40 | Q4 2020 Sep20813 Transforming Care Person-led provider, The Mayfield Trust, focuses on delivering support which aligns with each individual. Matt Larkin speaks to us about the Trust and the care it offers. The Mayfield Trust, based in Calderdale, has been established since 1952 and specifically for the purpose of providing care for people with learning disabilities. It aims to offer a caring environment based on promoting choice, independence, person-centred care and active citizenship. Having being the first charity in the area to provide such support, the Trust is a proud part of the community and, with a mission of ‘helping people live life to the full’, it aims to go the extra mile for every individual to help them retain their independence. People with learning disabilities often experience health limiting conditions and may have specific vulnerabilities that expose them to risk and inequalities. The Trust’s experience means it is able to recognise and respond to these disparities enabling early intervention, for example; involving professionals at the right levels to avoid hospital admission or the experience of abuse or selfneglect, and ensuring that people are able to stay in their own homes. “The Mayfield Trust strives for excellence, to be the ‘go to provider’ and to achieve ‘outstanding’ in all regulated service areas,” states Matt Larkin, the Trust’s Operations Manager. “Its services believe that an effective quality assurance and quality monitoring system is based on seeking the views of all people, service users, their families together with those of health and social care professionals.” The Mayfield Trust differentiates itself from others operating in this space simply by the sheer wealth of services it provides. The Trust’s charitable status enables it to offer free access to the Mayfield Hub, a bespoke resource centre specifically designed to provide a safe and purposeful space for those who need it. There are also existing resources which can be shared enabling the Trust to offer financial efficiencies to the contract holder. A nursing team is employed and available to assist with clinical objectives and to mentor staff to assess and develop competencies; for example, monitoring and recording health observations accurately and responding to health emergencies e.g. epilepsy. “Having the Mayfield Hub provides us with an excellent resource and base for inclusion,” enthuses Matt. “We facilitate activity, life skill and employment pathways through the Hub as well as being a centre for the learning disability community.” Alongside the Mayfield Hub, the team organise a weekly social evening ‘The Tuesday Club’ at the Hub. This event has a wider community reach beyond the support provided by The Mayfield Trust; many people with learning disabilities from various providers attend. This activity is an ordinary pub environment where people with learning disabilities can have a safe social drink and join in the games (if they want to). With an internal culture centred around openness, the Trust encourages people to give feedback and comment about all aspects of the service at any time. “It is critical that service users and staff fully understand that expressions of dissatisfaction about an area of the service will not ‘get them into trouble’ but will be discussed and wherever possible, action taken to rectify,” Matt explains. “We encourage service users, staff and visitors to raise concerns, complaints and comments for service improvement. We accept that occasionally things go wrong and everyone has the right to complain and have access to a complaints procedure. Our approach is for an open, responsive culture and a willingness to listen in order to ensure that people with learning disabilities can be confident their complaints and comments will be listened to and acted upon.” Regarding the future, Matt and the team at the Trust want to continue to help people, but in particular, those who are particularly difficult to place – these are the most challenging and high risk tenants. It is these people who are most vulnerable and they may be living in hospitals and secure facilities, but they shouldn’t be there as the treatment they receive isn’t person-centred. Matt is committed to changing this: “Ultimately, we could make such a huge change to their lives – transform their care. That’s what I love doing.” Contact: Matt Larkin Company: The Mayfield Trust Web Address: mayfield-trust.org.uk
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