Category: Falkirk

In all of the 4 sites of the Fit for the Future project, members of the independent sector speak about wanted to be valued as ‘equal partners’.

In an attempt to capture what good partnership working looks like for the independent sector; in our first meeting with the Falkirk Providers Forum (residential) the group explored what ‘partnership means’ to them. Below are the principles of partnership working they want to align themselves with:

An invitation to all Care Homes and Care at Home providers for older people in Falkirk

Margaret McGowan, Scottish Care Development Officer to Falkirk is working to support the independent sector in engaging with RCOP agenda by ensuring that the independent sector providers are better informed about the Reshaping Care for Older People programme and are full partners through contributing to shaping relevant policies, decisions and programme activities. This event will give us a platform to discuss how we can support the independent sector and fill in the gaps in moving forward. It is also an opportunity to discuss Fit for the Future and the direction the project could take in the area.

Event details:

16^th December  at Unit 6 The Courtyard, Callendar Business Park, Callendar Road, Falkirk FK1 1XR

Carehome managers/representatives are welcome to attend at 11am

Care at home providers are welcome to attend at 1pm

The following partners have agreed to attend and meet with providers to contribute to this learning:

•  Agnes McMillan – The Princess Royal Trust Carers Centre
• Diane Stewart – Partnership Innovation Fund Capacity Building Officer
• Susan Nixon – Service Manager – Falkirk Council
• Liz McGee – Project Lead Reablement and Telehealthcare
• Annette Kerr – Change Fund Support Officer
• Lisa Monaghan – Reshaping Care for Older People Co-ordinator

Hope to see you there!

My name is  Margaret McGowan and I am the newly appointed Scottish Care development officer in Falkirk.

I have over 19 years experience working in home care and started my career as a Care Assistant, in October 1999 was promoted to Supervisor.  In 2001 I became a Customer Care Manager and was further promoted to the position of Branch Manager, further promotion led to being overall Operations Manager with responsibility for the whole of Scotland from 2006 to 2012.

As your development officer, my role is to represent the Independent Sector in the Reshaping Care for Older People programme in the Falkirk area and ensure that our sectors’ voice is heard and that we are being represented at Local, National and Strategic Policy level.

This is an exciting time for our sector, to be involved in the Fit for the Future project and to engage in partnership working to shift the balance of care and allow elderly people to optimise their health and wellbeing in their home or in a homely setting.

In the coming months, I hope to:

• Arrange meetings with local independent providers to discuss how we communicate and collaborate to achieve all of the above
• Continue to attend key meetings of Falkirk Reshaping Care for Older People Partnership
• Plan the implementation of this development project to reshape services for the future.

I am keen to hear from you so please contact me either by way of email margaret.mcgowan@scottishcare.org or by phone on: 07919315590.