Future Home Care, part of Lifeways, awarded an International Safety Award by the British Safety Council!

Future Home Care, which is part of Lifeways, has received an International Safety Award from the British Safety Council.

Future Home Care was among 647 organisations from 39 countries who applied for the award. It received the award with distinction.

Of the organisations that received a pass grade, just 20% of these received a distinction.

The British Safety Council’s International Safety Awards aim to recognise organisations that demonstrate and evidence a commitment to occupational health, safety, and wellbeing.

‘Delighted’

Gareth Roberts, Group Head of Quality, Health and Safety, has said the team are ‘delighted’ with the news.

“The team have worked hard to secure this recognition,” said Gareth. “Our operational colleagues have sustained safety management over a tough few years.”

“Our frontline teams place safety at the forefront of everything we do – and this isn’t unsubstantiated rhetoric. Our accidents, claims, RIDDOR reportable incidents and lost time accidents have all reduced significantly,” Gareth added.

“This is the result of a long-term health and safety strategy which has exceeded the goals we initially set.”

How Future Home Care won:

Future Home Care’s team of 525 colleagues supports 162 adults with learning disabilities, autism, mental health conditions, and physical disabilities at around 80 services.

This means that keeping people safe – while maximising the independence of individuals – is Future Home Care’s highest priority.

To receive this award, Gareth’s team and operational colleagues provided rafts of documentation that evidenced our robust health and safety procedures, and outlined strategies, policies, and measures taken to keep people safe.

Here’s a summary of some of the measures taken by Future Home Care:

• At the beginning of the pandemic, in what was an ever-changing climate, the Health and Safety team issued daily global communication to keep colleagues updated with any developments and new guidance issued. This information was cascaded down from Managers via team meetings, memos to teams and messages in communication books. This meant we were always aligned with government guidance, and teams were keeping people safe.
• In response to the pandemic we developed a COVID-19 strategy which outlines in detail the management systems, standards and procedures for infection prevention and control across the organisation. This is reviewed regularly to ensure it remains in line with current government guidance.
• We recognise that Senior Management involvement is essential in driving a positive health and safety culture. Details of health and safety updates or initiatives are shared by our Group Head of Quality, Health and Safety on Workplace to ensure that all frontline colleagues are aware of the importance of managing safety and quality.
• At a local level, Area Managers are provided with an allocation of vouchers to incentivise health and safety – these have been used as prizes for a range of safety initiatives, best safety ideas and any other examples of commitment to health and safety. Details of these awards are shared across the area to improve colleague engagement and motivation.
• We strive to create a culture where health and safety is everyone’s responsibility – this is our mantra and one of the key themes of our organisational health and safety strategy. Through our “See it, Sort it, Report it” campaign, colleagues are encouraged to take responsibility for any health and safety issue which they identify at their service, they address it, own it and make sure it is resolved.  Each service also has a Safety Champion, which is rotated monthly across the team to ensure that all colleagues have the opportunity to become a Safety Champion.

Congratulations to Future Home Care for receiving the award!