St Raphael’s Care Home had a very special a visit from a prestigious group of researchers from the Total Management Programme at the Kings Fund on 16th November. This group of researchers are looking at examples of good leadership and management in long term care settings. The group were recommended to visit us by Rene Rigby MBE, a member of the health and social care integration partnership and Scottish Care.
The Kings Fund charity was founded in 1897 by the Prince of Wales – later King Edward VII – to help London’s voluntary hospitals. Since then their work has evolved in response to the creation of the NHS and to changes in health policy and practice. The funding built up in the early years helps to maintain the much-valued independence of the fund. Kings Fund research publications are very well respected in academic and health fields across the world.
The Kings Fund vision is that the best possible health and care is available to all. Their mission describes how they will achieve this:
- through research and policy analysis
- through work with individuals, organisations and communities building their capability, supporting them to adopt best practice and share learning
- by bringing people together through events and networks to discuss and learn from evidence from the United Kingdom and across the world
- by promoting greater understanding of health and care policy and practice – helping people to make sense of a complex and rapidly changing environment.
The feedback from the visit was extremely encouraging for our staff. One of the visiting party commented that the lunch they were served in our St Raphael’s dining room was far nicer than anything they had in the hotel they were staying in – no less than the famous George Hotel on George Street! A huge well done to our catering team.