Some local authorities have chosen to
have a number of providers offer
support services to personal budget
and/or direct payment recipients. We
have consulted extensively with social
work practitioners and people who use
our services to ensure that we present
information about our services and
prices in an accessible, easy to
understand way. This has led to a new
range of information leaflets, a mobile
phone application (available on
iPhone and Android app stores) and a
revamped website (the latter will
launch in November 2011). It has
enabled us to promote our services
where we do not have specific
contracts, such as in Sheffield,
Nottinghamshire, Hampshire,
Sandwell and Redcar & Cleveland.
The result of this means as of
October 2011, we work across 30
local authority areas in England &
Wales – a fifth of the country.
In continuing to adapt our services to
meet the demands of both local
authorities and service users, we have
involved people who access our
support more than ever. This has led
to us being recognised formally as a
User Led Organisation against
Department of Health criteria. We
involve people through the following
methods:
-
Individual feedback on our services
-
Annual quality reviews
-
Local peer support forums
-
Penderels Trust Reader Group
-
Penderels Trust User Group
-
Trustees
Opening the door to independent living
11
These forums for involvement have
helped us improve our services,
develop new tools, retain existing
contracts and secure new ones. On
behalf of all the staff at Penderels
Trust, I’d like to thank all those who
have contributed in any way to the
development of the Trust and helping
us provide truly innovative services
across the country. We are continuing
to develop new ways for people to
interact with us including launching
social media accounts with facebook
and twitter.
One of our biggest investments and
developments this year has been the
launch of a new company called All
About People. This is an introductory
agency for matching potential
personal assistants to employers. All
potential personal assistants will have
been pre-screened, background
checked, undergone CRB clearance
and be ready to start work within a
pre-agreed period of time. The aim of
the service is to be able to provide
profiles of potential staff and cut down
significantly on recruitment time and
costs. Individuals using the service to
choose staff will pay a fee – and we
are able to offer either one off
payment terms, or more flexible
payment methods. The service
launched in April 2011 and is
managed by Kirsty Ellis who joined us
from Barnsley Council. After building
up a pool of personal assistants, the
service is now offered in Birmingham,
Gloucestershire and Sheffield and
continues to go from strength to
strength.