Who are Alpha Care SW?
I find it easy to navigate, it is a very organised system and things flag up when they need to, it is very thorough. I did think it would take a while to get my head around it as it was my first time using a digital system, but it didn’t, it was quite self-explanatory. Everything is covered on Care Control, everything we do during our day is on there, and it is a very useful tool.
Tell me about your services?
Since August 2019, Brunel House has been providing CQC outstanding care and support for up to seven young individuals, aged 18-30, who have diverse complex health needs, learning disabilities, and physical requirements. Our services include personal care and fostering independence, aiming to enhance their overall quality of life. We go beyond simply providing a place for them to live; instead, we actively encourage and support their individual goals and aspirations, pushing them to achieve their desired outcomes.
At Brunel House, we offer a comprehensive range of personalised support services. Our unwavering commitment lies in not merely sustaining life but improving its quality and facilitating opportunities for personal growth, regardless of the scale. For instance, while one individual may have a goal of conquering Mount Everest, another might simply use picture cards to independently select their breakfast.
Management’s Perspective
To gain insights into their experiences at Brunel House, a CQC outstanding care home, we interviewed Jenna, the Registered Manager, and Gemma, the Managing Director.
How does it feel to work at a CQC outstanding home Jenna?
I feel so proud and privileged. It is amazing as that was our vision. However, achieving an outstanding status does not signify the completion of our journey. We are determined to surpass our current achievements, expand our capabilities, and consistently strive for excellence. Our goal is to continuously evolve and maintain our position as outstanding in our field.
What is your favourite part about your job?
Jenna: Every morning, as I arrive and witness the individuals waking up with their radiant smiles, I am filled with joy. It doesn’t even feel like going to work; it’s a genuine pleasure. Seeing the happiness and the ability of these individuals to enjoy themselves, knowing that we have an exceptional staff team, makes each day fulfilling. I am fortunate to have bosses and directors who are not only supportive managers but also friends, and the continuous learning opportunities make me love every aspect of my job.
Gemma: Having achieved our current position, we are now able to extend our outstanding care and support to a larger number of individuals. With our residential services at full capacity, our focus has shifted towards community-based support. However, our mission goes beyond that; it encompasses the personal growth of our staff members as well.
When Kate and I started this journey, our goal was not only to improve the lives of our individuals but also to enrich the lives of our staff. I am proud to say that we have accomplished this goal on numerous occasions. We have provided opportunities for career advancement, skills development, and specialisation in areas of personal interest. It is truly gratifying to witness individuals who aspire to assume Kate and my roles, as they embody the kind of passion we actively seek. We take immense pleasure in offering these opportunities, knowing that neither of us could have pursued such paths before becoming Directors at Alpha Care SW.
Did you always plan to use a digital system when you opened your home Gemma?
Yes, with all the experience that Kate and I have got, which was primarily paper-based, this is what we planned. I initiated our system, starting from scratch I used Google to construct it but as we got bigger we needed to go to something more professional. Although, I do look back at what we built and I am proud of it.
What made you choose Care Control?
It was great finding Care Control. We explored numerous options, but what captivated us was Care Control’s continuous evolution and your willingness to listen and adapt to our specific requirements. Furthermore, the fact that you were a local company was highly appealing to us. We desired the ability to visit your offices in person if any issues arose or even invite your team into our homes for personalised support.
How has Care Control benefitted Brunel House and Alpha Care?
Gemma: The integration of various apps for staff use, along with the managerial oversight provided by Care Control Windows, has been a game-changer for us. Although I personally no longer use the apps, they have become an essential tool for our staff members. We provide devices for staff to use around the home as we discourage mobile use, but we support mobile use when in the community as it proves convenient for reporting purposes. One aspect that I particularly like is the analysis and data consolidation function, as it serves as a central component of my role. Previously, the system that we created everything was individual which meant countless clicks across numerous forms. However, with Care Control, everything is seamlessly brought together. It has just elevated the service we provide.
Jenna: I fully agree. The ability to search for specific words and retrieve relevant information when reviewing notes is valuable. The eMAR and Rota have also proven to be fantastic additions, replacing the previously manual processes.
What benefits has Care Control brought for your residents?
Care Control helps maintain engagement with families by fostering inclusivity, openness, and transparency. This approach greatly enhances the well-being of our individuals. Additionally, the system allows our individuals to participate in the consent process. The individuals can digitally sign off on consent, empowering them to actively contribute to the decision-making and care processes, allowing for person-centred care.
What are your favourite features of Care Control?
Jenna: Two features I like are the memory box and the activity section, which allows us to view pictures of the individual’s achievements. The ability to easily navigate and review all the notes is another aspect I appreciate. The system provides seamless access, making it effortless to retrieve specific information. During audits, searching for particular words and instantly retrieving all relevant notes is incredibly convenient.
