Allied News
New Service for terminally ill launched by NHS Oxfordshire
05/08/2010
The Rapid Intervention Service for End-of-life care (RISE), is a new, flexible, responsive service that supports the care of patients with a terminal illness during times of crisis. It is one of only a handful of similar schemes across the NHS and is the result of findings from pilot projects carried out last year by NHS Oxfordshire.
To support RISE and the development of palliative care, NHS Oxfordshire has also identified £10,000 to support an educational fund. This fund will mean more staff will be able to gain palliative nursing skills and general experience in end-of-life care. The fund is accessible to everyone who work with health or social care organisations in Oxfordshire.
RISE is provided by the Allied Healthcare Group who run the service, on behalf of NHS Oxfordshire, with a multi-disciplinary team of nursing and care staff with palliative care experience and education.
RISE aims to make first contact within 20 minutes at times of crisis. The team operate between 8.00 am and 10.00 pm seven days a week and can offer care and support for a maximum of six days. If patients require overnight care then the service will link with Marie Curie Night Service or Out of Hours services. Furthermore, if ongoing care is required the RISE team also work to make sure other services are involved so care can be continued if necessary.
Val Stangoe, NHS Oxfordshire’s End-of-Life and Non- Elective Care
Service Development Manager, explained: “RISE will really make a difference for patients and carers. It will increase the support available to patients and their families and carers at times of crisis. It will also increase satisfaction with care by; enabling care closer to home, offering an alternative to the trauma of emergency admission, identifying the needs of patients and ensuring they are referred to the most appropriate service and increasing access to qualified health professionals”.
She added: “We’ve talked to patients and the public about what sort of help they need at the end of life and one of the main things they told us was that they wanted to die at home and not in a hospital. This service will provide support for patients and carers in the difficult last stages of life to enable them, wherever possible and if it is their wish, to be cared for in their own homes.”
RISE is available to all adults in Oxfordshire with any advanced, progressive, incurable illness (e.g. advanced cancer, heart failure, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, stroke, chronic neurological conditions, end stage organ failure, and dementia) and any additional condition e.g. mental illness or learning disability.
Allied Acquires Majority Shareholding in Leading Irish Homecare Provider
16/06/2010
Allied Healthcare Group is delighted to announce that it has acquired a majority shareholding in the Homecare Independent Living Group, which operates four divisions in Northern Ireland and has an increasing presence in the Republic of Ireland (Eire).
It is a leading provider of social care to the elderly, physically disabled and mentally disabled. Allied's majority interest in Homecare Independent Living Ltd gives it a market-leading position in Northern Ireland as well as a strategic footprint in the Republic of Ireland market.
Both are new territories for the Company with strong growth potential.
Click here to learn more about Homecare Independent Living.
Allied Healthcare opens new Scottish Branch
17/03/2010
We are proud to announce the opening of the Allied Healthcare Elgin branch.
Elgin will be the company’s 10th branch in Scotland and will be overseen by Mike Shea – Operations Manager for Scotland. The new office, which is located in Victoria Crescent in the centre of Elgin, is due to commence service delivery on the 1st of April, 2010.
There will also be an official open day to celebrate the new branch opening, dates and times will be announced shortly.
We would like to welcome all new branch and care staff to the Allied Healthcare team and are excited to be in a position where we are able to offer our services to the local community within Elgin, Forres and Lossiemouth.
Dignity in Care Champions Required
01/03/2010
In November 2006, the Dignity in Care Campaign was launched, which aims to create a care system in the UK with a zero tolerance approach to abuse and disrespect of Older People. The campaign is being led by the government in partnership with many organisations who provide care. The campaign will:
- Raise awareness of dignity in care
- Inspire local people to take action
- Share good practice and give impetus to positive innovation
- Transform services by supporting people and organisations in providing dignified services
- Reward and recognise those people who make a difference and go that extra mile.
In support of this campaign, people across the country are being encouraged to sign up as a Dignity Champions.
What is a Dignity Champion?
Dignity Champions are people from all walks of life who are committed to taking some action in their own way (big or small) to create a care system that has compassion and respect for those using its services.
