Brown’s Short Break Respite provides services for the people aged 18 plus with learning difficulties, physical difficulties, mental illness and / or sensory impairment who have been formally assessed as requiring assistance to help maintain their independence. Our values are based on the principles of citizenship including dignity, choice, privacy, independence, individuality, fulfilment and rights. The agency provides group based activities, group and individual holidays and outings, 1:1 visits in the community and respite support in the client’s home. All activities are designed to assist with the service users’ personal goals and include independent living skills, social interaction, problem solving, communication and personal care with the aim of developing service users’ independence, self confidence / esteem and a sense of responsibility. We also assist with dressing, bathing, preparation for sleep and meal preparation etc. during holidays and home respite care as agreed with Social Services and with specialist services such as occupational therapy. The agency does not provide specialist services such as physiotherapy and nursing skills. Brown’s Short Break Respite operates mainly within St.Helens

The Care Manager, Marie Brown, has had ten years in caring environments and has held various positions of responsibility as well as managing Brown’s Short Break Respite since 2005.

The Care Manager is competent in co-ordinating the efficient daily operations to ensure that correct planning, provision and monitoring of users needs are achieved and that correct financial control information is collated.

Care staff have gained life skills personally as well as being trained by the Agency to ensure that service users are cared for compassionately, considerately and comfortably and that their assessed needs are properly provided for. The Agency employs an average of ten full and part time carers.

Quality Assurance is sought constantly and the Agency has in place policies and processes to describe how aspects of the service are to be progressed, delivered and monitored to allow continuous improvements to be sought and introduced.

Policies, with appropriate processes, are in place for all the Agency’s operating activities and include key areas such as:

• Enquiries, assessment and contracts
• Care delivery, Monitoring and Review
• Training
• Financial
• System review and improvement
• Health & Safety
• Complaints

Further policies and processes form the Agency’s quality assurance system and these are likewise formalised and monitored to ensure that all required regulations, standards and compliance requirements are implemented and effective.

Within the quality assurance system the service users’ and carers’ opinions and views are gained and evaluated to allow service improvements to be introduced on a continuing basis.

The Service User’s Guide is formally reviewed at least annually as part of the quality assurance processes.

Confidentiality of information gained by the Agency’s staff is covered through the induction and training processes, which form part of the quality assurance system. All staff are made fully aware of their obligations and legal requirements of unauthorised disclosure or misuse of information gained during their employment. All records are stored in secure facilities and prevented from unauthorised access, service users or advocates can view records by appointment with the Care Manager.

Brown’s Short Break Respite endeavours to maintain strong relationships between service users and carers by allocating and maintaining dedicated Care Workers to users wherever possible, however it may be necessary and unavoidable to change dedicated Care Workers due to holidays, sickness or other personal requirements from time to time. The Agency monitors the effectiveness of Service User and Care Worker relationships and may, with agreement, change Care Workers if necessary.

Periodically the Agency will communicate to carers the status of the care being provided, including any significant changes as they occur, to allow the carers to comment or input into the changes. Service users and carers may have access to the service user’s file during office hours; prior notice of a requirement to view is preferred to ensure that the Care Manager is available to discuss any issue during your visit.