Craeg SAR V5

Driving Up Quality –
Self-Assessment
A REAL AND LASTING DIFFERENCE FOR EVERYONE WE SUPPORT
Introduction
For our first self-assessment, we wanted to
carry out an audit using information we
routinely collect, to see where we currently
stand and how well we meet the requirements
of the Code. We looked at information
collected from the following sources:
• The latest service user surveys – to provide data to
summarise how our service users feel about their
care and support
• Visiting homes and asking our service users for
their stories and experiences
• Internal news from our weekly organisational
newsletter – providing real life examples of
achievements
• Our Quality Account 2013-14
• Our Learning Disability Strategy 2013-15
• Our internal policies – to demonstrate the
organisation’s stand on relevant matters, and how
it adheres to legislation and guidance
• Support tools
• Mandatory training requirements
• The latest annual employee engagement survey –
to provide data to summarise how our staff feel
about the care and support they provide
• Your Voice (regional and national meetings) - we
used this information to provide evidence of how
we meet the requirements within each of the five
sections of the Code.
Driving Up Quality – Self-Assessment
Page 02
Personal Profiles – Each of our service users
Section 1:
Support is focussed
on the person
has a Support Plan File which is the evidence
base for the provision of daily support and
care. Our internal policy CR01 Support Plan
File sets out that service users, their relatives
and/or representatives and any relevant
professionals should be involved in completing
the file, and that staff should find creative
• A service is built around an individual,
or a group of people, designed with
them in mind
• All staff have training that is centred on
the person and everyone supported has
a plan that is centred on them
ways to involve and engage the person in the
process.
An integral part of the Support Plan File is the
Personal Profile which provides a summary
picture of the most important information
about the service user and their day-to-day
• People choose where they live and who
they live with
life. A completed copy of our internal form CR
• People choose their staff
the service user’s Support Plan File and is
• Individuals have a network of people in
their lives who are not paid.
Form: 01 Personal Profile is kept at the front of
easily accessible to all staff who come into
contact with the service user. The Personal
Profile enables our service users to document
what they want the people who care for them
they’re caring and calm me
down.
There’s lots of training for new
staff, we get introduced and we
“
“
The staff really understand me,
“
“
to know about them in order to be able to
show them how the house
works.
provide the care and support they would like.
Intensive Interaction – Many of our service
users find it difficult to communicate which
can leave them feeling isolated and create
barriers when trying to express what they
want and how they feel.
Within Craegmoor, key staff are being trained
in the use of Intensive Interaction, an
approach to enable two-way communication
with people who have severe or profound
Within Craegmoor we use a combination of tools
to ensure we are supporting our service users to
their full potential.
PERSON-CENTRED TOOLS
People who use services are encouraged to have a
One page profile and a good day/bad day profile.
This ensures that we are supporting people in a
person-centred way and any new staff have the
right approach.
Driving Up Quality – Self-Assessment
learning disabilities and/or autism. Intensive
Interaction can result in increased social
interactive behaviour and communication. We
are currently rolling out training and systems
to monitor outcomes.
The Craegmoor Head of Quality has recently
completed an 18 month training course with
the Intensive Interaction Institute. This will
allow us to train more staff in Intensive
Interaction.
Page 03
Intensive Interaction at Woodhouse Hall
Woodhouse Hall greatly benefited from
Intensive Interaction training. This was
bespoke training for the service using Classic
Intensive Interaction and also CCC Intensive
Interaction (Creating Contexts for
Communication). Having both types meant
communication was promoted continually
but adapted to the needs of the individuals.
The techniques allowed us to enter the
‘world’ of the people we support by building
on trust which is paramount to any effective
relationship. This opened up many
opportunities that we can simply grow on
daily, not only for a staff team to flourish but
for the people we support having
meaningful communication within their day
to day experiences. With a task-less-ness
approach to communicative techniques, the
opportunities are simply endless.
