditional afternoon tea of sandwiches and cakes was prepared by the Barley Twist team and everyone appeared to thoroughly enjoy the tasty treats. Another of Essex Cares’ work based training teams Treetops, based in Colchester, made the delicious birthday cake and accompanying cupcakes.
Essex Cares NewsletterAugust 2012
Mark Lloyd, said: ‘What a great afternoon to
celebrate with both staff and customers; a great
opportunity to hear so many stories of how
Essex Cares has made an impact in our local community. I’d like to
thank everyone involved for making it an event to
remember.’
Crafty Drama entertained everyone on the day
Celebrating Essex Cares turning three
Cutting the cake. Sue Bullman Service Lead at Ashleigh Resource Centre, Marilyn Taylor, Registered Manager Basildon Reablement and Julie Dallison Service Lead
Celebrating Our Success Awards
We received a huge number of fantastic nominations for our Celebrating Our Success Awards, thank you to everyone who submitted an application.
We have undertaken the challenging process of shortlisting the nominations, you can find the full details on our website. We will be announcing the winners at our annual event on 7th September
Congratulations and good luck to those shortlisted.
Our Sensory service continues to be a success with customers. 96% of customers rated the service as good or excellent with 100% going on to say that we clearly and effectively explained the services that we would be able to offer. Following support for the sensory service over 50% felt safer within their homes, 43% felt more confident and 30% were more independent. One customer commented “It was very good to hear of the things
which I think will be extremely helpful to me. The team are very helpful, understanding and sympathetic as well as polite, friendly
and informed.”
Grabbing independence with both hands
HomeSafe, our service for self-funders, has been available right across the county since April this year and has already been helping a wide range of people all with very different needs. One particular success story comes from a customer in Brentwood.
Briony Milne, who has multiple sclerosis, has seen her life greatly improve with our help. Briony recently moved into a new property with her husband and daughter and needed the help of our HomeSafe team to make everything more accessible. A team from Essex Cares fitted a ramp and converted Briony’s bathroom into a wet room, including installing a shower and an adjustable wash basin that the whole family could all use easily. Briony Said: “The work was completed within a week - I couldn’t have asked for a better service. I would recommend HomeSafe to anyone.”
Essex Cares Limited69 Duke Street
ChelmsfordEssex
CM1 1JA0800 035 9770
Essex Cares have been accredited with the ISO 9001 quality mark following assessment of the business quality and policy systems.
We already hold the Investors In People (workforce and training development), ISO 14001 (Environmental Standards), and ISO 18001 (Health and Safety Standards) with ISO 9001 completing the organisation’s external accreditation validation to confirm the quality standards delivered by the business.
“There’s no comparison between life before the work was done and life
now. Previously, I had to get my husband to
help me into the bath or even use a bowl on my
lap – so I’ve got much more independence.”
96% of customers rated the service as good or excellent