We have received lots of very positive compliments about our work with people with complex needs in recent months:
‘I have very much appreciated the help and support I have received when Mr H has been in hospital. Thank you.’ Mrs H June 2015
‘They are very nice carers and give lots of reassurance. My father seems a lot more comfortable these days. The hands on work has made a big difference to his situation.’ Mr M Nov 2015
‘I really think the world of you, BSE have done more for me in 1 year than any other agency has ever done.’ Mr T, service user Jan 2016
‘There has been significant progress in the care that J receives [since joining BSE from another agency], this Christmas J was as happy and interactive as I’ve seen her for several years’ Mr B, family member Jan 2016
This year Blue Sky Enabling and our Strategic Management Team are investing heavily in our development and training so that we are improving and building on what we have achieved to date. Below, each of the members of our Strategic Management Team will introduce the part of our overall plan for progressions that they are focusing on. Each month one of the Management Team will write a blog updating you on our acheivements:
Shelley Saxon Director & Registered Manager – Care Manager Adults with LD, ASD and Complex Needs
Blue Sky Enabling specialises in working with people with a whole range of complex needs, so each person’s package of support is uniquely designed for them. In order to further improve the quality of services they receive, last year we began the process of dividing of our service users into two groups under the guidance of a specialist manager: Adults with LD, ASD and other complex needs under my management; and Older People with Dementia, Degenerative Conditions and other complex needs under the management of Rachel. Rachel and I will continue to work closely together, but this change enables us to focus on building multi-agency links within our own specialisms so that our clients benefit for the collective skills and integrated response of their whole professional support team.
This year I am doing the AET and the Human Givens Diploma in Psychotherapy that focuses on depressions, anxiety disorders, PTSD, phobias, anger, addictions, behavioural problems, eating disorders, psychosis, relationship problems, self-harming and much more. I am really looking forward to using my knowledge and skills for the benefit of our clients. This will enhance our capacity to develop and train staff in effective enabling interventions.
Rachel Eades – Care Manager for Older People
In February 2016 I begin a Master’s Degree in Integrative Health and Social Care. This year I will study Ethical and Legal issues in Healthcare Policy and Practice before going on to specialise in Dementia care. With this Masters I will be able to further Blue Sky Enabling’s ability to maximise the positive effects we have on the lives of those suffering degenerative complex conditions. I will also explore ways in which we can support staff members working with individuals with dementia effectively and ensure they have the tools they need to provide excellent person centred care..
I really enjoy specialising in the support of Older People and assisting individuals to maintain their independence and enjoyment of life, for as long as possible, in the comfort and familiarity of their own home.
I am also completing an AET award to enable me to pass knowledge onto staff and run courses in areas where I am deemed an ‘expert’. This is exciting and will allow me to explore education as a teacher and pass valuable knowledge onto my team to assist them to be the best Enabler they can be.
Aubrey Saxon – Office & Business Development Manager
This year I am paying particular attention to developing Blue Sky Enabling’s administrative and communication systems. After discussing the communication channels between management, enablers, service users, their families and health professionals, we are making the move towards developing a hosted electronic system that will re-place most of the current paper based system.
The use of paper documents has dominated the care industry for years however it is slow, unreliable, and costly. Our new administrative system will use modern technology to enable us to centralise and streamline all our incoming and outgoing information in real-time. This will make things easier and more efficient for our staff.
We will also be able to give live updates to all relevant parties through interconnected portals. There will be more options to involve a service user in documenting and recording the quality of their care, with the possibilities of uploading photographs and audio files, by which they can express their feelings on how their daily shifts have gone with our enablers.
Anna Hepworth Ellis – Office/HR Administrator
I joined Blue Sky Enabling as the Office/ Human Resources Administrator in November 2015. I work closely with the other members of the Strategic Management Team to problem solve ways to increase office efficiency and strengthen our staff team.
We have revised our recruitment procedure replacing the standard interview with a 3-stage process: pre-interview questionnaire for candidates to self-evaluate their experience of doing a broad range of enabling/care/support tasks and questions that demonstrate their problem solving skills, and their understanding of their own strengths and weaknesses; interview; role play exercise to see how they perform under stress.
This year we will begin using evidence based interventions such as a new Performance Management Program to nurture and develop a happy and loyal staff team that provide an outstanding level of care for our service users.