Press Releases - The Complete Group

Picture caption – Left to right – David Burton (Finance Director, The Complete Group), Sharon Lane, Sue Hibbert and Barbara Scandrett (Managing Director, The Complete Group)

The Complete Group are celebrating awards night success for two of their employees, after they were short listed as finalists at the Shropshire Care Awards 2008. Sharon Lane

was a finalist in the category Manager of the Year, while Sue Hibbert was a finalist in the Learner of the Year category.

The awards recognise carers and care companies that contribute to the success of Shropshire’s independent care sector.

The Shropshire Care Awards organised by Shropshire Partners in Care (SPIC) is now in its second year. BBC Radio Shropshire host Eric Smith presented the awards to 250 guests from 16 care homes, domiciliary agencies and day centres across the county with Christine Hamilton as the after dinner speaker.

The Manager of the Year award is measured by evidence of employee training, qualifications and satisfaction. Judges also look for examples of excellence in motivation, inspiration and creativity and passion.

The Learner of the Year is judged upon their achievements and qualifications, and also on their approach to learning. The evidence for this award is supported by testimonials from clients and employees and also based upon evidence from colleagues and managers.

Managing director at Complete Group Barbara Scandrett comments; “We are delighted that two representatives from Complete Group were finalists at the 2008 Care Awards. The nature of the two nominations is a real testament to out commitment to developing our employees and our employee-manager relationships. Sharon and Sue have both demonstrated a genuine passion for what they do, and are thoroughly deserving of the finalist status.”

SPIC was founded in 1999, from the merger of Shropshire Care Homes Association and Nursing Homes in Shropshire Group, supporting all nursing homes, residential homes and home cares agencies across the county. The Care awards are open to all members of SPIC and their employees.

Complete Group is one of the UK’s leading providers of bespoke care packages and advisory services. Established in 1996, Complete Group bases their work on an aim towards independent living for all of their clients.

To see a full list of all the winners and finalists for the 2008 Shropshire Care Awards, please visit www.careawards.org

Following success by Linda Lindup as being titled Nurse of the Year at the 2007 Care Awards, we are pleased to announce two nominations for the 2008 awards.

Shropshire Partners in Care is organising the Care Awards 2008 to recognise the carers and care companies who work so hard for the most needy and vulnerable in the county and to celebrate the success of Shropshire’s independent care sector. The awards will be held on Saturday the 2nd of February at the Telford International Centre with two of our employees receiving nominations:

Sharon Lane – Manager of the Year
Sharon is a long serving employee who works closely with Senior Management as a Complex Care Manager. Her experience and knowledge of the care industry has proved that she meets the award criteria by her evidence of excellent communication and her ability to be creative, resourceful, confident and passionate about her service. She also recently gained NVQ Level 4 in Management reinforcing her professional capabilities.

Sue Hibbert – Learner of the Year
Sue is employed as a NVQ Assessor and is well known to majority of our employees. Sue’s positive personality is always mentioned as an asset alongside her willingness to share the benefits of learning with colleagues. With various qualifications Sue is enthusiastic and has a consistent approach to learning.

We congratulate both Sharon and Sue for their nominations and wish them every success at the awards.

In October 2007 a site visit was conducted by the West Midlands Quality Centre for renewal of assessment in the Investors in People Award. The outcome has provided recognition for a further three years and a positive report has highlighted numerous areas of strength and effective practice.

The report states that ‘benchmarking has confirmed that the company pay levels are at the top end for the sector and that the learning and development opportunities for employees are of the highest order, making Complete Care Holdings Ltd an employer of choice.’

Other key findings include ‘the improved Induction process provides all new starters with a good introduction to the company and to their role’ and that ‘there is a clear and consistent understanding of where the organisation is going and what it needs to do to achieve its aims and objectives.’

Sharon Withers, HR Manager, comments on the report, “on behalf of the senior management team I am very pleased with the findings and will continue to encourage the effective practice already in place.”

26 October 2007 – Tickled Pink
Head Office participated in a fund raising day for the Breast Cancer Appeal by dressing in pink for a donation of £2.00. Other fundraising included a raffle and £51.00 was raised.

16 November 2007 – Children in Need
Pirates was the theme for Children in Need and a respectable £137.20 was raised towards the BBC’s Children in Need Appeal.

In my capacity as Director of Operations I thought it would be a good idea to inform you all of what is happening in the Ops division.

I have reviewed our current structure and I hope you will see the benefits moving forward. We will, as of the 1st October, have 4 operational regions N E W S - North / East / West / South. I have attached a copy of the operational structure so that you are aware who is who in each region and the role that they have.

As you will see “ILM” is now a thing of the past, in its place is “Care Manager” with the obvious variations i.e. Complex, Senior.

September will be a busy month for the Ops staff because they will be introducing new managers to their clients etc in addition to commencing Complex Care Management Training. Again you will see the benefits as the individuals’ knowledge base can develop due to working with different clients and different types of packages.

