Statement of Purpose
Colbern Limited are a specialist recruitment agency and recruitment business, who aim to provide a high quality service working in partnership with their clients, agency workers and professional Bodies, in line with the Company and Care Quality Commission Standards.
Our specialist Domiciliary Care Service Division was set up as a result of personal experience when an elderly relative required Care within the home setting. We quickly identified that the current service available sometimes fell short of our needs and we felt that there could be room for improvement. So launched our Domiciliary Care Service, which we hope will meet and in the majority of cases exceed our client’s expectations. We invest in our care staff and have a rigorous recruitment procedure in place so that we can identify the best people for the job. We are also developing our training and development programme to include specialist training – so that in the future we will be able to offer our service users specialist Carers in areas such as Dementia.
Listed below are some of the duties and work our Domiciliary Care workers will carry out:-.
Personal Care – services this can include bathing, dressing, toileting, shaving, prompting with medication or assisting with activities etc.
Support Services – this can include shopping, reading, Cleaning, Food Preparation, Pet Care or light housework.
Aims, Objectives and Outcomes
[ back to top ]
Aims
[ back to top ]
To provide a high quality, cost effective service which takes into consideration the needs of our service users and agency workers who feel valued in the work they deliver.
To operate our Care service in a professional and honest manner
To recruit staff following clear policies and procedures to ensure that all agency workers are able to carry out the duties relevant to the position they are placed in.
Ensure that we work professionally and within professional bodies’ guidelines and recommendations.
Objectives
[ back to top ]
To promote and develop a Domiciliary Care service supporting our clients, being mindful of costs.
Carry out business reviews of policies and procedures regularly to ensure that our business is meeting the needs of our clients and agency workers.
Carrying out performance reviews and staff appraisals to assist in monitor the service and to offer training and development where a shortfall is identified.
Have excellent communication methods to ensure that Clients and Agency Workers have a platform to offer ideas, suggestions and air their opinion.
Outcomes
[ back to top ]
All clients will receive a high quality, cost effective service, which meets their needs and maintains their quality of service.
The development of good working relationships with clients, agency workers and other professional services to ensure that we are delivering a good service, which is ensures that our clients can remain safely in their home with experienced support to assist them whilst allowing them to live independently.
Agency Workers and Staff will be supported in their work, meeting their individual training and development needs.
Freedom to choose your Care or Support Option
[ back to top ]
As you may be aware there has been a shift in how you can receive Care or support in your own home. As an agency we are able to offer you trained and vetted staff to carry out the needs you may have.
As a service user you may decide that you would like additional support in your home and we can arrange this under a private care arrangement. This means that you will be charged for the Care or Support you receive. We will send you an invoice and ask you to pay this either by cheque or an electronic payment within 14 days.
You could choose to have Care or Support to cover a specific need, which may be for a short time, family may be away, while you recuperate after an illness or operation. Or we can offer longer term care – whatever your need we will work with you to put together a care plan that best meets your needs.
Alternatively you may have been assessed and it has been agreed that additional support or care would be of help to you – either in the short term or long term. You may receive some assistance with the costs of this is known as Direct Payments.
This means that you can make choices in who you ask to provide Care or Support – you may opt to make your own arrangements – but this bring its own issues, you have to make sure that you cover employer obligations including PAYE and NI contributions and carry out references and checks. However if you choose Colbern Limited to provide the Care and Support we can make sure all this is covered – we will invoice you for the services on a weekly basis. We carry out the Criminal Record Bureau check on our Carers, provide training and make sure they are up to date on the Care Quality Commission requirements.
Also, if your carer is away or not very well we can arrange for a replacement as we have a bank of staff available.
Key Contract Term and Conditions
[ back to top ]
If you require support or a relative requires support and assistance in their home either with everyday duties or more in depth services including personal care, we will arrange for our Care Manager to visit you to discuss your needs in more detail and BEFORE you make any commitment we will provide a full written introduction of our charges, payment arrangements.
The Staff at Colbern Limited
[ back to top ]
One of the founder Directors has many years of experience within the recruitment industry at a senior level managing a number of locations offering Domiciliary Care recruitment solutions both via Social Services and also directly to the Service User. Bernie Gough was also involved in domiciliary agency supply and completed her NVQ Level 4 Care Management Qualification in 2006. She has a clear understanding of the Domiciliary Care Sector and has advised a number of smaller independent agencies on operational, business development and compliance issues. Along with Bernie the service is also managed by Louise Evans who is an experienced Domiciliary Manager and hands on carer.
Hours of Operation
[ back to top ]
Office hours are Monday to Friday 09:00 – 17:00 excluding Bank Holidays
The Out of hours service is off site but available on the same telephone number as during the day 01707 323444
This operates between 17.00-22.00 Monday to Friday
and 0700-2200 Hours Saturday, Sunday and all Bank Holidays
Office Location
[ back to top ]
We are based in the heart of Welwyn Garden City town centre in first floor offices, if any service user or client would find our offices difficult to get to or access, please telephone or contact us and we will arrange to meet you at a suitable location with easy accessibility.
How do you book your Domiciliary Carer or Support Worker
[ back to top ]
In the first instance if you telephone our office during working hours Monday to Friday we can put you through to our Care Manager – Louise who will be able to talk through your requirements and also if you would like to take the service further we will arrange to visit you or we will write to you with a brief outline of our service and the likely cost. If you are worried about our calling on you, we can give a brief outline of our service and cost in writing, but before the service could start we would need to visit with you to carry out a risk assessment.