These include:
Health and Social Care Managers, Health and Social Care Workers, Members of Parliament, Councillors, Non – Executive Directors, Local Action Groups, Local Involvement Networks, Voluntary and Advocacy organisations, Service Users, their carers and relatives.
Each Champion’s role is different depending on their knowledge, influence and type of work they are involved in and you can choose how active you want to be as there are no set requirements to be met. So why not step up and become a champion. Further information can be found by visiting the Dignity in Care Website. www.dignityincare.org.uk or alternatively telephone 0207 972 4007.
Allied Healthcare opens Rochdale Branch
16/12/2009
We are delighted to announce the opening of the new Rochdale Branch, Castleton.
The branch, which is located within the newly renovated Blue Pitt Mill, held it’s open day on Tuesday the 15th of December, and opened the doors to Service Users, staff, members of the Rochdale Council and local Job Centres.
Colin Porter, Rochdale Branch Manager said: “We have invited clients, staff, potential staff and next of kin along today, so we can answer their questions and so that they can see the faces behind the work that we do.”
"We want to be the best provider of care in Rochdale, and meet the needs of our clients at all times by being dependable, reliant and always there for them."
The open day also welcomed and received support from Head Office staff including, Robin Sidebottom – Operations Director, Heidi Sanchez - Operations Support Manager for Team North West, Seema Mistry – Project Manager, Julie Watkins – Continuing Healthcare North West Team Leader and Hayley Boulton – Senior Marketing Executive.
Jane Childs – Winner at the Great Yorkshire and Humberside Care Awards
09/12/2009
Allied Healthcare are proud to announce a further award, won at the Great Yorkshire and Humberside Care Awards, on the 13th November.
Congratulations to Jane Childs for her award in the Specialist Home Care Worker category.
Jane, of Bradshaw, was nominated by her Manager for her willingness to step in and help out outside her field of duty, as a Palliative Care Nurse. Jane says: “I’m so thrilled, I love my job”.
In addition, we would like to congratulate Caroline Green, of Northowram, who was also shortlisted.
The winners will go on to the Great British Home Care National Final at the Guildhall, London, in May.
The Great North West Care Awards Winner - Emily Woodward
01/12/2009
Allied Healthcare would like to congratulate Emily Woodward, who has recently won the Care Newcomer award at the prestigious Great North West Care Awards, Friday 23rd October 2009.
The judges were impressed with Emily’s passion for social care and the extensive knowledge she displayed of her profession. She particularly stood out in her common sense approach towards dignity and choice, always making sure these important elements were her top priority.
About the Awards
The Great North West Care Awards are part of the Great British Care Awards - a series of regional care awards throughout the UK. They are a celebration of excellence across the care sector and are managed by the team behind the Ceretas National Home Care Awards, a high profile annual event for the home care industry. The purpose of the awards is to promote best practice within both home care and care homes sectors, and pay tribute to those individuals who have demonstrated outstanding excellence within their field of work.
There are a total of around eighteen awards categories available for nomination, which represent all areas of the care sector, whether it be older people or specialist services, residential or home care. From frontline staff such as care workers and care managers to people who have made an impact in other ways such as training, IT and innovation.
The winners from all the regional awards will then be invited to attend the National Events for either Home Care or Care Homes sectors at the prestigious London’s Guildhall, in May and June 2010.
The awards have received support from across the social care sector, including the Department of Health, the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS), Ceretas, the English Community Care Association (ECCA), the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) and Action on Elder Abuse.
Congratulations on your achievement Emily, we are extremely proud to have you as part of the team.
National Service Day 12th November 2009
28/10/2009
On Thursday 12th November 2009, Allied Healthcare held a National Service Day, aimed at getting all levels of Allied's management team in touch with the services we provide, and the important work that our care staff do everyday.
Who was involved?
A wide variety of management were selected to take part, including the CEO, the Executive Team, Operations Managers, Commissioning Managers, Branch Managers and all Head Office Department Managers.
Managers spent a day working with one of our Care Workers in branches across the country.
By getting our management team in front of our Care Workers and Service Users, it has given them a greater understanding of what Allied Healthcare is all about, and the issues that our staff face in their day-to-day working life.
We encouraged our Care Workers to give the management team feedback, so that we can make sure that their views are heard!