WELCOME TO GLOUCESTERSHIRE
Brandon Trust's Lead Director in Gloucestershire is Paul Bradley
Contact: paul.bradley@brandontrust.org |
The Local Conversation
Brandon Trust is staying local. Although Brandon Trust is developing new services across the South West Region we recognise the importance of providing services and support to people that reflect what is going where they live and work. The following conversation is from Brandon Trust's current annual report and is specific to the Gloucestershire area. This conversation took place during the summer of 2007; Amanda Johnson was Brandon's Gloucestershire Area Director. With Paul Bradley now taking over from where Amanda left off we can all expect new developments. The really big change in Gloucestershire is not the post of Area Director but our positive partnership strategy for developing services over the next 10 years. Watch this space; Paul's got ideas, he also wants to listen to yours.
The Gloucestershire Conversation
"...there is a real partnership developing here..."
The Gloucestershire team supports over 160 people and has 300 plus staff. Anne Webster is a Financial Accountant, Danni Hopkins, Office Manager and Anna Hall, Administrative Assistant, who is also supported by Brandon Trust.
Anna: I suppose you could say I helped choose Brandon Trust as the organisation we most wanted to work with in Gloucestershire.
Amanda: I met you when you were part of that group Anna. You were part of the group of people using services in Gloucestershire who gave their views about new providers in the area.
Anna: It was an important job.
Anne: I agree, I was working for one of the previous employers at the time and I can assure you, getting the right organisation to manage the change in residential services for people with learning disabilities seemed absolutely important to me. It still does.
Danni: Amanda, what would you say are some of the key things currently happening in Gloucestershire?
Amanda: Something that springs to mind has got to be the fact that there is a real partnership developing here, for example between commissioners and Brandon Trust as providers. By that I don't mean that things are cut and dried, with everybody agreeing on every point. We have some very 'interesting' debates! Nevertheless, there is an underlying understanding about values, direction of travel and...
Anna: What does that mean?
Amanda: It's about where we want to get to, what our goals are; working with people not against them - involving family carers, people we support and getting staff contributing to the new developments.
Anna: Enabling me to get a job.
Danni: Yes, and making sure your Local User Forum has good support.
Amanda: Another key goal is bringing about supported living options for people. In Gloucestershire our partnership with Advance Housing Association is going to be crucial in making this happen.
Anne: The fact that we manage area by area instead of treating all Local Authorities and Primary Care Trusts in the same way is crucial. Being flexible is important.
Amanda: Having Gloucestershire represented on Brandon Trust's Board of Trustees is extremely positive. Brian Hudson and Lena Rust are a real source of wide ranging local knowledge. They both bring a lot of relevant experience.
Danni: It's about building support that is distinctive to the area.
Amanda: And realising that even within Gloucestershire, the Forest of Dean is quite different to Cheltenham, and Cheltenham to Stroud. People quite rightly want to have services that reflect their own circumstances.
Anna: Let's do it!
