Sheltered Service review and

re-modelling

Experience of RCT Homes

What has worked well and not so well

Impact and outcomes for service users

and staff

Your experiences – group session

Feedback

Changes at RCT Homes

Carried out reviews of it’s accommodation and services

Ensure improvement works / support delivery meets

funding requirements, government regulations and

follows good practice guidelines.

Modernised it’s sheltered housing and support services

for older people – 2 pronged approach:

1. Housing

2. Support

Our Background

Established in December 2007

Stock transfer from Rhondda Cynon Taf County

Borough Council

Own and manage 11,000 homes

27 sheltered housing schemes

740 units of accommodation

Modernising the stock

• 2010 - Carried out an options

appraisal of all 27 complexes

• Agreed to improve our schemes to

meet WHQS and RNIB visibly better

standards

• Consulted with tenants over the

findings

Why?

Low demand for some schemes – long term

voids

20% bedsits - with shared bathrooms

Poor accessibility - 11 complexes without lifts

Majority built in 1960s and 70s

27 complexes / 740 units of accommodation

Consultation with tenants –

what they said they want?

Larger flats - one or two bedroom properties

Good storage space

Larger kitchens – room for fridge/freezer and

gadgets!

Good accessibility throughout the complex

A” home for life”

Good range/quality of communal facilities

Options appraisal

Employed Ridge Consultants

Traffic light system

Good schemes, retain & improve

Poor schemes – Not viable as sheltered

(Location/demand/accommodation)

Consultation with staff and tenants over findings

Outcomes

6 schemes – no longer fit for purpose

2 - demolish and rebuild

2 – freeze allocations and look for alternative use for the

schemes / land

2 – not suitable as sheltered - modernise and change

use

21 – invest in properties to meet WHQS & RNIB

Investment -

Kitchens modernised

Walk-in shower rooms

External facelifts

Community hubs – modern

facilities

Improved external areas -

sensory gardens & allotments

Progress to date

4 complexes achieved gold/platinum RNIB Visibly Better

standard

6 further schemes nearing completion of standard

2 further scheme having whole scale upgrade 2014/15

10 schemes have had WHQS works undertaken and

further works to meet improve communal areas – out to

tender 2014/15

2 schemes modernised/reconfigured – supported

housing 2012/13

2 schemes fully decanted – to be demolished and rebuilt

Remodelling the Support

Service Existing model

Full time Scheme Manager in each complex

regardless of size of scheme

Mobile cover at the weekends

Out of hours response service replaced

residential Scheme Managers

CHS accredited

Well regarded by tenants

Aylward Review Support must be need and not tenure led

Implementation – major challenge for RCT Homes –

offer document promised to keep Scheme Managers

Tenant survey 2012 – what do they value most from

sheltered service?

Meetings with staff 2012 – ideas for how services could

be improved

Proposal Functions split – 3 teams in geographical areas:

Support workers: Sheltered tenants and older

people living in the community needing support (7 days

a week)

Scheme Co-ordinators ensuring schemes well

managed

Health & Wellbeing Co-ordinators ensuring

activities developed

+ Out of hours response service

Consultation

Scheme based consultation with tenants August

2013 - with written brief

Written feedback to consultation 2013–

– What you told us

– Your four big questions

– The new roles…..Their responsibilities

– Photo board of staff

– Rota

Team based meetings with staff followed by

121s

4 key questions

Why were we proposing to discontinue the

scheme manager role?

Who will help in an emergency?

Why were we proposing to change a system

that residents were happy with?

Who will make sure the complex is

secure?

Piloting the new service

6 Geographical areas

4 schemes in each area

Rolled out over 5 months

Allowed time to meet with tenants and staff and

support implementation

Smooth transition

What worked well

Involving partners from the outset

– Talking to the local Supporting People team and

Older People’s Services team

– Carrying out a survey of tenants to find out views on

existing services, how we can improve and develop

– Holding meetings at every complex to discuss the

reports and the proposed changes to ensure tenants

understood why and how the changes were being

made

– Individual one to ones with tenants and staff affected

…what worked well

Piloting the new service – staff volunteers

Allowing sufficient time for consultation / lessons learnt

Providing written information to tenants

Holding consultation meetings in smaller groups

Offering 121s with tenants

Ensuring staff, colleagues, local councillors aware of the

changes

Publishing rotas and team photographs

What didn’t work so well

Many tenants and their families found it very difficult to

move away from having a “Scheme Manager”

Some tenants strongly believed that their

accommodation was still worth investing in even when

the options appraisal identified there was no demand for

the accommodation

Finding accommodation to decant tenants whilst work

were undertaken

Our impact & outcomes

for service users and staff Improved accommodation – providing opportunity for a home

for life

A team of staff who specialise in service areas & responsive to

changes replacing one Scheme Manager

Schemes are well managed and maintained

Support is provided where and when it’s needed - making a

difference to older people living in the community – 7 days a

week

Schemes continue to be community hubs with a range of

social activities and health initiatives promoted

Career opportunities for staff

In Summary

Identify what needs to be improved – accommodation

and sheltered/support service

Involve staff and tenants - value what they say

Review and learn from mistakes

Take time to plan and implement

Ensure resources available to make the improvements

Group session – Your Experience

1. Modernising the stock Has your organisation carried out an options appraisal of it’s stock

Have you considered closing / changing use at any complexes?

How has your organisation approached this with staff and tenants?

What has gone well and what has not gone so well?

2. Modernising the service What type of service do you currently provide? Have you considered

moving away from a traditional Scheme Manager role?

If you have, what are you doing and how did you implement the changes?

What has stopped you making the changes needed?

Would you have done anything differently?