This has been a very busy year and we would like to thank you for your continued support. It is time once again to pay your membership fees and we would like to take this opportunity to remind you of some of the activity SARCP has been involved with over the past 12 months.

We have redeveloped our website and Members are invited to submit details of their service for inclusion FREE of charge. We can arrange for someone to visit your Home and take photos if required at a cost of £50.00 for 4 photos.  Please complete the enclosed questionnaire and return it with your membership fee.

SARCP has worked hard and continues to do so, to develop a huge range of financial benefits for its members. Some of the biggest suppliers to the care sector now offer our members substantial discounts on their products such as up to 90% discount with Care Shop, up to 80% discount with Brakes Brothers Food Services and many others. Negotiations are ongoing with suppliers to ensure our members have access to the most cost effective products and services. If you do not have access to the Internet details will be supplied to you and/or our Membership Manager could arrange an appointment with you to discuss the cost saving opportunities. Please complete the enclosed questionnaire and return it with your membership fee and we will make any necessary arrangements.

You will be able to register your bed vacancies on the website if you subscribe to our Bed Vacancy Listing Service. This will mean that your vacancies will be sent to Social work offices of your choice, to the general public who make enquiries via SARCP office and will be available on-line to anyone looking for care services. Details of joining our Bed Vacancy Listing Service are enclosed.

You will also be able to advertise job vacancies FREE of charge on SARCP’s website for the first 6 months of this year. Please complete the enclosed job vacancy form and return it with your membership fee. If you would like this form electronically please email your request to pam@sarcp.com

Keith Lewin, the senior partner of Brunswicks, pioneered the use of free-of-charge help-lines. Today, through MKB Care, you can contact one of their lawyers directly to obtain a view on an issue which might be troubling you or to receive guidance on a matter which has arisen. That telephone support is cost-FREE to you as a member of SARCP (time restricted). Details of how to access this service will be sent to you with a receipt for your membership fee.

You can receive an electronic Newsletter if you have email facilities and inform us of your email address in order to keep up to date with all developments both Locally and Nationally. Please complete the enclosed questionnaire and return it with your membership fee.

We have once again administered the distribution of Skills For Care funding which supports Induction, Foundation, NVQ’s and RMA’s. We were able to offer funding for over 900 units.  We are still awaiting the final payment from Skills for Care and cheques will be issued as soon as funds have been received.

We also received Skills for Care Innovation funding to support the following courses:
Dementia Care
End of Life Care
Person Centred Planning
English as a Second Language (ESOL)

We continue to represent members by attending meetings, responding to consultation documents and lobbying local MP’s and the government. I have detailed below some of this activity:

We arranged the following seminars/Meetings

• 23rd April 2008 Fire Safety Awareness Residential Care Presentation by Steve Ostridge MIFPO, AIFSM, AIIRSM

• 28th May 2008 Learning Disability Focus Meeting – Chaired by Keith Smith (SARCP Treasurer)

• 2nd June 2008 Mental Capacity Act 2005 Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards presentation by Ralph Hall (Programme Support Officer Mental Health Bill – CSIP) and Wendy Cantliff – IMCA Co Ordinator ASIST

• 12th September 2008 NHS Continuing Health Care Funding
Awareness Session Presentation by Ruth Benson (South Staffs. PCT)

• 17th September 2008 Annual Quality Assurance Assessment (AQAA) And KLORA Presentation by Frank Ursell Chief Exec. Registered Nursing Homes Association.

• 29th October 2008 Annual Quality Assurance Assessment (AQAA) And KLORA Presentation by Frank Ursell Chief Exec. Registered Nursing Homes Association

• 12th November 2008 Financial Viability Group Meeting- Fred Fennell and Keith Smith

• 4th February 2009 Safe Administration of Medication Presentation by Rosemont and Questions and Answers from CSCI Local Pharmacist

• 11th February 2009 Employment Law Seminar Presentations by Citation and ACAS

• 31st March 2009 Financial Viability Group Meeting – Chaired by Fred Fennell and Keith Smith

We will continue to facilitate training opportunities in order to assist members with their continued professional development and to ensure they stay abreast of current issues.
 
• We have continued to meet with Staffordshire Social Services to discuss current issues. We have not met with Stoke-on-Trent Social Care & Health for some time but continue to correspond regarding issues of concern.

• We attend many meetings with the Staffordshire’s Joint Commissioning Unit, Social Services, North Staffs Health Authority and South Staffs Health Authority and other interested partner groups.  We make representation to Stoke-on-Trent Social Services and continue to be represented on The Protection of Vulnerable Adults Board to name but a few.

• We have processed over 18,000 Criminal Record Disclosure applications since April 2002 and members receive a discounted rate for this service.

• We continue to operate a Bed Vacancy Listing Service and members receive a discounted rate.

As you can see it has been a productive year and SARCP needs to continue to be a strong representative body in order to remain effective.

At a recent Financial Viability Group meeting we outlined the many changes taking place in the next 12 months including possible changes to Regulations, the new enforcement powers available to the Care Quality Commission, Social Services Monitoring Systems, visits/inspections by LINk etc.

 I would like to take this opportunity of thanking all committee members for their time and commitment over the last 12 months and hope that you will continue to support them and myself by renewing your membership. An invoice is enclosed and a £10.00 discount is available if payment is received by 30th April 2009.

Yours sincerely

Fred Fennell

Fred Fennell
Chairman
 

There are still many changes taking place and we are committed to helping our members through them. I would like to take this opportunity to ask you to consider joining SARCP. If you would like to discuss this or receive a membership application form please contact Karen Weaver Tel: 01785 760070.

Click here to download membership application form for 3+ beds

Click here to download membership form for less than 4 beds

Click here to download application form for domiciliary services

Representing Independent Care Homes and Domiciliary Care Providers
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