The roadshow will bring together key industry experts with suppliers to create a stimulating and inspiring environment for all professionals within this evolving industry. Visitors are invited to interact with care sector products and services which will be on offer at the show.

The Care Roadshow will also host informative seminars lead by care specialists. These exclusive seminars will be free to attend and will provide you with the latest industry updates.

At each show the exhibitors and speakers will be on hand to offer advice and guidance for your care business. The shows are an ideal occasion to meet with your business partners, staff, or other care professionals in a location which is convenient to you.

It will guarantee to leave you feeling inspired, enthused and full of new ideas to maximise your business to its full potential. For more information on visiting or exhibiting, please call 01425 838 393 or email info@careroadshows.co.uk.

The primary objective of Mediline is to provide a quality service to our clients and continually review the training and support that we provide to our care workers to maintain and develop this ethos.

It is therefore hugely gratifying for both the care workers concerned and the company, when we receive unsolicited commendation from the people we provide the care to or from their families.

We would therefore like to use this blog entry to recognise those whom we have received praise for directly, and intend to do so as an ongoing feature within our blog.

We received a mail from the daughter of a Mary Bradley, a service user whose care is managed by our Lichfield branch. Unreserved praise was conveyed by her daughter Berni Wilkins to all of the carers within the package. Berni stated that all of the carers were “excellent ambassadors and role models for anyone considering a career in care.”

Thank you to all of our care workers in all areas for the continued delivery of quality care on behalf of Mediline, you are a credit to the company.

We certainly do and took the time and effort to express this on National Dignity Awareness Day on 1st February 2012.

“It might well be that the difference people make individually is a mere ripple on the surface of our care system, but each of those ripples added together create a wave, a social movement and if that makes life better for some – then it has to be worthwhile. Dignity in care must be everybody’s business, I hope people will do whatever is in their power to make a difference.” – Sir Michael Parkinson

The event was totally free, all that we asked was for people to come along and enjoy the day with us. We invited service users, their family, carers, local authorities, companies that we work closely with, the Mayor of East Staffordshire and the MP for Burton and Uttoxeter.

We had a great turn out, around 70 guests in total attended and the feedback was fantastic! Dignity Action Day gives everyone the opportunity to contribute to upholding people’s rights to dignity and provide a truly memorable day for people receiving care. Dignity Action Day aims to ensure people in care are treated as individuals, are given choice, control and a sense of purpose in their daily activities.

“Dignity in Care and the Dignity Action Day is a fantastic initiative to raise the awareness of the importance of social care and the fantastic work that carers in Burton and around the country do. Ensuring dignity in care is vital and I am delighted to support Mediline as they highlight this incredibly important campaign.” Andrew Griffiths – MP Burton & Uttoxeter.

The Ten Points of the Dignity Challenge:

1. Have a zero tolerance of all forms of abuse.
2. Support people with the same respect you would want for yourself or a member of your family.
3. Treat each person as an individual by offering a personalised service.
4. Enable people to maintain the maximum possible level of independence, choice and control.
5. Listen and support people to express their needs and wants.
6. Respect people’s right to privacy.
7. Ensure people feel able to complain without fear of retribution.
8. Engage with family members and carers as care partners.
9. Assist people to maintain confidence and a positive self-esteem.
10. Act to alleviate people’s loneliness and isolation.

We would love to hear any of your recent success stories. Share your stories with us – no matter what you do, large or small, we want to hear about it. We would really like to share your examples in future blog posts.

Starting off 2011 with a bang, Mediline received confirmation that it had been successful in securing a major contract with Staffordshire County Council.

For the provision of care in the home within the districts of East Staffordshire and Lichfield, Mediline will cover the following areas:

East Staffordshire: Burton on Trent, Barton under Needwood, Abbotts Bromley, Uttoxeter, and Mayfield.

Lichfield: Armitage Kings Bromley, Burntwood, New Tamworth, Alrewas, Little Aston, and Fradley.

Mediline has also made the strategic decision to support and further develop the Lichfield area, by opening a branch in Lichfield town centre. With the Mediline Head Office at Foston centrally located within the district, the East Staffordshire contract can be serviced effectively.

Scheduled to be opened during the week commencing the 8^th August, the new branch will be responsible for managing and coordinating the provision of Mediline’s services within the Lichfield district. With a team of seven people, Mediline aims to provide a presence within the area in order to meet and support the care workers locally, and develop the business within the local community.

Whilst Mediline’s priority together with the local authority is the focus of the provision of generic domiciliary care, it is also involved in the Council’s framework for providing care to people with learning disabilities, mental health, physical disabilities, autism and advanced dementia.

Working closely with Staffordshire Primary Care Trust, Mediline provides specialist Nursing care for clients that have complex needs, enabling them to remain within their own homes and maintain their independence.

The strategy for future health and social care in Staffordshire has taken shape alongside a recently developed overall local vision for health and social care services. It has agreed a vision that will develop a service, which enables people to live as good a life as they can, feeling in control of decisions that directly impact on their lives, just as we would wish for ourselves.

