Doing our very best to make a difference
by Rachel Bundock, Compass CEO
Welcome to April’s Compass Points – a heart warming edition that really shows Compass at its very best. With lighter mornings and nights, it also feels like we have turned a corner and spring is well and truly on its way which makes such a difference after the wintery short days and long nights.
As a practitioner, I remember there used to be times in the year which were considered quieter periods and we’d use these times to recharge, re-organise, and prepare for the next cycle or term. Unfortunately, these periods seem increasingly rare as the demand for support continues to rise. What strikes me in reading this month’s articles is people’s ability to want to do their very best, to do more where they can, making and taking the time for each other, against a backdrop of being continuously busy and juggling multiple priorities and competing demands. What shines out, is people’s overriding desire to be there for others, to go that extra mile knowing it will make a difference to a child, family, and school or colleague.
There will always be multiple reasons to not do something, to push it back and understandably feel we are too busy. But as these inspiring articles show, giving support when it matters can be invaluable and have the greatest impact.
Pay Award
You may recall in my February communication on pay award in Compass Points that I confirmed Compass was determined to maintain competitiveness of our salaries together with supporting staff in the cost of living crisis. I am therefore delighted to confirm Compass are making a 5% market adjustment for all eligible staff effective on 1st April 2023 (generally “eligible staff” are those who have joined Compass before 1st October 2022 and/or have not had a pay increase on or after 1st October 2022 – see our FAQs for more details to check if you are in scope).
In my February note I explained market adjustment is calculated taking into account salaries being offered in similar roles externally and the contract income (confirmed by commissioners) we receive to fund any pay increases. I explained that both of those factors had much uncertainty at the time of writing. Since this time, I am pleased to say we have had some further clarity on the external market and some commissioners have been able to confirm the level of funding they will make available to us. This is great news for us allowing us to commit to a significant market adjustment.
In addition to our 5% market adjustment, I am really pleased to confirm the performance related pay (PRP) element will be paid to eligible staff (generally “eligible staff” are those who have joined Compass before 1st October 2022 and/or have not had a pay increase on or after 1st October 2022 – see our FAQs for more details to check if you are in scope). The PRP payment is directly related to appraisal ratings; for eligible staff, PRP pay award percentages are as follows:
| Appraisal Rating | % Pay Uplift |
| Exceptional | 4.54% |
| Highly Effective | 3.54% |
| Competent | 1.56% |
For eligible staff who are at the top of their pay range, a one off, non-consolidated payment (NCP) of £750 (Highly Effective) and £1000 (Exceptional) will apply in place of %s quoted above (please note NCPs are pro-rated for part time staff).
So, in summary for 2023 pay awards, all eligible staff receive a 5% uplift for market adjustment. Together with PRP, eligible staff receiving Competent rating and above will receive between 6.56% – 9.54% pay uplifts in total this year (or 5% plus a non-consolidated payment).
These significant pay uplift amounts reflect our desire to reward staff well – on behalf of SMT, I would like to sincerely thank all of you for your continued efforts.
Letters confirming pay awards will be issued in late April and both PRP and market adjustments are effective from 1st April. For more information on pay awards including our eligibility criteria to check if you are in scope for a pay award on 1st April 2023, please refer to our frequently asked questions document here Pay Award FAQ.
Should you have any questions after reviewing your individual pay award letter and the FAQ document, please direct them to your line manager in the first instance.
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Take Good Care – Your Health and Wellbeing with Danielle Grant
Stress
The Stress Management Society claims that stress continues to be one of the main causes of short and long-term absence. Whilst data from the CIPD’s 2022 Health and wellbeing at work survey shows the main causes of employee stress include workloads/volume of work, management style, new work-related demands/challenges and poor work-life balance due to homeworking (as a result of COVID-19), as well as non-work factors such as family and relationship issues and personal illness or health issues.
Stress targets the weakest parts of our physiology or character; if you are prone to allergies or headaches these are more likely to flare up. If you have low levels of patience or tolerance of others, this could be the first area to present under times of stress. It is worth considering the affect this may then have on those around you – friends or family, and on your performance at work.
We all experience bad days, but when people display negative changes for a prolonged period of time this is when they might be at risk of getting ill. Stress has been linked to high blood pressure, strokes, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, ulcers, joint pain, and diabetes as well as affecting the immune system.
Take a look at this useful resource, showing how stress can affect us.
Effects of stress
Maybe you can identify with some of these changes yourself. Why not try the quick ‘Stress Test’
Spending time in green space or bringing nature into your everyday life can benefit both your mental and physical wellbeing. For example, doing things like growing food or flowers, exercising outdoors or being around animals can have lots of positive effects. It can:
- improve your mood
- reduce feelings of stress or anger
- help you take time out and feel more relaxed
- improve your physical health
- improve your confidence and self-esteem
- help you be more active
- help you meet and get to know new people
- connect you to your local community
- reduce loneliness
- help you feel more connected to nature
- provide peer support.
