United Response

Shonagh Methven

Senior Business Partner, H&S Risk Management

shonagh.methven@unitedresponse.org.uk

www.unitedresponse.org.uk

United Response

A Person Centred Approach to everything we do

RISK MANAGEMENT

Policy

Training

Culture of accountability

Support for staff

United Response

A real life means taking risks to achieve, to get the things that we want and to develop skills.

United Response

So what does this mean in reality

Tom

Dick

Harry

Tom’s Story

• Tom began to work with Laura a year ago when he started his job at a local pub

• Laura is Tom’s Job Coach and attended work with Tom full time in the early stages

• Initially Laura would pick Tom up in her car and they would drive to work together

•Tom fit in immediately at the pub and became a great asset

Tom and Laura

•Tom needed a little instruction from Laura from time to time, but his relationships with colleagues grew quickly from strength to strength, which meant Laura was able to begin fading out at the work place

•Once Tom was settled into work it was time to start travel training which was the final step to him becoming an independent worker

Tom’s Story

Laura would meet Tom at his house and they would travel to work together on the bus, they would do the same with the return journey

Tom had some concerns at first and was not very confident with the idea that eventually Laura wouldn’t be travelling with him; his mum also had some concerns

Tom decided he would give it a go and see how he felt

Tom’s Story

• Laura travelled to work with Tom for five weeks and every week you could see his confidence grow

• Laura was there as a companion for Tom; Tom led Laura at all times

• After five weeks Tom told Laura that he didn’t need her to come with him anymore he would like to try it by himself

• So he did and Laura met him at work

Tom’s Story

• Tom had no problems travelling independently and wondered to himself why he was afraid in the first place

• He overcame isr fear by giving it a go

Tom says, “I am happy going to work and wearing my uniform. I am very happy and confident about going to work on the bus by myself”.

Tom’s Mum says, “Tom is so happy, he loves being included in all the social activities like the Christmas party, he is one of the gang. He has got to know the bus driver Tony and chats with him on the way to work”.

Roebuck Pub

Treating his mum and himself to a meal in the Pub.

Going to the pub to look around and meet staff

Starting work in uniform

Doing all aspects of the job, chatting with staff and customers

Getting the bus to work. Building friendships with colleagues

Tom

Dicks story

Dick began to plan what he wanted to do in life about 10 years ago.

One of his goals was to find a job

His first supported employment was as a volunteer in a hospital

Then he found a job working in the laundry department 4 hours a week at a local hotel

Dick received travel training and became an independent traveller to work.

Sadly that job came to an end when the hotel was demolished and it took a while for Dick to find another job ……..

Dicks story

which he has now working at the local Premiership Football Club shop.

But Dicks life isn’t all work. He has

abseiled down buildings for charity,

sailed in a training ship

a job he loves, and is now travels completely independently.

Dicks story

He attends college where he is working towards an NVQ in Horticulture and enjoys studying science and learning Spanish as well as playing football.

Sally, one of the people who supports Dick says,

“Dick is a man who I admire greatly”

United Response

Last summer Harry, some of his friends and supporters decided to climb Snowdon.

United Response

They arrived in sunny Wales on a lovely summers day

They had fun the night before the climb

They ate a hearty meal

Some folk decided to go to the summit by train

Others started the climb on foot – it started to rain as they began the climb.

However, everyone was in good spirits

As they got higher the wind got stronger and people got a bit fed up

It was the worst weather in June for 4o years so we decided to come back down.

We had a phone to call for help if needed and luckily we met some climbers coming down the mountain who helped us.

United Response

Did we learn from the experience

YES

Would we plan another trip

YES

United Response

Is there a tension in balancing person centred working with a commissioners expectations.

We all want to live a full and healthy life on our own terms.

Balance duty of care with support for the life that people want to live

Balancing things Important TO and Important FOR people

United Response

Our approach

Competent and confident staff

Talking to people, finding out what matters TO them

Working with others to make that happen

Blame culture v culture of Accountability

United Response

Commissioners, Inspectors and Providers must recognise that people in receipt of services have the right, and importantly, must be supported, to take risks in their lives, in full recognition and expectation that they will suffer the same setbacks and heartaches that we all do.

United Response

Care Quality Commission

“The approach that United Response is taking in relation to risk management is in line with the current Commission approach to person centered outcomes and a proportional approach to life skills and independence.”

United Response

What happens when something goes wrong?

Report

Investigate

Learn

Change

Try

United Response

Social care providers must

make explicit their encouragement of staff to explore what’s important to the people they are paid to support, and to take managed risks to make progress.

Make it clear in risk management policies that staff engaged in reasonable risk taking are acting under their employer’s instructions

Provide sincere, swift and whole hearted support for staff when managed risk taking results in injury or harm.

….because staff working in an atmosphere of fear or a blame culture will never be emboldened to act in such a way

United Response

This isn’t carte blanche.

United Response

Our Commitment to Staff

“As part of our commitment to enabling people we support to take planned risks United Response, as an employer will always support staff who have used sound judgement and taken sensible precautions, even if these have not been sufficient to avert an accident or incident.”

United Response

Questions?