Monica has been supported by Community Catalysts and the Community Micro-enterprise Project in Central Bedfordshire to set up a CQC-registered service called Sandton Healthcare. Monica and her team support older people and people with learning and physical disabilities in their homes and in the community.
“I have worked as a registered nurse for many years and gained vast experience from supporting older people and people with disabilities. I work in partnership with Precious, who was also a registered nurse. She is responsible for recruitment and making sure that all staff are well trained.”
Having worked for the NHS for a number of years, Monica and Precious wanted to use their skills and experience to offer a more personalised approach to care. With support from Community Catalyst’s Development Programme, Monica and Precious realised that there were gaps in the care being offered locally that Sandton could fill. This helped them to develop their model of care, which is based on highly individualised support, where the welbeing of every customer matters.
“Throughout my working career, I have always had a passion for helping people. This is what led to my motivation to set up my own care provision, which is now registered with CQC. I am committed to raise standards, as I feel that care could be better; I believe that, to live a good life, people need the best support available. At Sandton, our focus is on quality rather than quantity. We don’t want to be the biggest, but we will offer an excellent service, so that we can make a difference to the lives of the people we support.”
The local Catalyst supported Sandton to consider their policies and procedures and helped them connect with health and social care professionals. By joining Community Catalysts’ micro-enterprise network, Sandton also benefits from a peer support group. This, together with the local Catalyst’s ongoing guidance, has helped Sandton grow their customer base and build a strong reputation in their community.
“When setting up our enterprise, one of our biggest challenges was to gain access to relevant information. Starting up can be a long process, but Community Catalysts helped us to get on track quickly. As we wanted to support customers with a wide range of needs, we registered with CQC. The Catalyst invited us to networking events, which offered us the opportunity to meet other small providers and promote our services to relevant professionals. The Catalyst continues to be available for advice, and working with her has been a very fulfilling experience – we are grateful for the support we have received.”
“I receive the best support I could have wished for. My carer is supportive, friendly, and very helpful. I love having a chat over a cup of tea with her; it’s like having a friend come over. I feel lucky to have such great support.”
One of Sandton Healthcare’s customers, Mrs B
“I spoke with the local Catalyst about my son’s needs, and that I couldn’t find the right person to support him. He has a learning and physical disabilities, and we have been let down by agencies in the past. She contacted Sandton, who then started supporting my son. Precious’ help has been a real blessing; my son is happy, and our family is grateful for the excellent service.”
M, customer of Sandton Healthcare
For more information about Sandton Healthcare Services, and other small community enterprises in the local area, visit the Central Bedfordshire Small Good Stuff directory.