If you have any queries regarding things moving forward do not hesitate to come and see me.

Having recently successfully acquired Paediatric Nursing Link (PNL), Telford based The Complete Group is set to extend its services within the childcare sector as well as its presence throughout London.

Following an extremely successful past year, the leading specialist care provider for disabled people with spinal or brain injuries, has purchased PNL, a London-based body of paediatric nurses and carers.

The purchase will see The Complete Group add the PNL management team, who will remain operating under their own name, to its already extensive array of care expertise. Plus, the group will acquire PNL's client base, comprising of a number of Primary Care Trusts.

The move signals a new direction for The Complete Group, which although predominantly specialises in providing complex care for adults, has been dealing with more and more children patients over recent months.

Not only this, with the new base in London, the acquisition will see The Complete Group reach out to the extensive care needs of the London Borough.

Barbara Scandrett, managing director at The Complete Group comments: "I am very pleased to announce details of this recent acquisition will which not only allow us to offer more services in the South but also roll out countrywide this new and developing service for babies and children.

"We look forward to progressing further in this sector as we continue to grow and evolve."

Complete Group is supported by healthcare and private equity specialist Sovereign Capital.

To recognise our staff for their achievements and long service, we will be holding regular Presentation Days to acknowledge their accomplishments. Dates will be updated and available on the website shortly.

We are pleased to announce that we will shortly be commencing the NVQ in Children and Young People Award. This course has been added to our available courses and will be for Personal Assistants who work with children and young people. Sharon Withers, Personnel Officer, has details for any interested applicants.

Having partnered with a top new housing provider, Telford based the Complete Group is delighted to announce that it has helped a total of ten clients to live independently at home over the past six months alone.

The leading care provider, supplying tailored complete care packages for disabled people with spinal or brain injuries, has always tried, where possible, to enable patients to live as independently as possible.

At one time, however, the possibility of accomplishing this was highly limited by the lack of available accommodation available to cater for severely disabled people, a common problem faced by care providers throughout the UK.

As such, the Complete Group had long sought a suitable housing provider to work with and finally found the perfect candidate in the form of new specialist housing provider, More than Bricks and Mortar, over a year ago.

Together the two businesses have since been successfully enabling clients to live in the community by finding suitable rented accommodation along with housing management.

Barbara Scandrett, Managing Director at The Complete Group comments: "It can often prove very frustrating for carers who have the expertise and facilities to allow a client to live at home but to have nowhere suitable to place them. This often means that they have no choice but to stay in hospital or go to a nursing home.

"This is why we are so delighted that our partnership has been so successful. Through this partnership we have and will continue to be able to give more options and a greater room for independence to severely disable individuals than ever before. This will aid us greatly in our endeavour to continually overcome the typical difficulties and boundaries met to offer more and more patients the opportunity to live at home."

Sue Kruize ‘More than Bricks and Mortar’ Managing Director states: "Our services are available to any client wanting accommodation. Our aim is to assist people with disabilities to achieve independent living. Our latest project is arranging adaptations for a gentleman who is moving from residential care. He will live on his own in Birmingham near to his family."

Complete Group is backed by healthcare and private equity specialist Sovereign Capital.

For more information please contact Barbara Scandrett at The Complete Group on 01952 293449.

Log onto www.shropshire.gov.uk or www.disabledholidayinfo.org.uk to download a copy of the brochure giving details of various sites and trails covering the Shropshire Hills, the Shropshire plains, Oswestry Uplands and mid-Severn Areas and beyond which can be used for wheelchairs, pushchairs and by people with disabilities.

Linda is celebrating after winning her category of Nurse of the Year at the Shropshire Partners in Care Awards on the 10th February. She was joined at the ceremony by her husband John, Managing Director Barbara Scandrett, and a selection of work colleagues who were more than pleased that Linda collected the award.

Barbara commented that “Linda is, without a doubt one of the most committed managers in the company and we are very proud to have her on our team. She is an example to us all and we congratulate her for having her hard work rewarded by this award.”

Linda comments: “I’m thrilled to receive this award and would like to thank Shropshire Partners in Care as well as everyone at The Complete Group for their continued support throughout the years.”

CPA provided care support for James Bramhall. He was a young boy who became Spinal Cord Injured after a car accident. He was very brave and lived a very full life. He liked going to his caravan and attending school. Unfortunately he passed away in September 2006 but will fondly be remembered by his Mum, Sue and George Warburton and his care team who have been involved in his life.

He attended Gateton Primary School and enjoyed his time there. He loved school and could often be found with his friend in a small garden area of the playground. The school wish to develop this area into a special sensory garden and wildlife area and CPA are sponsoring the new development which will be called ‘James’ Space’.

The area will include an all weather surface, work tables, nature facilities, a theatre, sensory area, plants and wildlife recording facilities. Children can experience quiet areas, games, animals and experiential lessons in the facilities once the scheme is complete.