The Life Star focuses on 10 core areas which
have been identified as critical to enabling
people with a learning disability to maximise
their independence and well-being:
01
Your health
02
How you spend your time
03
Being responsible
04 Being safe
05 Money and letters
06 Living skills
07
Communicating
08 Feeling good
09 People you know
10
Mental health and other conditions
We monitor person-centred outcomes through
the following process:
• Audit of support plans
• Key worker meetings
• Managers monthly performance review
Communication Passports – Communication
passports, or other information describing the
person’s communication needs, are in place for
all service users who find difficulty in
expressing themselves in words, either all the
time or at times of stress/distress.
• Regional Your Voice meetings
The Life StarTM – The Life StarTM is a tool
specifically designed to support people with
learning disabilities and it provides a basis for
our service users and staff to work together to
set unique and personalised goals. The Life
Star also allows us to measure the changes and
developments our service users are making,
plotting their progress towards achieving those
goals.
• How to write a person-centred one page profile
Key to the Life Star is that it empowers our
service users to have as much choice and
control in their lives as possible. Through July
and August 2015, Craegmoor will be training
40 Life Star champions.
Driving Up Quality – Self-Assessment
• National Your Voice meetings
• Service User satisfaction survey.
All relevant staff are trained in the following
person-centred tools:
• Important to/for
• Communication charts
• Learning logs
• What’s working/not working
• Good day/bad day.
All new staff undertake values training and
person-centred approaches via Foundation for
Growth. We are able to provide data to evidence
this.
We are also starting to use the person-centred
matching staff tool so that people are supported
by staff with similar interests.
Page 04
RECRUITMENT
Personalisation at Glebe House
At Glebe House, person-centred and
relationship centred support is embedded
within the culture of the service. Individuals
whom we support are matched upon
admission with key workers who are
identified with similar interests. With strong
links to the local community, individuals
living within the home have access to a wide
variety of vocational, cultural, volunteer and
educational opportunities enabling the service
to meet individual needs and aspirations.
A number of our services involve service users in
The service operates two elements of
support, both residential and rehabilitation,
offering a spectrum of care and support
services built around identified needs, where
individuals are encouraged to exercise
choice and control in all areas of their life.
This includes directing and planning how
one to one support is used.
At Craegmoor, we want to hear what the people
the recruitment process of new members of staff,
through informal meet and greet sessions. This is
not possible or appropriate in all services due to
the complex needs of the people we support. In
these situations, and where appropriate, we work
closely with family members and carers.
YOUR VOICE
we care for think about all aspects of their care,
treatment and life. We want to make it easy for
our service users to do this and we want them to
know their views are important.
We use Your Voice as a way to ensure everyone’s
voice is heard. The Your Voice scheme includes and
involves every person who lives in or uses a
Craegmoor service and enables them to tell us
what a brilliant life means to them so that we can
support them in the best way possible to achieve it.
Every person we support is an individual,
therefore Your Voice operates differently for each
person. Your Voice may be via group meetings,
informal discussions, observations or comments
cards or books. Whatever method is used, the
purpose of Your Voice is the same, to:
• Listen to what people are saying about
their lives
• Support people to maintain or access more
of what is working
• Support people to make changes where
things are not working
• The most important part of this scheme is
to have fun.
Feedback gained through these different means is
recorded in a Your Voice evidence pack and the
information is reviewed and implemented at every
level of Craegmoor.
Driving Up Quality – Self-Assessment
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Your Voice in Practice
Ashridge is a residential home for up to 18
people and they hold a Your Voice meeting
every month. All staff and all service users
attend and the meetings give everyone the
opportunity to talk through any problems,
raise ideas and make plans for the coming
month.
A service user who lives at Ashridge told us
that the meetings work really well and that
there are agreed meeting rules so that
everyone gets a chance to speak, no one talks
when another person is speaking and nobody
has a mobile phone on during the meeting.
Details of the next meeting are clearly
displayed around the house and plenty of
notice is given so that everyone has time to
prepare for the meeting.
A service user who has been elected by vote
represents Ashridge at the quarterly regional
Your Voice meeting and is supported by
staff to prepare for and attend the meeting.
