Ashcroft

Read a really good report this morning published by the NAS, Scope, Mencap and others which highlighted the plight of people with learning disabilites in this period of cutbacks and austerity. Scary stuff - well worth a read. This is the link: http://www.scope.org.uk/news/other-care-c risis

A big thankyou to all our wondeful staff who kept our services operating without a hitch during the snowy weather. Particluarly impressed to see the rambling club going off for a walk on Friday despite the blizzard. Very well done!
Please stay safe.
Best wishes,
... David
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If anyone would like me to post anything relevant on this site please e:mail it to me at David.Holmes@ashcroftsupport.com. Clearly I shall be vetting what gets posted!
Best wishes,
David

Something on my mind? Last night's TV news was all about the outrage being felt by people on benefits who are only going to get 1% per year for the next three years. Now I don't support cutting benefits for those in our society who really deserve them, but I was left thinking how great it would be if someone would give Ashcroft a fee uplift of 1% per annum! Fingers crossed for an uplift this year - the fabulous Ashcroft staff are due a pay rise.

Winterbourne View
The Government has recently published its final report into the horrific events at Winterbourne View. It acknowledges many of the failings which should have been startlingly obvious to Castlebeck managers, purchsing authorites and regulators, and has set out a programme of action to target those types of hospital intitutions and strengthen safeguarding overall. The programme of action includes: 1. Strengthening accountability of Directors and Senior Manag...ers for the saftey and quality of care and support which their organisations provide. 2. Moving people inappropriately placed in hospitals into community placements. 3. Ensuring that each area has a joint plan to ensure high quality of care and support for people with learning disabilities and associated mental health conditions. 4. Dramatically reducing the number of hospital placements for this group iof people. 5. Strengthening CQC inspecitons, including unannounced inspactions involving people who use services and their families. At Ashcroft we welcome these initiatives. In all services there is a risk of abuse. The best organisations seek to minimise this risk by pulling as many levers as possible. This means having the right leadership, management, staff, processes, systems, environments, culture and values. At Ashcroft we strive to be as good as we can be in each of these areas, but we must never be complacent. We would be wrong to think it could not happen here. We are only ever as good as the care and support which we deliver each moment of each day.
Best wishes,
David
Ps If you wish to learn more about the Government's report please go to: http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/2012/12/final -winterbourne/
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I would like to wish all Ashcroft Service-users, staff, families and friends a very Happy New Year.
With kindest regards,
David

Pleased to reflect on a very happy Christmas period at Ashcroft. Most importantly, all our services functioned well and supported service-users to have a very happy time. In the week leading up to the Fat Man coming we had some lovely events. Particuarly enjoyed the Carol Service at St Wilfrids where so many people contributed to make it really special - people doing readings, Pam's choir, the Mother's Union. Poor vicar didn't know what he had let himself in for when the ...heckling started!
Anyway, just wanted to thank Ashcroft staff both for covering this period with such selflessness and for making it such a special time for those we are here to support.
Best wishes,
David
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Wanted to make special mention of the funeral of Viv Chambers yesterday. Viv's passing is sad for us all. She was one of Ashcroft's first service-users, having moved into Shrewsbury House in 1993. She moved to Springpark in 1999, to live out her days as the grand dame of Ashcroft, enjoying community life and drinking the odd glass of Guiness! Whilst these events are always sad, I think there are good deaths and bad deaths, and I would put Viv's firmly in the first catego...ry. She was supported wonderfully by the Springpark team in her weeks and hours, and their care contuned into her funeral yeasterday. The ceremony was lovely, and we were all able to say goodbye in the right way - Jackie included. I loved the poem written by Tina and read out by Holly, and I re-produce it here with their kind permission:
VIVIENNE Viv, tiny but full of va-va-voom Nothing was gloom Always like a flower in bloom
Dishes you dried Hoovering you tried
Who said disability Was inability You lived a life of good quality
All that pain but never cried Cheeky giggles like a new bride
All those pub visits for Guiness Now you are gone A big dent on Irish brewery business
When you felt lost and low All could be solved by a straw
You put the 'spring' in Springpark And left us with a spark FAREWELL OUR LOVE NO MORE PAIN BUT PEACE AND LOVE!
Thank you to everyone who did so much for her. She will be sorely missed. David
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Just got back from County Hall in Kingston, where I made a presentation to the Adult Social Care Committee of the County Council. Was keen to ensure that that the Councillors understood the perspecitve of social care providers in relation to ongoing budgetary cuts. Received a sympathetic hearing - good to know that our Councillors do care - and there appearred to be a dawning realisation that they cannot keep cutting budgets year after year without the s**t hitting the fan.... Of course even if they reduce their savings targets they still have to fund services for growing numbers of people with disabilities from somewhere, and they don't really know where to turn. They think the problem rests with central govenment. True in part, but I still think other SCC Directorates could share the pain. Made a strong case for SCC granting inflationary uplifts on contracts this year and next so that we can afford to give pay rises. Fingers crossed! Happy to share my presentation if you would like to see it. Best wishes, David
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Just in case you were wondering, the chap on the left of the picture, who was sitting between two delightful ladies all evening (Bethan and Sue - his words not mine!) is Charles Philips of Christie and Co, who sponsored the award. He has arranged to meet with us next week to discuss how they Chrisites can help us develop our business. Best wishes, David

Just posted the new banner photo of the team at the Surrey Care Awards. The ladies are looking gorgeous in their colour-coordinated finery, and Mamadou scrubs up pretty well too! Alvin Stardust looks a little dishevelled - can't imagine why! Best wishes, David

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to say they like this page. Best wishes, David

Great evening at the Surrey Care Awards on Friday. Many congrats to Carina Alonso and Sarah Pocock, who won the awards for Home Support Worker of the Year and Manager of the Year respectively. Both very well deserved. Ashcroft as a whole won the award for Surrey Provider of the Year against stiff competition. This is an award which recognises the progress we have made and the quality of our work. It is awarded on the basis of independent testimonials and judged blind. Ma...ny congrats to the whole Ashcroft staff team - you are all winners! As well as the wins we also had a few misses. Jackie Jones, Vanessa Whittaker and Mamadou Bah were shortlisted, so well done to them too - all winners in my book! I will put the award on display in reception. Not sure quite how we should celebrate it yet - all ideas garefully received. Congrats again! David
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Hi Everyone, Thought it was about time that Ashcroft moved, kicking and screaming, into the 21st century, so here is our Facebook page. I have no idea what I am doing, and too tight to pay for help, so we will just learn as we go. If it works, it works, and if it doesn't I will take it down! I hope you like it. Best wishes, David