Pilot Scheme Helping Hospital Patients Transition To The Community Extended
We are proud to announce that our Discharge to Assess service, launched in November 2020, has been extended to March 2022.
Initially a six month pilot scheme, Discharge to Assess is based in Brighton and Hove and offers a managed transition for people moving from a hospital setting to the community who no longer need the higher levels of support and supervision provided on the ward.
Mental Health Crisis Prevention Service Buildings Back Open!
We are pleased to announce that our Staying Well Space service buildings have reopened in all three locations – Brighton, Eastbourne, and Hastings, enabling clients to access our buildings to work independently on a self-care activity or project. Staff will be present to support clients should they require it.
New ‘Health and Wellbeing service’ opens in Brighton & Hove and East Sussex
Launching from late November onwards, the Health and Wellbeing Service is a social prescribing service, working in partnership with GP practices across East Sussex and Brighton and Hove and Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
The service will support people aged 18 or over who have a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and psychosis, to improve their health and wellbeing following their free annual Physical Health Check (PHC) appointment. In East Sussex we will also support people to attend their PHC.
Artwork needed for Southdown’s Xmas ecard and 2022 Calendar – creative competition for Southdown clients and tenants
Last year, Southdown’s Christmas ecard (see above) was designed by clients in our Newhaven Supported Living Learning Disability Service following an invitation for clients across all of our Learning Disability Services to create a festive image.
Update on Home Works housing support contract in East Sussex
From the 23rd November 2021, the Home Works service we currently provide will transfer to BHT Sussex following their successful bid to provide a new five-year East Sussex Housing Related Support contract – a countywide housing-related floating support service for working age and older adults which will combine Home Works and the STEPS services run by Peabody and South East Independent Living Ltd.
A fond farewell to our Deputy Chief Executive as she moves onto new ventures
After 25 years at Southdown, Vikki Hayward-Cripps, our Deputy Chief Executive, has decided to move onto new ventures and will sadly be leaving Southdown today at the end of this week, on the 22 October.
Neil Blanchard, our Chief Executive, has worked alongside Vikki at Southdown for 20 years.
New ‘Substance Misuse Employment Service’ opens in East Sussex
Launching on 1st October 2021, the Substance Misuse Employment Service will support people receiving community treatment for drug and alcohol dependence who are unemployed and living in East Sussex.
The service is provided in partnership with Change Grow Live, and funded by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Stable employment is a key factor in reducing the effects of substance misuse on individuals, their families and local communities. This is achieved by:
Top 30 Family Friendly Employer
We are delighted to say that for the ninth year running, Southdown has been named in the top 30 Best Employers for Working Families.
‘Good’ CQC rating for our Supported Living Learning Disability Services
Prior to the covid-pandemic, we were required to register our 26 Supported Living learning disability services as single services with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) rather than grouped as one entity. As a result, each service needs to be individually inspected.
Following a hiatus due to the pandemic, the CQC has now inspected three of our services over the past nine months, all of which have been rated as ‘Good’.
New ‘Transition & Resettlement’ Housing Support service opens in Brighton and Hove
Launching on 1st September 2021, the Transition & Resettlement Service supports people to transition and successfully settle into independent accommodation.
The service is delivered by Southdown and funded by Brighton & Hove City Council and forms part of the Next Steps Strategy, to help ensure some of the most vulnerable people in society continue to have a roof over their heads and are helped into long term accommodation.
‘Starts at Home’ highlights value and importance of supported housing
What is Starts at Home?
Back in 2015, the government announced it was changing the funding model of supported housing. These changes would make it more difficult for the sector to build the much-needed new supported housing schemes and it risked the closure of critically important existing schemes. In response, the NHF created Starts at Home with its members, as a moment and story for supported housing.
What has the campaign achieved?
Investors In People – GOLD!
Investors in People is the international standard for people management, defining what it takes to lead, support and manage people effectively to achieve sustainable results. Underpinning the Standard is the Investors in People framework, reflecting the latest workplace trends, essential skills and effective structures required to outperform in any industry. Investors in People enables organisations to benchmark against the best in the business on an international scale.
The Assessor gathered information from the survey sent to staff and several individual interviews.