Kyle shares his experiences of home-care, the good staff members, the team leaders if you can get hold of them, but Kyle is not so happy with the managers! Kyle talks about the staff who come into the home, who he enjoys talking with and chilling out with, after doing chores! 😉
Continue reading
Holly talks about her experiences of care and support as someone with adhd and autism, and the impact that has had on her wellbeing and mental health. The feelings of isolation, related to not fully understanding herself. The impact of her neurodiversity in relation to not being able to work, and the further impact on her own mental health and wellbeing. Holly describes her experiences of the living well with autism course, what was really good about it, but also what was really bad about it. Including being taught ways to being more neurotypical! Her response – “I’ve been masking for 37 years I want to know how to not do this, [mask] not how to push me back in there”
Continue reading
“James is deafblind. He talks about what it was like to have his assessment and review.
At his most recent review, he was asked lots of detailed questions about the hours his Personal Assistants work and the tasks they do each day.
James felt these questions did not fit his situation. They made him feel stressed and frustrated.
He sent an email to explain his communication needs. This helped a bit, but more changes were still needed.
James says the questions felt unhelpful and made him feel talked down to.
He says it would be much better if the review started with a relaxed chat, having a cup of tea together, before any formal questions begin.
He believes this calmer, more human approach would reduce stress and make the review feel more respectful and useful.”
David describes the process of the Continuing Health Care reassessment to evidence that Pats progressive condition had changed so she was no longer eligible for Continuing Health Care funding.
In the first example the assessor introduced herself and announced she was there to save the NHS money! In the second example David likens the experience of proving Pat no longer had any ‘medical needs’ to the Monty Python sketch –
What Have The Romans Done For Us. Neither of the reassessments were upheld, and Pat continued to receive the quality care that she needed.
The carer talks about what needs to happen to ensure care is genuinely person centred. We should be asking people to sign up to something, and genuinely deliver care that meets the standards people should expect.
Christopher highlights the potential of the Real Care Deal emphasing its broader application which could be wider than Norfolk amplifying examples of good practice and care countrywide. Chris continues to talk about the importance of the individuals true ownership of their care plan with examples of what this mean so that they can lead their care process.
This includes having the freedom to request reviews and making personal decisions, even if there’s a potential for risk, by mitigating dangers rather than completely eliminating them. Equally Chris highlights the importance sometimes difficult, but honest conversations with people about their care and support, ensuring that people still have agency to decide for themselves.
Here is a recent conversation with Norfolk County Council’s Director in charge of adult social care. We find out his vision and determination to centre in the human experience and how we work together as humans.
Christopher Collins, a Care Quality Commission registered manager with QCM Healthcare, explains his role and the range of care his teams provide across Norfolk. He talks about “The Real Care Deal” as a way to focus on what good care looks like, giving people in care settings a real voice rather than centring on complaints. For him, it’s about recognising each person as an individual, making sure they can speak for themselves, shape their own care plans, and feel in control of their future.
David describes a frustrating phone call with Liaison Care. Liaison asked for lots of documents about his wife – her medication chart, care plans, and risk assessments – but dismissed the detailed care journal the speaker already keeps. The call was full of misunderstandings, and Liaison didn’t seem to know much about Pat’s condition (PCA – Posterior cortical atrophy) or the care agencies involved.
Attempts to link up with Nightingale Care and Complete Care were also messy, with wrong contact details and confusion about arranging meetings on Microsoft Teams. In the end, the David feels the approach isn’t working and that the whole process may need to start again.
Chrisptopher gives talks about what meaning trust and transparency has in relation to care and the Real Care Deal.
He shares the story of a senior nurse with mobility issues who needed to transition from using a frame to a hoist for safety reasons. Despite the nurse’s long-standing relationships with her GP, district nurse, and OT, none of them were able to tell her about the needed change.
After a difficult conversation Chris received gratitude from the nurse’s daughter for addressing the tough decision. Later, the nurse herself apologised for her initial reaction and appreciated the speaker’s honesty.
This story highlights the importance of difficult but necessary transparency in care decisions.
