Issue 12
PCP welcomes new Deputy Chief Executive, Liz Fisher
To support the Pioneering Care Partnership’s (PCP) growth and next stage of development, the charity is delighted to appoint a highly skilled, experienced leader to join the team as Deputy Chief Executive.
Liz Fisher joins PCP with a passion to tackle health inequalities and making a difference for people, with previous experience in overseeing projects in both the community and voluntary sector.
Liz brings senior leadership experience from previous roles with The National Trust and The Auckland Project. Within both organisations, Liz has supported and oversaw projects in similar spheres to the work PCP undertakes, including working in partnership and community development.
Liz said: “I am genuinely honoured to have been offered this role as Deputy Chief Executive at PCP and I’m looking forward to meeting teams, volunteers, and our partners over the next few weeks. As someone with a passion for making a positive impact for communities, this opportunity is a perfect fit.”
Carol said: “The calibre of candidates for the role was very high and Liz is exceptional, bringing a breadth of experience along with a pragmatic 'can do' approach to our wonderful, dedicated team.
“At PCP our values and mission statement of ‘Health, Wellbeing and Learning for All’ is at the core of everything we do. Liz clearly shared our values to make a difference with ambitions to support people and communities. I am looking forward to working closely with Liz, Trustees and the rest of the staff team as we look ahead to the future.”
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Bobby Hewitson, Project Development Manager
Bobby has worked in the delivery of community health and wellbeing programmes since 2006. He was employed as a Lifestyle Manager by Leisureworks, a leisure trust set up to deliver services in Derwentside. His experience spans almost two decades and notable projects have included family health and wellbeing, workplace health, exercise referral including cardiac rehabilitation and diabetes, exercise in the community with a focus on walking and cycling for older people, programmes to support physical activity, positive lifestyle change and social opportunities. Many other projects including Wellbeing for Life and Colour Your Life were delivered in partnership with PCP.
Gayle Goldsmith, Project Development Manager
Gayle has an extensive career working in the field of health and social care. For the last 28 years, she has been employed by a North East charity providing specialist support and education to autistic adults and young people.
During this time, she has worked in a diverse range of roles, from support worker to registered manager. More recently she has been working in the position of Learning and Development Manager, coordinating, delivering, and developing bespoke training for 600 staff.
Gayle has successfully managed several CQC registered services, steering and leading change during times of uncertainty in the sector.
Bobby is very committed and enthusiastic about providing opportunities for people to improve their lifestyle and health and wellbeing.
See Bobby's full bio here.
Gayle remains incredibly passionate about promoting the rights and improving the lives of vulnerable people.
See Gayle's full bio here.
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Celebrating workplace wellbeing – Better Health at Work Award
County Durham holds
Celebration Event
Organisations across County Durham recently celebrated wellbeing in the workplace with the County Durham Better Health at Word Award’s (BHAWA) Celebration Event.
The Pioneering Care Partnership (PCP) is proud to deliver the County Durham BHAWA, that recognises the efforts of prioritising wellbeing in the workplace.
Those who attended the celebration event heard from Optimum Skills Limited, Hopewood School, Advance Learning Partnership Learning Partnership, Andy Airey from 3 Dads Walking, Amanda Healy - Director of Public Health, Jane Sunter - Public Health Strategic Manager, Michael Shannon - Public Health Strategic Manager and Carol Gaskarth - Chief Executive of PCP.
With the key message of health and wellbeing it was appropriate that a special guest speaker in Andy Airey from 3 Dads Walking, spoke at length to attendees about suicide awareness.
3 Dads Walking raise awareness about suicide throughout the UK due to their daughters taking their lives three years ago. Since then, they set out on a mission, doing walks and talks across the UK to raise money and awareness on suicide.
Karen Stubbings, Project Lead of Workplace Health at the PCP, said: “We had a fantastic afternoon with some amazing speakers, it was great to hear from those who attended to celebrate wellbeing in the workplace.
“I encourage any organisation to join the award, we give them guidance and informative training opportunities to support staff with different topics such as cancer awareness, mental health, financial wellbeing, and more. Awarded organisations from the BHAWA have reported a rise in productivity amongst staff, proving it to be a worthwhile focus for organisations.”
