Referrals and Vacancies
VACANCIES
AVAILABLE NOW
- 2 Registered Bed at the Colchester site
- Fulltime or Sessional day placements at Access and Growing for Life
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Essex Care Consortium Ltd offers residential and day care in our five residential houses, seven registered independent studio flats and our large dayservice, 'Access'. We take referrals for both residential care and Daycentre admission from a number of different sources, including various local authorities, Community Learning Disabilities Teams, Mental Health Social Work Teams, nominated key-workers from multi disciplinary teams or from private individuals.
People who enquire about our accommodation and day services usually discuss a placement by phone and are then provided with a brochure and information pack. They may then apply directly for a place in one of the Essex Care Consortium houses or in Access, our Daycentre.
Who can access our services?
Individuals wishing to access our services must have learning disabilities and be aged 18 or over. All referrals will be accompanied with a Com 5 (an assessment of need, which states the reasons for the referral or application and the specific services sought, e.g. short or long term care, respite care etc.) Essex Care Consortium is not able to provide nursing care.
Assessments are usually multi disciplinary and submitted by a Local Authority Social Services Care Manager, a specialist Community Learning Disabilities Team, a Mental Health Social Work Team or nominated key-worker of a multi-disciplinary team. They will include a financial assessment, which will determine any local authority or health service funding to which the applicant may be entitled.
Each application is given careful consideration by Essex Care Consortium management and the relevant house staff. Where there is a match between application and needs assessment, and the availability of a suitable vacancy or potential vacancy the application will be progressed. A final decision is taken at an admissions meeting to which everyone involved in the application, including the client, carers and representatives, are invited to attend. If agreement is reached to admit the client, an initial action plan is then drawn up to decide the next steps in the process.
The next steps...
Before taking up a residential or day placement, clients are encouraged to visit and familiarise themselves with Essex Care Consortium as a whole. After this, if the client wishes to continue with the placement, a transitional programme will be arranged for the service they are interested in. With the exception of emergency admissions this will normally include several visits and, where a residential placement is on offer, afternoon visits, overnight and weekend stays will be arranged.
At this point the client or advocate will be asked to sign and abide by a written contract, which details what they can expect from us and what we would expect from them in return. Essex Care Consortium reserves the right to withdraw a placement from any client who is in breach of this contract.
After placement at Essex Care Consortium...
During the first six months, progress meetings will be held with the client, relatives, external professionals and any other significant individuals invited by the client. Normally at this meeting, the appropriateness of the placement will be discussed and future plans agreed.
Essex Care Consortium will only offer placements to a client who has clearly indicated a wish to take up a placement and whose needs we are able to meet. We will not continue a placement where an individual has indicated a wish to move on. Essex Care Consortium will
respect and support the rights and wishes of any individual to move on and will actively facilitate this process, which will involve a planned and structured transition whenever possible.
Emergency admission and placement
Essex Care Consortium is aware that under certain circumstances it may be necessary to admit a client without a planned or fully structured transition, e.g. where an emergency placement or place of safety is required. In these situations it is our policy to carry out at least one introductory visit. The purpose of this is to introduce ourselves to the individual and ascertain:
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the individuals wishes with regard to placement
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the circumstances precipitating the emergency and any special support or intervention that may be required
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a brief assessment of need and the suitability of our services
Upon placement under these circumstances Essex Care Consortium will make every effort to ensure:
- a comprehensive assessment of need is obtained from the placing authority as soon as
possible after admission
- regular multi disciplinary meetings are held to monitor and review the ongoing and
future wishes of the client and the continuing suitability of the placement.
If you are interested in any form of short or long term residential care, emergency placement, respite care or Daycentre placement please contact us directly. Our managers will be pleased to discuss the options and the process with you.
Head Office: Essex Care Consortium Limited, Maldon Road, Birch, Colchester, Essex, CO2 0NU