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Care UK's regular bulletin containing news and developments. Care UK is a leading independent provider of person-centred care to a broad spectrum of service users throughout the UK.

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Contents

 Care UK supports POPPs bids
 The Bolton Ethnic Project
 The Peterborough Complex Care Project
 Care UK embraces APMS contracting
 PHG signs Maidstone ISTC contract
 Diagnostics services
 Investment in Mental Health services
 New care home is state-of-the-art
 New Learning Disabilities services
 Satisfied customers in children's services
 Learning for Life!
 Islington partnership
 Sign up for other e-newsletters
 Find out more about Care UK

Care UK supports POPPs bids

Care UK is working with several local authorities and PCTs to develop innovative service models to support their Partnerships for Older People Projects (POPPs) proposals. The aim of the POPPs is to encourage long-term change in older people’s services and move towards a preventative approach. The POPP funding will enable health and social care organisations to test and evaluate new service models, which could potentially be replicated across the country.

If you are looking for a partner to deliver your POPP, please contact Philippa Codd, Business Development Director for an informal discussion on 07887 781131 or email .

Care UK embraces APMS contracting

Care UK has been meeting with PCTs to discuss APMS contracting opportunities in light of the recent announcement that PCTs will no longer directly provide services from 2008. Through the NHS Confederation’s APMS forums we have been able to discuss primary care issues and opportunities with a large number of commissioners and other interested parties.

A number of common themes have emerged from the discussions including:

• The future of out-of-hours services, with many PCTs currently providing in-house solutions
• Management of PCT-run and other GP practices
• The provision of additional GPs and other staff
• Access to high quality, timely, cost-effective diagnostics services
• Managing healthcare services in prisons
• The role of health and social care in long-term conditions management

Care UK is now working with a number of PCTs to develop specific solutions to local issues, making use of the company’s experience across the health and social care spectrum. For example, we are looking to make use of our homecare team to provide protocol-driven health support, such as medicines compliance, to service users.

If you would like to find out more about our primary care and APMS ideas, please contact Martin Fowler on 07795 062984 or by email

PHG signs Maidstone ISTC contract

Partnership Health Group (PHG) has signed a contract with the Department of Health and Maidstone Weald PCT, South West Kent PCT and Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust to build and operate a new Independent Sector Treatment Centre (ISTC) in Maidstone, in which the company will treat a range of conditions for NHS patients.

The five-year contract, worth more than £36 million, will mean reductions in NHS waiting times as patients in Kent benefit from a one-stop service combining treatment and assessment on one site. The treatment centre will be situated at Maidstone Hospital and will open in autumn 2006. The unit will have two operating theatres, endoscopy facilities, 20 day beds, three post-op recovery beds and facilities for up to 60 patients per day to receive chemotherapy treatment. When fully operational, the unit will be staffed by around 45 people, with a number seconded from the Trust.

To find out more, please click here.

Diagnostics services

Working in partnership with Alliance Medical we are able to provide a range of cost-effective, timely diagnostics services to PCTs, Strategic Health Authorities and even individual GP Practices.

The range of services includes:

These services are delivered very flexibly by mobile units, either at a community hospital, GP practice or other health facility. Should sufficient volumes be available, a fixed service is also available. Results are usually available within 48 hours, often more quickly.

To find out more, please contact Geoff Benn on 07778 590970 or by email .

Investment in Mental Health services

Care UK provides a range of outward-looking, community-based services for adults with mental health needs, all of which have a strong focus on rehabilitation. When a service user is placed in one of our units our aim is to work with them to develop the living skills and the confidence to enable them to return to the community as quickly as possible.

To support this aim, Care UK has committed to significant investment in its mental health services to develop and improve existing facilities to create environments conducive to rehabilitation. This year has seen such investment in two facilities already – and similar developments for other care homes are planned for the year ahead.

For further information on current projects please click here.

Farm Lane is the first of three new services being developed by Care UK in partnership with the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham and the PCT. The second phase, an Extra Care Scheme, opened in October, while the final phase of the project, another nursing home, will open in February.

For further information please click here.

You can download a brochure about Farm Lane here.

Earlier this year Care UK was awarded a contract with Staffordshire County Council to provide a supported living service for four young adults in transition. These individuals have autism and additional complex needs. They are currently living with their parents, have recently turned 18 and left a specialist school, and will be moving into their own home in the community for the first time. This service will be the first of its kind in.

In Lancashire, Care UK has undertaken a new contract which involved the transfer of four community-based homes, supporting 14 service users living in Preston and Chorley. The contract included the transfer of over 40 staff currently working within these services by means of a TUPE transfer from two local PCTs. The first two services transferred across to Care UK at the beginning of June and the remaining two transferred in September: all are running well.

Corvedale Care key findings were:

• 69% of respondents gave Corvedale Care an overall ‘Very good’ or ‘Good’ rating.
• 83% of respondents have a perception of Corvedale which is ‘Very good’ or ‘Good’.
• 73% of respondents gave Corvedale contacts and communications a ‘Very good’ or ‘Good’ rating.
• 70% of respondents expressed their satisfaction with the manner in which Corvedale operates its services with a ‘Very good’ or ‘Good’ rating.
• 71% of respondents expressed their satisfaction with the physical facilities that Corvedale provides for its services with a ‘Very good’ or ‘Good’ rating.
• 72% of respondents expressed their satisfaction with the outcomes of placements made with Corvedale with a ‘Very good’ or ‘Good’ rating.
• Corvedale Care is regarded highly for the quality and reliability of its service.
• Corvedale Care is noted for its commitment to young people in its charge.
• The top three key strengths for Corvedale were ‘very approachable’, ‘meeting the needs of children’ and ‘a high standard of professionalism’.

Fostering Support Group key findings were:

• 89% of customers have a perception of FSG which is ‘Very good’ or ‘Good’.
• 91% of customers feel that the level of communication from FSG is ‘Very good’ or ‘Good’.
• 91% of customers believe that the way FSG operates is ‘Very good’ or ‘Good’.
• 83% of customers consider that foster care outcomes form FSG are ‘Very good’ or ‘Good’.
• The FSG foster carers are very professional.
• Company support to the carers is comprehensive.
• FSG provides a good match to the child’s needs.
• FSG provides detailed and regular reports.

For more information on the results please visit our website.

Corvedale Care opens a new state-of- the art day school for pupils with emotional, behavioural, moderate and specific learning difficulties The new Learning for Life School in Ditton Priors, Shropshire, opened its doors to pupils in May 2005 and, just four months on, is already seeing National Performance Indicators comfortably exceeded.

This bespoke educational facility is part of a project to replace an outdated residential special school which includes the development of several new small residential homes in the local community. The young people are thriving in their new setting.

To find out more please visit our website.

 Learning for Life information

Islington partnership

The new scheme, which will be known as Lennox House, is the third specialist care centre commissioned with Care UK by the borough and is scheduled to open in May 2007. Nursing and residential care will be provided on-site including high dependency dementia and respite care services.  

Read the full story here.

Sign up for other e-newsletters

Care UK also produce e-newsletters for specific interest groups, such as primary care, learning disabilities, mental health, older people and children's services. These newsletters contain information about our services and latest vacancies at our facilities.

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