It’s a “Happy Birthday” to us post! Indigo Access turned 9 over the weekend. Whilst it has been a turbulent twelve months, we are here. And we intend to celebrate!

The Good

Never have I ever been as pleased to have undertaken a piece of training, as I have with the IOSH Managing Safely course. Passed in February 2019 it gave me the confidence to risk assess throughout the pandemic. Our business is agile and adapts to numerous changes in government guidance. We have reviewed and re-written our safe systems of work. Team training in adapting our services has been important. And we can report there has been zero covid-19 transmissions in our workplace. Overall we have delivered 5000 hours of specialist support work over the last year.

The Sad

Sadly our lip-reading courses are on hold for the duration of the pandemic. Undoubtedly our business has been affected. We have had to say goodbye to one worker and placed another one on furlough. Customers deteriorated during the first lockdown could not return to using our services when restrictions were lifted. We bade farewell to our longest customer, who achieved her dream of moving to Norfolk.

The Busy

Our continued commitment to training and developing our team saw Anniesa pass British Sign Language Stage 1 course. Sarah, Anna, Vicki and Joelle refreshed their Manual Handling knowledge via CPD Online. Then Sarah, Anna, Joelle, Vicki and Eleanor passed Safeguarding Level 2 courses. Eleanor and I have passed the CMI Level 5 award in Leadership and Management. Additionally, I have undertaken a 2 day Motivational Interviewing course and achieved Safeguarding Level 3. 

Gradually we have reduced the amount of remote support to our customers, returning to face to face support. We began with garden visits and gentle exercise back in July 2020. Then in August we were able to guide people to their local shops and services. We introduced Hi-Viz jackets, helping the general public understand why we are in close proximity to our customers.

September saw a re-introduction of in the home visits. Most importantly customers had access to their worker’s vehicles once a week. Shopping was enthusiastically embraced! January 2021 was the beginning of our workforce’s vaccination programme. In May we have increased the number of customers we support in a face to face capacity each day. Our support workers have enabled customers to be independent and active!

The Hopeful

Here’s to a more stable twelve months. With a small trickle of new referrals we are looking forward to seeing how the next year pans out.

Thank you to all of the customers, team, commissioners and other agencies who help make Indigo Access such a great little company.

Josie