Once you have thought about the service we have and perhaps discussed it with family, friends or social services, we will then agree between you and ourselves a date for the service to start. Sometimes if you are waiting for confirmation of Direct Payments this may delay things – we strongly advise clients not to disrupt their current arrangements until everything has been agreed with all parties who may be involved in confirming your service.
If you have computer access you can drop us an email to:- bernieg@colbernlimited.co.uk or Louise@colbernlimited.co.uk
Who’s who at Colbern Limited and our contact details
[ back to top ]
The Registered Manager is:
Bernie Gough, Operations Director
The Responsible Person is:
Louise Evans, Care Manager, louise@colbernlimited.co.uk
Other contact details for both are as follows:-
Colbern Limited
21a Wigmores North
Welwyn Garden City
Hertfordshire
AL8 6PG
Telephone 01707 323444
Bernie Gough has over 25 years within the recruitment industry with over 10 years of this being within the healthcare agency market place. Qualified to NVQ Level 4 in Care Management, she has a wealth of experience in delivering a quality and cost effective service to clients and agency workers.
Review of Service
[ back to top ]
As this is about your Care or Support we like to make sure that you are happy with the way things are going – so after four weeks we will arrange to call to see you by appointment to make sure everything is going as you thought it would.
Comments, Complaints and Compliments
[ back to top ]
Colbern Limited recognises that sometimes clients or agency workers may wish to complain about the service they have received or they may wish to compliment us on our service. Such comments or complaints will always be listened to and every effort made to resolve the issue that may have arisen.
How to make a Complaint
[ back to top ]
Colbern Limited has a clear written procedure for handling complaints. The procedure allows complaints to be made quickly and simply and allows us to gather all the necessary information and to investigate and resolve the complaint in accordance with strict timescales.
Complaints can be made to any member of staff who will take full particulars of the complaint and this can be forwarded to the Operations Director. Alternatively the complaint can be made directly to the Operations Director, via email bernieg@colbernlimited.co.uk or in writing to the following address
Bernie Gough
Operations Director
Colbern Limited
21a Wigmores North
Welwyn Garden City
Hertfordshire
AL8 6PG
Once we have details of the complaint we will respond to you in writing within agreed timescales. You may receive a telephone call and/or the offer of a meeting if appropriate.
What you can expect
[ back to top ]
A written acknowledgement of your complaint within two working days of receipt of your complaint.
A detailed written response within 15 working days of receipt of your complaint
If for any reason there is likely to be a delay to the timescales listed above we will advise you of the delay and the reason for it.
We will keep a full written record of the nature of each complaint and details of the action taken as a result of complaint. Colbern Limited endeavour to ensure that all complaints are resolved within 15 days of the complaint being notified to us, unless the nature of the complaint requires additional investigation or regulation by a Professional and Regulatory Body, or other government organisation including the Care Quality Commission (Commission for Social Care Inspection), the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate (Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform), Home Office UK Border Agency, HM Revenue and Customs, the NHS, CFSMS, The Police, Social Services Department and the Independent Safeguarding Authority. If this is the case Colbern Limited will ensure that the complaint is resolved as soon as possible thereafter. The details of how the complaint has been resolved will be notified in writing to the client.
If you are not happy with the response to your complaint at Stage 1, you can write or contact Bernie Gough again and she will undertake a further review of the complaint taking into account your concerns. She will respond within 10 working days.
Should you still feel the matter has not been resolved to your satisfaction then you can contact the Commission for Social Care Inspection Standards at the address below:-
Eastern Region Registration Team
Care Quality Commission
CPC1
Capital Park
Fulbourn
Cambridge
CB1 5XE
Telephone 01223 711300
A copy of our Complaints Policy and Procedure is available please ask a member of staff.
What about Discrimination and Harassment
[ back to top ]
We are committed to equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practices.
If you think there is any discrimination again you, on the grounds of race, culture, age or gender, your can complain to us or to the Commission for Social Care Inspection – details as above.
Our staff and agency workers are committed to this policy and therefore we also reserve the right to withdraw our service or refuse instructions from a client if we believe that any worker has been subjected to any form of harassment or discrimination.
What happens if your complaint is upheld
[ back to top ]
Colbern Limited will put matters right as quickly as possible. We will contact you to agree what needs to be done and put together an equitable action plan with agreed objectives and timescales. We will confirm this in writing with review and monitoring processes in place to ensure that the issue has been resolved.
Compliments
[ back to top ]
If you are happy with our service or a member of staff including our agency workers, we always like to know what we are doing well. Compliments will always be passed onto the relevant people.
Quality Assurance
[ back to top ]
Colbern Limited has a suite of policies and procedures, which are reviewed regularly to ensure that they are meeting the needs of our business and therefore serving our clients and agency workers.
We also attend regular review meetings with our clients to discuss our service.
Our staff and are agency workers regularly attend performance review meetings and appraisals.
We also carry out quality service reviews including asking our clients to complete surveys to ensure that our service is meeting their needs.
All feedback and recommendations are discussed with staff within the organisation and if appropriate implemented.
If you would like to see any of our Policies and Procedures, please contact the office.