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We Have Won A National Award
14.05.2008
Colchester Borough Homes has won a national award for a palliative care scheme. It won the Most Innovative Project award from the housing federation, the NFA. The scheme – which is believed to be the first of its kind in the country – began last year.
There is a big gap in the current system of palliative care. Half of all adults who are terminally ill in England express a wish to die at home, but this only happens to one in five people. The government wants to improve this situation.
The scheme was set up in October last year by Colchester Borough Homes Sheltered Housing Manager Jacqui Tavner and NHS Community Matron Jan Secretan. The scheme is run in partnership with the NHS. Suitable people are identified when they are in hospital. They are then moved to one of two “Extra Care” schemes – which are a special form of sheltered housing.
This means people can take their belongings with them and effectively be in their own home. On top of all this, they get a full care package, which has been carefully worked out depending on their needs. There are plans to expand the scheme, so that more people can benefit from it. Two people have been through the project. While they are in the sheltered housing, they are secure tenants.
Jacqui Tavner said “This is absolutely great news. I was thrilled when we won. I would like to emphasize that this project would never have happened with out the support of the NHS, and in particular Jan Secretan. I hope that more people and their families can benefit from it in the future. I would like to thank everyone who was involved and contributed to the project. This is a pilot scheme which is quite significant and could be taken up across the country.”
Colchester Borough Homes Chief Executive, Greg Falvey, said “We are delighted to have won this award. Working on behalf of Colchester Borough Council, we are determined to do our best whenever we can to help people when they are facing difficult times in their lives. I would like to congratulate everyone involved in the scheme. The project shows our commitment to the community and helping individuals, however sensitive the circumstances. It also shows that we are prepared to consider new – and better - ways of doing things. We would also like thank the NHS without whom we could not have done this. It shows what can be achieved when two organisations work in partnership.”
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