Jersey Care Commission Podcast Series
Welcome to the Jersey Care Commission Podcast Series. The series aims to help raise awareness of regulated care services and celebrate the outstanding care that is available in Jersey. Each episode will provide a platform for members of the health and social care sector to share their hard work and stories of providing excellent care.
Jersey Care Commission Podcast Series
Delivering outstanding care with Les Amis
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Katie Foley, Registered Manager and Shaun Findlay, Managing Director from Les Amis discuss the organisation’s work supporting people with learning disabilities and associated conditions in Jersey, and the difference the right support can make to both individuals and their families.
Welcome to our second podcast. We have Katie Foley, Registered Manager of Domiciliary from Lisamy, and also Sean Finlay, who's the managing director. So these um have been put together to try and celebrate care. Very often regulation is seen as demonstrating what's not going right. Whereas we know that most care across the island is really, really good. So this is a real opportunity for you to reflect back, celebrate your success, but also to help others understand how you've got there. So do you want to introduce yourselves, Katie?
SPEAKER_00My name's Sean Finlay, and I'm the managing director of Lesame, and I've been in that role some 18 years now.
SPEAKER_01I'm Katie Foley, I'm registered manager of Domiciliary. Um I have been at Lesame for 13 years, but I've been a manager for eight.
SPEAKER_02People may know Lesame, people may not very often, unless you're using services, you don't really clearly understand what those services provide. So, Sean, do you want to talk about the range of services Lesamee provides?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, um just for the context, really, the the charity was born over 50 years ago when a group of families got together because they had no provision for the children that were born with learning disabilities. Unfortunately for them, there's a gentleman called Billy Butlin who was involved in the early days of bringing the charity together. So 50 years ago it cost around 11,000 a month to run the charity, and we had about 12 staff and eight residents. It's now 7.1 million a year. We have around 140 staff. We have nearly 100 service users in residence through our respite, domiciliary and residential care services. And they require 24-7 support. We have domiciliary care, which has actually grown over the last five years considerably for people that are more independent living in the community in their own homes. But we still provide uh adults respite uh up at uh Morant Lodge in uh Trinity. And we've been providing those services for a good 30 years now, respite services for adults.
SPEAKER_02So the funding that you get, it's charitable funding or majority of the funding is attracted through long-term care.
SPEAKER_00So basically, like any other care company, we we're paid for the services we provide. We also fundraise because uh Lesmi Limited and Lesmi Incorporated are registered charities, and that enables us to do that little bit extra. Uh when they say a little bit extra, we we're supporting people for the majority of their life, so 30-40 years in some cases. So long-term care is catered for people that are at the the end of their life, elderly care. Uh so we fundraise for other activities such as holidays, uh transport that may not be covered by the the benefit, and any sort of life changes that people may have, equipment, etc., we we will fundraise and make sure that the the needs are met.
SPEAKER_01So we have the three main services, which is domicillary, residential, and uh respite. Um I've been fortunate enough to work in all three of them, so I've had experience in all three areas. Um I've landed in domiciliary, which is to support people living in their homes. So those who don't or choose not to live in group living, they can live in their own home and we can support them as much as possible. Um, the ranges are from seven hours a week up to 105 hours a week. So that's counted as 24-7. Uh, currently I have five individuals who receive overnight support, so we're in there supporting them um all day. But then when you look at residential, you could have a group home with four or five individuals living in there. They might have chosen to live together, they might have just ended up being put together but actually found a community themselves. And they can also have a range. We can have people who need constant um reassurance and support in place, work living in a home with someone who's only receiving 15 hours because they can go out on their own, but they actually might need more support in the home.
SPEAKER_02And what led you into this type of work?
SPEAKER_01I went off to uni and started doing primary school, met a few people along the way that had um learning disabilities or other associated conditions. So started to find a keenness for that. Um, came back, had a conversation with my parents and said, I don't think I want to do primary school anymore. I think I want to do something with learning disabilities. And um a very good friend had encouraged me to go to lesame and said, if you're not sure of what you want to do, why don't you just go there for a year, get some money in your back pocket, maybe you'll find a job along the way, or you might decide to go and take a year traveling or whatever. Um, went into lesame with the viewpoint of this will get me something to put on my CV and I haven't looked back, I've absolutely fallen in love with it.
SPEAKER_02That's amazing.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So what's your day-to-day look like? Uh no two days are the same. Um, I can go in with a plan of what I want to do and it not even tick one thing on that to-do list. Um, it's very much a reactive, but also being proactive and having to separate the two. So um it is an organization, it is a business that we want to keep going and we need to have that forward planning. We need to be able to make sure we're sustainable and we need to make sure that we are hitting the areas that we need to hit, but then we also need to make sure that we aren't losing the sight of what we're here for, which is the person at the receiving the care and support that we put in place. And so it might be that I have to deal with something insignificant to many people, which might just be dealing with how there's not something in the shop that they have had for the past 15 years. The packaging has changed, and I'm having to go in and have a little debrief with them around how they're feeling and why has it turned pink and it's not red anymore? It might be that I have to sit down with staff and you know have a conversation about changes to how we do things day to day, but it's also keeping up with regulation and making sure that we're at the forefront of any changes that we see coming in the future.
