Participation Strategy
1. With Service Users, Carers & Relatives
1a) Service users, carers and relatives are warmly encouraged to become involved in the running of our service. Service users, carers and relatives are consulted about staff appointments, staff training needs and any proposed changes to the service.
1b) The company has an “Open Door” policy and actively encourages suggestions and recommendations from service users, carers and relatives/families.
The following arrangements are in place to assist service users, carers and relatives to voice their views.
1c) Service User Participation Meetings
Three monthly meetings will be held at Annan, Lockerbie and Dumfries. All service users, carers and families are encouraged to participate in these meetings. Service users will be sent a letter informing them of when and where the meetings will be held. There will be transport available for any service user who requires transport to the venue.
1d) Service User/Relative Satisfaction Surveys
Every four months all current service users/relatives will be asked to complete one of our satisfaction surveys to be returned to the Associate Director of Care for analysis of the results and an Action Plan will be implemented for identified improvements. The analysis and Action Plan will be placed on display at the reception area at our offices in Lockerbie and the results will also be published in a newsletter which we are about to produce. Our newsletter will be sent to service users/relatives every four months.
In addition the Associate Director of Care will meet with any service user/relative who wishes to have a private appointment. The outcome of these discussions will be enclosed in the service user file.
1e) Care Plans
Service users (or their representative with the permission of the service user) are encouraged to become involved in the care planning process and will be fully consulted at each stage of the
care plan. The service user or their representative will be asked to sign a sheet at the front of the care plan to acknowledge that they have participated in the care plan process every six months.
1f) Complaints
We have a robust complaints procedure which is displayed in the reception area of our offices in Lockerbie. We have an open approach to the receipt and management of complaints, and also welcome constructive suggestions and ideas, which will be reviewed and adopted wherever possible.
1g) Suggestions
We have a suggestions box available at the reception area of our offices at Lockerbie and at our Day Care Centre at Burnfoot Hall and would like to encourage all service users to use this if they wish to make a suggestion on any aspect of the service management. Suggestions can always be posted to our offices.
1h) Civil Preferences
We actively encourage our service users to participate in local and general elections and will work proactively to facilitate this within our service.
2. With Staff
2a) Staff Meetings
The Associate Director of Care will arrange a staff meeting every six weeks. Staff will be advised by memo when and where these meetings will be held.
2b) Staff Questionnaires
Every six months all current staff will be asked to complete one of our staff questionnaires which will be returned to the Associate Director of Care for analysis of the results and an Action Plan will be implemented for identified improvements. The analysis and Action Plan will be placed on display at the reception area of our offices at Lockerbie.
In addition the Associate Director of Care will meet with any member of staff who wishes to have a private appointment. The outcome of these discussions will be enclosed in the staff member’s file.