Sefton’s leading adult social care provider has started the New Year with a new look to its consultative body and sounding board.
New Directions has decided to build on the success of its Care Quality Forum over recent years by creating two separate groups instead, one aimed at carers and the other at service users.
The first meetings of the new Carers’ Forum took place recently at the Family Life Centre in Southport for north Sefton residents, and at Bootle Cricket Club for carers based in the south of the borough.
New Directions has a team of more than 300 staff providing a wide range of services to Sefton residents with support requirements due to disabilities, age or mental health conditions.
The Care Quality Forum was established in 2015 to enable clients to comment on their experiences of the services it provides, and to help shape the future path of the organisation.
According to New Directions Head of Quality and Compliance, Sue Bayes-Williams, the new format will help the organisation to customise the meetings to the specific requirements of the carers or service users attending.
However, as previously, the emphasis of the meetings will be on informality, with a relaxed format making it easy for participants to learn about new developments, and discuss any issues they have with members of the New Directions senior management team.
The Carers’ Forum will also provide a much-needed opportunity for carers to talk about their responsibilities in terms of supporting the vulnerable people in their families, and to provide each other with advice and mutual support.
Sue Bayes-Williams commented: “The most valuable feedback any organisation can receive is from the people ‘at the sharp end’ who actually use its services.
“We believe the new format of the forums will provide more opportunities for people to have their say, and make it easier for us to canvass the opinions of both service users and their carers at meetings tailored to the specific requirements of each group.”
* For more information about the services offered by New Directions, or to find out about joining the team, ring 0151 934 3726 or visit www.ndirections.co.uk.
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