SPEAKER_02Being a registered manager is quite a responsibility. And so, how would you describe that? How do you sort of take that role responsibly?
SPEAKER_01It was once said to me that being a registered manager means that you're never gonna finish your day. There's always going to be something, especially with those who have uh you're working with the people with people with learning disabilities. Um, you're never going to have it where it comes to the end of the day and you're like, yep, job done. Sign off, I'm done. Because there's we're working with people, there's always going to be something coming up. There's always going to be another thing rolling in. So if you can go away, um, almost view yourself as a firefighter. And as long as the fires aren't burning bright and they aren't too much, you can go away with those embers because they're going to still be there tomorrow. They're just going to need to be tackling which one's the biggest first. Um, so it's very much about prioritizing, looking at what you can do within that means and also seeking out resources, whether that's people within your team. Um, we're fortunate enough to have a big senior management team in comparison to other providers. Um, it might be reaching out to those in the learning disability um community. So we have, we're fortunate enough to know and work with a lot of um social workers, OTs. It's knowing where your limits are. So saying this isn't mine anymore, this is for someone else to take over. I can only do this remit.
SPEAKER_02Sean, can you tell us more about how you help clients and their families and how do you um carry on your work?
SPEAKER_00Basically touching on uh what Katie's just said, it's it's about the individual. So the the whole process of of care is uh the initial assessment of of need and understanding what those needs are and then putting the person in the centre of it. Um as simple as that, really. It's easy to say, but very complex to to achieve. Uh again, as as Katie rightly says, it could be something as simple as a thing that we would take for granted as changing somebody's life, and it could be absolute chaos for them and the family. So our our main role is making sure that person's in the centre of that and the family are close close by if they choose to be. Uh, we do work with some individuals that families live in the UK and haven't spoken to them for many years, but we will still keep them involved in that process because they are still family. Uh obviously keeping uh confidentiality and understanding capacity and uh and and delegated rights uh to get the balance of that as well. Um my role, uh well, a bit like Katie, really. We come in in the morning and uh we go from there. Uh we we do have structured planning, uh strategies, action plans, business plans, we have all that uh because if we didn't we wouldn't be a responsible business because that's what we are first and foremost. Even though we are a charity, we still have to run an efficient business. So the the the plans are in play, but they the the days change uh and it's literally looking after your time and prioritizing.
SPEAKER_02So how's your organisation changed and how how would you describe its development? How do you think that's evolved?
SPEAKER_00It's been very organic, I think that and um yeah, I when I first came to the the the charity, it was still in its development uh role. It was still getting its head round regulation, uh and and even though it was one of the few organisations on the island being regulated at the time. So my key role when I came to the organisation was to bring some form of governance and to update the the charity into getting the head around the introduction of the the care law as we understand it now. And it wasn't only the care law, we had the charity law, we had the formation social security, there were so many different things that happened in a very, very tight timescale that had a huge impact on care, but definitely on lesame as a as an organisation and as a charity.
SPEAKER_02So how's your care developed, do you think, then? It's become more structured, it's got better governance, is there anything else?
SPEAKER_00We've professionalized it. Um we we've made sure that managers and posts have the appropriate training and the appropriate support. So Katie's all uh alluded up to the senior management function. Our role is to make sure the resources are available for the registered managers to deliver the complex services they deliver on a daily basis. If we didn't have that function, it would be down to the manager to make decisions about HR, finance, governance, IT. I mean the list is never ending. Uh everything that you require in a business, you require to deliver care. So why wouldn't you have robust uh business infrastructure to make sure that the person at the end of the process is receiving the right service to pay for?
SPEAKER_02So, Katie, brilliant care doesn't happen by accident. It takes a lot of time, a lot of investment, and the right leaders in place and the right staff in place. So, can you describe um your approach to making sure you maintain great standards?
SPEAKER_01It's a difficult one because it can be seen as so complex, but it's just the day-to-day. It's having trust in the staff team that you have in place, it's having trust in those that are providing the strategies or being involved in them, it's having that knowledge that we're all working for the same ethics and the same value. Um at Lesamy, we have our five values, and if we're all working towards them, we have a common goal which grounds us and keeps us motivated for the future. Um, but it's also investing time in each individual. There's so much opportunity to further develop yourself, whether that's go up a career ladder or whether that's go sideways into something that is an interest of yours, and we know we can use and harness within Lesame. There's a saying, a small saying at Lesame, which is that after two and a half years, if you're still here, you're probably going to be here for the long haul. And we've got some incredible people who have been here in Lesame for over 20 years. Um, our long service is constantly growing. Um, so we are have made a community within a community.
SPEAKER_02That's really interesting then. So you've really invested in people, you're trying to make sure that people are there for the long haul. Um, how have you invested in yourself? Because obviously you're a brilliant leader, you're achieving great things.
