Members and partners attending the Annual General Meeting of HEA last week heard that the organisation plan to increase their support work to older people in Holbeck to include personal care.
John England, the Chair of Trustees at HEA said:
“We are well placed to provide care and support to people in their own homes. We already help people to alleviate isolation and live independent lives by providing activities, hot meals, home repairs. We now aim to also provide personal care, providing a full wraparound service, within two years.”
The meeting had heard earlier from Philip Hewer, Chair of the NHS South and East Care Commissioning Group, that local organisations such as HEA were ‘building blocks’ for the NHS of the future. “I’m very impressed with what you do for the funding you get” he said.
He explained the challenges of partnership working, saying doctors tend to be trapped in their surgeries and hospitals, but that services needed to be planned from the point of view of the community.
The meeting also heard about the progress HEA had made over the last year. There had been a rebranding of the organisation with new literature produced to ensure people easily understood the services on offer. The organisation is also now financially secure, having been threatened with closure three years ago.
Elissa Newman was in tears as she emotionally thanked the service users – “our family”; volunteers – “without whom we couldn’t offer our services”; and her “great, passionate, small staff team.”
The meeting ended with news that member Wilf Woodhouse and his wife had just received a card from the Queen celebrating their diamond (60th) wedding anniversary. Members then joined with the HEA choir to sing ‘Thank You For The Music.’
