Homes not hospitals
Transitioning people with complex
medical and mental health needs
Introducing
The Willows
Background
In 2023, Nottinghamshire County Council, in partnership with NHS England and funded by a Transforming Care grant, opened ‘The Willows’. This purpose-built supported living facility of individual bungalows is designed to assist people with with complex medical and mental health needs.
Outcomes
The supported living service offers individual housing for five people with learning disabilities and autism. For these people, the right combination of housing, support and technology can allow them to transition out of long stay institutional assessment and treatment units and their own homes, safely.
With the help of Just Roaming, The Willows has produced a cashable saving of £497,089 per annum.
Using Just Roaming
Just Roaming systems are integrated throughout each property and customised to each individual’s support needs. Just Roaming TEC Specialists work alongside the social work team, provider and a positive behavioural specialist to track outcomes for each individual as they transition. As a result each person has a personalised alerting and monitoring system installed to their preference. Staff can respond confidently when support needs arise.Â
The system aims to:
Reduce restrictions
Support independence
Promote skill building
Charlotte's Story
Background
Charlotte has a history of voluntary admissions to long-stay hospitals and previously lived in a highly restrictive, multi-occupancy setting with extensive support. She saw the risk management strategies as punitive, significantly impacting on her mood and wellbeing.
Transition
During her transition, staff at The Willows focused on slow triggers, such as lack of sleep and hunger, as incident
reporting revealed these were significant factors contributing to Charlotte’s self-harm behaviours. Concerned about her being on her phone throughout the night, flush-fitted sound sensors, along with a weight sensor under her bed, were installed to monitor her sleeping patterns accurately. The Just Roaming system was set up to alert staff of sounds during the night and when Charlotte gets out of bed.Â
Motion sensor
Placed around the property to understand Charlotte’s activity.
Door sensor
Enables staff to check on Charlotte if she opens her front or back door overnight.
Weight sensor
Situated under Charlotte’s bed to help understand sleeping patterns accurately.
Sound sensor
Flush fitted in her living room and bedroom to help understand sleeping patterns accurately.
Outcomes
Staff use the Just Roaming data to encourage positive sleeping patterns whilst giving Charlotte the space she needs to grow and develop. Her support staff sought clarity on behaviours that occurred when she was alone.
Charlotte now lives in a more homely environment, experiences more settled nights, and functions better in the day. She continues to grow her independence, improve her daily living skills, and now cares for her own pet cat and hamster.
Learn more...
Watch the video below to learn more about ‘The Willows’ from Nottinghamshire County Council’s Mark Douglas and Anne Tebbs, Lifeways’ Charlie Rio Williams and tenant Charlotte.