As a Manager or Team Leader, consider how you can support your teams by reducing stress in the workplace:
- Lead by example – setting good examples with your own work-life balance or modelling the 5 Ways to Wellbeing.
- Set clear goals and objectives – try to ensure that all projects have clear and transparent objectives to alleviate the unnecessary worry as well as ensuring the team member knows the purpose and value the task or project has.
- Regular wellbeing checks – as well as your usual supervision meetings, schedule wellbeing chats to check how you team is doing, how they are looking after their wellbeing and if there is any resource or support they need.
Grateful for the help and support you’ve received from a colleague? Tell us about it…
Just Say Thanks…
Huge Thank You
Wonderful Admin Team
A thank you to our wonderful admin team, Carla and Sarah who are amazing. Both only started at Compass Bloom in the last few months and have settled in really well.
They are a pleasure to work with, always greet you with a friendly smile and a ‘can do’ attitude. They have even taken it upon themselves to produce ‘Wellness Baskets’ for staff if they need an uplift, and continue to promote wellbeing across Compass Bloom.
We would like to thank you for all your hard work, and always remaining calm and positive, even on a wet Monday morning in March!!
Adele Normington – Supervising Practitioner (trainee), Compass Bloom
Anne, Kim and Mia would like to say a huge thank you to our wonderful admin team Carla Hickman and Sarah Nicholl. Sarah and Carla joined us in January and have made lots of improvements to our admin processes and procedures in order to improve service delivery and reporting to our commissioners. On top of their roles they have worked hard to bring an extra bit of sunshine to the Compass Bloom offices with Wellbeing Baskets and lots of other touches of positivity around the office. Every single thing they do helps us in so many ways and we already feel we would be completely lost without them!
Anne Haines – Service Manager, Mia Leyland and Kim Coop – Team Leaders, Central & West Lancashire MHST
I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone at Compass Changing Lives who has contributed to the introduction of a duty system that started in April – this has been a whole team effort greatly supported by our wonderful admin team often when our IT hasn’t been perfect ??– thanks so much you have all done a brilliant job and really appreciate everything that you have done – great team work all.
Sue Berry – Assistant Director – Operations, Compass Changing Lives MHST
I would like to say a huge thank you to the Caldecote team for their ongoing support, kindness, always pulling together and their humour!! As we continue to meet the demands within the service your hard work never goes unnoticed. Thanks again Becky
Becky Ellis – Team Leader North, C4Health
Our Compass Go… administration team, without them all our team would struggle, they are our consistent support, where no task or support request is too much. Hannah, Kate and Carol keep us all going and have a beautiful energy that keeps us all in good spirits.
Laura Lockett – Service Manager, Compass GO
Thank you to Fie, for all her hard work and dedication on getting to the bottom of all of our pay review anomalies, Jennifer Hicks in payroll for the additional work she’s done this month to make sure we’re all paid correctly, and to the wider team Clare and Emily, Debbie, Alison and Emma for all holding the fort, whilst we’ve been busy.
Donna Wilson – HR Business Partner, HR
Thank you so much to everyone in the Ilkeston and Swanwick Team for being so amazingly supportive to the trainees during their preparation for Fitness to Practice. You are all so awesome and love working alongside you all!
Ella Smith – Trainee EMHP, Compass Changing Lives MHST
The Bakewell Team would like to say a huge thank you to Natalie Carline for being so helpful, friendly, and welcoming to us all as a new team. You have been a great support, working endless hours to support the team as we settle in. We appreciate the time and determination you have put towards the trainees as they work towards their training and your continued motivation and push for WSA hours.
Bakewell Team – Compass Changing Lives MHST
Thank you to Compass GO…’s Laura and Becca for their help on a Children and Young People’s survey for Positive Effect. We really benefitted from their valuable experience.
Rose Kearns – Assistant Director – Business Development
I would like to say thanks to all my colleagues at Compass for making my time here enjoyable and wish you all well in the future. If my retirement goes as planned I have some good things to look forward to. Goodbye everybody and take care.
