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essential reading
March 2022
Inside this issue
The New Financial Year Begins... Developments in Developments... Easter Craft Project... March Care & Support Update... Wellbeing What’s On April!
Enjoy reading and we hope you have a Happy Easter!
www.ebht.org.uk PA R T O F
East Boro Housing Trust is a Charitable Registered Society under the Co operative and Community Benefits Societies Act 2014 No. 16946R
news Welcome & Farewell Starters Rachel Feltham Gardener Harry Mayerling Relief Team Leader & Relief Domiciliary Care & Support Felicity Biss Relief Domiciliary Care & Support
Leavers Louise Hall Tenancy Officer Louise Haywood Finance Officer Wendy Guppy Sheltered Housing Officer
Our Colleague Survey Results
May I take this opportunity to thank those colleagues who completed and submitted their annual colleague surveys. The initial analysis have been completed and will be reviewed by the Senior Management Team but unfortunately due to other time restricted priorities, this review is not yet complete. The results and feedback from the review will be circulated at the earliest opportunity. Cara Lewis PA to Chief Executive
If you would like to contribute to YOUR staff newsletter, email Sue: Sue.Hole@aster.co.uk and attach a photo
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Kevin Hodder Chief Executive
The new Financial Year begins! The start of April sees the start of the 2022/2023 financial year and is also the start of spring and hopefully good weather ahead, with lighter evenings and the beginning of what looks like a more normal “living with Covid” life ahead. After having gone through the past two incredibly challenging years we now have the after shocks of the cost of Covid and the impact of current world events to deal with in both our own and our working lives. It never seems easy but lets look forward to the future because after the last 24 months it looks like we can now start to plan and live our lives after the pandemic. As one financial year ends and the next starts I think it is right to reflect how East Boro and the Group are trying to help colleagues with the cost of living pressures. This includes a colleague wide 3.8% pay increment from April, work related milage rates increasing from 40p to 45p per mile from April (the HMRC maximum before tax is applied), a £500 bonus paid in March, and the option to join the new Aegon pension scheme with vastly increased employer contributions in relation to the employee percentage contribution. Care colleagues would have also benefited from the Government Winter recruitment/retention payment of £150 and the extra Christmas/New Year Bank Holiday designations that were both approved for payment by the East Boro Board. It is going to be an unpredictable year and I thank you for all that you do in working for East Boro. Every colleague is a valued member of the East Boro Team. The adjustments we make will hopefully help to go towards meeting some of the pressures that we will all face in our own lives. Throughout this year we will also constantly keep in touch about updating our procedures to ensure safety is applied to our work roles and environments at all times and thank you all for constantly ensuring that you, your colleagues, and our customers continue to be as safe as possible in all that we do. I know we have done this throughout the past two years of the pandemic and we will continue to do so to ensure that our vulnerable customers remain safe and our procedures reflect the ever changing national advice in all areas from PPE, to testing and all operational activities.
news
Developments
in Developments
A Big, Huge Thank You
East Boro has completed on another home as part of the Transformation of Care Programme working with National Health South England (NHSE) and Dorset Council.
April sees two of East Boro’s long serving senior staff members moving on from the Trust in April and I cannot let that pass without saying a huge thank you to both.
East Boro’s Development Team have delivered, with Lakeside Gardens, seven purpose adapted bungalows for Service users in Dorset and the Bournemouth Poole and Christchurch area.
Sarah Ball, our Finance Director (pictured left) and Elaine James our HR Manager (pictured right) after 14 years and 12 years respectively are moving on to pastures new and the next chapter in their careers and lives. Both have been fantastic for East Boro and amazing colleagues to work with.
Pam Palmer who managed the project for East Boro said “These projects are quite labour intensive both in finding the right type of property and then a complete refurbishment specifically for a particular person’s needs and requirements. Once completed it is a good feeling to know you have provided a property for someone to make a home.” Three more properties remain to be completed in 2022 as part of the project supported by funding from NHSE.
