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Our Services
CHOICES
Housing Association is a special needs housing association that aims to
provide special needs housing and support to people with learning disabilities
end mental health problems. Based in Newcastle-under-Lyme, the CHOICES
has a total of 17 homes (both residential and nursing homes) providing
support to a total of 97 people. Most of the homes are purpose built to
accommodate between three end six people. Everyone living in the residential
and nursing homes requires 24 hour support.
Although
everyone living within the service requires a variety of support from
staff, there is a wide and varied difference in people's individual needs.
Some people living in the service are elderly, some people have physical
and sensory disabilities, some people require nursing care, some people
have challenging behaviour and some people have mental health needs as
well as learning disabilities.
The Service
Review
The service review took place during October 1999. Ten service users were
randomly selected to be visited as part of the evaluation and of these,
nine participated in the review and one person declined. A Quality Network
Service Review Group was established from service users, senior managers
and support staff. In addition, the local citizen advocacy service were
involved as well as service user's.
The review team was supported by Rachel Raymond and Jan Hill-Tout from
the Quality Network.
Conclusions - What we found about the service
General findings
Overall CHOICES provides a high quality service to people with learning
disabilities. Staff work to clear aims and values and try hard to ensure
that people who use the service are supported in a positive and valued
way.
CHOICES
staff are helping service users achieve many aspects of the ten quality
outcomes. The evaluation did not highlight any major concerns regarding
people's lives and the quality of services they receive, but it did pin
point areas in which improvements could be made.
The review highlighted that those people who use the service who have
a greater level of disability have the greatest difficulty attaining the
quality outcomes. These people require a greater amount of support from
staff as well as additional help from advocates since they find it hard
to choose how they live their lives. The review also highlighted that
some people, particularly those people in the residential services with
a greater level of disability who cannot communicate their needs effectively,
did not receive the best healthcare as staff found it difficult to identify
their needs. It was also highlighted that some G. P's also found it difficult
to identify people's health needs.
What was going well:
- People
are supported in a positive and valued way.
- People
who are able, make many choices that affect their everyday lives.
- People
are encouraged to make important decisions that affect their lives.
Staff assist people to plan their lives and agree what help and support
is required both in the present and the future.
- People
are support in a dignified and respectful manner.
- Families
are encouraged to be involved in people's lives.
- Most
people are independent and are able to participate in everyday activities,
both at home and in their local communities.
- People
are not abused or harassed.
- People
generally receive a much better level of health care than they had previously
when living in hospital or hostel accommodation.
What
we need to improve:
- Interaction
and engagement levels could be higher. Staff spend time doing things
without involving service users. Some people spend a lot of time unoccupied.
- People
need more support to gain employment (both paid and voluntary).
- People
need help to establish more friendships other than paid staff.
- People
who find it difficult to communicate need greater access to advocates.
- Staff
need training in supporting people to advocate for themselves.
- Staff
need training in the prevention of abuse.
- CHOICES
needs to improve the way it listens to service users and their families.
- CHOICES
needs to ensure that all service users receive a high level of healthcare
appropriate to their needs.
For further
information please contact:
Chris Stirling (Community Service Manager)
CHOICES Housing Association,
1A King Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 1EN.
Tel: 01782 254000 Fax: 01782 254001 email: info@choices.co.uk
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