INVESTORS IN PEOPLE BRONZE ASSESSMENT REPORT

INVESTORS IN PEOPLE BRONZE ASSESSMENT REPORT for Bedford Citizens Housing Association Page: 1 of 13

Key Information Assessment Type Investors in People Specialist Assessment Jeannette Stanley Visit Date 13/12/2013-16/12/2013 Assessment Enquiry Number Conclusion ENQ 90670 RHM0Q2 Having conducted the assessment in accordance with the UK Commission for Employment & Skills (UKCES) and EMB Excellence Ltd guidelines, I am delighted to confirm that Bedford Citizens Housing Association (BCHA) continues to meet all evidence requirements of the core Investors in People (IIP) Standard. Furthermore, having provided consistent, positive evidence to meet 72 evidence requirements from across the full IIP framework I am also delighted to confirm that BCHA has successfully achieved Bronze status. Congratulations to all at BCHA for achieving a positive assessment outcome set against a backdrop of significant organisational change. Please pass on my thanks to all involved in the IIP discussions for their open and honest feedback; special thanks must go to Lisa and Vanessa for ensuring that the assessment flowed smoothly and trouble-free; it was a pleasure conducting this assessment! Milestone Dates Review of Continuous June 2015 Improvement Plan Date of Next Full Assessment December 2016 Jeannette Stanley, 16 December 2013 Investors in People Specialist Direct Tel: 01908 661031 Email: jeannettestanley@ymail.com Website: www.iipcentralengland.co.uk Page: 2 of 13

CONTENTS 1 Executive Summary 4 Page 2 Findings against the requirements of the Standard Strategic Development A Learning Organisation 5 5 8 Appendix 1 Suggested Continuous Improvement Plan 11 Appendix 2 Assessment Results Summary 13 Page: 3 of 13

1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY BCHA is a well established provider of housing, care and support services to older people who live in a variety of the organisation s accommodation that incorporates a number of carehomes, sheltered-housing schemes and non-sheltered accommodation based in and around Bedford. The organisation has a clear mission to provide individual and high quality support, care and homes for our residents. As well as being a service provider to over 200 BCHA s residents, the organisation works closely with the local authority as a selected partner for the delivery of personalised services in the local community; it is also an agent for a local trust and a housing association providing a complete range of support, maintenance and management services to residents in a personalised manner. In the light of a number of significant changes that have recently taken place that include an internal restructure and a major expansion programme that includes the complete redevelopment of the Charter House site to provide state of the art accommodation and services, BCHA decided to undertake a strategic assessment in January 2013, based on the understanding that a full assessment would be required by January 2014. Since the strategic assessment the organisation has continued to face extremely tough and challenging times, including ongoing and significant pressures on operational costs as a result of public funding cuts. Despite the challenges times and funding pressures BCHA continues to face investment in workforce development has not wavered as people were able to provide much consistent and positive evidence during the December 2013 discussions confirming they are fully involved in the planning, communication and development activities that take place within BCHA. Staff feedback is both actively sought and acted upon ensuring the ongoing delivery and development of high quality services to the residents and tenants whilst making sure that the organisation is continuously improving and moving forward. Furthermore, in the spirit of continuous improvement, BCHA elected to be assessed against additional evidence requirements of the extended IIP framework that has successfully resulted in achieving Bronze status. BCHA is very proud of its workforce and the hard work they do and places a great value on the individual contributions of all employees. The organisation has been IIP accredited for many years demonstrating a long-standing and outstanding commitment to workforce development. The IIP Specialist was very impressed by the open, friendly and inclusive culture that prevails throughout BCHA. There is a positive well done management style that supports a learning environment in which leadership, ownership and responsibility are strongly promoted at all levels. Page: 4 of 13