We will miss you both more than can be described but wish you every success for the future in everything that you do, which you will inevitably be totally successful at, as you have both been absolute stars at East Boro. Kevin Hodder Chief Executive
Crafty Easter Project If you are looking for an Easter themed vase to display your spring flowers, why not make one yourself? You can decorate your clean jar by painting (chalk paint is brilliant) or decoupage, adding buttons, gems or ribbons. The best part is, this craft reuses old glass jars you might have lying around, so it’s ultimately sustainable too! And a great craft project for children or grand children.
Pictured above: Pam Palmer, East Boro’s Development Manager with Robin James, Senior Development Manager in the kitchen at Lakeside Gardens
For the design shown, all you need to do is coat the jar in chalk-finish paint before adding an adorable bunny face with either paint or felt pens. Finish it off with some twine around the top, and you’re done! One vase ready to go.
East Boro are commited to investing in our staff. If there is a training course you would like to attend, please talk to your Line Manager. 2
news
Care & Support News Update As things in the public domain have been changing quite rapidly, I thought I would give you a quick update on where we stand regarding vaccinations, testing and the wearing of PPE. In response to the public consultation that was carried out 9th – 16th February 2022, the British Government is proceeding with their intention to revoke the regulations making (Covid-19) vaccinations a condition of employment in all health and social care setting (other than care homes) and these changes should come into force on the 15th March 2022. Vaccinations are however still strongly recommended for everyone, as are the boosters, especially for those working in Health & Social Care and I will keep everyone updated on our eligibility in regard to the spring booster campaign. East Boro Care & Support staff are still required to conduct and register their LFTs before starting work and isolate if they receive a positive test result. We are also required to wear the appropriate PPE when supporting clients in their own homes and in the community. New Staff I would like to welcome Harry Mayerling to East Boro, Harry joins the Weymouth Care and Support Team as a Team Leader. Harry may be known to some of you as he has several years’ experience of working in the Supported Living service. I would also like to welcome back Fliss Bliss. Fliss is taking up the her role once more as a Care & Support Worker with the Weymouth team. Safeguarding I recently updated my Safeguarding Lead training and on one of the training days was shown the video that Dorset and BCP Safeguarding Board produced. This is a really good example of how Safeguarding is for everyone and I would encourage you all to watch it. Dorset &BCP SAB Adult Safeguarding animation ‘Keeping Adults Safe is Everyone’s Business.’ I would also encourage you to watch the video on the AsterNet
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homepage where Duncan Mosses shares his experiences and the importance of sharing concerns; to access this video go to the Safety First icon on the right hand side of the homepage and Duncan’s video is called ‘Safeguarding our customers’. If you do have any worries or concerns, please speak to your Line Manger, Service Manager or contact me – it doesn’t matter what the issue is, it is better to share your concern. Nourish and CSM Please let Barbora or Mel know if you are having trouble using either of these apps on your work mobile phone. Our Dorset Staff Wellbeing Service The Here for Each Other service is a free service that is open to all staff working within Health & Social Care in Dorset. They offer a range of wellbeing support, from drop-in sessions on mindfulness and improving your sleep, workshops on support with menopause, courses on improving posture with physiotherapists, 1:1 wellbeing coaching, counselling and specialist trauma therapy for any staff members who needs it. The service is free for staff to access and is an additional level of support to what is already provided by East Boro, Steps to Wellbeing etc. If you are interested, check out the events page on their website to see what’s on, or the ‘make a referral’ page where you can self-refer. This service is completely independent of East Boro and everything you discuss is confidential www. joinourdorset.nhs.uk/wellbeing
Mary Stepin, Director of Care & Independent Living Services
what’s on
Date
Time
5th April
10 am
Introduction to Mental Health
13th April
10 am
Increasing Emotional Resilience
14th April
10 am
Physical Intelligence
19th April
9 am
Mental Health Champions - Part 1
20th April
9 am
Mental Health Champions - Part 2
26th April
11 am
Sofa Sessions - Talking Menopause
27th April
1 pm
Wellbeing Art Class
If you have any questions, please email EEandOL@aster.co.uk
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Wellbeing courses
Guided meditations
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