My Career

Astroduck 

My Career

 


A different perspective...


As everyone would tell you, I always aim to be 100% honest. Due to that ,I felt I should l should openly


share this with every person reading this. I recently went through the fascinating personal experience of


the other side of Health and Social Care as I went through several (initially surprising)  “seizures”. One


of them in fact resulted in me requiring some perfectly completed surgery.



Thankfully as a result of some excellent care, they seem to have resolved these issue with the use of


some thoroughly impressive medication. They also encouraged me to also make regular time for self-


care. Based on this request my new life planner includes regular time to relax and reflect.


They have never ascertained the overall underlying cause, but the opportunity to witness care and


support from the other side has only helped me further. I have always been passionately dedicated this


profession; I have loved every minute of it. This first-hand opportunity to truly experience it from


a different perspective has truly motivated me to continue my career. I want to make a positive


difference in other people's life. It also personally gave me more personal time to reflect, study, write,


significantly improve my diet and to make further time for mindful relaxation. It may have been


surprising experience, but I feel it's been a beneficial one.


Past, Present and Future..


Past

I have worked within the Health and Social Care sector for almost twenty years... many of which have been spent managing, developing, and modernising a range of services at a manager, area manager and at a strategic level. I began my career as a support worker in acute mental health residential service, before progressing into management of a range of services. I then moved to area management and then onto a director role.





This has included:


  • Supported Housing
  • Domiciliary Care
  • CQC Residential Care
  • Floating Support
  • Early Intervention Services
  • Community & Day Services
  • Carers Services
  • Befriending Services
  • Motivational Services
  • Peer-support Services
  • Psychoeducational Services
  • Employment Services
  • Personalisation (Self-Directed Support) Contracts.


I have worked in sectors that have included some of the following areas; Mental Health,Elderly Care, Dementia Care, Learning Disabilities, Substance Misuse, Complex Needs and Dual Diagnosis


Overall I am passionate about creating person centred services/organisations that empower and support individuals to reach their potential; whilst leading a modern & dynamic approach that can be confidently marketed to funders, referrers and commissioners. I consider myself to have excellent strategic skills and can develop plans & manage projects that maximise resources and facilitating an organisations sustained competitive advantage and continued financial security.


I am able to lead change and innovation within services and organisations; changing cultures, empowering teams and turning non-compliant and failing services into ones that consistently exceed regulatory standards whilst providing exceptional support. I enjoy trouble shooting and thinking outside the box to find solutions to challenging situations.


I also have a keen interest in developing new systems for organisations & individual projects to evidence and quantify their outcomes. As you will see from my achievement section, I have a great deal of experience in designing bespoke outcome tools to do this. I have created these tools for organisations, services and commissioners throughout the country. I pride myself in being able to develop robust quantifiable systems of evidence, collating information to meet any potential KPIs or quality agenda.


Education

Advanced Diploma in Strategic Management (Sac.DIP) Stonebridge Associated Colleges

Certificate in Corporate Management  - Udemy

Post Graduate - Clinical Leadership - Planning and Leading Service Innovation (CPD) - Open University.

QCF Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management (Including the Registered Managers Award)


Present & Future

I am currently reviewing my potential plans, however I will update this when I feel I have a far clearer vision of my next-step career goals in life. if you would like to have a more detailed breakdown on my CV please just email me below and I will get this to you quickly.


James@Astroduck.com


Last updated - 2024


Innovation can always improve care!

Achievements

During my career I have had a number of personal achievements including:

  • 2020 - Created a "Safe Meeting" process to aim to meet and exceed CQC requirements. Overall "outstanding" practice criteria to evidence best approaches to increase safety.
  • 2020 - Developed a system for evidencing service delivery against the CQCs human rights model
  • 2020 - Developed a tool for monitoring and improving staff wellbeing
  • 2019 - Developed a Case Study tool that links specific case studies to CQC KLOE.
  • 2019 - Implemented a ground breaking project to ensure that the organisation I was working for will be the first ever to be accredited in this specific area.
  • 2019 -  Created the EPIC tool, a brand new system of monitoring relationships with key partnership organisations and stakeholders.
  • 2018 –  Designed a bespoke tool for the monitoring of all aspects of CQC KLOEs, its flexibility and functionality will allow it be used in any service type.
  • 2017 –  Developed and implemented a bespoke quality system for a small domiciliary care franchise that contributed to an Outstanding CQC rating.
  • 2016 – Successfully developed and implemented a recruitment strategy for services that had been struggling to recruit for many years.
  • 2015 – Four of the services in my area won the 3rd Sector Care Award for Community Engagement.
  • 2015 – Received an organisational award for work beyond my normal duties pertaining to supporting the organisation to reach its strategic objectives.
  • 2014 – Developed and launched a Staff Innovation Award – That rewarded and recognised exceptional innovative practice in Health and Social care.
  • 2014 – Rolled out a new online health and safety monitoring system across an entire organisation.
  • 2014 - Developed the ON-TRAC referral monitoring system for the monitoring and evaluation of referral data within Mental Health services.
  • 2014 - Created the NorTom outcomes system for the monitoring of specific outcomes and KPIs.
  • 2013 - Developed the ITY planning system, a group work tool aimed at inspiring and empowering service-users to find goals, targets and direction.
  • 2013 - Created the '24HRS' system for the accurate monitoring of specific Key Performance Indicators across Recovery-Focused services.
  • 2012 - Developed the TSim Social Inclusion Outcomes Monitoring Tool - To provide a quantifiable evidenced based system for the measuring and evaluation of specific outcomes within Mental Health services.
  • 2012 - Invented the Dynamic Information Board, a digital service for providing information to service-users within Residential Services.
  • 2011 - Interviewed live on BBC Radio regarding a successful horticultural service in East Dorset and secured additional funding as a direct result.
  • 2010 - Winning First Prize in a 'UK Wide Competition' related to creative ways of Mental Health services reducing their Carbon Footprint.
  • 2009 - Designed a brand new statistical data system for the recording (and analysis of) Recovery Outcomes that was used in multiple services across the UK.
  • 2008 - Developed and setup a socially inclusive 'Recovery and Wellbeing Cafe' that offered supportive work experience and NVQ qualifications to service-users; whilst providing a competitive local business for the community.
  • 2007 - Developing an Excel-based 'Rota System' that was rolled-out to numerous services throughout the UK.
  • 2006 - Designed a new approach to a person centred keyworking process - This became a significant part of the organisation's new approach and subsequent policy on support service-users.