Key strengths and areas of good practice A clear purpose and vision provides great clarity of direction Extremely robust strategic planning, monitoring and review mechanisms BCHA principles and values govern the way that the organisation operates Staff genuinely believe in and share BCHA s core values Inspirational leadership demonstrated by the CEO fosters a culture of learning and improving performance An impetus for continuous improvement is supported by a culture of ownership, responsibility within a cycle of self-review, external audits and benchmarking activities Excellent use of KPIs and clear target setting at all levels Supportive management practices across all operational areas A supportive culture encourages the giving and receiving of constructive feedback:- enabling people to challenge the status quo A culture of appreciation and recognition 2 Findings against the requirements of the Standard Strategic Development At the time of this assessment the BCHA business plan, aims and objectives were in the process of being revised for the next five years in line with the organisation s vision to build a new care home 2013 and an extra-care facility 2014. The overall vision and strategy are reviewed annually from which the operational plan is developed with KPIs corresponding to finance, operational performance, service development and risk-management. The management team feeds directly into business planning with input from staff, residents and tenants. A strategic and operational review is conducted between the CEO and the Chairman of the Board once a fortnight that always includes a focus on the residents and their needs. The management team continues to meet collectively on a regular basis from which individual KPIs, objectives and targets are established and cascaded within teams through individual 1:1s and appraisals. Page: 5 of 13

The CEO and the Chairman of the Board described how BCHA s long-term vision and planning, beyond doubt, take into account the needs of both the business and the wider community. As such BHCA Business Plan and the supporting operational plan have been developed with input from all of BCHA s stakeholders, setting out clearly defined milestones and targets to be used inclusively to monitor resources, evaluate progress through the KPIs and identify where any necessary adjustments maybe be required. Furthermore, key milestones have been developed so that the care-home and the extra-care facility may function independently of each other. Factored into the planning process, influencing and informing the CEO s and the Board s thinking, are outcomes from CQC inspections, QAF audits and local authority inspections including Fire Services and Environmental Health. Additionally, BCHA is a member of a benchmarking club whose activities inform performance improvements. A new buildings committee has been established to monitor the budget and progress ensuring that the programme is completed on time and to budget. Representatives from staff and residents have been invited to join the committee. Moreover BCHA is employing local contractors for the new development and is working closely with the local community taking into account the impact of the new development on the environment as well as its social impact. At the heart of BHCA s planning to ensure business viability and sustainability are the needs of the residents and tenants; their needs are identified through a variety of methods both formally and informally. Examples include residents and relative meetings, an annual review of support needs, management and staff meetings, as well as appraisals and individual 1:1s that take place within the context of a monthly cycle of self-review. An analysis of the number of Nurses Calls has improved the quality of care as patterns of demand have been identified and this information supports resource planning for service delivery. Data arising from questionnaires and surveys, as well as benchmarking activities is also regularly analysed. Residents needs are identified informally through daily discussions and professional dialogue, as well as during residents activities times. Recent opportunities for service improvement also include the introduction of a visiting Dentist for example, as well as a wider range of activities being organised for the residents to enjoy seven days a week instead of the current five. Discussions at senior level revealed that the organisation needs to be fit for purpose and work evaluations have been carried out looking at capacity and capabilities. In line with the need to be fit for purpose leadership and management capabilities are to be reviewed and refreshed as new skills will be required for the new development. Consequently a number of changes have been made to the staff structure and teams in line with BCHA s vision for the new care-home and extra-care facility. BCHA s recruitment and selection process for appointing people into post either internally or externally is comprehensive and described as fair and thorough in line with the organisation s principles and values. People are encouraged to take on additional responsibilities with management support through the Champion role to lead on training within their respective specialism for example Dementia, Medication and Dignity & Care or where individuals feel they are able or wish to make an added contribution such as coaching and mentoring colleagues. Furthermore, as the new building will be much bigger an emphasis is also being placed on up-skilling and multi-skilling Page: 6 of 13

