Accord Equality & Fairness Annual Report 2018
Accord continues to have a strong organisational commitment to safeguarding with robust
systems and processes in place.
We also did a full update of our Policy, Procedure and relevant paperwork to ensure it
aligns fully and focusses on prevention and not control. An organisation-wide safeguarding audit in 2018 found that these systems provided
significant assurances.
We conducted a “Functional Assessment” on Caroline and identified her functions, or
reasons behind the behaviour, was:
We worked to put a Positive Behaviour Support Plan in place, identifying triggers, early
warning signs and functions behind behaviours.
We worked to minimise the triggers, recognise early warning signs and worked hard on
being proactive, using proactive strategies as our “Baseline Interventions” when she was
calm.
Without this knowledge then staff will work to their own values and beliefs and what they
think is best, often with good intentions. This can be inconsistent, increase anxiety and
in turn lead to behaviours. Unless a full support plan is generated which works on the
message of the behaviour (and staff fully understand it) then we are working reactively,
not proactively. This is why this training is so crucial.
In 2018 we were delighted that one of our services was rated ‘outstanding’ by CQC
for responsiveness. This reflected the innovative work done by the service to engage
customers. This includes using virtual reality to support customers to relive experiences
from their past and have access to new experiences.
In 2018, Care and Support launched their new approach to Customer Engagement and
associated delivery plan. The approach is based on the understanding that Care &
Support customers have diverse needs that may need a range of different engagement
options, including creative or less traditional methods.
One of the first tasks was reviewing and agreeing Care and Support’s Values statements.
We asked customers, and frontline staff, to join us on our ‘Values Voyage’ and used means
such as our ‘wishing washing line’ to develop the values statement.
In further work, we’ve developed a toolkit to support customer involvement in the
recruitment of front line staff. For some customers with very complex needs, formal
involvement will not necessarily be possible. For these customers the toolkit uses
observational approaches to measure how candidates interact with customers.
A customer engagement audit at the end of 2018 noted that positive progress was being
made.
C&S Survey Results
Very Satisfied
Satisfied
Neither Satisfied nor Dissatisfied
0%
63%
Dissatisfied
Very Dissatisfied
The CQC report noted:
The service had improved to outstanding. People enjoyed a wide range of activities
supported by staff who used innovation to provide people with new experiences. People
were encouraged to identify what was important to them and staff worked with them to
achieve their desired outcomes.
Not Answered
63%
4%
1%
26
1%
27
Following this plan we have seen a drastic reduction of behaviours and incidents, with
the staff team now understanding the function of the behaviour and therefore can relate
more to how she feels.
C&S Customer Engagement
Escape (primary) specifically personal care – Caroline may need to escape a situation
where she doesn’t like it or feels uncomfortable, in this case personal care.
We continue to enhance these processes and are currently working on ensuring we fully
capture customers’ preferred outcomes and measure how they felt the safeguarding
process worked for them.
Case study:
Caroline is a lady who lives in one of our Older People’s Residential Services. She is a
private lady and feels vulnerable and embarrassed when being supported with personal
care and can become upset and distressed, hitting out at staff members so that they
would not provide her care. She did this because she couldn’t communicate her needs
verbally so did this through behaviour.
Safeguarding
Our customers have diverse and often complex needs. At times customers can display
behaviours that challenge as a result of difficulties in communicating their needs.
Throughout 2018, we’ve implemented and completed “What’s the Message?” Positive
Behaviour Training across our services. Awarded a regional Great British Care Award, this
training is focused on functional analysis and understanding what purpose the behaviour
is serving for the customer.