In response to the Transforming Care Agenda, “Homes not Hospitals”, Autism at Kingwood has created a highly skilled, select workforce called the Transforming Lives Team, to address the long-term inappropriate inpatient care that too many autistic adults are being subjected to.
As of April 2022, the “Assuring Transformation NHS Digital Data” shows that, in total there are 2,005 learning disabilities and/or autism inpatients. 1,120 (56%) of these have had a total length of stay over 2 years.
Autism at Kingwood has a very strong track record and reputation for enabling people with complex needs to remain within their own homes successfully. Therefore, when Wiltshire CCG were looking for an organisation to help an autistic individual move out of inappropriate long term inpatient care in 2021, we were approached for our proven knowledge and skills to provide this vital support. This was the catalyst for creating the Transforming Lives team.
Transforming Lives is about ensuring autistic people who have been in long term inappropriate inpatient care are enabled to live Good Lives within the community. To ensure the best possible outcomes, Autism at Kingwood has drawn together a wealth of specialist skills in our Transforming Lives Team. These include: Safeguarding coaching; Active Support coaching; PROACT-SCIPr-UK (Positive Range of Options to Avoid Crisis and to use Therapies – Strategies for Crisis Intervention and Prevention) coaching; PBS (Positive Behaviour Support) coaching with BILD (British Institute for Learning Disabilities); Challenging Behaviour Foundation coaching.
For each person that is being moved from inappropriate inpatient care it is necessary to pull together a very specific and tailored group of direct support staff who are able to meet that individual’s needs. It is very much about the personality and attitudes of the people we are recruiting to ensure they suit the person they will be supporting, and we then provide full training. It is also essential to find an appropriate property that meets the needs and specifications of the supported person. Because of the CCG funding available to each individual, due to the complexity of their needs and situation, we are able to offer a higher salary to these frontline staff to ensure we can get the very best support staff to meet the individual needs for the person who is moving out of an inappropriate in-patient setting.
The team has already successfully supported two individuals to move out of long term inappropriate inpatient settings into their own homes in 2021 and we are in talks about supporting two further individuals.
Sarah Shield, Transforming Lives Lead: “I absolutely love my role within the organisation and supporting individuals to genuinely have their needs and wants for their lives heard and acted upon. Supporting people to plan the stepping stones to help them reach their ultimate goals, dreams and aspirations, is honestly so rewarding.”
Kathy, who is supported by Transforming Lives: “Hi my name is Kathy. I call the staff from Kingswood that work with me the ‘A Team’ and because they have helped me for quite long. I know they are actually really brilliant at helping me because they are understanding, kind, very patient and care enough to spend time with me. They want to find out the best way to support me and the most importantly they didn’t give up and just leave me when things get difficult.”
Estelle Christmas , CEO at Autism at Kingwood: “We are excited about providing ongoing support to more autistic people who have spent considerable time in hospital care, as well as truly person-centred support, that will enable people to make their own choices that will enhance quality of life. Autism at Kingwood has always believed in a collaborative approach and the Transforming Lives project has enabled us to build more excellent relationships and increase the reach of our work.”
Find out more about Transforming Lives HERE
