Accelerate Empowering social care leaders: learning from the third cohort - Adass
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Accelerate Empowering social care leaders: learning from the third cohort
ADASS // NEWTON Accelerate
SPRING 2021 PROGRAMME
Foreword
Change has been at the front of everyone’s about the tools gained from the reimagined
minds over the past year as the coronavirus programme – which have been put to use
pandemic has swept aside established during the pandemic – and the relationships
ways of working – in some cases built with their peers. I was privileged to sit
permanently – and radically reshaped the in on some of their closing presentations,
landscape of social care. which showcased the inspirational work
This year’s Accelerate programme was ongoing in the sector – something this
hardly immune to those shifts. Two of the report provides a real flavour of.
four course modules were, like so much Meanwhile the high volume of quality
else over the past 15 months, hosted applicants for the new cohort, which is just
virtually. Meanwhile some of the change- getting underway, amply demonstrates the
management projects participants brought extent to which the programme is valued
to the programme were subject to as a crucial component of what ADASS is
disruption and delay as attention rightly able to offer its membership. The success
Glen Garrod focused on Covid-19. of Accelerate has acted as a catalyst for
Executive director of adult care and But social care is a sector that rarely other areas of our work and has informed
community wellbeing at Lincolnshire stands still. The ongoing integration a new programme now available to
County Council, and honorary secretary of agenda, the nature of managing resources Principal Social Workers.
ADASS and the need to cope with rising levels of I’d like to pay special tribute to Marie
complexity and need are among the factors Rogers, who has recently retired from
that can influence how a programme of ADASS and who is responsible for having
change is ultimately implemented. built the partnership with Newton and
Instilling social care leaders with the enabling Accelerate to develop. Thanks
confidence to chart a successful course in also to Marie’s colleagues Cathy Kerr and
an uncertain world has been at the heart of Letizia Mattanza for their instrumental roles
the partnership ADASS and Newton have in the programme and ongoing support.
The high volume of forged with Accelerate, now in its fourth Finally I’d like to thank our colleagues at
quality applicants amply year and going from strength to strength. Newton for the expertise, flexibility and
demonstrates the extent to While this year’s participants have had imagination they have brought to the
which the Accelerate less face-to-face time than their programme – a shining example of
programme is valued” predecessors, they have spoken warmly partnership work in action.
Introduction
Following a year which has been filled I’d like to echo Glen’s thanks to Marie –
with such uncertainty, the stories in this who has been instrumental in shaping the
report feel – by contrast – full of incredible Accelerate programme from the outset into
clarity. Clarity of vision, of decision-making, what it is today. We look forward to working
of impact and of improved outcomes, with the rest of the ADASS team to
among others. Despite the challenges, and continue to adapt and improve the delivery
impact, of the pandemic, I am proud the of the programme, as we react to the
Accelerate programme has continued to be changing world around us.
able to support participants deliver their Lastly, I would like to welcome our fourth
change programmes. Accelerate cohort – I hope that you find the
We continue to receive positive next year as enjoyable and rewarding as
feedback on how Accelerate supports we find delivering the course.
participants to form supportive and lasting
relationships with their cohort. That’s why
Steve Phillips I am delighted that over the last year we The stories in this report
Senior partner, Newton have started to bring together our two feel full of incredible
previous cohorts through an alumni clarity – of vision, of decision-
network – and the continued support and making, of impact and of
sharing of best practice this is enabling. improved outcomes”
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ADASS // NEWTON Accelerate
SPRING 2021 PROGRAMME
Meet the 2020 cohort
Back row (on stairs L-R) Front row (L-R)
Gary Heathcote Matt Lees Catherine Gormally Richard Parry Peter Davis
Director of commissioning, Programme lead, Newton Director of social care, Strategic director for adults Assistant director,
Norfolk CC Salford Royal NHS and health, Kirklees Council Leicestershire CC
Clare Deards (on laptop) Foundation Trust
Laura Gaudion Head of social work & Hilary Hall
Strategic commissioning principal social worker, Sue Batty Director of adults, health and
manager, Isle of Wight Council Swindon Borough Council Service director, commissioning, Royal
Nottinghamshire CC Borough of Windsor and
Nick Davies Katie Quarmby Maidenhead
Assistant director, Royal Business manager,
Borough of Greenwich Newton Europe
What is the Accelerate programme?
