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Fanchea KellyWe must share the stories of our care and support staff and our services
During the COVID-19 pandemic it is more important than ever that we help people live at home and in turn this protects our health services.
We deliver housing and care services across Scotland, and we want to recognise the amazing lengths that staff go to so that people are not isolated in this pandemic. So we’ve been using the hashtag #ImInAwe to recognise the role care staff are playing, capture some of the amazing stories and show the challenging reality many people face.
I’m in awe because in the first week we had around 25% of our care staff unable to work, and we still kept essential services going. Last week we saw a major return to work with fewer absences than ‘normal’ in those services. People really want to step up and make sure our vulnerable customers still receive the help they need.
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Housing staff call every tenant in their patch to understand their circumstances and see where we can help. Unsurprisingly many questions are about financial well-being, and housing staff are experts at helping people in tough circumstances. Many tenants also say thanks for the call – appreciating a friendly voice on the phone to prevent major isolation.
We’re also seeing new stories of how customers and families are using CleverCogs, our personalised digital system which connects people with us and with each other. When we began the roll-out of CleverCogs, and our programme of installing broadband and wi-fi for tenants, we did not think that it would be needed for a situation like this – but we’re so glad we can offer it.
Our technology refresh last year has proven to be a godsend as we all successfully work from home – a major investment for us, with much scrutiny, but a previously unforeseen return on investment. We’re now very grateful to our wonderful, long-suffering teams who keep the technology working, troubleshoot and prepare easy-to-follow guides for us non-tech types.
Microsoft Teams we now love and hate – it has enabled us to have everyday chats as well as successfully manage our board meetings, and very importantly supports our coronavirus response group and our senior team as we get to grips with the next set of issues.
Our coronavirus response group has put systems in place, amended policies, developed our communications, and keeps up to date with the daily changing guidance. And sometimes we say: "what if we worked like this all the time?" The much over-used term ‘agile’ means nothing compared to the blistering pace of change we’ve led!
Like everyone else we have challenges getting enough personal protective equipment and are working hard on that as I write. The changing guidance responding to the emerging COVID-19 reality is completely understandable but does leave us in a difficult situation where supplies are sometimes not available for weeks despite our strong focus on procurement. We hope that changes very soon.
However, our brilliant staff teams across the country are sorting priorities, staying cheerful with customers and each other, despite many of their personal challenges, and for that I remain immensely grateful. We wanted to recognise Blackwood staff but would love others to use the hashtag #ImInAwe to tell their stories of awesome work from staff in housing and care, to keep it visible.
The professionalism of housing and care staff at this most unpredictable of times is truly amazing and #ImInAwe.
Fanchea Kelly, chief executive, Blackwood
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