In September 2014, we held our first national Your
Voice meeting. The meeting was a great
POLICIES
We have a range of policies to ensure we are
consistent in our support of our services users,
including:
• Support Plan File (CR01) – ensuring care
and support is delivered in a well-planned
and person-centred way, designed to meet
individual needs and outcomes
• Care and Support Planning (CR54) –
ensuring care and support will be delivered
on the basis of individual needs
• Privacy, Dignity and Choice (CR17) –
ensuring that every service user feels they
matter all of the time, with services
provided to reflect their needs and wishes.
The policy commits to promoting the
dignity, privacy and choice of all service
users
• Role of the Key Worker (CR53) – ensuring
the provision of service users individual
and personal interest will be supported.
SERVICE USER SATISFACTION
opportunity for us to listen to the views of the
people we support, and also work with them to
Highlights from the service user satisfaction
plan how we can make things better for all the
survey June 2015:
people living in our services. Subjects discussed in
the meeting included:
• Key workers
I get the right amount of help and
support from staff
• Easy read information
I am happy with the way staff
• Service user wi-fi
help me
• Refurbishments
• Service user involvement
• Staffing
• Transport.
A second national meeting was held in January
I am able to make choices about
how I am supported
I can have a say in how my care
and support is provided
94%
SATISFACTION
92%
SATISFACTION
86%
SATISFACTION
89%
SATISFACTION
2015.
Notes and action points from the meetings are
circulated throughout Craegmoor and made
available on the group Intranet, including easy
read versions.
Driving Up Quality – Self-Assessment
Page 06
POLICIES
Section 2:
The person is
supported to have
an ordinary and
meaningful life
• People are supported to have friends
and intimate relationships
• People don’t need to live in hospitals/
secure settings to have their needs met
• People have opportunities for
employment, education and leisure
• People contribute to their local
communities to the benefit of others.
This means mainstream communities,
rather than segregated/isolated services
designed for people with disabilities
• People are generally happy and healthy.
“
second family.
• Sexuality and Relationships (CR51) –
supporting relationships and enabling
expression of sexuality amongst those
we support.
• Lifelong Learning (CR52) – ensuring
service users are provided with the
opportunity to learn wherever possible
and appropriate.
“
My name is James*, I have
lived at Oaklands for two and
half years.
basic cooking skills and needed a lot of
What I’ve done here I’ve never
done before, I’m very pleased
with what I’ve achieved.
• Approach to Risk Taking (CR47) –
ensuring service users are informed and
supported to understand risk.
When I first came to Oaklands I only had
“
“
“
The people here are like my
We have a number of policies in place to
ensure that people in our care are supported
to have a rich and meaningful life, these
include:
HEALTH
support from the staff with shopping for
food, preparing and cooking it. I can now
cook different meals with minimal support
from staff. I can shop by myself and when I
go on home visits I can also help my mum
to prepare food. When I have my own
flat, I will be more confident with
shopping and cooking. I am very happy
We promote and encourage a healthy lifestyle and
with this as I really enjoy my food. When I
we support people to have annual health checks
first came to Oaklands I did not eat a lot of
through their GP surgery.
foods, but now I eat a variety of different
foods which are good for my body.
Each service user has a Healthcare Action Plan and
Appointments Record which is completed and
Again, when I first came to Oaklands I
reviewed regularly with the service user. This
was quite shy and didn’t want to take part
documents the service user’s health issues,
in activities. I have now joined a walking
medications and medical appointments.
Driving Up Quality – Self-Assessment
Page 07
group which I go on three times a week. I
have attended a course to learn to speak
Italian, a cooking group and a confidence
building course. I have signed up for
another cooking course.
I have been going thai boxing for nearly a
year by myself. I have passed two gradings,
and I love going. I have been away on
holiday with Oaklands for a week and join
in social activities, day trips and meals out. I
now feel confident and would try most
things. My boxing has made me fit and lose
weight. I have also made new friends
through this activity.
I now know what all my medication is and
what it is for. I know what to do in the
future when I go for blood tests and what
to do with my prescription.
I was previously not very good at
housework, but now I’m on the ball. I can
mop, keep my room and the kitchen clean,
clean the house and do my laundry. I am
now aware and confident that I can clean
my own space when I move out.