staff thus promoting a greater use of electronic data for example the diary, hand-over notes, care-plans and invoices. Underpinning all of BHCA s strategic development planning and operational objectives is a set of core values: Be accountable to our residents, tenants, partners, regulators and the local community Challenge what we do and how we do it and consider how we can do it better Help residents and tenants to make informed choices about what they and what they don t want: and Achieve their professional and personal goals. People both believe in and share the values and described how the CEO and SMT work closely with staff to improve service delivery, to ensure that all people have a voice and input and challenge working practice to improve performance. To encourage people to take more part and ownership regarding decision-making a new Staff Consultative Committee has been introduced since that last assessment attended by representatives from all areas of operations; no management attends unless by invitation so that people feel free to speak openly on any issues or operational matters that may affect their work and where their work impacts on teams in other areas. Consultation and communication have improved as people are now sharing more knowledge across teams; meetings are more inclusive and less driven by managers, however, the SMT is fully aware that the implication of working in a much larger building with new services and facilities will require an ongoing review of communication and consultation arrangements. Quotes There is growing need to develop and provide more creative services for our older people as we are all living longer and often with complex needs this will impact on our roles, how we work as teams as well as on our development. I m very impressed by the way this organisation is run we ve direct input to the business and operational planning which always centres on the residents. All our Trustees are local people; we ve links with local charities looking for premises to move into our building. In our 1:1s we talk about my performance, any concerns I may have and then agree clear targets for moving forward that link to my development and training a key priority is always risk management which is rigorous. My role is to mentor, support and train, to pass on my knowledge and build the team to keep our residents as independent for as long as possible. Page: 7 of 13

My needs are discussed in my appraisal and 1:1s we re encouraged to get involved all the time and come up with suggestions at any time. We re happy to put in any extra hours required, there is a lot of good will here because our values are in synch we re passionate about the care we give to our residents! We need to improve service delivery in order to increase our funding potential. This means up-skilling particularly in IT by using more electronic data to save time, energy and reduce the amount of paperwork in admin. There s great team spirit here it comes from the top very supportive with lots of best practice being shared. A Learning Organisation BCHA prides itself on being a learning organisation. By this we mean we may not always get it right first time but we set in place mechanisms and values to ensure that staff at all levels are equipped... As previously stated, BCHA annually reviews its vision, strategic performance and development potential resulting in an updated operational plan in which clear objectives are set out enabling the CEO, the Board and SMT to assess and minimise risks associated with delivering the objectives. Fundamental to managing and minimising risks is the ongoing need to ensure, develop and maintain a workforce that has high capability levels coupled with good levels of autonomy. To achieve this objective a comprehensive skills audit is carried out each year further supported by the cycle of self-review including appraisals and 1:1s. The outcomes from these review mechanisms feed into the creation of the workforce development plan and accompanying budget, both of which require approval from the Finance and Personnel Committee. Every aspect of planning regarding staff development focuses on building capabilities in line with the BCHA s vision and values which are at the heart of the organisation s people strategies. Within the workforce development are clear priorities set for the creation, updating and regular review of training requirements for all staff. As stated, individual needs are reviewed regularly as part of the appraisals and 1:1s conducted; individual training needs may also arise from the team and management meetings. The availability of development opportunities is brought to individuals attention as part of the same appraisal and 1:1 review process, in the circulation of emails and memos, as well as in team meetings that encourage people to identify their own learning and development needs and agree pathways for achieving them. The reasons for undertaking development activities are well understood and often support career progression. Developing leadership skills at all levels is encouraged and is often recognised through internal promotions as there are many opportunities created for stepping up and indeed Page: 8 of 13

