Enter and View: Southside Rehabilitation Association, Lambeth

Healthwatch Lambeth conducted an announced enter and view visit on 28th June, 2016, to Southside Rehabilitation Association. SRA is charity set up to help people with serious mental health problems who want to get back to employment. At the time of the visit there were 29 clients attending it. The purpose of the visit was to talk to service users and staff to get feedback.

Based on their visit and feedback from service users, HW team believed that SRA were providing their clients with a good quality of service. Clients, several of whom seemed to have high mental health support needs, were positive about gaining new skills and were particularly appreciative of the supportive relationships that they had built with their peers and staff, though some were not so sure about their goals and how to achieve them. The representatives were also pleased to learn how SRA supported clients to meet their identified needs and interests by connecting with other local services but felt their participation in shaping the service lacked. Some of the clients did express their views verbally but a more inviting system needed to be created so that those that feel they are not progressing, can express that, as they did to the HW team “SRA should not give up on people.” It was pointed out that there was a shortage of staff which resulted in activities being cancelled or rescheduled. Two clients suggested the financial incentive to attend the activities should increase.

Healthwatch team made several recommendations; better and clear signage at the entrance, clearer information on the noticeboards for the clients, continuous goal setting and referral once clients are identified as ready to move on, better guidance on welfare benefits, the staff should take a more creative approach to including the clients in the delivery of this service, to welcome more feedback and make a clear complaints policy, and look into creating a ‘buddying’ system to help clients stay more focused and engaged.

The service provider responded to some of the recommendations explaining the procedure and process.