living the values of the nursing cs - priory group

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ADVERTISING FEATURE www.nursingtimes.net / Vol xxx No xx / Nursing Times 00.00.11 1 C onsistency is the most impor- tant of the 7Cs according to Ana Goncalves, ward manager for the autistic spectrum disorder service at The Priory Group’s Hayes Grove site. The service is part of its nationwide portfolio of specialist mental health and learning disability inpatient and day care, ranging from medium and low secure hospital care to communi- ty-based settings. The Priory Group also includes Amore, which provides care homes for older people, and Craegmoor, a leading provider of services and sup- ported living for people with complex and challenging needs including autism and Asperger’s syndrome. Ms Goncalves runs a unit that aims to care for individuals in an autistic spec- trum disorder friendly environment, minimising any discomfort caused by the special sensory needs of individuals such as sensitivity to noise and touch. “The people we look after here are vul- nerable,” she says. “So we have to pick up and identify their needs and ensure that they are consistently looked after. Some of our service users can have challenging behaviours, which makes a predictable structure all the more important. We also have to make sure that everyone has the same access to activities. If someone doesn’t get on with someone else, we won’t restrict their access to an activity, we just make sure that the individuals are scheduled for different times.” For Ms Goncalves, boundaries are vital to ensuring that the needs of all service users are being met. “We have to be structured and have consistent bounda- ries for everyone – because consistency of approach is important.” This requires a consistent team which The Priory achieves. We do everything possible to retain our well trained teams and we are fortunate, in this home, that we don’t require the use of agency staff. “We do this by involving everyone in the care of service users. We are all equal here and all here for the same purpose. Collaboration between nurses, ther- apists and all the multi-disciplinary team is paramount to ensure we work well together.” The Group has encouraged Ms Gon- calves’ interest in the Mental Health Act and she has been working in mental health administration to ensure that everything in the hospital complies with the Act. She has taken part in Train the Trainer, First Aid, Management of Aggression and Conflict Resolution courses, as well as external courses such as those run by the National Autistic Society. All of this, Ms Goncalves says, adds to her job satisfaction and that of her team, promoting a long-service environment that works to the advantage of service users. “It is important for us as a large group to ensure that we deliver consistent care to all service users.” says Siân Wicks, director of corporate assurance and chief nursing officer. “Through the Priory Group Nurses forum working groups we review documentation, the competency framework and consider our relevant policies. All this supports our frontline staff in delivering high standards of care consistently throughout the Group.” The Priory lives by 7Cs – adding consistency to the 6Cs of care, compassion, courage, commitment, communication and competence outlined by the chief nursing officer for England. In the last of our seven articles on each of those C’s we discover how The Priory nurses deliver consistency in the work they do. Living the values of the Nursing Cs RMNs and RGNs RECRUITING NOW To find out more please visit: jobs.priorygroup.com/nt www.amorecare.co.uk/ working-for-amore

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

www.nursingtimes.net / Vol xxx No xx / Nursing Times 00.00.11 1

Consistency is the most impor-tant of the 7Cs according to Ana Goncalves, ward manager for the autistic spectrum

disorder service at The Priory Group’s Hayes Grove site.

The service is part of its nationwide portfolio of specialist mental health and learning disability inpatient and day care, ranging from medium and low secure hospital care to communi-ty-based settings. The Priory Group also includes Amore, which provides care homes for older people, and Craegmoor, a leading provider of services and sup-ported living for people with complex and challenging needs including autism and Asperger’s syndrome.

Ms Goncalves runs a unit that aims to care for individuals in an autistic spec-trum disorder friendly environment,

minimising any discomfort caused by the special sensory needs of individuals such as sensitivity to noise and touch.

“The people we look after here are vul-nerable,” she says. “So we have to pick up and identify their needs and ensure that they are consistently looked after. Some of our service users can have challenging behaviours, which makes a predictable structure all the more important. We also have to make sure that everyone has the same access to activities. If someone doesn’t get on with someone else, we won’t restrict their access to an activity, we just make sure that the individuals are scheduled for different times.”

For Ms Goncalves, boundaries are vital to ensuring that the needs of all service users are being met. “We have to be structured and have consistent bounda-ries for everyone – because consistency

of approach is important.” This requires a consistent team which The Priory achieves. We do everything possible to retain our well trained teams and we are fortunate, in this home, that we don’t require the use of agency staff.

“We do this by involving everyone in the care of service users. We are all equal here and all here for the same purpose.

Collaboration between nurses, ther-apists and all the multi-disciplinary team is paramount to ensure we work well together.”

The Group has encouraged Ms Gon-calves’ interest in the Mental Health Act and she has been working in mental health administration to ensure that everything in the hospital complies with the Act. She has taken part in Train the Trainer, First Aid, Management of Aggression and Conflict Resolution courses, as well as external courses such as those run by the National Autistic Society.

All of this, Ms Goncalves says, adds to her job satisfaction and that of her team, promoting a long-service environment that works to the advantage of service users.

“It is important for us as a large group to ensure that we deliver consistent care to all service users.” says Siân Wicks, director of corporate assurance and chief nursing officer. “Through the Priory Group Nurses forum working groups we review documentation, the competency framework and consider our relevant policies. All this supports our frontline staff in delivering high standards of care consistently throughout the Group.”

The Priory lives by 7Cs – adding consistency to the 6Cs of care, compassion, courage, commitment, communication and competence outlined by the chief nursing officer for England. In the last of our seven articles on each of those C’s we discover how The Priory nurses deliver consistency in the work they do.

Living the values of the Nursing Cs

RMNs and RGNs

RECRUITINGNOW

To find out more please visit:jobs.priorygroup.com/nt

www.amorecare.co.uk/ working-for-amore