To find out more about the award, contact workplacehealth@pcp.uk.net or visit betterhealthatworkdurham.co.uk for more information.
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PCP Befriending Services expands to support communities
What started out as a couple of people attending the befriending group, quickly grew to over 20 people joining weekly.
The Pioneering Care Partnership (PCP)’s Befriending Services offers an in-person befriending group. Ran by volunteer, Jean Griffiths, Jean credits the group to making a difference and offering a friendly space. She said: “The befriending group is so lovely, and a true necessity.
“I know people from the group who have moved from different areas and are trying to make friends, and I had that myself, moving from Liverpool to up north in the 1980s, and it is daunting trying to make new friends.
“Having a second day will make it easier for those who want to come to the group but may not have been able to on the original day and time. It gives everyone a chance to get out the house, talk to people and make new friends.”
Delivered from the Pioneering Care Centre (PCC) in Newton Aycliffe, the befriending group is now offered on a Tuesday from 12.30pm to 2pm and a Thursday from 12.30pm to 2pm.
The befriending group offers people a chance to meet new people for a friendly get together, to share stories, have a ‘cuppa’ and even enjoy a quiz! The befriending group is free, with all ages welcome and refreshments provided.
Carol Gaskarth, Chief Executive of PCP, said: “PCP’s Befriending Services have supported over 900 people since 2020. What originally began as our Every Call Counts phone service created in the pandemic to offer a friendly voice in difficult times, led to the creation of the popular befriending group.
“I invite anyone who may be interested to pop along to our next befriending group. For any questions, you can contact our Befriending Services on befriending@pcp.uk.net or call 01325 321234 for more information.”
For additional information visit our Befriending Services webpage by clicking here.
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Staff Spotlight -
Tom Mohan
PCP is proud to deliver Healthwatch County Durham to the people of County Durham. Healthwatch County Durham is the independent champion for people who use health and social care services, ensuring the people of County Durham are put to the heart of care.
Can you give an overview of your role?
I am the Senior Link Worker for Community Connect Stockton-on-Tees, and my role is to support the general public with improving their health and wellbeing through information, advice, guidance, signposting, and referrals. Community Connect is a social prescribing service that offers one-to-one, or group sessions and we also deliver digital inclusion and health and wellbeing programmes in the community. I work fulltime based at Catalyst House in Stockton alongside several other Pioneering Care Partnership (PCP) managed projects.
Describe a day-to-day in your role. Some days can be back-to-back appointments via phone calls or in person. Others can be catching up on admin and organising informational packs for clients or liaising with other services to make referrals. We attend many community events too which is a great way to inform the public and services alike about the support we provide.
What do you like about working for the PCP/HWCD?
I started working at PCP back in 2014 when I was just 19 years old. I started as an Admin Apprentice and have been given many opportunities to progress to where I am today. I had no intention of working within health and wellbeing but nearly ten years later I am still loving it. I’ve made some lifelong friends working in this organisation and have been supported both professionally and personally by those around me to no end.
What is the most rewarding aspect of the role?
Being able to support those within the community and to see them progress and improve their health and wellbeing through small or large changes.
Read Tom's full staff spotlight here.
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Staff SpotlightJulia Catherall
PCP is proud to deliver Healthwatch County Durham to the people of County Durham. Healthwatch County Durham is the independent champion for people who use health and social care services, ensuring the people of County Durham are put to the heart of care.
Can you give an overview of your role?
My job title is Engagement and Signposting Lead and I work full time. I work with both internal staff but probably more external staff. My role is primarily working with the public of County Durham to gather their views on health and care services. We do this in several different ways whether it be engagement events, 11 sessions, questionnaires, and online engagement. We then feed this back to commissioners of services with recommendations and suggestions on how they came make changes to services they deliver. We offer a signposting and information service where people of County Durham can give us a call on our freephone number with any issues or concerns regarding services they access. We can make calls on their behalf or signpost them to various services and organisations.
Describe a day-to-day in your role. No two days are the same and that is what I enjoy about my role. I could be attending a meeting or preparing for an event. I need to make sure I have everything I need in my little trolley –plenty of freebies, who doesn’t love a free pen?! The phone can ring at any time, and you never know what type of call it can be or how long you will spend with that person.