The Accelerate programme develops understanding of Newton’s change l Implement – Delivering the solution
the ability of directors and senior methodology, hear from guest with local teams and measuring
leaders in adult social care to deliver speakers, and share and debate ideas benefits, including communicating
strategic and organisational change. (some of these sessions have and embedding change in behaviour.
Designed by ADASS and Newton, inevitably been conducted virtually
the programme is aimed at directors during the coronavirus pandemic). lS
ustain – Supporting teams to
and assistant directors of adult social sustain the changes permanently,
care services. There have been three The four stages are: including sustainability planning and
cohorts, in 2018, 2019 and 2020. how to keep change going in
Each participant brought a real-life lA
ssess – Identifying and quantifying challenging times.
high-priority major change project to the opportunities for change,
the Accelerate programme that was including how to work with lP
articipants are also paired with a
their focus for the course. stakeholders, measuring success programme partner who, together
The programme is divided into four and planning next steps. with the peer support from others on
modules that mirror the stages of a the programme, offers an additional
major change project. lD
esign – Refining the opportunities, source of advice on effective change.
Each module consists of a two- or designing and piloting new ways of
three-day residential where working, including designing The Accelerate programme is
participants deepen their effective pilots. now in its fourth year.
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ADASS // NEWTON Accelerate
SPRING 2021 PROGRAMME
and ensuring that there was appropriate
capacity within reablement.
Key elements included implementing
more consistent decision-making assisted
by professional reflection and data,
which helped address issues around
culture change and empowerment
within teams.“Accelerate gave me the
headspace, away from the operational
day-to-day, to reflect on how to make
some really critical decisions,” Nick says.
He cites as an example the ‘sustain’
module helping to convince him of the
need to put in a bid to corporate finance
colleagues to continue funding recently
created delivery lead posts, who had been
pivotal to driving things forward.
“If we didn’t invest, I realised we’d risk
losing gains we’d made – the programme
gave me the time, space and energy,
The headspace to think strategically and the ideas from other people on the
course, to think more deeply and in more
of a planned, strategic way about what I
Nick Davies, senior assistant director vision,” says Nick Davies, the council’s needed to do,” Nick says.
for operations and partnerships, Royal senior assistant director for operations
Borough of Greenwich and partnerships.
l “Successfully adopting a strength- Nick’s change programme, which Accelerate gave me the
based approach to how we work with was also being assisted directly by headspace, away from
residents who need adult social care is Newton representatives, entailed tackling the day-to-day, to reflect on
a critical part of the Royal Borough of those challenges through instilling more how to make some really
Greenwich’s health and adult services consistent practice, building resilience critical decisions”
Unsticking a sticky problem
Sue Batty, service director for ageing well use of residential placements. These
community services, Nottinghamshire included gaps in housing options for older
County Council people to plan earlier for later life, health
l Before applying for Accelerate, Sue ‘prescribing’ social care, pressure from
Batty had no shortage of change- families and staff, and the residential
management experience. But having option simply representing the path of
worked with Newton in the past, she least resistance.
says she was drawn to the programme “Once we said: it’s about reducing
because of the company’s record in inappropriate care, it’s not right to put
tackling the seemingly intractable system people in residential if that’s not actually
issues local authorities can face. the service they need, that made sense,”
Sue was wrestling with just such a she says. “It enabled staff buy-in because
“sticky problem”, around reducing the use they get that, whereas if you just say, right services are there for people at the
of residential care for older adults, which reduce the numbers, save money, that’s right time.
she could see other authorities were not a good thing to win hearts and minds.” The project has been held up by the
doing much better at. Nottinghamshire With the barriers diagnosed, pandemic, meaning implementation
had been working on this for several Sue set out several ways by which has just started, from April 2021 – but
years making only small improvements Nottinghamshire will aim to reduce the Sue has been sharing learning from the
and was now in the throes of a broader use of inappropriate residential care by at Accelerate programme with managers,
strength-based service redesign. least 32 people per year over three years. who have likewise been in discussion
Newton’s case-review methodology Key strands include internal embedding with their teams. Even allowing for
helped deliver the first of several “lightbulb of strength-based approaches and the impact of Covid, stats are already
moments” on the programme, Sue says, improvement around decision-making, demonstrating a reduction in the use of
by enabling her to home in on factors influencing partners’ culture and practice, short-term residential care for over-65s in
that were increasing the inappropriate and joint commissioning to ensure the Nottinghamshire.