Patricia Bowen – Finance Assistant
I would like to say a big thanks to Kirstie our new Senior administrator for the new Wakefield Team, I can see already she is going to make all our lives much easier !!! & a thank you to the Barnsley MHST team, who made us feel very welcome on Wednesday when we joined them at their Team meeting. Emma Turton has already sent me over some helpful information and hopefully we will be sharing more in the future !!! 😊
Debbie Tolson – Emotional Wellbeing Practitioner, Wakefield EHS
We just wanted to say a huge well done to the amazing Adele Normington who not only completed the Manchester Marathon but she smashed her previous London Marathon time! We are so proud of you and promise not to hold any upstairs meetings for a while 😊
Mia Leyland – Team Leader, Central & West Lancashire MHST
I would like to say a huge thank you to our Family Practitioner Rachel Musgrave. Over the last few months Rachel has been working hard to develop her workshops. Rachel’s commitment is inspiring and her focus to ensure the workshops provide the parents/carers with a knowledge and understanding of their child’s mental health & emotional wellbeing. Rachel has received some amazing feedback from the parents/carers- Thank you Rachel x
Michelle Eyre – Team Leader, Compass Be
I’d like to extend my thanks to the entire Derby and Derbyshire Changing Lives team. I started with the Team in March and have been welcomed into this incredible team with warmth and support. The skills and knowledge of the staff are incredible and the commitment to providing quality support to children, young people and families is unquestionable. The team have managed change and transition and whilst at times, it may have felt difficult, they have shown willing and committed. Thank you to each of you for your hard work and willingness, it is greatly appreciated.
Chantelle Ross – Service Manager, Compass Changing Lives MHST
The Compass Bloom team would like to say a massive well done and congratulations to our EMHP’s who passed their course in March, we know how hard you worked and we are so proud of you all!
Mia Leyland – Team Leader, Central & West Lancashire MHST
Well done, graduates!
We always knew how great you were, now Edge Hill do too! Distinctions all round for our trainee EMHP’s first assignment submitted. Super proud of you all!
Anne Haines – Service Manager, Mia Leyland and Kim Coop – Team Leaders, and Carla Hickman – Senior Administrator, Central & West Lancashire MHST
Join our Compass campaign this May
This May, Compass is creating awareness around the importance of how being physically active can help your mental health.
We have launched a campaign called ‘May we move together’ to encourage staff and service users to get active to help boost your mood and put an extra spring in your step!
Please see our new resource-packed #Maywemovetogether campaign on our website.
Join our challenge throughout May to increase your steps and experience fun new sports and activities to help you build confidence, take control of your day and feel FANTASTIC! You can get involved as a service as well as encouraging partners, schools and service users.
We have created and attached some great resources for you to send out. There are links to useful websites giving participants some exercise inspiration. There’s an activity tracker and a fitness journal to complete throughout the month.
Find all the information here on our website – https://www.compass-uk.org/maywemovetogether/
We would love to see what you get up to throughout the month, so please post any pictures of your activities on your socials and tag us in @compass4health and include #maywemovetogether
SMT Update
At April’s meeting, SMT took the time to consider in detail two key items – our Business Development Strategy and the Business Plan for 2023-2025.
For the first time in many years, SMT and the Board have decided to set some longer term strategic aims that will span a couple of years allowing us to look a little further into the future. This is as a result of everyone’s incredible hard work and achievements, and the fact that we have moved to an organisational position where we have strong foundations in which to thrive.
Business Development Strategy
The proposed strategy is still very much centred on early intervention and prevention with Children and Young People (and families). And with Positive Effect centred on workforce (adult) health and wellbeing through the delivery of training and prevention initiatives to businesses and professional groups.
SMT considered Compass’ priorities, taking into account the sectors in which we operate:
- Bidding for and defending contracts focused on MHSTs and community emotional health, school nursing, and substance misuse and risky behaviours.
- Supporting services to organically grow through securing additional funding to deliver ‘bolt-on’ projects or programmes that add value to the core service.
- Investing resources in developing new integrated models of care.
Compass’ growth plans centre on winning well and implementing well.
Business Plan
Back in November 2022, SMT and Board identified five long-term strategic aims. Since then, SMT has been exploring and determining the key projects over the next two years that will support the achievement of these aims:
- Becoming an employer of choice – implementing a staff wellbeing strategy and intranet as part of a ONE Compass approach.
- Delivering affordable services – proving the effectiveness of different digital interventions.
- Evidencing service effectiveness – determining and showcasing service impact and outcomes.
- Coproduced services – developing a cross-organisational service user involvement framework.
- Managed growth – a process for determining emerging needs quickly and developing new integrated models (e.g. emotional health & substance misuse).
Both Strategy and Plan will be presented at the May Board for ratification, with details of their content presented to all staff by Rachel in June time.
Compass Points email address.
You can get in touch with staff looking after Compass Points via our email address. It’s compasspoints@compass-uk.org.
If you want to say thank you please remember to start the subject line with Just Say thanks
Charity worker shopping discounts
As prices rise in the shops, this may help…
Discounts are available to charity workers and volunteers. All you need is your name, postcode and the charity you work for.
Click the image to learn more.
Compass Awareness Days Calendar for 2023
The Compass Awareness Calendar for 2023 is our most comprehensive yet and has new sources including the NHS. Please take a look to see what’s coming up in the next month or two and through the year.
Mental Health Awareness Week is from 15th to 21st May.
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