Since I have lived at Oaklands I have
progressed and become more confident. I
now know a number of skills for
independent living. Learning these things
have made me feel comfortable and I no
“
longer worry. My family are proud
of me.
James, service user at Oaklands
*Name has been changed to maintain
confidentiality.
Education and Graduation Ceremony
All service users at Ashridge take part in
a weekly education session run by a
WEA tutor who comes to the house.
The sessions are carefully designed by
the tutor to accommodate all levels of
ability and the syllabus progressively
works through a programme which
builds on the previous lessons.
The tutor structures the course to run
for 12 weeks, followed by a break and
then the next 12 week course starts. This
structure replicates the term structure
used within colleges.
The lessons are all based on themes or
activities seen within day to day life and
the local community. For example, one
lesson involved recognising a variety of
different coins and the combination of
coins needed to buy certain items.
Service users are able to build up a
portfolio of learning in their folders.
The service users work very hard at
their education and are rightly
extremely proud of their achievements.
In 2014, they asked if they could
celebrate with a graduation ceremony
and staff worked hard pulling out all the
stops to enable this to happen. A
garden party was organised which
included a ceremony attended by the
Mayor. A member of staff made caps
and graduation gowns from dyed duvet
covers and designs found on the
internet.
The day was attended by friends and
family and everybody agreed it was a
fantastic day.
Driving Up Quality – Self-Assessment
Page 08
SERVICE USER SATISFACTION
Lansdowne Road
Highlights from the service user satisfaction
survey June 2015:
I am happy that I can keep clean
and tidy as I would like
I am able to eat and drink when I
94%
SATISFACTION
93%
want to
SATISFACTION
My home is nice and clean
94%
I can keep my room as I want it to be
SATISFACTION
94%
Service Users at Lansdowne Road are
becoming more involved in their local
community. One 75 year old service user has
recently enrolled onto a course at the local
college - this is her first experience of
attending a college. The staff support and
encourage service users to enrol onto
courses by inviting the local college in to
discuss the courses and options available.
Additionally, another service user is currently
volunteering with Leicester City Council. The
staff at Lansdowne Road support this
individual by helping to plan his daily
routines.
SATISFACTION
I can spend time with my friends
and family when I want to
I can choose how I spend my time
I am able to go out when I choose to
88%
SATISFACTION
92%
SATISFACTION
87%
Most of the service users at Lansdowne
Road have lived there for many years;
friendships and relationships have formed
and recently the Home celebrated their first
wedding! With care planning and a risk
assessment, the happy couple are being
supported to ensure that they are able to
move to a supported living placement in the
future.
SATISFACTION
I have opportunities to try new
things if I want
87%
SATISFACTION
Out standing Achievements at Mar Lodge
“We have one service user who is now going
out into the community independently,
where as last year this was a real anxiety for
her. She is now meeting and socialising with
friends on her own. This lady also works on a
farm that provides her with a monthly wage
– they make and sell their own produce
(eggs, jams, chutneys etc.)
A further service user spends his week doing
chosen leisure activities in the community
(independently) and has 4 voluntary work
placements that he attends each week. He
received a certificate from one of these work
places over the Christmas period to thank
him for all his hard work!”
Service Manager at Mar Lodge
Driving Up Quality – Self-Assessment
Page 09
Section 3:
Care and support
focuses on people
being happy and
having a good
quality of life
Championing Dignity and Respect
A service user at Mar Lodge really pushes
the boundaries and ensures that all have the
opportunity to voice opinions and speak
their minds. He is a champion for Dignity
already, a deputy manager for service users
and has made a DVD of dignity and respect
(who’s choice is it?) which he has taken this
around Leicestershire, including the
safeguarding adults board to really push
what dignity means to him and service users
like him.
• Staff know how to support people to be
happy
• Staff feel valued and the organisation
quickly deals with staff who are not
living up to organisational values
• Support plans truly reflect an
individual’s preferences, fears and put
people in control
• Staff are recruited, trained and
developed to understand the value of
getting to know the person being
supported and recognise that small
things are important
• Staff creativity is valued and encouraged
Ashridge has strong and close relationships with
the local community and service users frequently
make independent trips to make use of the local
amenities.
