Handyperson: Building excellence into the brand

2. Handyperson: Building excellence into the brand Facilitator: Mark Sharman

3. National Evaluation of DCLG funded Handyperson ProgrammeBuilding Excellence into the Offer Karen Croucher and Karin Lowson University of York November 2011

4. Overview of evaluation Evaluation of DCLG funded Handyperson Programme January 2010 - October 2011 Information gathering/literature/other evaluations Supported by an advisory group Surveys of local authorities and service providers: spend and activities, future plans Case studies Service user survey supported by interviews Production of final reports Guidance on service user satisfaction

5. Main messages Handyperson services are assisting large numbers of older, disabled, vulnerable people to live independently in their own homes for longer in greater comfort and security Preventive role addresses current policy agendas Simple low cost interventions Average cost per client �69 Cost beneficial: savings for social care and health Additional �value added�, hard-to-cost benefits High levels service user satisfaction

6. Handyperson service users 79% aged 65 and above 75% women 66% living alone Low/modest incomes: 68% monthly income <�1,000 Living in older properties Homeowners: 69% owned property outright; 10% mortgage Poor health 89% impairment of some type 54% long term health problem 52% disabled

7. Prevention: types of activities Small repairs and minor adaptations to reduce risk of falls Home security measures Hospital discharge schemes Energy efficiency checks Home safety checks Sign posting to other services Trusted point of contact Improves well-being and comfort

8. Prevention: types of work

9. Cost beneficial Postponing entry into residential care saves on average �28,000 per annum Preventing a fall leading to a hip fracture saves the State �28,655 on average Housing adaptations reduce the costs of home care (savings between �1,200 to �29,000 per annum) Hospital discharge speeds up patient release, saving at least �120 per day Financial benefits toolkit: financial benefits outweighed costs by 13%

10. �The falls prevention service, we know what it costs is somebody falls and breaks their hip�if we prevent four people a year from doing that every year that will pay for the service, but we actually see 700 people, so you can�t prove it but you can indicate that�s probably very good value for money for them to be doing that.� Service Manager

11. Value-added: trustworthiness Reputation of the organisation Not-for-profit/endorsed by not-for-profit Word of mouth/informal sources 97% would recommend �Honest Joe� Staff CRB checked Receipts given Quotes for cost and no sudden surprises Reliable: arrival on time/notify if late Quality work Helpful suggestions but no unnecessary work

12. Value-added: trustworthiness �My daughters won�t let me use tradesmen out of the papers, it has to be someone we know, we are very vulnerable, and there are too many cowboys around, so having someone you knew was solid was really very helpful. It�s nice to have someone I can allow into the house and not worry about � you don�t know who you can trust, they rip you off. I don�t trust anyone anymore.� Service User

13. Value-added: person-centred Staff attitudes and skills Polite, patient, sensitive �We are not suits� Referring on to other sources of help Flexible services Range and variety of work Small jobs Who else would do them? Greater sense of control �Peace of mind�

14. Attitudes and skills You need a lot of patience when you turn up at somebody�s house, a lot of the time they use Zimmer frames, other walking aids, they�re very, very slow on their feet, and some of them it takes an awful long time to say what they are trying to say, so I do think patience is important. Cos obviously, when you�re in that situation, you�ve got to do at their pace rather than the pace you would normally go at�someone who�s deaf, you�ve got to try and shout a bit without coming across as being aggressive or rude, and that can be a bit challenging, so you do have to be patient and you do have to be caring, you�ve got to try and be a bit flexible with it, not clock watch, if you did that it wouldn�t really work, quite often they are lonely, you could be the only person they speak to that week�. Handyperson

15. Referring on �We can get better feedback by seeing how people are living and coping. If social services go in, people alter things, disguise things. They don�t see us as snoopers, we�re there to help people. We can see a lot just by observing how people can cope. We have all the services like the falls service. If we see a trip hazard, we can sort it out while we�re there, or book it in. �.We tend to gel with the other services. We�re like a filter system. There�s loads of things that people don�t know about that we can fill them in on. And we can get in touch straight away with other services. Referrals via other routes seem to take longer. If we refer some thing it tends to get acted on, rather than longer wait.� Handyperson

16. Peace of mind �It�s difficult to find reliable workers who want to take on small jobs. No doubt we�d have found somebody, somewhere, but at that time I was quite vulnerable and you know it is not always easy to judge what someone is like and whether they are reliable over the telephone. It [Handyperson Service] gave me peace of mind and it was a good job well done. I couldn�t believe someone would come in and do these things�I mean I am a lot better now and more mobile but at that time it was a terrific help� Mr A, Service user

17. Satisfied customers

18. Charges for services Future sustainability of services FBT does not take charges into account Affordability Charging/not charging doesn�t seem to affect levels of service user satisfaction Various mechanisms for charging Service users prepared to contribute Reduce preventive role of services? Unlikely to cover full costs? What do your service users think?

19. Innovation Responding to local needs Groups with particular needs: People living with dementia Support with housing choices/moving Decluttering Taking forward role of trusted assessor More than �standard� handyperson service Integrated into wider strategies and services

20. Service user feedback Captures the �value added�, �hard to cost� benefits of handyperson services Demonstrates service user involvement Quality assessment: internal Is the service doing what it should? How could the service be improved? Business development and future planning Are there areas of work which could developed? Partners and funding streams? Comparisons with/learning from other service

21. �Tell them to keep funding the service � people like me need them, and there are a lot of me�s around� Service user THANK YOU Karen.Croucher@york.ac.uk Karin.Lowson@york.ac.uk

22. HANDYPERSON SERVICESHow to beat the cuts Keith Williams Handyperson Co-ordinator November 2011

23. Opportunities opening up Broader range of client groups But fewer clients being funded by LAs Broader range of job types Emerging Public Health agenda Community Equipment Telecare Meeting the needs of the �able to payers� Don�t forget �traditional Handyperson jobs�

24. Assurance Maintaining and ensuring quality Trustmark Outputs Reliable Accessible Your reputation

25. Affordability Don�t rely on publically commissioned contracts and grants Full cost recovery Challenge your costs Charging Seek new markets but Don�t forget traditional markets Safety net for those who cannot afford to pay your rates.

26. Competitors Who else can do your job? Commercial providers Large companies Regional commercial Handyperson companies Other organisations working in your locality New incomers Previous track record is not guarantee of future contracts Localism Taking control of your destiny

27. The Challenge Broaden your skill base Explore new markets Filling the strategic gap Challenge your costs Promote yourself To clients who might wish to purchase your services To commissioners to whom you can deliver services that meet their objectives in a value for money way. THE BEST HANDYPERSONS WILL SURVIVE, BUT THEY MAY BE VERY DIFFERENT FROM HOW THEY LOOK TODAY.

28. Keith Williams keith.williams@newham.gov.uk