Following an Outstanding rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in August 2019, Brandon's Gloucestershire supported living service has been working hard to further improve the quality of their support and they have just been awarded a Bronze certificate for engaging in the ReSPECT programme - Recommended Summary Plan for Emergency Care and Treatment. Brandon locality manager, Francis, took the lead on the project so we spoke to him to find out more.

My name’s Samantha and my job focusses on social inclusion and supporting people with additional barriers into employment. Additional barriers may include a learning disability, autism, mental health, physical disabilities, and sensory impairments. In 2016, in partnership with Gloucestershire County Council, Brandon Trust became involved with the Going the Extra Mile (GEM) project. I successfully applied for the role of navigator developer.

Josh and his support worker, Samantha, talk about the challenges of getting healthy after Josh found out he had problems with his blood pressure.

I’m a support worker and I live at home with my mum, my younger brother, his partner and their new born baby. When the COVID-19 stay-at-home lockdown measures were announced but that key workers should continue to go to work, I began to worry. My mum is a severe asthmatic and has other breathing problems putting her in the high risk category.

I started working at a supported living service in south London, about a year ago. I quickly discovered that Joseph, one of the tenants, shared my passion for gardening.

Ian is a charismatic gentleman who lives in Cornwall. Ian has autism, and over the years, he’s been on the outside looking in. Watching rather than engaging in most activities. When the country went into lockdown, Ian’s routine abruptly changed.