AI 2018 Business Excellence Awards

46 Acquisition International - 2018 Business Excellence Awards BE180077 Best Carer Wellbeing Services Provider - West Midlands Carers Trust Heart of England Formed in 2015 by the merger of the two principal organisations that had been supporting carers for many years: Coventry Carers’ Centre, Crossroads Care Coventry and Warwickshire, today CTHofE provides a range of services including information, advice, practical support, training and respite care to family carers and those they care for. Salma explains how the organisation was developed from the beginning to support a wide range of service users who were going under the radar of other service providers. “CTHofE was created to provide a one-stop- shop for carers. Both former charities were well established but realised they could achieve more by amalgamating their services and reducing overhead costs which would enable us to offer more services to more carers. The ultimate goal is to reach ‘hidden’ carers, those who do not yet recognise their role as such and support them to continue in their caring role with any additional skills and expertise we can offer.” Today CTHofE’s service offering is particularly vital, as the social services space is struggling to keep up with demand, as Salma highlights: “Our services are vital as, currently, social care is in crisis, with demand increasing as people live longer but often with poor health. Carers’ informal support is valued as another NHS service in monetary terms so it is essential this unpaid army of carers is supported in their crucial role. Recruitment of care support staff is at an all-time low as funding is so restricted by Government measures which impact on social care budgets. There is also the poor perception of the role, which needs to change and be recognised as crucial for the continuation of support for people to remain in their own homes. “To address these issues, planning is key to a successful outcome, as outcomes are measured by the carers themselves on the impact our support or intervention has made on their ability to continue caring. When looking at individual needs we have to take into account the carer, the child or adult with disabilities or ill health they care for and the wider family. This holistic approach enables us to offer support appropriately and tailor it to the individual’s needs.” In her concluding comments Salma shares the exciting developments that CTHofE has in store as it seeks to continue its vital work and enhance its service offering to meet the ever evolving needs of its service users. “Going forward, we have new developments on the horizon in Warwickshire which will support more carers, and discussions are underway about the possibility of a small unit to offer respite facilities for the ‘cared for’ to give the carer a break. These are just two of the projects currently being discussed. All of our work and future plans stem from talking to carers and what support they need, what they find valuable and what they would like to be available. As an organisation our aspiration is to support more carers and find new ways of offering that support to build on what we already do, and this will remain our ongoing focus as we look towards the future.” Carers Trust Heart of England (CTHofE) is a dedicated organisation that exists to improve the lives of family carers and the people they care for. We caught up with Head of Operations Salma Jussab to find out more about the vital support the organisation provides. Company: Carers Trust Heart of England Contact: Salma Jussab Address: 6 Queen Victoria Road, City Centre, Coventry, CV1 3JH, UK Phone: 024 7610 1040 Web Address: www.carerstrusthofe.org.uk