This will be recorded in the Connection and progress will be photographed. The aim is to get James’ Space completed so many children can benefit from the scheme. James’ memory will add to the benefit of having such an area. His bravery and attitude to life should be commended. James was a very special little boy who believed that letting balloons into the sky was a way of talking to his daddy. We look forward to the day this project is complete as we can let balloons into the sky to say ‘thank you’ to James.

We are working alongside specialist residential colleges for people aged 16 - 18 with a wide range of physical disabilities. Students can take advantage of excellent facilities and a wide spectrum of courses giving appropriate guidance on developing potential, becoming more independent, gaining self esteem and preparing for employment. For more information please contact Sherry Pickering at Head Office.

As everyone may be aware, we have achieved accreditation status as an Approved Centre with City & Guilds and our programme is well under way. I thought it would be timely to give some information in general about NVQs and how the process works:

Level 2 is made up of four mandatory or core units (i.e. these have to be completed by everyone) and two optional units (there is a big list to choose from for these). L2 is what we are obliged to offer under CSCI standards and the majority of carers will undertake this course.

Level 3 comprises 8 units: 4 mandatory/4 optional; again there is lots of choice for the optional units. CSCI indicates that L3 should be undertaken by those in a supervisory capacity (i.e. Care Co-ordinator).

Your programme consists of a range of assessment methods (observations, professional discussions etc.) undertaken between yourself and an assessor to evidence competency in your role. When these have been satisfactorily completed, your portfolio will be internally and externally verified and again, if all is satisfactory, you will then receive your certificate.

As a Company, we will offer the opportunity to embark on the programme when a probationary period ends.

For all those wishing to start their NVQ, you should contact me and I will send out an application form and place you on the waiting list for the next available intake. I will assign an assessor to you who will make contact and arrange for a meeting. You will then go through an NVQ induction process (lots of paperwork!) and then be registered with City & Guilds. You will receive a unique registration number which remains the same if you undertake other qualifications with C&G. And you’re on your way as described above!

We have lots of reference materials at Head Office which are available to you, so be guided by your assessor and do contact me if there’s anything you need in the way of policies, procedures, legislation, etc. Also, if you have attended training events and received certificates, please ensure you keep these as they can go into your portfolio as evidence.

If you have any further queries please feel free to give me a call and I will do my best to help.

The Mobility Road Show is the world’s largest outdoor mobility event and is the motor show for disabled people. The Mobility Roadshow aims to give anyone with a mobility problem - drivers, passengers, adults or children - the chance to see what is available to help solve that problem and most importantly to try out and evaluate the options in a "no pressure" environment.

The Managing Director of The Complete Group is celebrating after receiving runner up prize for Birmingham in the Entrepreneur of the Year awards.

Barbara Scandrett formed The Complete Group nine years ago, which is now one of the fastest growing businesses in Telford. The company, nationally renowned as a leading provider of bespoke care packages was nominated for the award by Kroll Corporate Finance for their rapid expansion.

Providing complete care packages for severely disabled people following a serious accident, The Complete Group enables them to live as independently and as normal lives as possible.

The company has expanded rapidly since it first opened in 1996 providing a variety of services and now employs 550 staff.

Barbara comments: "We are delighted to have achieved this award, we have a very hardworking team and I am confident the business will continue to grow in the future"

The Entrepreneur of the Years Awards is a regional, national and international awards programme founded and produced by Ernst and Young, it is now one of the most distinguished schemes of its type.

Transhouse is a registered charity for people with spinal cord injuries. They are able to provide each person with short-term accommodation and advocacy support while we help them to find and adapt suitable long-term accommodation in their chosen area. The charity has four properties that are able to accommodate up to thirteen people with spinal cord injuries, acquired brain injuries or learning disabilities at any one time. Three of these properties, consisting of a house and two bungalows, are located in Oswestry Shropshire, while the fourth, a bungalow, is situated in the nearby village of St. Martin's. Each of these properties is fully equipped for use by people with spinal cord injuries.

Many people come to stay at Transhouse immediately on discharge from hospital spinal injuries units, while others may already be living in the community but in circumstances considered to be unsuitable for them. Wherever they come from, everyone who stays at Transhouse has the same aim - they wish to live independently in a home of their own.

Complete Personal Assistance –. Clients are all in control of actions – target message is aimed at vibrant and professional person. Focus on independent living and control of life.

Complete Personal Assistance Limited is nationally renowned as a leading provider of bespoke care packages. Our mission is to facilitate independence amongst those people who have complex care needs. CPA's success is based primarily upon the quality of the Personal Assistants that we engage. However, company services stretch much further than that. Clients appreciate that CPA offers the personal touch. Although we operate in all parts of the country, local managers are always on hand to offer knowledge, advice and support as it is needed.

CPA provides advocacy services, being prepared to represent clients' interests to official bodies. The company carefully selects and trains our Personal Assistants to fit individual clients' requirements. We encourage our employees to attain professional qualifications in care. First and foremost CPA aims to provide a situation where clients can regain control of their lives and where their aspirations can become self-fulfilling.