Sea View Centre Staff Focus Groups

APPENDIX 6 SEA VIEW CENTRE – SPIN-OUT READINESS REPORT

As part of their support to Sea View Centre, Prospects interviewed a cross-section of staff, with the aim of assessing:

 how ready the organisation is for spin-out and potential mutual status; and  key issues to address in increasing the Centre’s readiness for the transition

The reason to learn staff views is that the principle underlying public service mutuals is that employees should be part of the project and heavily engaged in it, potentially as co-owners.

A number of questions were put to three focus groups of Sea View Centre [SVC] staff by the Prospects facilitator, Patrick Burns, during one hour semi-structured, informal discussions on Wednesday 19 June 2013. In total the focus groups comprised 26 staff, well over half the Centre’s workforce.

The facilitator took notes of each discussion, without recording who said what, and this report is Prospects’ summary of what the discussions showed, ie what staff think. Participants were all told their contributions would be treated as confidential.

Although the report supplies verbatim comments – what people actually said – it doesn’t report everything everyone said. Where the same view was expressed by several or most people, we only include a few such comments. But inclusion means that a view was generally agreed with and does represent what a fair number of SVC staff are thinking. Where a view expressed was disagreed with, the report says so.

ANALYSIS

QUESTION 1 – SPIN-OUT KNOWLEDGE What is your current understanding of plans for Sea View Centre to become an independent business outside the council?

SUMMARY

 Staff have an outline picture of what is planned but now want to know more of the specifics

 They want an opportunity to ask nuts and bolts questions and get answers

VERBATIM COMMENTS

 We’ve got an outline but it’s sketchy; we now need to know the nuts and bolts  Understand the intention but not the specifics, how it would happen  We’ve been to meetings and been given a good overview of the aim  We’ve been kept up to date but we need more detail, and answers to questions  We’ve been told the basics; it has been explained  There was an initial meeting, in groups, on the plan; then another meeting to discuss and ask questions but we were told it was not a consultation; felt there were loads of questions that people didn’t ask because they weren’t comfortable asking in a meeting  I felt the financial implications were washed over when we asked

IMPLICATIONS

 All staff should receive detailed updated information soon on the progress of spin-out plans  Either a single session for all staff, or a series of group meetings are needed to give staff the opportunity to ask any questions, get answers, and offer their views

 If answers are being given to questions asked in separate groups it would be helpful to pool all questions and answers and circulate them to everyone, so information is shared

QUESTION 2 – PLUSES AND MINUSES What aspects of that idea most appeal to you? And which aspects of that plan least appeal to you?

SUMMARY

 Staff see a number of potential positives and negatives about a possible spin-out; but whereas positives were definitely perceived, nearly all the negatives were expressed as questions they need answers to

 Most upside points are to do with being more free – outside the council – to take quick decisions, buy more sensibly and cheaper, and generally reduce bureaucracy

 Most downside points are actually potential concerns where staff need answers to their worries or questions; most have to do with fears of reduced standards, conditions or staffing

VERBATIM COMMENTS

[Most appeal]

 More likely to maintain jobs and service quality  We could become more efficient, fewer contractors  Easier and quicker to get things done; less council bureaucracy and council contractors  If it’s a mutual we part own we’d have more say  Independent from red tape like council purchasing; laid down rules; hands tied; inflexibility  More profitable if we’re allowed to buy cheaper  Access to fundraising if we’re a charity  Continuity; users and carers won’t see big changes  Can be open to more people who receive payments and work with more/different clients

[Least appeal]

 Worry about loss of terms and conditions; might they get worse? Fewer rights if no longer covered by council Ts & Cs, pensions?  Concern about who might take us over; would standards be kept?  Training has been good; need to keep that; staff development and career progression are expensive – would they get cut?  Worry about protecting client dignity, respect, safeguarding  Lack of business skills in SVC; essential that costings get done; who’s doing that?  What would happen if the business failed?  How would transport happen; how would we afford it?  Possibly too few staff to run new services  Would charges have to rise for higher needs clients? Incentive to have more higher needs clients and save on staff?  If management is the problem, where would you go with an issue?

IMPLICATIONS

2  The communication session[s] recommended above should be used to address and answer the potential concerns being expressed

QUESTION 3 – USER AND CARER VIEWS What would you expect to be preferences of the Centre’s users and their families, supporters and carers in such a transition?