stepping down if desired in a supportive learning culture. Policies for induction, appraisal, training and the reward and recognition strategy have been developed around BCHA s vision and values. Through a regular cycle of self-review that includes a number of audits, KPIs are monitored and measured and may identify further opportunities for improving performance through learning and development. Feedback from external inspections and audits may also feed into workforce development planning. All training activities, whether mandatory or personal, are recorded, tracked and monitored electronically and reports are regularly produced. The training focus for much of BCHA learning activities is on risk-management and includes SOVA, Dementia, Dignity & Care, Food Hygiene, Infection Control, Medication, Moving and Positioning for examples. As stated, internal Champions have been identified to lead on training in specialist areas. Questionnaires are used to test knowledge and understanding and evaluation forms are completed to improve and develop learning activities, as is any relevant information arising from staff surveys and residents feedback. Not only is the rolling training programme regularly monitored electronically, so too are the resources supporting its implementation. For example, the workforce development budget is structured in such a way that SMT are able to monitor each scheme, care-home and operational area on a line-by-line basis as part of the monthly management accounting process which is reviewed collectively by SMT. Time-sheets have been also introduced in certain areas to identify how much time is being spent working on certain tasks to understand where time has been saved or may be saved as a result of IT up-skilling and developing new ways of working. BCHA is a learning organisation that employs a variety of mechanisms for motivating its people that includes opportunities for taking on additional responsibilities; there is much encouragement for being involved in the decision-making process in team meetings and 1:1s, as well as on forums such as the new build committee and the staff consultative committee in which ownership and responsibility are also strong promoted. There are also recognition schemes in place to reward people for going the extra mile beyond and above through various award categories. Vouchers may be given in recognition of consistently good performance and attendance and to celebrate Christmas. Unsurprisingly, some people find some methods more motivational than others; most people interviewed believe the gestures made by BCHA are a sign of genuine appreciation. Quotes It s much better now we ve learned to use the electronic calendar people aren t being left out any more, communication s much improved and people prefer it as things are getting done when they should it s saved a lot of time too as there s less need to refer, people are more proactive. Page: 9 of 13

My induction was brilliant it was supportive and I got all the help I needed I could go to anyone at all everyone s willing to help you here. We ve been on a journey as a team and we re much stronger for it we no longer judge straight away but explore. No two days are ever the same here, everyday is different you re learning all the time and yes, it is any everyday activity! We ve more opportunities for team working now as more steering groups have been introduced this has got to be better all round particularly for the residents. The staff web-site s great, we re making more use of it as everything s on it but we ll need to make even more use when we move into the new build. We get to step-up for XX on occasions it s good for our development and helps you to progress. The training we ve just had has really helped increased our awareness of residents needs we can look after them better. Because of the regular feedback I ve been given, I can deal with situations very quickly and my work has definitely improved. Page: 10 of 13

Appendix 1 Continuous Improvement Plan Business Issue - What Suggested Actions - How Potential Benefit - Why Priority - When Solutions/Support Available - Who Strategic Development Continue to review and refresh leadership skills of both the SMT and management teams Ensures their capabilities and performance are fit for purpose in line with moving into the new building as new services and facilities will require new ways of working at team and individual levels. High CEO BCHA s external consultant IIP Specialist Strategic Development Continue to develop and roll out IT strategy and up-skill staff Improves service delivery and care planning Generally improves efficiency all round Improves transparency and consistency of communication Increases potential for saving time and labour Avoids unnecessary and/or duplication of paperwork Ongoing CEO SMT Managers Strategic Development Consider reviewing the appraisal grading system and/ or remove it May help to increase motivation levels of some people in some areas who do not understand why grade A is never awarded on principle Medium CEO SMT Page: 11 of 13

A Learning Organisation Share IIP feedback report at SCC or post on web-site Encourages more feedback and suggestions for improving staff engagement and working practice ASAP CEO SCC A Learning Organisation Develop plan to achieve IIP Silver status As above May help to support marketing and promotion strategies in line with company vision and values Medium CEO IIP Specialist SMT Management Team SCC Staff There are a number of tools on the IIP website to help with your ongoing development, these include: Interactive www.investorsinpeople.co.uk/interactive Diagnostic Surveys www.investorsinpeople.co.uk/mediaresearch/tools Case Studies www.investorsinpeople.co.uk/mediaresearch/casestudy Health and Wellbeing www.investorsinpeople.co.uk/healthandwellbeing Also check the emb-x website at www.iipcentralengland.co.uk for workshops, activities and events. Page: 12 of 13

Appendix 2 Assessment results summary The Investors in People Framework The Evidence Requirements 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 The Indicators 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 The number of evidence requirements met is 72 Key: The Core Investors in People Standard Your Choice from the Investors in People Framework Not part of the Investors in People Framework Page: 13 of 13