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ADASS // NEWTON Accelerate
SPRING 2021 PROGRAMME
practitioners’,” says Hilary. “The frustration
Bridging coming from practitioners was, everything
happens too late, and the processes were
transition about as far away as you could describe
from being person-centred.”
gaps The change programme was divided
into three workstreams: planning for
independence much earlier, reworking
transition processes and increasing
accommodation and learning options locally
to reduce out-of-borough placements. Each
was subjected to Newton’s assess, design,
implement and sustain methodology –
which Hilary says staff were receptive to as
a proven external system rather than “the
way we’ve always done things”.
The transitions programme is –
despite Covid disruption – now into its
implementation phase and there are
tentative positive signs around numbers
of young people remaining in-borough,
improved lived experience and reduced
Hilary Hall, director of adults, health the “flaming clunky” transitions between the placement costs.
and housing, Royal Borough of Windsor two also seemed an ideal project to bring Hilary adds that the space away from
and Maidenhead to Accelerate because it was “wide-ranging her day job that Accelerate has granted has
l “Transitions are an issue for every yet quite contained”, Hilary explains. – along with its rigorous self-assessment
authority,” says Hilary, Windsor and “It was an opportunity to pull heavily exercises – enabled her to reflect much
Maidenhead’s DASS. “But our scenario is on the support from Newton and others more on her own development, and
slightly more complicated.” to help me think through things, and to management style.
Children’s and adults’ services in the use some of the programme’s tools,” she “I have a tendency, if staff say, ‘I’m
borough are operated by separate, jointly says.“When I talked to parents of young really struggling,’ to go, ‘I’ll take that
owned arms-length companies – Achieving people who have been through transitions, on for you,’” she says. “I have really
for Children and Optalis – fuelling the what they were describing was the impact worked hard on having much more of a
potential both for siloed working practices of really poor processes – if we get them coaching style – rather than rushing to
and for blaming the other organisation right, one of my key metrics is parents’ and help, actually getting people to come up
when things going wrong.Work to improve young people’s lived experience, and also with their own solutions.”
Cutting vision statements down to size
Cath Gormally, director of social care, been too big – then got staff to bid for
Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust the chance to be an innovation site,” she
l “We had just started a transformation says. “It fit our approach – one principle
programme to deliver community-led of community-led support is: keep your
support, a strengths-based approach,” bureaucracy to a minimum, co-produce
says Cath Gormally. “The ‘exam question’ and co-design with people, and avoid
for me was: how do you stick to principles jargon where you can.”
of co-production and design with staff, Cath says that without her learning
citizens and people with lived experience, from the programme she would also have
while actually delivering change, at scale been less able to challenge her project
and pace, and some savings as well?” team. “It’s helped me really interrogate the
Cath, the only one of the 2020 cohort KPIs and the plan, keeping that stuff in
to work for an integrated care organisation the background so it doesn’t turn staff off, Cath was executive lead for implementing
(ICO), says that as well as seeking to but being really clear about what metrics discharge-to-assess processes during
answer those questions, she was drawn to we actually need and what they lend us in the height of the pandemic. “It was my
Accelerate to “stretch myself” in response terms of financial opportunity,” she says. role to kind of hold the ring on an ethical
to an aversion to project management. During a long coronavirus-related framework to make sure we discharged
“We had visioning workshops – the pause in the change programme, people swiftly yet safely – so the design
Accelerate programme helped with cutting Accelerate’s framework also provided an and implement framework in my mind was
down the vision statements, which had extra resource to draw on at a time when really helpful,” she says.
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ADASS // NEWTON Accelerate
SPRING 2021 PROGRAMME
‘Testing the way
you do everything’
Gary Heathcote, director of
commissioning for adult social care,
Norfolk County Council
‘We needed to change hearts and
l Gary was encouraged onto the minds, not just systems and processes’
Accelerate programme by his DASS
James Bullion, the former ADASS
president, as an ideal self-development Laura Gaudion, assistant director for “A key learning point from the Assess
opportunity that could help him broaden commissioning and partnership and module was: slow down – it’s only if
his role at Norfolk. head of continuing healthcare, Isle of you can articulate what’s going on in your
The change project he selected – Wight Council head that you’re going to get to where
redesigning the county’s fragmented l “Everyone thought it was a great you need to.”