As well as being popular faces out in the
community, Ashridge have frequently opened
their doors and invited the community to visit
their home. The annual summer fete takes a lot of
planning and hard work by staff and service users
but is one of the highlights of the year and allows
people to come in and see the great things that
happen at the home.
Ashridge are also extremely grateful for the local
support they receive when fundraising with local
people providing sponsorship and local
businesses donating prizes.
Driving Up Quality – Self-Assessment
• Staff have the confidence, skills and
authority to make decisions
• There is evidence that individual staff
make a big difference
• Training is produced alongside the
people being supported and their
families and focuses on the individual
needs of the people being supported.
“
“
“
“
Community Relationships at Ashridge
Everyone is nice here, I came
here to be safe.
I prefer to be here.
Page 10
Craegmoor’s priority is to ensure
that all the people we care for
have happy lives full of meaningful
activities, in whatever way that
means to them.
The concept of quality of life is personal and will
differ between individuals. As part of the
person-centred planning process, our staff work
towards the very specific and individual needs of
each and every person they are working with. It
is imperative that the people we support have
their needs, wants and wishes met.
TRAINING, ACCREDITATION AND
PRACTICE LEADERSHIP
Training is very important within Craegmoor and
the people we support are integral to the
training process.
Recruitment and Training
A new member of staff within one of
Craegmoor’s homes told us of her
experience of the recruitment and induction
process. In the two weeks she had been in
post she said she had received lots of
training and that the home’s service users
had been heavily involved in that training.
She also told us that the service users had
been involved in the interview process and
we spoke to one of the service users about
this. She told us that they had all been able
to meet with the candidates and then held a
meeting afterwards to discuss their feelings
and have a big say in the decision.
In addition, we are launching a two week face to
face induction programme for new starters
which will be rolled out across the organisation
by October 2015.
All support workers are also encouraged to
register to complete the Diploma/SVQ L2 in
Health and Social Care and we have the benefit
of a national team of in-house assessors to
support candidates to complete their
qualification.
The company also has long-standing links with
external training providers to cater for specialist
training requirements based on service user
needs.
New managers attend a two day face to face
induction with business leaders and business
support functions so that they understand the
support these functions will provide them with
for the effective management of their service. In
addition, the company uses as external provider
to deliver a bespoke five day leadership course
and follow-up coaching for all senior managers
and site leaders.
Learning and development needs are discussed
and reviewed with each employee in their
supervision sessions.
Sign Language Training at Ashridge
One service user living at Ashridge is deaf
and she uses a combination of sign
language and Makaton to communicate. She
has provided invaluable sign language
training to staff and other service users
which really helps with communication
throughout their home.
Every employee within the company is required
to complete a blended learning programme
tailored to their job role. Induction training is
facilitated through a combination of e-learning
awareness modules and face to face workshops.
Driving Up Quality – Self-Assessment
Page 11
SERVICE USER SATISFACTION
Highlights from the service user satisfaction
service users through their involvement and
dedication. Any staff member can nominate staff
within their own service team who have made a
significant contribution to service users.
survey June 2015:
I am happy with the staff who
support me
I feel safe at the home
I feel safe when I go out
Staff treat me with respect
92%
Awards are given in the following categories:
93%
• Providing great care or support
SATISFACTION
• Providing great food
SATISFACTION
• Providing great activities and listening to
our service users
91%
• Providing a great place to live
SATISFACTION
• Providing a great team
95%
• Providing a great service.
SATISFACTION
I get the support I need to keep
healthy
Staff give me enough time and do
not rush me
94%
SATISFACTION
91%
SATISFACTION
Highlights from the employee engagement survey
2014:
You understand what is expected of
you in your job
You understand how your work
helps to achieve your
site's/department's objectives
You are satisfied with the training
and development you have
received from the company
image
92%
SATISFACTION
93%
SATISFACTION
Providing a Great Team
Four members of staff at Melling Acres
won the “Providing a Great Team”
category of the Making A Difference
award in recognition for their hard work
and going the extra mile to support and
encourage a service user to develop and
increase the activities he has been
involved in.