Gemma: I find the analysis reports and payroll functions to be beneficial, despite occasionally encountering minor challenges. Comparatively, it is a big improvement over the methods we used previously. Extracting data directly from the rota is a simple and significant advancement.
What are your plans to maintain your Outstanding status?
They say getting Outstanding is one thing but maintaining it is another. It is about utilising Care Control and the systems we have in place to continue to enhance our service. But for us, it is about innovation, driving development, and opportunities. We have got an extensive list we are working towards. Kate and I are quite particular, we are thrilled at our outstanding standing status but there are areas that we feel we could work on and improve upon. We only got outstanding in three areas for a start, meaning there are two areas we would like to focus on. It’s so important to maintain the three and not take your eye off the ball to get the other two. Our aspirations and expectations for Alpha Care SW are exceptionally high, which is why we established the company — we are constantly evolving and seeking growth.
What advice would you give to people who want to run an Outstanding care organisation?
We already do this, yesterday we did a presentation for Plymouth City Council’s, Dignity in Care forum about our Outstanding journey and how we have achieved it and a couple of months ago we did one for Devons Care homes collaborative. So we have lots of advice, we are open to people contacting us to network, for best practice sharing, inclusion, mentoring, opportunities for development, and effective recruitment. But fundamentally it comes down to having core values that every single person in your organisation is aware of, believes in and follows.
Every single staff member will know our core values, and it’s not just text they can repeat, they will be able to tell you why they’re reliable, and how they’re honest and demonstrate it. We check it as well within our supervisions and appraisal processes.
Staff Perspective
To gain a deeper understanding of the staff experience working in a CQC Outstanding home and using Care Control, we conducted interviews with several staff members and one resident, Anne-Marie, at Brunel House. All the staff we spoke to have a genuine love for their job. They expressed immense satisfaction with the positive management and the incredible individuals they had the privilege to care for. Everyone had nothing but positive words to share and took genuine pleasure in fulfilling their job responsibilities.
What is your favourite part about your job?
I love the fact I can make the individuals smile, knowing that all their needs are met, and we are giving them a good quality of life throughout the day. We are also encouraging their independence and life skills and just being able to be role models and support figures for them. Also, I just feel very privileged that they are letting us into their home as well. – Andrea, Health and Social Care Practitioner soon to be Shift Lead Practitioner
I just love making the individual’s lives better and being able to support them to be able to live their best lives. – Serenna, Health and Social Care Practitioner
The variety, I love that each individual is so different and they bring something different to the home, and no day is the same. – Megan, Deputy Manager
How does it feel to work for an Outstanding home?
It is amazing, I love it and I love everything about the home. I’m so proud of everything everyone has achieved because it was a team effort not just one person, it was everyone coming together so well which led us to achieving it. – Megan, Deputy Manager
It feels amazing when you go home and feel good about what you have done. I get up and am excited about going to work – it doesn’t feel like work. It is a family, people pick up on that – it feels like a home. – Christina, Shift Lead Practitioner
Amazing, I’ve been in care for six years and this is the first time I’ve worked for an outstanding provider – I feel very honoured to be a part of that. – Andrea, Health and Social Care Practitioner soon to be Shift Lead Practitioner
What do you think of Care Control?
When I first arrived, I wasn’t computer literate and had never even used a laptop or tablet, which made me a bit nervous. However, I have used Care Control every day and steadily gained confidence and everyone here was very patient with me. A few months ago, everything suddenly fell into place, and now I find myself using it much more at ease. Looking back, I wonder what all the fuss was about really. – Claire, Health and Social Care Practitioner
I like the fact it is so simple to use. You can get everything up on there and you can write everything you need so quickly. – Serenna, Health and Social Care Practitioner
I find it easy to navigate, it is a very organised system and things flag up when they need to, it is very thorough. I did think it would take a while to get my head around it as it was my first time using a digital system, but it didn’t, it was quite self-explanatory. Everything is covered on Care Control, everything we do during our day is on there, and it is a very useful tool.
I am also a mother of an individual who is in a home with Care Control, so I have experienced it from parents’ perspective as well. I have used the Friends & Family app, at first I didn’t want carers to think I’m checking in on them to see if they are doing their jobs, but it is useful for when my son has had a bad day. I can look over the activities he has done and talk to him about all the positive things he has achieved, and say maybe try this. It is so useful from a parents’ point of view. – Andrea, Health and Social Care Practitioner soon to be Shift Lead Practitioner
What activities do you like to do during your day Anne-Marie?
I like to help count my medication, how many there are before I take it and how many there are left after I take it and I also like to read what people write on Care Control as well.
I love arts and crafts and to go out and achieve my goals! As well as making sure the staff have had food and drink. Yesterday I made every individual a card. I love crafts.
What goals do you achieve?
I like to go and see animals, especially birds in the summer, and I am going to see Westlife in Cardiff with Jenna!
I have achieved a lot of goals, I’ve lost weight, and I went into the sea on holiday in Newquay. I have a great time and really enjoy it here.