and unstable home care market around idea but also impossible,” recalls Laura When Laura returned to the Isle of
a smaller number of strategic partners of the change project she brought to Wight and sat down with partners to set
– has been affected by Covid-19 and Accelerate. “It was like a unicorn on the out her vision for a homecare contract, she
while its implementation is running horizon – everyone wants to go and touch felt she had the tools to convince everyone
on track, a lot of elements have been it, but nobody’s sure it will be there when to get behind it. “I came back with a
delayed. Gary says his learning from you arrive. skeleton, really, of what I saw the design
Accelerate proved invaluable in mapping She’s referring to Isle of Wight’s mission phase needing to look like, and at that
the path forward – and is already being to implement new care commissioning point everyone started to buy in because
transferred onto other initiatives. arrangements. These include moving to they were able to help put the meat and
“It’s because of the rigour and an outcome-based model, developing a the muscle on those bones,” she says.
the process about how you set out financial framework to support the shift This consensus has endured through
what you need to achieve, as well as away from time and task, and nurturing some difficult interactions, with both
learning to look at things from different a personal assistant marketplace to partners and elected members, around
stakeholders’ points of view, what they complement the island’s traditional the details of the project. Laura describes
need to hear from you,” he says. domiciliary care offer. Accelerate’s focus on planning how
Gary adds that his participation has While stakeholders liked the broad to communicate change as giving her
fundamentally shifted his approach to concept of the project they were mindful a “totally different way of managing”
new projects. of difficulties experienced during similar challenging conversations, keeping focus
“I’ve reflected a lot on the programme transitions elsewhere and concerned on substantive points and not being drawn
– it’s very clever in that it embeds about the potential fallout, explains into unnecessary arguments.
learning in a project so you’ve got an Laura, a lawyer by trade. “We needed to “We’ve now got our three locality
example, but what it’s actually doing change hearts and minds, not just systems partners in place, we’re working with them
is testing you about the way you do and processes.” on a weekly basis, and building lines of
everything,” he explains. Laura says the Accelerate programme engaged communication to make the next
“You now think about, what’s the best appealed because of its ethos of driving 10 years of this programme what they
way of tackling this problem – probably this kind of collective, rather than top-down, need to be,” Laura says.
you need a bit longer than you might have change – which threw down a personal as
done, because the setup, the datasets, well as organisational gauntlet to her. I came back with a
the metrics are key. You keep coming “It’s the nature of me, the nature of my skeleton of the design
back to, why are we doing this, which is a professional background, to run ahead phase, and everyone started to
really good discipline to get into.” without necessarily thinking about how to buy in to help put meat and
take people with me,” she acknowledges. muscle on those bones”
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ADASS // NEWTON Accelerate
SPRING 2021 PROGRAMME
Gaining financial confidence
Clare Deards, head of social Clare describes the knowledge gained
work for adult services, Swindon around finance, such as being able to
Borough Council break down invest-to-save approaches,
l For Clare Deards, the idea of applying as one of Accelerate’s most important
for Accelerate came “out of the blue” benefits. Part of the process was being
thanks to a suggestion made by her encouraged to recognise that this was
line manager. an area of relative weakness for her, and
Clare, who was about to take charge to make the case to her employer that
of a change programme – which, as with she needed support, given her change
Cath Gormally, involved implementing a programme’s potential to save £9.5
community-led support model – initially million annually.
had little idea of what her involvement “The programme also helped
with Accelerate might entail. me realise that you don’t need to
She had, however, previously worked apologise for trying to find some extra
alongside consultants from Newton money, because looking at where we are
during another project at Swindon. nationally, life is going to get
“Having that benefit was massive for me, harder,” she says. “If you want to keep
because I already had an awareness of delivering good outcomes as a local
some of the key concepts – but I was authority, you’ll need to make savings
now looking at them through a different – I had a broader conversation with my
lens,” she says. team, and everyone was OK with that.”
fundamental conversation with social
A change of care about how we might use these
assets,” he says. “We thought through
perspective on how we’ll demonstrate success, in terms
of reduced numbers of people moving
sheltered into residential care or savings on the
housing adaptations budget because we’ve got
better adapted accommodation.”
