Person Centred Services

Springhill Care showed its commitment to a person centred future in January when an exciting 12-month partnership deal was sealed with the renowned international development and training consultancy Helen Sanderson Associates (HSA) (Clink on Helen Sanderson Associates to view their website).

Having already designated 2010 its Year of the Person, Springhill strengthened its  pledge to create a revolutionary new care culture by embarking on a major  widespread personalisation training programme  for the entire workforce.

After reviewing all aspects of the company, a  Personalisation Steering Group – which meets every three months and is  made up of  HSA trainer Gill Bailey and Springhill service managers -  was established to implement the positive changes needed throughout all five divisions.

Managing Director Donna Briggs said the action was expected to result in a transformation in every service area over the next year as the innovative partnership flourishes and person centred care practices become firmly embedded.

“We are building for the future by ensuring  person centred thinking is at the heart of everything we do  at Springhill - from how we lead and manage staff to how we deliver front line care and support services,”  she said.

By June, workshops had been delivered to employees of Springhill Care Home, Birch Green Care Home, Riversway Care Home, Affinity Supporting People, and Springboard Business Support.

Nursing, care, catering, domestic, office, and maintenance staff attended the workshops.

Trainer Gill Bailey told them: “The people who are really driving Springhill forward are very keen that you become the innovative leaders in person centred care.  You really are ahead of the game.” (Click on Gills’ name to view her One Page Profile)

“The enthusiasm I have seen this morning shows just how far ahead you are.  I’ve never worked with an organisation that’s as far on as Springhill and I’ve worked with a lot of organisations right round the country.”

Gill explained that her role was to give them a set of tools to really help evidence their personalisation record.

The importance and purpose of one page profiles - for both people receiving care and for staff - was explored and the system has now been introduced throughout all services.

WHERE IT’S WORKING

At  Birch Green Care Home, Skelmersdale, Manager Catherine Shawarby reports that personalisation progress is reviewed at the end of every month.

Focusing on staff supervision, the What’s Working / Not Working Tool has been incorporated into the process. Appraisal documents have been updated into a performance development review based on person centred thinking and staff have their own one page profiles.

Staff are working with people being cared for to develop  their one page profiles before each review. One of the successes of person centred thinking  is Ron, a 78-year- old man who revealed a love of photography before moving to Birch Green nearly three years ago.

To reignite his interest, family were encouraged to buy him a digital camera and with support he’s been enjoying taking photographs of social events at the home. A love of gardening has also resulted in him growing peas in pots in the garden.

Initially there was a feeling of “what’s all this about?”  but now we have people coming and asking “when is my review?” because they’ve seen the results. “

“There’s a positive difference in the way staff approach their work and they now look at what’s important to people not just for them. It’s a massive culture shift but it’s working and I am a big fan,” adds Catherine.

At Riversway Care Home, Bristol, Training & Quality Manager Georgina Harriman also reports success.

“Staff received a real morale boost with the training and are so much more positive in their work. Families have been very helpful in helping provide information about people we care for and it has been all very positive.”

Activities staff have been involved in compiling residents’ one page profiles which has proved an eye opener.

“You think you know people but now they’re telling us things that amazes us! So often it is little things that make a difference to people,” adds Georgina who was promoted to her role in April after working at Riversway for 13 years.

One of the practical successes was hearing from one old lady who mentioned she would like night staff to pop their heads round the door in the early hours, as often she was not asleep in bed in the early hours and welcomed the additional contact without fear of waking her up.

“It was such a small thing but it has made a difference to how she feels,” she says.

At Springhill Care Home, the results have been most evident in dementia care.

“The environment has become less institutionalised and much calmer and  more personal just by doing little things like encouraging residents to sit down and enjoy a meal together family style round the table.  Medications are now kept separately in customers own rooms, thus, abandoning the need for a trolley service.”

At Affinity, twenty-year-old Jonathon, who has learning difficulties,  has achieved a series of ambitions in recent months thanks to the support of his key worker Jon Avery who has worked with him to produce a profile board  on his bedroom wall.

Used to record his aims and achievements, it’s helped him plan a trip to see  Alicia Keys in concert at Wembley and save up for a season ticket for Blackburn Rovers. Now so confident, he has found friends in fellow supporters at home matches and is happy to watch games without support.

Using a circle of support, Jonathon also feels he has more choice and control over which staff support him.

“His life has improved full scale since he arrived here at eighteen and in need of permanent support,” adds Affinty General Manager Stephen Penketh.

Jonathan’s story is featured on the person centred planning website  pcp4me.net (Click o the pcp link to view the website)

At Springboard Business Support , senior managers have all undergone personalisation training and have their own one page profiles. All meetings are now run under the ‘positive and productive’ format.

“We’re conscious of  the need to practise what we are preaching from the top. We must all work together as a team if we are to create a  truly person centred culture at Springhill,” adds Donna Briggs.

 To view our 'Blogs' on the Helen Sanderson Web Site click here Springhill Care Blog