SUMMARY

 Staff think users and carers will have a range of worries when they know more about the plans

 Staff would prefer users/carers to be told more only when [a] plans are a bit clearer and [b] staff themselves are fully in the picture so they can answer all the questions

VERBATIM COMMENTS

 Council has told them the outline options; but no more  They’re likely to be anxious, especially about charges, quality of service  Fourways clients have just had a big upheaval; this would be another  Important they know more but only once we know; otherwise we won’t be able to answer their questions  Changes might have little impact on them if there’s continuity  Worries would be cost, service continuing as now, keeping their place, transport, meals etc

IMPLICATIONS

 There needs to be a communications plan for updating and involving clients and carers

 This needs timing so that staff are fully in the picture before having to answer questions from users and carers

 Users/carers should feel they are not simply hearing about a fait accompli, and are being genuinely involved and consulted, as well as informed

QUESTION 4 – LEADERSHIP READINESS How equipped do you think the leadership of the Centre is for the transition to an independent business?

SUMMARY

 Staff think SVC leadership face a big challenge in turning SVC into a business and running it successfully

 To do that they think the management team will need a mix of new skills, professional support, and at least one new member

 Administration is repeatedly mentioned as a problem area that needs organising better

VERBATIM COMMENTS

 It’ll be a very sharp learning curve; a big challenge for them; will need help, will they get it?  They’ll need help with people skills - dealing with staff, consistency

3  Need to listen to staff more  Will need business skills; organisational skills [admin in the office is bad]  Consistency in seeing things through to completion; some projects start then peter out  Need professional support – legal, accountancy, HR, finance, payroll  Could we have a governing/oversight body with people from outside? Would be a protection for staff and ensure management are running things correctly; would keep things open so it’s not solely management controlled  Need someone else in the management team; they’ve worked together for a long time and may be too much familiarity; need some fresh blood  The team set up Coast, which has been successful; gives you confidence  Would have to sort out admin; always bottom of the pile and things are not great, but has to work if you’re a business

IMPLICATIONS

 The management team should share soon with staff how they are accessing professional support already, and plan to do so if the spin-out happens

 The management team, as part of the business planning process [ie with Prospects], should do a rapid skills audit to identify what extra professional and leadership expertise will be needed as an independent business

QUESTION 5 – INVOLVEMENT How involved do you feel in the running and direction of the Centre? And how involved do you want to be?

SUMMARY

 Staff do feel broadly involved and listened to; and see that as important to them

 There is a feeling that some input ‘disappears’ – either nothing comes of the input, or it may do but they don’t hear about it

VERBATIM COMMENTS

[How involved]

 Pretty good; we’re always consulted; they keep us informed  Open to ideas  Open door  You can say what you think but it may not go anywhere  There are enough platforms to air your opinions but not sure anything comes of it  There’s a good level of input  Your voice will be heard if you stick your neck out, but it can be difficult to do that  You can’t just change things yourself; you tend to have to work out how you’d do it and then get support

[Preferences]

 Yes it’s quite important  Being involved is important to feeling enthusiastic and valued, especially given the nature of the work  We’re at work a lot so you want to enjoy it; if you’re happy it feeds into your relationships at work and home

4  Would like more opportunities to make things work better [very strong agreement with this]; the atmosphere and morale would be better

IMPLICATIONS

 The management team should be more rigorous and consistent about clarifying what action will result from staff feedback, and reporting back on outcomes

 The management team should ensure that the Centre’s union[s] are kept up to date on the progress of plans

QUESTION 6 - OWNERSHIP How would you like an independent Sea View Centre to be owned?

SUMMARY

 Staff do not seem to have considered shared ownership to date; but all three groups liked the idea on hearing it was an option

 Staff perceive benefits to them and the centre from sharing in the ownership of the business

 Staff would like to know more about how employee ownership could work in a spin-out

VERBATIM COMMENTS

 Good idea to have staff ownership [general agreement]  Potentially good idea; need to know more  Being new, not sure  Gives us a voice and representation  Would like a stake; John Lewis is a good example, works well  Could be a benefit; would give us more say  But would it happen?  Need to understand where responsibility would lie; and how ownership would be distributed

IMPLICATIONS

 The management team should consider widening planned ownership of an independent Sea View Centre to include staff

 To inform themselves the management team should invite Prospects and FFW to outline the range of mutual ownership options

 If this approach is accepted, the management team [with Prospects help], should explain mutual ownership options to staff, allowing for discussion and Q&A

 Once a preferred ownership model, or model options, have been identified, the management team should consult this with staff

QUESTION 7 – NEW SERVICES What viable new services, or expanded services, would you like to see an independent Centre providing?

