Mobilising a brand-new service
Setting up a new service is a very different proposition than taking over from another care provider, as everything, including the building, starts from scratch. The FitzRoy property team works very closely with the housing provider and developer to ensure the specification is suitable for the cohort of people to be supported. There’s a lot to consider, from the layout of the building, safety aspects, to accessibility of bathrooms and security, so our dedicated property managers are regular visitors to site. They meet regularly to identify any problems and agree solutions within budget and timeframe.
Tom Hodgson, Operations Director of Westmoreland Supported Housing Association, has been our partner on this service and says:
“In the weeks running up to completion of Belconnen Road, Westmoreland and FitzRoy worked closely together to ensure that all of the customers documentation was collated so that their tenancies could be signed and Housing Benefit claims made straight away. We also worked together to make sure that the building was completed to the highest possible standard by carrying out a series of joint snagging exercises with the developer so that all works to the site were completed, and for some customers that bespoke alterations were made for their specific needs. Westmoreland also assessed the necessary health and safety and building compliance certificates to evidence that each property was safe and commissioned correctly.
“Westmoreland and FitzRoy worked hand in hand to make sure that the customers have had the best possible start at Belconnen Road and will continue to work together for our customers’ best interests.”
Key to the success of any service is finding the right staff. For our two new supported living services in Nottingham, our dedicated recruitment officer ran a tailored recruitment campaign including targeted CV hunting, sponsored social media/job board adverts, and recruitment open days. Interest was high – we received over 300 applications and recruited 15 staff ready for the go live date.
Delays occurred due to building issues, which created a risk in keeping newly recruited staff. However, we retained all bar one of our new team members through providing shadowing and shifts in other services during this time. This had the positive impact of new staff working alongside established teams to understand the FitzRoy values and what our person-centred support looks like.
A planned transition is a really important part of the process to a successful placement. We develop individual plans so we get to know tenants as a person, their history, and what they need from us. Through a phased introduction to their property and the staff team, we build a support plan that identifies their aspirations and outcomes, and what success looks like for them.
We now have 16 tenants who have successfully moved into the properties and we’re helping them settle into their new homes and community.
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