Welcome to April’s Compass Points

Exemplifying our values

Welcome to April’s Compass Points. It’s been a very busy month, but the highlight for me has got to be bringing together our four new Values Champions for a celebratory lunch at a little Italian restaurant in Sheffield.

Champions

I’d like to thank Emma Turton, Natalie Mason, Carla Hickman and Ruth Nichols for braving the rail disruptions and travelling from four different points of our Compass to accept their awards.

They exemplify the best of our values and it was an honour to be able to spend time with them together and to hand them their certificates, trophies and lanyards! Thanks to Jan Smith and our non-exec directors, Len and Claire who were there too, to meet the winners and show their appreciation. The atmosphere was just joyous. It made me feel very proud of who we are at Compass and what we all stand for.

Innovations

Another important event in April was the launch of our specialist CYPs Bereavement Service. Which is now a part of our Wakefield emotional health and wellbeing service. This builds on the strengths and success of our Barnsley CYP Bereavement Service. Once again, we perceived a real need and sought to innovate to find a holsitic and integrated solution. 

Elsewhere, the work of our EDI Steering Group is powering forward. It’s a real pleasure to chair the group meetings. I believe that our free and open discussions have enabled us to produce a much clearer EDI Statement of Intent, which is now updated on the website. Through members’ proactiveness we are taking tangible steps towards increasing accessiblity for all across our services and organisation.

Meanwhile, the Senior Leadership Team has been thinking about how we bring together key aspects of our organisation to ensure the infrastructure is strong and sustainable, so we consolidate and develop in the best possible way.

I’d also like to welcome our new SLT member, Lauren. With her rich experience, and innovative outlook, we’re thrilled she’s joined us as part of the Compass family.

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EDI meeting update

Compass’ Equality, Diversity and inclusion Steering Group has agreed a new statement of intent.

The group discussed and considered an idea which has come out of the Race and Culture Thematic Working Group that staff undertake training to increase awareness of cultural competency. Here is one definition of Cultural Competency. It was agreed this would be explored further by the group by receiving the training themselves to collectively determine its usefulness.

The EDI Steering Group also heard and considered:

• Development of a DDA checklist, which was felt would be a useful and practical tool for sites to use
• An update on the progress around implementing a Freedom to Speak Up Guardian role within Compass.
• New accessibility standards for all written communications produced within Compass
• Proposals to further strengthen accessibility on our website
• Framework development updates from our participation, volunteering and communications steering groups.

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Action Plan being drawn up following focus groups

Staff took part in local focus groups to drill down into the results of the Your Voice staff survey.

Kim Jones, People Director, writes.

Thanks to all of you who participated in the local survey groups to look at your service/department results during February and March. We hope you found the sessions useful. For the central services teams, we ran one big session for all those teams to come together to discuss the results – it was a great way to connect as a broader team and we have further plans to regularly meet as a group.

As we said in our last update on staff survey earlier this year, we are feeding in all relevant information from local focus groups to the organisation wide action plan that will work on 5 key areas for improvement. We will be sharing this plan with you shortly.

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Tears as Long serving Lisa retires

Lisa Gale, Assistant Director Operations, was given a fond retirement farewell by friends and colleagues who gathered at a Chinese restaurant near our York head office.

Lisa, who has retired after 24 years with Compass, thanked everyone and in an emotional speech told the gathering that Compass had helped to shape her as a person over the years. She said she was very sad to be leaving so many good friends who she had learnt so much from.

Rachel Bundock who has worked alongside Lisa for much for much of that time, read out a poem dedicated to her.

Her friends sang Happy Retirement to You to the tune of Happy Birthday. And For She’s a Jolly Good Fellow.

And before leaving for her train, with presents in her arms and her balloon in a bag, she watched a video of Compass well-wishers.

Farewell, Lisa.

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“Compass Together is about bringing together both our paid staff and volunteers to work as one team.”

Rachel Bundock

Staff at Compass Safe East in Tower Hamlets have been recalling how volunteering has impacted their lives.

Lily Hatcher, Health and Wellbeing Practitioner

What did you volunteer as?

LH – I volunteered for a children’s educational camping charity, I volunteer on the camps supporting children/young people and sit on the charity’s inclusion committee

Best bits? – Spending time with likeminded people, spending time outdoors and having fun with young people.

Worst bits? It’s hard to be motivated to do extra work outside of your paid working hours

How did it help you in your personal development/career. Or a lasting impression? – Have developed leadership skills and resilience- caring for/facilitating fun for the children with a variety of needs on the camps in all conditions can be very hard.

Antony James, Health and wellbeing practitioner, Safe East

What did you volunteer as? AJ- Young Persons substance misuse outreach worker.

Worst bits? Working in the cold and rain.

Best bits? Working with the young people and the different organisations and services

How did it help you in your personal development/career. Or a lasting impression? – I got to complete my course on drugs. I also learnt how to work and engage with different young people from hard to reach communities in society, as well as how to establish relationships with partner agencies. 

I’d say the lasting memory for me was the lack of funding that they had and the limited ability to be able to offer engagement tools for young people. However, the passion and dedication that all the staff had to engage young people motivated young people to want to engage with the service. This taught me that having passion for the job can be the way to start to engage young people.

Victoria Jones, Service Manager, Safe East

What did you volunteer as? VJ -I have volunteered as a drug and alcohol recovery worker in Islington for CRI working with Adults. I also Volunteered in Children centres in Tower Hamlets organising events and engaging parents.

Best bits? I learnt sooo much volunteering. I loved it at both places. Due to volunteering in the children centres, I went on to do a course in drug and alcohol use after a hidden harm service came and spoke to me and the other mums in a parent group. I did short courses, and a year long course alongside volunteering and was able to create a new career. I really valued all the training I got along the way and meeting amazing people. I was given the opportunity to meet some really inspiring people in both roles. 