SPEAKER_01So, what about yourself? Myself and a colleague saw an interest in social clubs, getting um the individuals out in the community for post-COVID. So I um another example of how it's great that you can go to a senior management team, you can go to a board and you can say, This is the idea I've had. And someone says, Yeah, do you know what? Give it a go, see how it works. I often think about other providers and how it's a registered manager, just a lone registered manager. Whereas I work with seven other individuals, and so we all know how we feel. We're all constantly checking in, and it's nice to know that you have someone else who's in that same boat who feels it.
SPEAKER_02So, um, what's been your key to success, do you think, Sean, in getting excellent standards of care?
SPEAKER_00Well, the the first step was uh being involved in uh investors in people. We started that way back in 2013. Uh, but prior to that we had done staff engagements uh surveys which told us where the areas of development were required, and that's why we went down the the road of investing in people. Uh we are currently gold status, um, and that's where I see a lot of the success coming from because as Kate rightly says, ideas are shared openly. So it's not just having a voice, it's having a voice that's heard, and because it's heard, actions are taken and people see action and they see things change. And I think that's why we retain staff and rightly so the mantra after two and a half years. If you're still here, you're in for the long haul. Um, because people see that we do honestly want to give the best that we can, not only to the people we serve, but the people that work for us.
SPEAKER_02So, going forwards, what's your aspirations for care, Katie? How are you going to maintain great inspection reports, great care? What's your sort of aspirations?
SPEAKER_01There's definitely forward movement, um, involvement of individuals, seeing them as they are as a whole person, uh, not limiting them. I often think that Lesame is already there. We're already forward thinking. We're trying to look at how we can make sure that we are going to be here for the long haul. We're stable, but it's also about us making sure that the individuals have that stability as well and know that they will forever be taken care of in some capacity throughout Lesame. It doesn't mean it has to be the same staff team, it doesn't mean it has to be the same one person. It just means that as time evolves, you will still be our forefront and we will still focus on you.
SPEAKER_02So, somebody else coming into your job tomorrow, what would your top tip be?
SPEAKER_01Don't sweat the small stuff. Um, just focus on making sure that you know that you have the skills to be able to do this. You've been given this role for that reason, and you will work it out and navigate it through, and you'll learn a lot along the way. Um, and that's where you really get to understand what the job is by the learning curves.
SPEAKER_02Sean, same question, Tier. Someone coming into your job.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it's similar. Uh it's just worry about the stuff that you've got a level of control over. Don't think that you're in isolation. You can work with partners internally and externally. And we see a lot more of that happening in Jersey, um, which is great for the island. It's it's brilliant for the sector.
SPEAKER_02Who else do you work with?
SPEAKER_00We've worked with uh all the other charities that will be involved with people with learned disabilities. So we've got Bears for Street Kitchen, um, Jet, Acorn, um, Men Cap. Uh, we have done work with Dementia Jersey in the past because people with uh learned disabilities are five times more likely to develop a dementia type condition. Um so we do work with other charities and other providers so we we can give them the best service because we don't know everything. Uh, but we are keen to learn and we're always open uh for suggestion how we can do it better.
SPEAKER_02Okay, just one last question for Katie. How do you work with um the Jersey Care Commission? How do you what's your relationship? How do you make sure that regulation supports you?
SPEAKER_01I've been at Lesmi for 13 years, so I've seen the progression. It used to be seen as um anyone coming in to inspect and regulate were going to pick out those, the, the negatives, the things that aren't looked upon, the things that are missed in the day-to-day, that are often tick lists. Over years and over my uh career, I've learned that actually they're there to for me to show off the service as best I can. That's my job on the day the a regulator comes around. And by doing that and by making sure that we have that, we have a great relationship built. You know, I've phoned up the care commissions several times asking for guidance on situations. I've had um care commissions sit in on um safeguarding meetings. One, there because that's what their role is, but two, to support. I've had phone calls afterwards, debriefs, and it's been really lovely to see that they have the trust and understanding in what my role is and where I need to, they give great feedback and where I need to look to focus more areas on, but then at the same time, they also say you're doing great in this area. And it is hard sometimes when a recommendation comes back and it's something that you know has been going on for ages and it hasn't quite got there. It's not focusing on that and it's remembering that just because that one thing was picked up, you need to pick out all the other great stuff that's in between that. Um, and having read many inspection reports, you often focus on the negative rather than looking at all the other positives that are in between. Brilliant.
SPEAKER_02Have you got anything else you want to add?
SPEAKER_00If we look back to where we started, it was families telling us what they needed, and that's why we were born, really. Families are now getting older, and your average parent could be in the 70s and they still have a child that's got a learned disability, and they are still concerned about what's going to happen when they're not here. Parents of people with learned disabilities think and act in different ways because they've experienced society in a different way. So the future of Lesmi is is making sure that we can offer a cradle to grave service to the families so they know that their loved one, their child, their family member will be looked after and given a good service like everybody else would expect in life. So families have the faith that even though they won't be there, somebody will be in their absence.
SPEAKER_02Well, thank you, Sean and Katie. I think that's a great illustration of the purpose of these podcasts, because actually there's great care going on. It's not seen, it's not heard about very often. And so this uh hopefully has given you an opportunity to talk about the great care you're providing. So thank you both. Thank you.