This has seen the service user’s
confidence soar as he has developed new
skills and independence. Family, friends
and social workers have all expressed
positive comments about the
achievements.
91%
SATISFACTION
SERVICE USER SATISFACTION
Craegmoor is keen to recognise the contributions
and efforts of staff and introduced the ‘Making a
Difference’ awards to celebrate and acknowledge
people who are making a difference to the lives of
Driving Up Quality – Self-Assessment
Page 12
POLICIES
Section 4:
A good culture is
important to the
organisation
• People with disabilities and their families
are involved in checking the quality of
support
• All levels throughout the organisation
consider and involve people being
supported and families
• The organisation can evidence how
change has resulted from the voice of
people being supported and their
families at all levels
• Staff feel respected and able to voice
their thoughts and contribute to
organisational development
• The organisation speaks out about bad
practice
• Senior managers routinely visit people
being supported to seek the views of
them and their families
• There is a commitment to practice
leadership.
QUALITY CHECKS
Site visits and inspections are regularly carried out
to monitor and maintain the quality of sites.
Regular visits are made by the Chief Operating
Officer, Heads of Quality, Operational Directors and
internal compliance inspectors. Following the
national Your Voice meeting we are implementing
service user Expert by Experience programme.
Driving Up Quality – Self-Assessment
Including:
• Information for service users (CR38) –
ensuring that all service users receive
appropriate and relevant information in
a format that they can understand. The
policy clarifies what information should
be provided in residential and
supported living services.
• Complaints (OP03) – ensures all service
users, their families and carers know
how to make a complaint and details
the process that will be followed to
handle the complaint. The policy also
includes our Duty of Candour. This is
accompanied by (Easy Read) Making a
Complaint (OP Form: 18).
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
IN THE DELIVERY OF OUR
SERVICES
Providing a high quality service for both our
service users and those who commission our
services is a central objective for Craegmoor.
As such, we take all complaints very seriously
and utilise this feedback as part of an overall
ethos to drive service development through
continuous improvement.
We use the lessons learned from comments
and complaints to help improve the care that
we provide to our service users. Examples of
the improvements made during 2013-14
include:
• Adjusting the content of a number of
staff training to be more face to face
• Ensuring our environments are the best
they can be
• Being respectful to neighbours and
having a role in the community.
Page 13
SHARING BEST PRACTICE
In order to share the vision of the service line
strategy and begin to develop understanding, a
series of sharing best practice events have been
held. The events were run jointly by the Quality
Development Leads and representatives from the
people we support.
The first occurred in February 2014 and focussed
on person-centred approaches and active support.
There were workshops for participants to attend to
extend their knowledge and develop new skills.
There will be further events focussing around
themes such as sexuality and relationships,
transition and moving on, etc. The exact content
will be determined following consultation with
staff and people who use services.
Service User Centred Approach to
Improving Cultural Awareness at
Charnwood Lodge
A service user at Charnwood Lodge
delivered a presentation about his religion
and culture during a staff meeting, to
increase understanding about his religion
and cultural needs. A person-centred
approach was taken, with the service user
working on the presentation with a staff
member and presenting it himself.
The feedback was very positive on both
sides. Staff said they learnt a lot about
Hinduism, and the service user said he
had enjoyed it and was proud of himself
for overcoming his nerves. The project has
also improved his self-esteem.
SERVICE USER SATISFACTION
Highlights from the service user satisfaction
survey June 2015:
I get enough information
91%
SATISFACTION
91%
I am happy with the way the
service is managed
SATISFACTION
There are enough staff around
when I need help
SATISFACTION
I feel listened to when I need to
discuss something
SATISFACTION
You are motivated by the company
to do the best job you can
SATISFACTION
Your immediate manager gives you
clear immediate feedback on your
work
88%
90%
73%
83%
SATISFACTION
80%
You feel like a valued member of
your team
SATISFACTION
You are encouraged by management
to put forward ideas on how we can
improve the quality of our services
SATISFACTION
Driving Up Quality – Self-Assessment
83%
Page 14
The five behaviours we aspire to are:
Section 5:
Managers and
board members
lead and run the
organisation well
• Leaders utilise the skills within the
organisation and inspire those around
them
• Leaders encourage open and honest
conversations about what is and is not
working
• Decision making is based on the
principle of ‘how will this benefit those
we support?’