Worst bits? There weren’t any!

How did it help you in your personal development/career. Or a lasting impression?

Due to volunteering I was able to find a new career, I went from service user involvement in children centres to volunteer in adult services to engagement worker, to drug worker, to health and wellbeing worker, to team leader and now service manager.

Volunteering led me on a journey of self-development. It was great to experience and find out what I enjoyed doing. For example 11 months in adult services made me decide I would prefer working with young people/ young mums and families. So it was helpful to shape my career.

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Compass’ Non Executive Directors are also volunteers. Here Claire Wood and Len Pendle, tell us why they give their free time

We want to hear about your own volunteer stories. Can you answer the same questions? Send it to us by email at Compass Points. Preferably with your head and shoulders picture, too.

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Service news

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Grateful for the help and support you’ve received from a colleague? Tell us about it…

Just Say Thanks…

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Understanding the LADO’s role

Safeguarding with Jan Smith, Compass Designated Safeguarding Officer

This month, Compass staff have been liaising with the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) over allegations made about a member of staff in school by a young person in our care.

It is not often we need to liaise with the LADO, so this month’s Safeguarding item is to share an overview on the role of the LADO to help if you hear of, or are concerned about the conduct of a professional. If you would like to read more about the role of the LADO and how to contact them your local safeguarding partnership will have published information on the website, more general information can be found here: national-lado-network.co.uk

The LADO is responsible for managing allegations against adults who work with children. This involves working with police, children’s social care. employers and other involved professionals. The LADO does not conduct investigations directly, but rather oversees and directs them to ensure they are thorough and fair; and that action is taken to safeguard children where this is necessary.

We contact the local LADO when it has been alleged that a professional or volunteer who works with children has either:

• Behaved in a way that has harmed a child or may have harmed a child.
• Possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child.
• Behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates they may pose a risk of harm to children.
• Behaved or may have behaved in a way that indicates that they may not be suitable to work with children.

The LADO will assess information from the allegation and advise employers on action required following an allegation regarding a member of staff; this might include:

The concern does not need LADO action but may be a conduct issue, or require local management.

The incident or concern might require logging with LADO but will be ‘No Further Action.

The incident indicates significant concerns re standards of care provided to an individual child or group of children.

The incident requires consideration of referral to other agency such as police or Ofsted.

The incident which requires immediate suspension/ police referral/ arrest/ immediate action to protect child/ren.

Ordinarily, to ensure impartiality, the LADO will not have direct contact with the adult against who the allegation has been made, or the family of the child/children involved but will, as part of their role ensure that these have information regarding outcomes.

If you would like to know more about Compass Safeguarding practices or you would like to suggest a focus for the Safeguarding feature in Compass Points which will help your colleagues gain a greater insight into safeguarding practices please let Jan know – jan.smith@com

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An Introduction to Compass Safety Incident Response Framework (SIRF)

Jan Smith writes

In April, we introduced a new policy for the management of incidents which builds on our existing Compass approach and builds in new expectations of all organisations who deliver services under contract to the NHS.

The NHS have introduced a new approach call Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF) which provides for:

• Compassionate engagement and involvement of those affected by patient safety events.
• Application of a range of system-based approaches to learning from patient safety events.
• Considered and proportionate responses to patient safety events and safety issues.
• Supportive oversight focused on strengthening response system functioning and improvement.

Just like the NHS Compass is clear that safety is a priority, with the purpose of learning and identifying improvements if an incident occurs which will reduce risk or recurrence. The new approach encourages staff to:

•  Report safety incidents.
•  Be confident incidents will be managed within a just culture.
•  Contribute to future learning and improvement.
• Engage in review and investigation.
• Work openly and in partnership with anyone who is involved in a safety incident.

The new policy includes details of our Duty of Candour principles and practices which is fundamental to this approach.

You can read the full policy at:

P:\Clinical\Incident Response and Management Policy and Framework Final – March 2024.pdf Our Compass Safety Incident Response Plan is published on the Compass website here.

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Senior Leadership Team Update

It was a jam-packed SLT meeting this month, as we discussed and ratified a number of key strategic documents which will all form part of our Compass architecture moving forward.

Firstly, we agreed the focus and format for this year’s CEO annual presentation which will take place in June and centre on our strategic plans and priorities for this next financial year. As part of our annual cycle of business, we have used people’s feedback from last year’s presentation to try to improve the experience and interaction.

Ultimate Compass

Secondly, we considered a paper that set out our ambition to create the ultimate Compass; bringing together some key component parts that, when integrated, create the ultimate organisation. We explored how these components – EDI, volunteering, participation, social value, communications and promotion, enhance our local services and help contribute to the delivery of safe, effective, innovative and high quality care. Currently these components are being co-designed and developed by our internal steering groups chaired and led by Rachel.

Compass Culture

Thirdly, we reviewed a document that set out SLT’s desire to characterise Compass’ Culture. Its purpose being to develop a set of clearly defined characteristics and ways of behaving that define Compass and how we do things. The hope is that this will enable us to grow with care without losing the real essence of Compass. Compass’ Culture will be introduced to managers and staff over the coming months as we seek to embed it within our peoples processes.

Azure

Finally, we reviewed progress against our corporate systems implementation plan, paying close attention to the roll out of Azure and identifying some of the ongoing challenges people are encountering. As a result, a dedicated corporate systems and data steering group has been established to closely monitor each of the individual implementations in greater detail and to effectively trouble shoot when problems or barriers are identified. The steering group will report directly into the SLT and will meet fortnightly.

Know our Senior Leadership

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Contacting your People department