Section 5

Profile of services provided to the public

5.1     Supported accommodation services

Up until the 1990’s, the accommodation service provided by the Cheshire Foundation took the form of a “traditional” residential home.  However, over the course of the last decade and in response to what service users were telling us and as a result of our own evaluative and qualitative research, Cheshire’s model of service provision has changed and expanded.  Today, all of our centres aim to facilitate people to live as independently as possible and with the maximum degree of personal choice as to how they live their lives.  Over recent years, we have developed new centres around the country where disabled people live in their own apartments with support, as required, from Cheshire staff.  Many of our older centres have also been refurbished in line with this policy.  These developments fit with the type of service provision recommended in the Report of the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities and the Department of Health policy document, Towards an Independent Future.

(See Table 5.1 for details of Centres providing these services.  See Section 6 for details of how to access these services)

5.2     Respite services

Most of our centres provide respite places which are available, on a planned basis, to people who normally live in the community or with other voluntary agencies.  Respite is also used internally within Cheshire services to provide short breaks to service users.  Typically, individuals avail of respite breaks of between 1 and 2 weeks.

Emergency respite is also provided, subject to accommodation being available.

(See Table 5.1 for details of Centres providing these services.  See Section 6 for details of how to access these services)

5.3     Outreach services

In the Eastern Region, we provide outreach services to disabled people in their own homes.  This service gives people support with daily living, provides information and access to specially adapted transport and links to respite and other facilities in Cheshire’s 24-hour supported accommodation services.

(See Table 5.1 for details of Centres providing these services.  See Section 6 for details of how to access these services)

5.4     Other services provided to the public

Increasingly, Cheshire Centres are active in providing additional services to the public in their locality.  These services meet a range of needs from individual training to community occupational therapy.

(See Table 5.1 for details of Centres providing these services.  See Section 6 for details of how to access these services)

5.5     Corporate services provided to the public

In addition to its role in organisational management, the Foundation’s Central Office provides a number of corporate services to members of the public.  These services are listed below:

·        Provision of general information to the public.

·        Part-management of the applications process (under review)

·        Management of requests made under the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act

·        Provision of support programmes for service users.

·        Co-ordination of staff training & development.

·        Co-ordination of Health & Safety management.

(See Section 6 for details of how to access these services)

Table 5.1  Services provided to the public by the Cheshire Foundation

* A range of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, counselling and activation services are provided in Centres in line with local resource availability