St Luke’s Story Showcased at Health+Care!

Community Integrated Care’s Deputy CEO Cath Murray Howard this week shared the transformation at St Luke’s Care Home in Runcorn with delegates at the Heath + Care 2015 Conference, as part of its ‘Innovations in Residential Care’ session.

The session, part of the two-day Health + Care Conference which took place at London’s Excel Exhibition Centre this Wednesday & Thursday (24^th & 25^th June) – explored how the changing expectations of people in residential care homes need to be met by providers.

In her presentation, entitled ‘Failing Care Homes to Success Stories’, Cath discussed how just a matter of years ago, St Luke’s Care Home was in danger of closure. A combination a poor relationship with the Local Authority, low occupancy and poor management led to the home becoming financially unsustainable – resulting in a proposal to close the service.

Instead, in the new CCG regime, Community Integrated Care, Halton Council and Halton CCG came together to not just save it – but to transform it too.

At the start of the partnership, a multidisciplinary project team was established – featuring lead members of the CCG, local authority and Community Integrated Care. Together, they identified that people with acute dementia needs were not properly supported by existing provision within Borough, escalating the need for hospital interventions. By adding clinical input to the service, it could meet this additional need, specialise provision and make the home viable.

The Clinical Lead and Dementia Lead for Halton CCG worked alongside staff at the home to identify opportunities to improve provision. As a result, the service now receives on-going support from a CCG team that includes: RMN Advanced Practitioners, OTs and Behavioural Specialists. Additionally, every St Luke’s staff member received a suite of genuinely specialist training.

Most recently, Community Integrated Care celebrated a major refurbishment of St Luke’s, which was funded by the CCG and council securing a £100,000 grant, as well as a £150,000 investment by our charity.

Cath Murray-Howard, Deputy Chief Executive of Community Integrated Care, led the project for our charity. She says, “St Luke’s is a model for modern dementia care. In my presentation, I demonstrated how providers can work closely with partners to create an innovative approach that ensures that people receive all the support they need in a comfortable and caring home, rather than the unfamiliar surroundings of hospitals.”