5 SUMMARY

 The groups had a lot of ideas about possible new services and demand and were enthusiastic about offering them

 There seems to be significant confidence about the scope for offering commercially viable new/extended services for which there would be demand

VERBATIM COMMENTS

 More opening for people who don’t currently meet the criteria  Do fundraising  People who’ve lost their place due to reassessments would snap our hand off if we could admit them; many get isolated; it’s safer here  Have varied charging levels  We’ve got a great new kitchen but it doesn’t function because of staffing issues, it’s a waste; we could turn it into a training kitchen and cafeteria  There are a lot of possible savings by buying cheaper [strong agreement]  We could get furniture way cheaper  Start a home visits service  Run evening sessions; open 7 days  Allow more organisations to use in the evenings, and charge more often; used now by charities who mostly don’t pay  Not enough links to schools; we used to go into schools but it just stopped; there’s a transition gap  There’s a lot of staff skills we could sell – eg training courses for carers, agencies, residential homes; facilitators; manual handling training, where we excel  Make the centre a community resource  Open weekends and evenings, charge more  A lot of people with individual budgets would like to opt in  Start a social club, with more activities; use the sports hall more [for hire]; kids’ club  Set up community support team to go to people’s homes; rather than making everyone come here  I’ve worked with a day centre that offered gardening services; products for shops  Use the cafeteria as a drop-in and get money from it

IMPLICATIONS

 The management team should integrate any suitable ideas expressed in focus groups into the business plan

 The management team could consider forming a project team to firm up the strongest and most commercially viable service development ideas

 The management team should consider conducting urgent market research – which could be led by a project team - with community organisations, users and carers, and the council, on potential new demand for services

QUESTION 8 - COMPETITION What competition do you think an independent Centre might face and how much of a threat might that be?

SUMMARY

 People seemed quite confident about the Centre’s competitive position if it spins out, but do see potential competitors

6  There is awareness that targeted marketing will be needed, and some market research

 Exactly what Sea View Centre is offering could be made clearer in marketing terms

VERBATIM COMMENTS

 Barnabas – a day care service, but they’re not as good as us; they have links to respite  Harbour Care [residential] could take people away from us; they’ve grown and might diversify; some of our users go there  Quite confident we can hold our own; but we need more marketing; our profile is too low  Diversability [Scope]  Barnabas  We should go out and look at them, like a mystery shopper  We need to persuade budget holders to pool their money; lots of users are buying from agencies but it isn’t as successful as they hoped  Need to work with the social work team; and need marketing, a website  It’s not clear what we’re selling; if we keep the current mix we’ll need more specialist skills  [general confidence about Centre’s position] there’s no one like us

IMPLICATIONS

 The management team, possibly with the help of a small project team, should quickly identify and analyse potential competitors and the degree of threat they pose to the business plan; and show how any threats will be addressed

 The management team should begin or commission work on a marketing plan to clarify the nature and content of the Centre’s ‘offer’, identify priority target ‘audiences’ for future demand and how they will be reached, and plan new marketing communications or other activity

QUESTION 9 – THINGS TO FIX What issues in the management of the Centre most urgently need resolving and why?

SUMMARY

 All groups quickly identified a number of issues that cause problems which they would like to see fixed

 The sense is that the problems are well known but either not addressed or not seen as priorities

 The tone of the discussion suggested staff are very irritated by the way these problems persist

 Catering and the organisation of arrival time got easily the strongest critical reaction

VERBATIM COMMENTS

 Communications –if you’re part time it can be difficult to know; you have to ask and look out for information; if you miss a staff meeting the meeting minutes are no good  Preparation time – not enough; Fourways have set times, could we? People do it now in their down time  Computers – there’s more reliance on them but some of us don’t have the skills

7  The roof has leaked for 20 years [council’s fault]  The drains in the big bathroom  Doors to the garden room won’t stay open for a wheelchair  Streamline the paperwork  More people in the community would love to come into a café in the centre; catering is run by the council so the kitchen is not used  Sort out the start and end of the day [strong agreement] – it’s chaos; everyone’s in one room; it’s an accident waiting to happen; some staff ‘disappear’ and don’t help; clients can be sat for half an hour to two hours before their session; it takes organisation! needs structure  Lunchtime – everyone at the same time; can clash with staff supporting clients with higher needs; you need two areas to serve [we used to]  Used to have a café run by users, snacks any time plus lunch; but now we’ve got the council service and the manager is not on our staff; what people get is not good enough  Do something about the garden – the front is lovely but wasted; the rest is rubbish, not used enough; there was a project that flopped  Projects that peter out and don’t finish  [Admin problems were mentioned under earlier headings by several staff]

IMPLICATIONS

 The management team should consider forming a small project team to address the priority problem[s] staff have identified and tasking them to offer optional solutions