Celebrating our own strengths - awards and good news
Great British Care Awards shortlisting
The Great British Care Awards are a series of regional events throughout the UK and are a celebration of excellence across the care sector. We have seven staff/services shortlisted for the regional awards and if successful they will go on to the national finals.
Coventry’s nominations are:
- Dolly Kirby: Housing with Care Award
- Dawn Faulkner: Home Care Registered Managers Award
- Terri Hallinan: Care Home Registered Managers Award
- Telecare Responder Service includes mobile night team: Home Care award
- Elizabeth O’Grady: The Ancillary worker Award
- Copthorne Lodge: Housing with Care Award
- Eric Williams House: Care Home Team Award
Councillor Mal Mutton, Cabinet Member for Adult Services, said;
“This is a fantastic achievement and I send my congratulations to everyone who has been shortlisted. The amazing and selfless work carried out by Adult Social Care staff often goes unnoticed so I’m delighted Coventry’s staff and teams are getting the spotlight. I wish them all well."
April Ross, Service Manager, added;
“Just to be shortlisted is an achievement so well done to all. Good luck!”
Shared Lives Scheme
Do you have a room to spare and a life to share?
Relationships and human contact are so important to all of us, so how did Shared Lives ensure the people we supported made and maintained these relationships through such difficult times? COVID-19 has proven to be a challenge to all of us, having to
change habits of a lifetime and losing those all-important contacts that are so important to us.
Shared Lives with the help of Shared Lives carers, have helped to break the isolation felt by people with learning disabilities and helped them to keep in touch with family and friends. Kerry and Damien both live in Shared Lives placements with different carers. They have a very close relationship and although they don’t live together it’s extremely important to both of them that they continue to enjoy each other’s company and spend time together. Lockdown and the restrictions in place threw a challenge to both carers to support them in maintaining that relationship. Through the use of Facetime and Zoom they were able to catch up with each other, enjoy meals together over Zoom and their carers organised virtual Bingo nights and fancy-dress discos, so both could enjoy some fun together and as shared lives families. Kerry and Damien also decided to make cards and write letters to each other and on their walks posted them, both thoroughly enjoying receiving their post. A lessening of restrictions allowed Kerry and Damien to meet once again and are being supported to organise lots of days together. Shared Lives really is about supporting each other, giving individuals the opportunity to live with families who will support and nurture the opportunities to make and maintain real relationships. Kerry and Damien love sharing their life together on the Shared Lives Facebook and Twitter pages. If you would like to know more about our Scheme and see more stories and photos please take a look at our new website which explains the Scheme’s values and commitments to supporting people to live their lives the way they want to.
Clinical Extremely Vulnerable and ‘Shielding’
The government produced guidance for people, including children, who were at very high risk of severe illness from COVID-19 because of an underlying health condition. This included the use of ‘Shielding’ as a measure to protect people during national lockdowns. People identified were strongly advised to stay at home at all times and avoid any face-to-face contact for a defined period after receiving a letter from the NHS.
- 15,743 people were identified as needing to shield in Coventry
- 29,000 calls were made to check if people had access to food and check if they needed additional support
- 1,300 food parcels were delivered
- 3,000 social contact calls were made
- The library, customer services, CV life, adult social care and third sector organisations all worked together during the three periods of shielding to support Coventry residents
Shielding timeline
- 23 March 2020 – 1 August 2020 clinically extremely vulnerable people were asked to shield
- 5 November 2020 – 2 December 2020 clinically extremely vulnerable people were asked to follow additional precautions during the second national lockdown
- 5 January 2021 – 1 April 2021 clinically extremely vulnerable people were asked to shield again
Improving our internal provision
We are continuing to improve the physical environment for people supported in our internal services.
Maurice Edelman House is a care home for people with learning disabilities. Residents used to have small bedrooms with a sink, with all other facilities being shared with other residents. New extensions meant we were able to create en-suite facilities offering a much-improved personal living space for residents.
Quinton Lodge is a Housing with Care scheme for older adults, we have improved the shared communal space and there is now more space for people with mobility issues, more natural lighting for visual impaired and dementia friendly furnishings.
Principal Social Worker Annual Report
Most areas now have a Principal Social Worker for Adults and Children’s, supported by national and regional networks. The Care Act 2014 says local authorities should make arrangements to have a ‘qualified and registered social work professional practice
lead’ in place. In support of ensuring visibility for the role and celebrating achievements, our Adults Principal Social Worker, Andrew Errington, has produced a third annual report. Read the report.