As with all good businesses it is important for an organisation to have a vision, to know what it wants to achieve and how it is going to get there. Headway Somerset therefore produced a 3 year business plan in 2002, which is reproduced here for your information.

INTRODUCTION

In 1996, Headway Somerset prepared a three-year business plan with the purpose of planning support for people in Somerset with brain injury, their families and carers. In particular, the plan proposed to establish a Day Care Centre. Three years on, the Plan was reviewed and updated. This version moves the process forward, identifying the priorities up until 2005.

Headway is the only UK charity dedicated to the care and successful re-integration of people with brain injury into the community. It was established in 1979 and currently has 110 local groups or branches and 51 Day Care Centres in Britain. Headway provides advice, support and care for those who have sustained a brain injury, their families and carers.

In 2000, the House of Commons Health Select Committee stated - Head injury is the foremost cause of death and disability in young people. In an age of increased motorisation and violence, head injury is a healthcare problem which is not going to go away.

About a million people attend hospital every year as a result of suffering a brain injury. Brain injuries strike people of all ages, from all walks of life and in a variety of situations. Most will sustain a minor brain injury resulting in loss of consciousness for fifteen minutes or less. Many will have short term loss of attention, concentration or memory. Although they will usually recover completely within three to six months, the problems they face during their recovery period are very real and people often feel frustrated that they are not fully informed about these hidden disabilities.

There is no standard brain injury; every case is individual and each person who has sustained a brain injury has unique physical, intellectual or rehabilitation problems. There cannot be a standard treatment. Families take most of the strain. The burden of care of the injured person often places the family unit under severe pressure.

Headway promotes wider understanding of all aspects of brain injury and provides information, support and services to people with brain injury, their families and carers. Its aims are:

· To increase public awareness and understanding of brain injury.
· To participate in activities that will reduce the incidence of brain injuries.
· To provide information and support for people with brain injury, their relatives and carers.
· To promote co-ordinated, multi-disciplinary approaches to brain injury screening, acute care, assessment, rehabilitation and community re-entry with clear accountability at all stages.
· To assist people with brain injury to return to community living, including access to appropriate accommodation, social outlets and productive activity.

HISTORY

Headway Somerset was founded in August 1990 and enjoys charitable status, its Charity registration number being 1010043. It is funded through voluntary donations and fund raising and, currently, has a Service Level Agreement with Somerset Social Services to provide day care support for appropriate clients referred by the authority.

The Group provides information, support and advice to people with brain injury, their families and carers, organises social events and runs two support units ( Headway Houses ) based at Bridgwater and Yeovil. A third unit will open in January 2003 at Henton, near Wells.

From the outset, Headway Somerset has benefited from a close liaison with the statutory authorities in the county and enjoys regular contact with a number of representatives of these authorities. Representatives from Headway Somerset have made presentations to Primary Care Trusts and other health agencies within the county.

The affairs of the organisation are controlled by an annually elected executive committee. Current membership of that committee includes people with head injury, family representatives and legal representatives. The committee as at October 2002 is:

Chairman Mr G Reynolds
Vice Chair Mr G Gunningham
Secretary Mrs E Batten
Treasurer Mr G Batten
Members Mr M Cummings
Mr M Dowse
Mr D Esp
Mr T Hodge
Mr I Matthews
Mr M Pettingell
Mr I Taylor
Mrs J Williams

The Headway Houses are controlled by a management committee comprising of the four officers of the Executive Committee. The Co-ordinators attend meetings of the management committee as required.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF HEADWAY SOMERSET

In pursuance of the aims of the national organisation listed in the introduction, Headway Somerset aims to provide support for head injured people in the county, their families and carers in a number of ways:

· By providing individually tailored programmes of occupational, social and recreational activity in an environment which will in turn facilitate personal development, independence and self esteem for people with brain injury.
· By increasing awareness by the public at large within Somerset about issues concerned with brain injury.
· By providing guidance, technical support and advice for families and carers of people with brain injury.
· By improving social re-integration through a programme of social events aimed at the wider membership including families, carers, professional staff, friends and supporters
· By assisting people with brain injury to re-acquire the necessary skills to return to as normal a life as possible within the community.
· By offering volunteer support to the statutory bodies which are responsible for the care of people with brain injury.

NATURE OF THE SERVICE.

Headway Somerset will seek to provide a service to its clients:

· By providing advice, guidance and support for people with brain injuries, their families and carers and for the professional services within the county who deal with brain injury.
· By arranging a social programme for people with brain injury, their families and carers which will enable them to interact with others in the county who have to cope with similar problems.
· By providing Support Units which will assist people with a brain injury to integrate into the community through a range of social and therapeutic activities and other support services.

Advice & Guidance

Headway Somerset will continue to collate and disseminate the latest information and advice for people with a brain injury. This will include data on care, legal issues, benefits and training.

Social Programme

Headway Somerset will continue to arrange a varied programme of activities to serve its members and friends with the intention to provide at least three events per year designed to improve the social interaction of brain injured people in Somerset.

