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Transforming Care
NHS England’s Transforming Care agenda is about improving health and social care services so that more people with learning disabilities can live in the community, with the right support and close to their family, instead of in hospitals or other secure settings.
Affinity Trust works in partnership with commissioners, health professionals, individuals and family members, in support of the Transforming Care programme.
Some people with a learning disability have spent years in hospital. In this setting, they may have many restrictions imposed on them, and may lack the freedom to develop their skills and independence. Many other people are at risk of hospital admission if they do not get the right support.
At the end of September 2021, there were 2,085 people with learning disabilities and/or autism in specialist hospitals in England. Over half of these had had a total length of stay of over two years.
To ensure a smooth transition to a new life in the community, Affinity Trust takes a values-based approach. This has helped change many people’s lives for the better. Read about Ruth, for example.
To ensure a successful transition to supported living we:
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use a multi-agency partnership approach to provide person-centred support
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provide support based on our values, encouraging social inclusion and enhanced quality of life and discouraging restrictive practices
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use our in-house psychology team to provide proactive support for individuals and their support teams
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adopt a positive risk-taking approach which enables individuals to live a fulfilling life
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increase the independence of the people we support and seek to reduce reliance upon paid support
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source appropriate permanent housing, drawing on our expertise and relationships with registered housing providers
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provide tailored living environments designed to meet individual needs and including the use of person-centred assistive technology.
We have invested in step-through services, where people prepare for their permanent home in a short-term tenancy, and increase their skills to live more independently. We also deliver permanent supported living services, for example in Leicester, Lancashire and Cambridgeshire.
We invest in staff training, such as in PROACT-SCIPr-UK®, which is always focused on the individual and their support. We involve the people we support in choosing their support team so that staff are matched to their needs.
Affinity Trust enables 64% of the people we support to live in supported living, compared to the national average of 15% (Department of Health).
Contact us
We offer a flexible and solution focused approach to meet local needs, both for commissioners and for each individual. To discuss your requirements in more detail, please contact development@affinitytrust.org.