As Mediline encompasses a large portfolio of private clientele in partnership with the Public authorities, it is envisaged that it will be further developed within the West Midlands following the opening of the Lichfield branch.

Thursday the 17th March
Time 09:00 to 17:30

If you are a carer or are thinking of becoming a carer we would like you very much to join us at our care jobs open days. You will get the opportunity to meet the team and experience the Mediline organisation.

Holiday Inn Express

Wall Island, Birmingham Road,
Shenstone, Lichfield, Staffs

WS14 0QP

Map and directions below.

We are looking forward to meeting you!

Despite a good deep covering of snow this did not stop the Mediline team keeping their promises to even the most remotest of clients. Some carers walked for several hours to reach clients, trudging through the deep white stuff that brought the rest of the UK to a standstill, whilst other member of the team arranged to stay over at clients.

The backup Land Rover was kept very busy, pushing down the snow filled lanes around Derbyshire, supporting critical services. The team achieved this through good communication, planning and the willingness to be adaptable to maintain services.

All the Mediline team deserve congratulations, according to Derbyshire County Council we achieved full attendance.

Well done everyone.

Keri Chamber first-class degree in maths

Keri Chambers a Mediline client achieves her dream of gaining an incredible first-class degree in maths and achieves published fame for her determination and hard work.

The Star News Paper article.

AN INSPIRATIONAL Sheffield student has been awarded an incredible first-class degree in maths – overcoming difficulties few others could contemplate. Keri Chambers, aged 24, is completely blind, partially deaf and has two kinds of diabetes. But the Sheffield Hallam University student was determined her difficulties would not stop her achieving the very best in the subject she loves.

Watched by her proud family, Keri put on her graduation robes and received her top-grade degree in a ceremony at Sheffield City Hall. Mum Ruth Chambers, who were there with dad Mark, brother Alex and grandad Brian, said: “We are absolutely amazed. Not amazed that she could do it, but amazed that she got through it. “We are so pleased that she succeeded in what she wanted to do.

Even as an eight-yearold girl Keri was determined she would go to university. “When the results letter came my hands were shaking. Keri needed me to read her the letter but it took me a few moments to open the envelope!” Like her older brother Alex, 26, Keri has Wolfram syndrome – or DIDMOAD – which affects just one in 770,000 of the UK population. The syndrome means she is completely blind, partially deaf and has to cope with diabetes mellitus, which affects her blood sugar, and diabetes insipidus, which affects her hydration levels.

To help get her through her degree, lecturers transcribed course notes into Braille and provided one-to-one tuition to explain the more visual elements of her course. She also had a personal note-taker and extra time in exams. Keri, who for four years commuted to Sheffield every day from her home in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, said: “The staff were all really helpful. When I started they didn’t have the Braille facilities ready, and I had to temporarily withdraw and start again the following year. But after that they were brilliant. They helped me though everything.” Hallam maths lecturer Erik Baxter said Keri’s work ethic won her many fans on campus. He said: “Keri’s story proves what people with disabilities are capable of if given the opportunity. “She really is a wonder, she has such a good attitude about everything – all the lecturers loved her. “She has had such difficulties but she was a pleasure to teach because she really has a love for the subject – it is truly inspiring.

At Sheffield Hallam University we want to get more disabled people into education, and it would be a great shame if educational reforms meant others do not get the opportunities Keri has.” Keri has her degree but she has not stopped working – and is determined to help others achieve. “I’m doing volunteering work, helping out at primary school to teach Braille and maths. I just like helping people and I’m hoping to get a permanent job teaching.” Jo Johnson, marketing manager at Deafblind UK, said Keri’s success was truly remarkable. “To achieve a first-class degree is a massive achievement. “A deaf blind student has to cope with such large challenges every day.

Concentration is a big issue – taking in all that information using alternative communication techniques can be very tiring. Everyday tasks can be exhausting, even getting up in the morning and finding the way around campus. Everything is so much harder. “What Keri has achieved is quite remarkable.”

Hi Trish

Hope you are ok.  Everything went  well on holiday.

I was very pleased, Simmy gave me the help I needed at the airport with the luggage, also pushing me around in the wheelchair all week.

We went in the indoor swimming twice and she helped me get in and out of the pool.

We were out every every day, we had a day at the Safari Park also a day in Cala Millor.

I had a really good time, she was very good to me and we got on very well together.  We had our evening meals at a restaurant that I have been to for years, as they are very good friends of me and my parents.  They were pleased to see me again also Simmy.

She was excellent in helping me, if I was unable to reach anything she was always there for me.  I would like to have her again.

I have attached some photos that was taken was taken during our holiday.

I filled in the Mediline Satisfaction Survey as I was pleased with the service.  I have suggested on the Survey that it would be a good idea to advertise your services, at the Motability Roadshow every 2 years as other disabled people may be interested.

Thanks once again I was pleased Simmy was with me.

Thanking you.
Jane Oakley

Over the last few years, attempts have been made to make clear in law the type of healthcare needs that qualify for NHS continuing healthcare. A national framework has been developed to provide guidance to the NHS about this and to try to ensure that consistent decisions are made across the country.