A resident at Godfrey Care’s Field House service in Burton-on-Trent had a lorryload of fun when the support team arranged a visit to a truck repair shop.

Nick is well-known for his love for all kinds of vehicles and his particular interest in the larger variety. The Field House team came up with an idea to indulge Nick’s passion when they contacted Hartshorne Motor Services, a local company which specialise in the maintenance of Volvo trucks and buses. They requested a tour of the premises, currently home to a range of HGVs, and were delighted when the kind people at Hartshorne Motor Services obliged with an offer to facilitate a visit that same day!

Nick was in his element throughout the trip. He had a good look at all the trucks and even got to sit in one of the cockpits!

Aaran Fryer, Registered Manager at Field House, said:

“We’re very grateful to Hartshorne Motor Services for accommodating Nick’s visit. They were very friendly, welcoming and generous with their time. Nick made friends with the manager of the site and had an incredibly enjoyable time. He has been talking about the trip every day since!”

The outing demonstrated the value of creative thinking and a proactive approach in facilitating life experiences for the people we support. Well done to the Field House team and Hartshorne Motor Services for delivering the goods!

In social care, perhaps more so than any other sector, an organisation’s vision and values are fundamental to the quality of delivery. They inform and drive everything a care provider does in support of people with complex needs. They give colleagues the foundation to thrive as successful service teams. They help to change lives for the better and achieve consistently positive outcomes.

That’s why our recent Vision & Values Day was such an important event in shaping the future of Godfrey Care. Hosted by our Operations Director, Tracy Johnson, it was an exercise in formalising and crystallising the ideas and principles that have helped us to grow into one of the most trusted providers of highly complex care.

The whole leadership team attended the day which was all about sharing our brand-new Mission Statement and Vision, and establishing our company Values: Inclusive, Resilient and Innovative.

The event included some fun team-building exercises, and the senior leadership team ran workshops on various subjects, including achieving Outstanding, PBS and a capable environment, business development, values-based recruitment, and resilience.

Tracy said:

“It was useful to define the attributes, objectives and beliefs which have been such a vital part of Godfrey Care’s success. The leadership team is now in a better position to maintain that consistency in our approach as Godfrey Care continues to grow in the years ahead.”

Thank you to Tracy for organising such an engaging and productive day!

Finding effective ways to communicate is fundamental to the work we do. It gives the people we support more agency in making decisions that affect their lives. Sometimes that involves coming up with innovative and unconventional forms of dialogue. Some recent work at our Ash Tree House service demonstrated the success of that approach.

JB, who lives at Ash Tree House, discovered that he loved the sound of a seatbelt unclicking. To meet this sensory need, he started undoing the belt during his regular drives out but was unaware of the danger that this posed when the vehicle was in motion.

We determined that the best solution was a seatbelt safety clip, keeping him safe without being as restrictive as a harness. When introducing this measure, it was very important that JB was involved in the process as much as possible. We looked at ways to overcome communication barriers to give JB the best possible chance of making his own decision to use the safety clip.

The PBS team worked with the Ash Tree House service team to devise a social story, with vocabulary pitched at the right level for JB so he could take in all the relevant information. The service team read the social story to JB every day for one week and then completed a Mental Capacity Assessment (MCA) with JB, using symbols and multiple-choice questions. The symbols were stuck using Velcro to allow the assessor to check for understanding. JB answered all the questions and consented to the safety aid being used.

By providing the information in an accessible way and presenting the MCA questions in a way that is meaningful and mindful of JB’s communication style, he was able to make a decision about a restriction in his life.

The exercise also highlighted the value of the service team and clinical teams working together and drawing on each other’s strengths and knowledge. Well done to everyone involved!

Godfrey Care are delighted to announce that we have received nine nominations in the Staffordshire Dignity in Care Awards!

The awards celebrate individuals, teams and organisations that best demonstrate commitment, competence, and best practice. They form part of a wider initiative advocating a personalised approach to care which treats each person as an individual, supports them to express their needs and wants, and enables them to have the maximum possible level of independence, choice and control.

Nine of our amazing colleagues have been shortlisted for a Dignity Champion award. At our Ash Tree House service in in Burton On Trent, no less than five of the team are up for an award: Dana Gibbs, Karen Taylor-Dawes, Collins Foy, Olivia Nixon and Heather Wilkinson

Also nominated are Amelia Killion, who works at our Field House service in Burton on Trent, and Nadine Hutchings from our Station House service in Rolleston on Dove. Aaran Fryer, our Multi-Site Manager for Station House and Field House, and Andy Fairman, our PBS Clinical Lead, complete the list of nominees.

Godfrey Care Director, Andy Barnes, said:

“Congratulations to all our Dignity Champion nominees. We’re incredibly proud to see so many of our colleagues recognised in this way – it’s a testament to their dedication, their skill and above all their values in maintaining exceptionally high levels of care and support.”

Aaron joins the PBS Team from his role as a Team Leader with Godfrey Care. Adding to our existing team as a PBS Clinical Associate and Master NAPPI Trainer, this role is a pathway for Aaron to train as a PBS Practitioner with Godfrey Care. This new role represents a significant investment in accredited training, funding and supporting Aaron to study for the BILD BTEC Level 5 Diploma in Positive Behaviour Support as part of his role. As an integral member of the team, Aaron will help to design and implement interventions for service users and teams, using his skills and knowledge to develop our specialist services.