Leicester City Council
Following Local Government Reorganisation in 1997 the City Council recognised the need to reassess its relationship with the voluntary sector in the City. The decision to move to contractual relations (on funding over £5,000 per group) raised awareness of the need for a quality assurance system which could be used by Council-funded groups across the City. Discussions on the new contract led to the proposal that the quality system be an integral part of the new contract, linked in to the monitoring and service standards for the contract/specification.
The Council and Voluntary Action Leicester prepared a 'package' of documents and processes to underpin the new contract (vol. sector funding strategy, a discussion paper on capacity building, determination process on disputes, guidelines on the contract, definitions on the role of the project officer, what constitutes an annual review) for consultation with the voluntary sector. Tony Farley supported the introduction of the programme, and the potential impact, by providing training to Officers, and trustees, staff and volunteers of nearly 300 organisations, so key information and assurances about the both PQASSO™ and Quality First approaches could be explained and conveyed to groups.
Umbrella organisation
Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE) is the national association of Rural Community Councils whose shared purpose is to improve the quality of life of local communities, and particularly of disadvantaged people in rural England. RCC's are independent county based charities working to promote the welfare of local communities through voluntary effort, and by encouraging people to help themselves.
The ACRE Good Practice Project was set up a three year funded project to review the standards of fieldwork training across the network, and to develop a set of quality standards suitable for a range of RCC's with different needs and at different stages of development.
With the help of Tony Farley they have developed the ACRE Good Practice Standards. This model goes beyond the generic PQASSO™ approach, and provides both Organisational Standards and a set of specific operational standards e.g. on Community Development, Policy Development and Project Management. These have been well received by the network, will eventually be accessible via their own intranet and have led to a number of other improvements e.g. sharing of organisational policies and procedures, improved communication, and a common set of standards. The standards would also help any RCC gain accreditation to Quality Mark (for information and advice services) and to the IiP Standards (for training and development of staff).
A national charity - Methodist Homes for the Aged
A leading provider of services for older people including residential homes, supported housing schemes and Community Services (Live at Home) started a comprehensive quality programme in 1995.
The initial stage was the development of a common set of quality standards for all the residential homes. A quality implementation group worked with residents, their families and other professionals in addition to involving a range of staff to develop a framework for quality assurance that centres on the person. Perhaps the feature that attracted most interest is the emphasis on core values, particularly that of spirituality.
The Charity took the unusual step of publishing the Quality Standards Manual as they felt it helped them demonstrate their commitment to publicising widely new concepts in caring that will be for the benefit of all older people. The Manual has now become a standards text for the sector, and the model has been adopted by other leading agencies in the field.
Our involvement covered senior management briefings, the initial planning, leading implementation groups, developing the comprehensive manual, policies and procedures, introducing the system through workshops and the training of auditors.
MHA has identified a number of direct benefits from its quality programme -these are:
- Helping to ensure appropriate quality of service for all users, paving the way for Best Value
- Helping demonstrate how MHA meets statutory and contractual requirements
'The home is commended for so completely complying with all the required Standards inspected on this occasion. All the required policies are in place and there is ample evidence they are being appropriately followed'. (from a Local Authority Inspection Report).
- Improving the quality of life for residents, including those who
are very frail or have dementia
There is a wealth of anecdotal evidence of small-scale improvements across the country in all areas of care and service delivery e.g. on Independence
'a lady who required help with mobility at night had her room fitted with numerous grab rails to allow her to use the en suite facility without disturbing other residents and becoming totally dependant on staff'. Making some simple changes to the equipment we provided, so residents could help themselves - The development of systematic and common method of monitoring standards
- Aiding staff induction and training
- Making the most efficient and effective use of resources
Our work with residential and nursing homes has identified the need for support and assistance in a number of areas. Home owners in the independent sector are faced with increasingly difficult and sometimes conflicting requirements. Current business pressures and inspection requirements suggest that life is going to get even more difficult. Tony Farley, along with experienced associates, is able to offer a tailor-made package of support services to residential and nursing homes. These include help with Best Value, marketing, strategic and financial planning as well as diversification into new types of care. We will also help with the staffing and property implications.
If you would like support in developing your own systems to meet the needs of residential homes for older people, children, people with disabilities and special needs, hostels, and supported housing schemes then contact Tony Farley or Phillip Borkett, Care Management Consultancy.
Birmingham Voluntary Service Council
BVSC have implemented the largest implementation of PQASSO™ based systems programme in the UK, and many CVS's are now implementing their own versions. For current information visit their website and look at 'Quality Update'. or for training and support contact Tony Farley.