The Brothers of Charity Services in Merseyside and in Greater Manchester have recently received a second surveillance visit from the Customer Service Excellence (CSE), carried out by Hugh Keachie. Our assessor met and spoke with a number of staff, partners and customers. He also visited the Greater Manchester Office where he was very impressed with the new training facilities. After carrying out the second visit, Hugh Keachie was able to confirm that The Brothers of Charity Services in Merseyside and in Greater Manchester remain fully compliant with all of the standards of the CSE framework.
In addition he has confirmed the Brothers of Charity Services in Merseyside and in Greater Manchester are compliant plus with the below four elements. CSE Compliance Plus is awarded when evidence is provided which illustrates ‘customer’ support and services which goes above and beyond the practice of similar providers and also demonstrates innovation.
1.1.3 – We make particular efforts to identify hard to reach and disadvantaged groups and individuals and have developed our services in response to their specific needs.
An example of this came from our Greater Manchester Services were an individual we support was struggling financially. After noticing issues with the client not receiving his benefits in to his bank account, staff supported him to raise this with the police and liaised with the relevant professionals to resolve the issue. It transpired that the client was been financially abused by a friend and was left without money and food. The Staff team linked up with the local food bank to make sure our client had a food supply. They also supported him to maintain his tenancy and now he is accepting services more than he did previously. Our staff team are currently supporting him to overcome his drug misuse and are helping him to improve his lifestyle.
This was above and beyond standard service provision because of the way the staff advocated for this individual in his best interest and went the extra mile for him, even in their own time. The person centred approach to the support provided to this individual was life changing. The effort and time that goes into identifying and meeting client needs to ensure the service they receive is of the highest standards is commendable.
1.3.5 – We have made positive changes to services as a result of analysing customer experience, including improved customer journeys.
As part of our continued investment in refurbishment programmes on site, some of our clients have been temporarily relocated to other properties on site as part of this process. They’ve been appropriately consulted with every step of the way and their needs have also been reassessed during the process. The clients were originally in Residential Services with access to Nursing Care but we have been able to demonstrate to the relevant care commissioners and professionals that the excellent quality of care provided in a supported living environment is able to meet their needs. This is innovative because we’ve advocated for the clients in a way that now means they have their own tenancy in supported living. This means they have better rights and it is better economically for them and they have much improved living facilities now including their own en-suite bathrooms which has resulted in more privacy and dignity for them and generated a more inclusive environment for them.
2.2.3 – We prioritise customer focus at all levels of our organisation and evaluate individual and team commitment through the performance management system.
We have now embedded a care management compliance audit system that carries out regular reports delivered to the Chief Executive & Senior Management team that evidences compliance with required standards and service levels for client paperwork and service delivery. The live feedback allows for a timely and effective response to key performance indicators to allow them to be addressed before any risk occurs and gives a robust assurance of the levels of quality and compliance within care management.
3.4.2 – We have developed co-ordinated working arrangements with our partners that ensure customers have clear lines of accountability for quality of service.
An elderly client, who was 93, needed to go in to hospital. Being away from his consistent support team of 20 years would have caused him considerable distress as the care package normally stops when a client goes in to hospital. Our staff team went above and beyond to visit him in hospital to make sure his needs were met. We also developed relationships with the hospital and worked with the relevant care professionals, commissioners and family. The team advocated for the client so that rather than the hospital deploy their own staff to look after him, we made contractual arrangements so that the care was match funded and the client’s own staff team could support him in hospital until he was safely discharged. This was an excellent outcome for the client.
The positive contribution from all staff colleagues across our Merseyside and Greater Manchester Services involved in maintaining high levels of quality care and compliance for the people we support is greatly appreciated.
Darron Grundy, Chief Executive Officer of Brothers of Charity Services in England commented: “The Customer Service Excellence reaccreditation along with the award of four Compliance Plus standards is excellent. A big Thank You to all the staff, partners and customers who have represented the customer service skills and qualities of the Brothers of Charity Services in Merseyside and Greater Manchester so very well”.