What do you like about working for the PCP/HWCD?
I started with PCP in June 2008 as an Administrator on another project that ran for five years. I was then TUPED (Transfer of Undertakings, Protection of Employment) to the organisation who won the new Healthwatch contract in April 2013. PCP then took over the contract when it went out for tender in 2016 and I was TUPED back to PCP!
What is the most rewarding aspect of the role?
It gives me a sense of achievement if I have helped and supported a person and given them the right information to support them with an issue they have regardless of how small or how long it has taken me. I love to see a work plan come to light. We ask the public what their main concerns are, or an area they would like us to focus our research on, this piece of work can take months of planning with us really concentrating on a particular area which the public have told us needs improving. Recently, we made recommendations on a piece of work around home care services and Durham County Council acknowledged our recommendations and were looking to improve the service. I work with a great team, we support each other and can be very vocal at our monthly team meetings.
Read Julia's full staff spotlight here.
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Healthwatch Sunderland appeal for STAR Award nominations
Do you know a shining star in health and social care in Sunderland? Share your story and nominate a shining star today!
Healthwatch often hear about those services that shine or individuals who go the extra mile. Celebrating these services or individuals is an essential and enjoyable part of the work Healthwatch does and the ‘Nominate a Star’ scheme is our way of acknowledging all the good we hear about.
Healthwatch
Stockton-on-Tees
launch Annual Report
Healthwatch Stockton-on-Tees' latest Annual Report highlights work over the last twelve months, and how the landscape of health and social care services has changed.
You can read about:
The highlights for the past year. Your views on local 0-19 health services during the last 12 months and how future services will address the needs of the public.
HWSoT collaboration with Stocktonon-Tees Borough Council learning disability day services to engage with people with a learning disability on their views and experiences of their health and wellbeing over the past year.
If you would like to nominate a staff member, team or service for one of our Star Awards for the difference they have made to you or someone you know, please visit Healthwatch Sunderland's website for more information.
Engagement with the community to understand how the Accessible Information Standards works at a local level and how local people have experienced receiving health information from health and care services
Read HWSoT's Annual Report here.
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Hydrotherapy Pool renovations
We have planning permission!
After some stops and starts, the pool and Options renovations are on their way to construction stage. In a construction project, we work with our architects to develop a project plan that is led by 6 RIBA stages.
We have onboarded our technical team, including pool provider, civil, structural and mechanical engineers, and the ever important cost consultant. They have spent months working with Vicky and Joe preparing the project through technical design stage and submission of planning.
With Durham County Council approving the project, we are nearing the end of RIBA stage 4 with tender callout and an evaluation of contractors to take place early August. The Centre Development Team, which includes Trustees, will pause for thought on which contractor can offer good value for the project and have a final moment to review the budget before proceeding.
For more information on the upcoming hydrotherapy pool redevelopments, visit our webpage.
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We have planning permission!
Options extension update
We have planning permission!
We spoke to Linda West, Options Coordinator, about the upcoming renovations.
"We are looking forward to the upcoming extension as it'll give us more space for health and safety and storage of goods, more space for exercise sessions including chair exercises. It means we won't be on top of each other and it'll give everyone more space to, which can boost people's mental health. We can't wait!"
Wehave planning permission!
OurOption's members have shared their thoughts about the upcoming renovations. See below their thoughts and find more in the Pioneering Care Centre on our noticeboard.
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Happy 40th birthday Lucie!
At the Pioneering Care Centre, staff gathered along with OurOptions to wish Lucie Fieldson, Assistant PA, a happy 40th birthday!
Happy birthday Lucie, we all hope you had an amazing day!
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Pioneering Care Partnership (PCP)
For any enquiries regarding this publication, contact jenny.lee@pcp.uk.net
Registered Office: Pioneering Care Centre Carer's Way Newton Aycliffe DL5 4SF
Tel: 01325 321234
Email: enquiries@pcp.uk.net
Website: www.pcp.uk.net
Pioneering Care Partnership
@PCPandCentre @PioneeringCare
@PioneeringCare Pioneering Care Partnership