It’s envisioned that some of the
schemes will remain as they are while
others may be repurposed to support
people with learning disabilities or complex
physical disabilities. With care homes
closing as a result of the pandemic, a
number of properties may also present
opportunities for providers to partner with
the council “and deliver care into some of
these sheltered schemes, almost stepping
Richard Parry, strategic director for Richard refocused narrowly onto a review them up to become mini-extra-care
adults and health Kirklees Council of 19 sheltered housing schemes’ future. schemes”, Richard says.
l Richard, the experienced DASS at This had already begun, but the learning So did the programme teach this
Kirklees, says the appeal of Accelerate Richard had gleaned through the initial old dog new tricks? Richard says that
was about “teaching an old dog new programme modules enabled him to while there was “not an awful lot that
tricks”, given that people in top-level roles coach colleagues involved in the review, was profoundly new”, the experience
can become distanced from the nitty-gritty taking them back to the visioning stage to spotlighted areas he reflexively tended
of change programmes. reassess motives and KPIs. to avoid, and others he had got so
“You need to be continuously “Without Accelerate we’d have been comfortable with that he sometimes
challenged, and reflecting on what you looking at it through the lens of, we coasted through them.
do and don’t know,” he says. “I’m more have a housing problem to solve, rather He compares his participation
of a strategist than someone who than going back and having a more favourably to the advanced driving test he
does detail, and am quite organic in put himself through a few years back. With
my approach, so for me there was just I’m more of a strategist Kirklees colleague Amanda Evans also an
something about the challenge around than someone who does Accelerate alumnus, Richard adds that the
putting in a rigorous methodology.” detail, so for me there was a council aims to embed both their learning
After concluding that his original challenge around putting in a as “the way we will do change projects in
change project was too broad-brush, rigorous methodology” the future.”
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ADASS // NEWTON Accelerate
SPRING 2021 PROGRAMME
The Newton perspective
Stephen Knight, partner at Newton, is responsible for the Accelerate programme at Newton. He works alongside Matt Lees,
who delivers the programme, and in partnership with ADASS colleagues in both course design and delivery.
Q How has the Accelerate
programme evolved over the
a stronger focus on the strategic,
operational, behavioural and political
where some programmes had to be
adapted or paused.
years in response to learning from the elements of any transformation agenda,
people you’ve been delivering it to?
While the core structure of the
and tweaking the criteria and content to
ensure Accelerate is an attractive offer Q What’s next for Accelerate?
We are always seeking to evolve
Accelerate programme has remained to both directors and assistant directors. the Accelerate offer. This year, we’ll be
consistent over the years, in that refining the content to take into account
it is aligned to the key stages of a
successful change programme, we Q How has the Accelerate
programme had to adapt in
topics such as the evolving ICS agenda,
and the impact of adult social care
are always evolving the content. For response to the pandemic and how reform. We also want to ensure we are
example, we reflect the continually successful has this been? reacting to the changing world around
changing landscape of adult social We define the success of Accelerate us – so we are looking at how we can
care through both the case studies and on how much our participants value the bring through innovations in digital and
our guest speakers. This year, topics programme, so it was right to be led technology and consider the impact this
included the use of resources, leading by them on how they wanted to adapt. can have on adult social care.
change across complex organisations Ultimately this year’s participants were We often talk about how much
with multiple stakeholders, and working totally committed to their programmes participants value the opportunity to build
successfully within an integrated care and the course so while we made some their network through Accelerate. That’s
system (ICS). tweaks – like changing course dates why I’m really excited about the emerging
We are also very passionate about and taking some of the modules online alumni network – and continuing to
ensuring we adapt the course based on – we carried on as planned. For me, the strengthen that. We are hoping to get all
participant feedback – which has led to stories in this report are testament to that three cohorts face to face for the first time
a number of adaptations. For example, absolute focus and commitment – even later this year!
Meet the 2021 cohort
Back row (L-R) Front row (L-R)
Andy Biddle Ros Cox Tracy Meyerhoff Claudia Brown Sam Fitzgerald
Director of adult social Deputy director for Assistant head of adult Divisional director of adult Assistant director for
services, Portsmouth City integration and social care, Hull City Council social care, Tower Hamlets adults’ services, North
Council transformation, Bristol City Council Northamptonshire Council
Council Nathan Atkinson
Caroline Baria Assistant director of Nick Pryke
Deputy director for Fiona Musgrave strategic commissioning, Director of integrated
integrated commissioning, Assistant director for Rotherham Metropolitan discharge, Norfolk &
Leeds City Council integration and partnerships, Borough Council Waveney Sustainability and
Cumbria County Council Transformation Partnership
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This document was independently commissioned and edited by ADASS Content was written by Alex Turner Photography by Paul Haynes Graphic Design by Forty6Design Cover image by Forty6Design ADASS would like to thank everyone who contributed to this report ADASS is a registered charity
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