• There is transparency where there are
areas of improvement required and these
are shared internally and externally to
benefit others
• There is strong Practice Leadership
around challenging behaviour within the
organisation.
Putting people first: We put the needs of our
service users above all else.
Being a family: We support our employees, our
service users and their families when they need
us most.
Acting with integrity: We are honest,
transparent and decent. We treat each other
with respect.
Being positive: We see the best in our service
users and each other and we strive to get things
done. We never give up and we learn from our
mistakes.
Striving for excellence: For over 140 years, we
have been trusted by our service users with their
care. We take this trust seriously and constantly
strive to improve the services we provide.
The purpose and the behaviours were then
introduced across the whole organisation via a
series of roadshow presented by the executive
team. The roadshows were a two-way
communication vehicle, allowing staff to feed
back to the executive team their experiences
and views.
INVESTING IN TRAINING
PURPOSE AND BEHAVIOURS
At the end of 2014, all staff were asked why they
chose to work for the organisation. Those answers,
together with the results of the Employee
Engagement survey, were used to create a new
company purpose and a set of five behaviours that
clearly set out what is expected of staff and the
organisation.
The new purpose is:
To make a real and lasting difference
for everyone we support.
Driving Up Quality – Self-Assessment
Craegmoor places great importance on the
training and development of staff. A variety of
opportunities are open including leadership and
management development, vocational
qualifications, train the trainer programmes and
continuing professional development.
We continue to invest in training and have
recently commissioned Helen Sanderson
Associates to do the following:
• Train senior managers in “Positive &
Productive meetings”
• Train key operational staff in the
“Progress for Providers” toolkit
• Train frontline managers in the key
person-centred tools.
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OPEN AND HONEST
CONVERSATIONS
Your Say Forums take place at local, divisional
and Group wide levels and provide a platform
where staff can put forward new ideas and raise
issues in a constructive and proactive setting. The
Forums are committed to feeding back and
acting on matters raised by staff.
POSITIVE BEHAVIOUR SUPPORT
(PBS)
Craegmoor adheres to a PBS framework to
reduce or eliminate the use of restrictive
approaches. This is achieved through:
• Investing in and supporting staff training
• Implementing Functional Behaviour
Assessments (FBA) to understand the
relationship between the environment and
the behaviour, and to understand the
purposes behaviours serve the individual
• Behaviour Support Planning, working
towards making changes and teaching
alternative behaviours
• Setting Quality of Life objectives
• Effective Monitoring and Incident Analysis
Systems to allow effective monitoring and
reporting, and to allow data-based
decision making about the effectiveness of
support
• Practice Workshops
• Physical interventions and Restrictive
Approach Reduction Plans
• Quality Assurance Systems
• Practice Management and Leadership.
There is a quality kite mark in place for PBS, it is
based on each area of the PBS framework and
clearly sets out what actions are expected and
the evidence required to demonstrate
achievement.
Driving Up Quality – Self-Assessment
FINDINGS
The information we have gathered has given us
a good overview of where we are right now and
we are confident that we are meeting the
requirements of the Code.
We have evidenced what we do and provided
data to demonstrate our outcomes and
achievements, but the Code is about the
people we care for and who use our services so
we would like them to have an active role in our
self-assessment reviews.
We would like you to hear from our service
users, in their own voice, their aspirations and
goals and whether they feel we have supported
them to achieve them.
NEXT STEPS
We believe there is always room to improve
and we need to be continually adapting to
meet the changing needs of our service
users. As part of our compliance with the
Code we will be carrying out an annual
self-assessment review to ensure we are still
meeting the requirements of the Code.
Throughout the coming year we will be
embedding the Code into all we do,
gathering information and encouraging our
service users to steer the review and provide
us with evidence.
Ideas include:
• Look at the sources we’ve used,
identify whether there are gaps in our
evidence/data and establish how we
can fill these gaps
• Including questions about the Code in
service user meetings
• Supporting service user
representatives to be part of the
review team
• Include input from the Board.
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