Forging firmer links in Lichfield

Plans to embed a multi agency referral system to support vulnerable adults are well underway in Lichfield and wider Staffordshire.

Under the banner of Let’s Work Together, a seminar attended by representatives from the fire service, police, health, housing organisations and the voluntary sector, was held in February this year to raise awareness of support available from other organisations to help people live healthy, safe and independent lives.

The event built on an existing arrangement between Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, and Social Care and Health, where workers from each organisation refer names of vulnerable people they come across, to each other.

The seminar resulted in a commitment to spread the practice throughout other public and voluntary sector organisations.

Since then funds have been secured to develop specific projects, and a project manager, Carmel Warren, has been seconded from the fire and rescue service for a 12 month period.

Carmen will oversee development of training and a referral process that will be embedded in all partner organisation infrastructures, and ensure all home visitors can work together.





Synopsis and case study

Let’s Work Together

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service (FARS) and Social Care and Health (SCH) have been working together since July 2007. This was following the death of an elderly lady, Olive Simcock, who died following a fatal house fire in her rural cottage in November 2006. Olive’s lifestyle put her at very high risk from fire and although she was known to SCH she was not known to the FARS therefore no fire safety measures were put in place. Following her death it was thought that more lives could be saved if the FARS and SCH worked together and the “Olive Branch Initiative” was born.

“Let’s Work Together” aims to build on the successes of the partnership working of the FARS and SCH. In February 2010 a multi agency awareness seminar was facilitated by the FARS and Lichfield District Community Voluntary Service Support (LDCVSS). The seminar was looking to raise awareness to Service Managers and all Home Visitors of the support that other organisations can offer to help support people to live healthy, safe and independent lives. It was attended by personnel from FARS, LDCVSS, SCH, Police, Lichfield District Council (LDC), Housing Providers, South Staffs Primary Care Trust (PCT) and organisations that are supported by LDCVSS.

The seminar was extremely successful and well received, feedback was very positive and there was a buzz in the air to move things forward. To help support the LWT project various funding applications were submitted which were successful, funders included Staffordshire One Place (IEWM), Trent Valley Basic Command Unit Fund, Safer and Stronger Communities Area Based Grant, and a contribution from the Locality Working Budget and LDC were made.

LWT now operates under the Staffordshire One Place/Lichfield One Place banner it is one of two projects developed by Staffordshire Chief Executives. The other project is Supporting Families both projects seeking to deliver better services with better outcomes for less money, demonstrating clearly how alternative ways of working can be achieved.

A LWT Project Manager, Carmel Warren has been seconded from Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service for a 12 month period. During this time it is envisaged that a cohesive training and referral process will be introduced and embedded into all partners infrastructures. Ensuring that all Home Visitors can work together, never missing a chance to make a difference!

Case Study: Catharina Page

Since the initial seminar in February 2010 many referrals are now being made to partner organisations for assistance to help people they visit live healthier, safer and independent lives.

In March 2010 Carmel Warren met a lady called Catharina at Lichfield Library. Catharina is blind and the subsequent conversations that took place between Carmel and Catharina identified fire risks that Carmel thought should be addressed immediately.

Carmel returned to the station and arranged for a Home Fire Risk Check to take place immediately. When the crews returned to station they explained that Catharina felt lonely and isolated and the following risks were identified:

• She used the microwave by guessing the timings
• There was no door to the kitchen
• Only one fuse board for the whole property
• She had a faulty electric blanket
• Catharina also used a chip pan
• She used her hand to gauge the heat on her cooker
• She also used her finger to identify when she had reached the top of her cup when making a cup of tea
• There were no working smoke alarms in the property

Carmel immediately made a referral to SCH for an assessment of needs and also sent a referral to Bromford Floating Support .

The outcomes of these referrals were as follows:

• A stair rail fitted, tactile marks to kitchen appliances were introduced, Catharina was given a “talking pen” which is used to label items from shopping, to identifying the colour of her clothes
• weekly visits to shops, café for a coffee, confidence building, arrangements made for electrics and walk in shower to be installed.

Catharina made a recording and asked for it to be played to the fire fighters that made the initial visit:

“I have been sitting here thinking, my name is Catharina, I have been sitting here thinking how my life has changed since I had a visit from the firemen about safety in the home. Through those people I wasS put in touch with social services and since then my life has changed, for which I say a big, big thank you.”

LWT wants to support ALL people to live healthy, safe and independent lives. Ensuring that Home Visitors are aware of the services we all offer and knowing where to refer to will help us to achieve this goal.