Gaberston Team - Specialist Care Home Finalists!

The Gaberston Team nominated by their Head of Service, ViV Dickenson are delighted to have been recognised for their hard work.  This year in particular, the staff group at every level have worked hard at increasing service user involvement within the service so that the service users are more involved than ever in choosing their own activities and making decisions about their lives and the service which they receive.  They are a long-serving staff team who have always placed the resident’s wellbeing at the heart of service delivery, which is clear from the minute you walk into the house.  They work well as a supportive team and have a real sense of fun which impacts positively on the lives of the service users.

 
Gaberston House is a care home for 16 service users with severe and enduring mental illness many of whom are admitted from hospital or where they have had a breakdown in their ability to self care in the community.  Staff, under the lead of manager Maureen Chicanski, are involved in supporting people to manage their symptoms and find ways of coping both in the house and community which enhances their quality of life and promotes recovery and wellbeing.  Staff are acutely aware of the stigma surrounding mental illness and work hard to minimize the impact on service users by supporting them to live ‘ordinary’ lives despite extraordinary illness.