NEWS ARCHIVE PAGE
Arrivals
Congratulations to Tricia and the arrival of her baby boy Ricky! Mum
and baby doing great. Well Done Tricia, we miss you!
Departures....
Frank Watson, Service Administrator, who has been with the Service since
2003, has moved on. Frank and his partner moved down to North
Yorkshire on Saturday 2nd October 2010. We wish them the very best for
the future....you will be very much missed.
Malcolm O'Kane, Rehabilitation Worker, who has been with the Service since
January has also moved on to pastures new. We also wish Malcolm well
for the future.
Care Commission Inspection - Top Grades for a 2nd time
running.....
PRESS RELEASE
Fife Intensive Rehabilitation and
Substance Misuse Team (FIRST), the Kirkcaldy based rehabilitation service
which works with individuals who have drug and/or alcohol issues had their
Annual Inspection by the Care Commission earlier this month.
The Service was examined in four
areas and received the highest possible Grades in all areas (6) - Excellent.
Areas examined were (a) Involvement
of service users in assessing and improving the quality of care and support
provided by the service (b) The range of communication methods used by the
service to ensure that service users needs are met
(c) Involvement of service users and
carers in assessing and improving the staffing in the service (d) Workforce
- the service has a professional, trained and motivated workforce which
operates to National Care Standards, legislation and best practice.
Service Manager, April Adam said “We
are delighted with the Commissions findings which clearly demonstrates that
the organisation is providing a quality service to its clientele and takes
on board the views of these individuals. The dedication of the staff,
volunteers and Directors cannot be underestimated and is to be commended”.
This is the second time the service
has received top gradings – the last being back in 2009. On that occasion
the areas examined were Quality of Care, Quality of Staffing and Management
and Leadership.
The September 2010 Inspection Report
will be available shortly on the Care Commission website at
www.carecommission.com
New Drop-in Schedule announced (w.e.f. 30th August
2010)
Click here for
details.
Care Commission Inspection
The Care Commission carried out an inspection at FIRST in February 2010.
During the inspection a number of Service User Questionnaires were returned
to the Care Commission which invited comments about: Privacy, Dignity,
Choice, Safety, Realising Potential and Equality and Diversity. The
responses were very favourable towards the service and the comments made
have been included within the body of the full report.
Based on the findings of this inspection
the service has been awarded the following grades: -
Quality
of Care and Support: 6—Excellent
We were assessed
on: -
Statement 1: “We
ensure that service users and carers participate in assessing and improving
the quality of the care and support provided by the service.”
Statement 6: “People
who use, or would like to use the service, and those who are ceasing the
service, are fully informed as to what the service provides.”
Quality of Staffing: 5—Very Good
We were assessed
on: -
Statement 1: “We
ensure that service users and carers participate in assessing and improving
the quality of staffing in the service.”
Statement 2:
“We are
confident that our staff have been recruited, and inducted, in a safe and
robust manner to protect service users and staff.”
Quality of Management and Leadership 5—Very Good
We were assessed
on: -
Statement 1:
“We ensure that service users and carers participate in assessing and
improving the quality of the management and leadership of the service.”
The full report can be: -
- obtained from the Main Office at FIRST
- viewed online at www.carecommission.com
Investor in People Assessment
During April 2010 FIRST was assessed for
the standard. The Assessor’s findings were that FIRST continues to meet the
standard and also exceeds in a number of areas.
Fife Drugs
Forum presents "User Involvement Seminar"
Fife Drugs Forum have organised a User
Involvement Seminar taking place on 30th June 2010 at 12.30 pm in the
Kirkcaldy Free Church (191 Centre), St Clair Street, Kirkcaldy. This is
taking place directly after the Fife Drugs Forum Meeting which starts at 11
am. If you wish to attend please contact
tricia.smith@firstforfife.co.uk .
FIRST's
Seventh Annual General Meeting
Our seventh Annual General Meeting took
place on Friday 4th June 2010 at 12 noon.
Our Guest Speakers were two of our current clients within the Service.
There were over 50 people in attendance.
All three partnership launches went extremely well with
representation from MSP's, Local Councillors, other Agencies.
New Triage Clinics in West
Fife: - To ensure accessibility for individuals in West Fife, FIRST are
offering additional drop in clinics as follows:
Cowdenbeath
Monday 2pm-3pm
Social Work Office, 70 Stenhouse Street, Cowdenbeath KY4 9DD
Valleyfield
(NO LONGER IN OPERATION)
Wednesday 1.15pm – 2.15pm
Valleyfield Health Centre,
Chapel Street, High
Valleyfield
KY12 8SJ
New Staff for FIRST
On 4th January 2010 three new members of staff joined the team. We
welcome Bill Webster, Christine Graham, Malcolm O'Kane (Rehabilitation
Workers).
FIRST
now offer drop-in clinics across Fife where clients can speak to a Worker and
refer themselves to the service. There is no longer a need to refer via
our Referral Form, you can simply attend and be seen that day.
Clinics are held in Glenrothes, Cupar, St Andrews, Levenmouth, Kirkcaldy and
Dunfermline.
Please see our Drop-in Page for
more information.
Our Annual General Meeting
took place on Friday 5th June 2009 and it was huge success. Thank you
everyone for coming.
Kerry Watson - is now back working part-time with FIRST w.e.f. 20th
April 2009 - welcome back Kerry!
Congratulations to Tricia Smith who successfully obtained a Level 5 in
Management and Graduated in November 2008.
Rehabilitation Worker
- We recently appointed Tracy Crisp
who will be based in the Glenrothes & NE Fife Team. Welcome
to the team!!
Glenrothes / NE Fife Team gets new Area Co-ordinator!
Following interviews today for the Area Co-ordinator vacancy Paul Watson has
been appointed to the post. Paul is now Area Co-ordinator for the
Glenrothes / NE Fife Team. In
addition Brenda Muir has been appointed as Rehabilitation Worker. Both these posts are funded by the Performance Related Contract monies.
Tricia Clarkson - Tricia is now working full-time
with FIRST w.e.f. 26th January 2009.
Frank Watson - Frank our Service Administrator now works from 9 am - 5 pm on
Fridays.
Kerry Watson - Baby Harvey was born on Saturday 8th November 2008.
Both mum and baby are doing well.
FIRST's New Referral Form - We have re-designed our Referral Form to
make it more user-friendly. It can be viewed or downloaded on our
"Downloads"
page.
Parliamentary Motion lodged by Dr
Richard Simpson, MSP -
Triage Drop-in
- FIRST now have a
TRIAGE drop-in clinic operating on a Friday morning between 10 am and 12 noon in
FIRST offices. No appointment is necessary, clients can just turn up and
if there is a time slot available, they will be seen on the day.
Rehabilitation Worker -
Congratulations to Patricia Clarkson, our new job share Rehabilitation
Worker (replacing Caroline's old post). We wish her well in her new job
and give her a warm welcome to the team.
Volunteer Recruitment - A total of fourteen attended our
Volunteer Training Afternoon on the 1st of May 2008.
Groupwork Co-ordinator - this position has now been filled.
Congratulations to Mrs Caroline MacKenzie, previously our Rehabilitation Worker
within Liz's Team covering Dunfermline and West Fife. We wish her well in
her new post!!!
Annual General Meeting - Our AGM which took place on Friday 6th June was
a great success with over 40 people in attendance.
Two of our Volunteers, Linda and Neil, both gave individual speeches on their
personal experience during their time of recovery and how FIRST helped them
through it. The whole audience was very inspired by their speeches and as
a result, both received tremendous applause at the end.
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