Support Units

The main thrust of Headway Somersets efforts during the next three years will be the consolidation and expansion of their Headway Houses, The main thrust of Headway Somersets efforts during the next three years will be the consolidation and expansion of their Headway Houses, support units which provide a stress free environment where a wide range of activities can be offered to people with brain injury in order to assist their re-integration into the community. The units will also provide a base for the development of outreach services supporting clients in their own environment to increase their independence. The success of this programme will be dependent upon a number of factors. Not least is the professionalism of the staff, the need to develop the expertise of a team of volunteers and the continued collaboration and support of the statutory authorities.

The present Headway Houses are based at the Community Hospital, Bridgwater, the Salvation Army Hall in Yeovil and shortly at Henton Village Hall near Wells. The facilities available are excellent and compare well with other Headway Houses throughout the country. The continuing availability of these facilities is crucial to the future plans of Headway Somerset although increasingly, staff will seek additional ways of supporting clients through an expanding outreach programme.

HEADWAY HOUSES.

Catchment

Headway Houses are intended to act as support units for all people with brain injury who live in Somerset and who could benefit from such support. The aspiration of the Group is to provide that service as near as is practical to the clients concerned.

Premises

At present, Headway Houses operate at Bridgwater Hospital and Yeovil Salvation Army on Tuesdays and Fridays from 10 am to 4 pm and can each provide support for a maximum of 12 - 14 clients per day depending upon the degree of disability and the skills and availability of volunteers.

The previous business plan identified the need to provide additional units in Mendip and West Somerset to meet the increasing demand for support. A new Centre to meet the demand within Mendip will be opened at Henton Village Hall, near Wells in January 2003.

Activities

The work at Bridgwater and Yeovil will be continued and a new programme established at Wells. The importance of the need to address the individual requirements of each client is well understood and this will be undertaken by the co-ordinators through meetings with the client support workers. Care plans will be documented for each individual.

Within the limitations of the funds available to Headway Somerset, the Centres will buy in more expertise and specialist activities such as music therapy and computer training.

The programme can be further enhanced by seeking volunteers with special skills and aptitudes who may be willing to donate their time for a short period, for instance one day or four two hour sessions.

Staffing

Each Headway House will continue to operate with a part-time co-ordinator, two part- time assistant co-ordinators and a team of volunteers. The quality of volunteers is crucial if the work of the centre is to be developed. Any new volunteers will be appointed initially on a trial basis and funds will be made available to enable an on-going training programme to be developed for all paid and volunteer staff.

OPERATING COSTS FOR HEADWAY HOUSES

As a voluntary organisation, Headway Somerset will continue its fundraising activities to support the work it undertakes. However, the current service can only be achieved if charges are made for clients attending. During 2000 it was estimated that the per capita cost for providing day care support would be £31 per client per day. Despite the additional expenditure incurred by the opening of a second resource unit and the appointment of two additional part time staff, the charge for 2001 and 2002 remained at £31, following an increase of clients attending.

The annual income and expenditure estimated for 2003 is based on three day centres being open for two days a week. Any future expansion would obviously alter the estimated income and expenditure but the organisation believes that, despite the unknown elements at this stage, a per capita figure of £31 would be required assuming a minimum of 12 clients per resource unit per day. Assuming a 4% increase in expenditure during 2004 the per capita figure for that year would need to rise to £33 to maintain the status quo.

RECOMMENDATIONS AND ACTION.

In order to ensure the best possible support for people with brain injury in Somerset and their families and carers over the next three years Headway Somerset proposes to take the following action:

· Appoint a Senior Manager for Headway Somerset to co-ordinate strategic planning, negotiate with statutory authorities and manage the work of the support units. This appointment to be made by April 2003.

· Consolidate the existing structure of Headway Houses at Bridgwater and Yeovil, develop a similar structure at Henton, Wells and seek to improve the service offered in all cases.

· Seek sufficient support and funding from the statutory services to ensure that at least twelve clients per day at each centre are paying an economic rate of £31 per day by April 2003.

· Increase the number and quality of volunteer support staff at Headway Houses through recruitment and training.

· Ensure that the Support Units continue to meet the specifications agreed with Somerset Social Services in 1999 and meet the quality assurance standards set out within the PQASSO system.

· Increase public awareness of brain injury and the role of Headway Somerset by reviewing and, if necessary, improving the existing publicity material. Participate in the UK Brain Injury Awareness Week during February 2003 and annually thereafter.

· Continue to recognise the importance of social interaction for members, including those who do not attend Day Centres and hold at least three social events a year for members, carers, families and supporters of Headway Somerset.

· Continue to hold discussions with the statutory authorities in Somerset, including the Primary Care Trusts to identify better the people with brain injury in the county and assess more effectively how to meet their needs.

· Examine the needs of brain injured people in West Somerset and establish such support as is needed there by April 2004.

· Continue to contribute to the strategic planning for health within Somerset to ensure that the needs of brain injured people are adequately addressed.