Faversham Counselling Service - Annual Report To Service Users 2008/2009
What has been happening during the year?
Another year has passed and the Faversham Counselling Service continues to evolve and adapt, according to changes within the field of counselling and psychotherapy, government initiatives, such as IAPT (Improved Access to Psychological Therapies), and from the information gathered from our own and service user feedback. It is important to our organisation that what we provide is congruent with what service users need from us, and this is the premise that motivates our endeavour and vision.
Being a BACP Accredited Service we feel confident in the standards we have set and strive to improve upon them.
In 2007/8, we said we would:
Establish a new CPD programme in partnership with the Canterbury Pilgrims Hospice.
Have a series of training days throughout the year to look at various aspects of our clinical work, informed by current trends in the types of issues being presented at the counselling service, and by staff needs for ongoing profession development.
Training days would be open to a wider group of therapists from the locality to improve networking and participation.
Refurbish the centre decoratively, and with new furniture, fixtures and fittings to office and counselling rooms.
Install new computer system and printer for office
Review advertising and marketing. This would focus on new service leaflets and updated stationery for the service, including new appointment cards.
Review and update the service website.
Establish a fresh strategy for reaching prospective service users through the internet and the world wide web.
Take a fresh look at student placements from the local University to work alongside existing counselling staff.
Explore the possibilities of establishing our own EAP (Employee Assisted Programme) scheme with local employers. This to provide counselling and support to employers and their staff in a whole range of issues effecting work from illness and returning to work, to preparing for early retirement.
Produce a ‘5 Year Plan’ for the service to help meet the agreed short, medium and longer-term aims and a rapidly changing environment within which counselling is needed.
Prepare for the submission of our BACP Service Accreditation due March 2009
In 2008/9, we did:
A new programme of CPD (Continuing Professional Development) at the Pilgrims Hospice in Canterbury.
First training day was on ‘Personality Disorders’ and attended by 18 delegates, three from the Pilgrims Hospice, and four from Canterbury University.
Training Days also included topics on Bereavement, Sexual Dysfunction and Difference, Eating Disorders and soon to introduce a series of days on CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) in a primary care setting, and on using the CORE (Counselling Outcome Routine Evaluation) system effectively.
Established revised format with regular Counsellors’ meetings to gain shared support with clinical work at the centre and to share views, reading material and clinical insights.
Refurbished interior and exterior to new colour scheme and installed into each counselling room new modern swedish style chairs.
New computer system has been completed and now operates most of the administrative functions. 24/7 Broadband has been installed for email and full internet use.
Service website has been reviewed and re-mastered with a wider and more detailed account of services and counselling information for service users.
The service can now be accessed through Yell.com in both Canterbury and Maidstone Directory regions and is fully comprehensive with our website, location map and contact facilities.
Marketing strategy improved by the use of Google Adwords, which gives us wider access to internet searches for counselling in our region, and fast access to our website and contact details.
We are poised to enrol two students from Kent University for counsellor placement with us. They would initially see up to three clients each a week and be supervised internally by Paul Anderson or Jean Carey. Barbara has agreed to act a student liaison between the service and the University.
An outline for the new service EAP scheme has been established and we are currently building a portfolio of service users who might be interested in this programme. More to follow in 2009/10.
The ‘5 Year Plan’ has been completed and we are on target to completing the first year. Trustees have taken the lead in monitoring and reporting back on progress at their regular and periodic meetings. A full review ill take place in the Spring 2010.
The BACP submission for Service Re-Accreditation was made in March and we have had a preliminary response from BACP Assessors, which has delighted us. There are now four items to clarify before our Service Accreditation is renewed for another five years.
Survey of Service Activity during 2008/9
Who uses the service?
Clients by Gender
68% Female..........32% Male
The gender balance has remained reasonably consistent with the above figures.
Clients for Individual Counselling
82% of clients who request counselling are offered a contract after an assessment.
8% of clients who request counselling DNA (Do Not Arrive) at the assessment.
5% of clients who receive an assessment for counselling take no further action.
5% of clients who receive an assessment for counselling are referred on to other services.
There has been a 10% increase in referrals taken up when compared to year 2007/8.
Clients for Couples Counselling
75% of clients who request counselling are offered a contract after an assessment.
12% of client who request counselling DNA (Do Not Arrive) at the assessment.
8% of clients who receive an assessment for counselling take no further action.
5% of clients who receive an assessment for counselling are referred on to other services.
There has been a 12% increase in referrals taken up when compared to year 2007/8.
Age of Clients using the service
Under 21..............8%
21 - 40..............45%
40 - 65..............38%
Over 65................9%
Ethnicity
White-British/Western............. 81%
Eastern European......................8%
African/Carribean......................2%
Asian.........................................3%
Indian........................................2%
Parkistan...................................1%
Chinese.....................................2%
Other........................................1%
Disability
No Disability.........73%
Dyslexia..................6%
Visual......................5%
Hearing...................7%
Mobility...................5%
Mental Health..........3%
Other......................1%
Why do people come for counselling?
The categories below represent the range of issues that most occur for counsellors. Due to the level of inter-relatedness within these various issues, it is not possible to give percentage figures. What is common is that depression and anxiety would seem to be generalisations that lack awareness specificity. The lient may focus on what they perceive to be the problem; the counsellor will tend to focus on the underlying issues and will be more specific in their observations.
Depression
Anxiety/Panic Attacks/ Phobias
Loss
Relationships
Self Development and Identity Issues
Abuse
Self-harm
Eating disorders
Sexual Issues
Addictions
OCD (Obsessional/Compulsive Issues)
Transitions
RESEARCH
Referrals
Historically, statistics show that year-on-year up to 75% of clients come from GP referrals, or after having spoken with their GP about a problem that they are experiencing. Clients sometimes choose counselling as an alternative to taking prescribed medication. However, it is our experience that often the two work well together, and research supports the case that counselling can enable, or assist clients, to stop, or reduce their medication sooner, and in some instances this can reduce GP-patient contact by up to 50%.
Statistics of counselling outcome
From our records we are able to carry out an ongoing assessment of information of clients seen for counselling. This data, which maintains strict client confidentiality, once collated, helps us to evaluate and understand better the various patterns and trends in those clients who take up counselling. We can monitor clients’ uptake of counselling, their attendances, in terms of number of sessions planned, actually attended, or missed through scheduled absences, holidays, etc., or absences through DNA. Currently, sessions lost through abscences are between 7 - 10%, which we seek reduce and in many instances can, when given adequate notice by the patient so that time can be used productively. To improve our effectiveness in providing help to clients through counselling, some longer-term internal research is currently being considered to look at various qualitative trends of counselling effectiveness and outcome within our work at FCS. This will be part of our ‘5 Year Plan’ for the service. The information for this research will largely be taken from comparisons of information taken at both the beginning of therapy, from the initial assessment report, and the end of therapy, from the final closure form completed by the counsellor, together with client feedback information of their own experience and benefit of counselling.
The research will take the form of a project and focus on five main areas: a) what problems are most frequently presented in counselling, b) which problems or symptoms are most effectively helped with counselling, and which are not; c) which counselling models or approaches prove most effective in meeting client needs, and for which problems, d) in the light of the length of contract given, ie. short, medium, longer term, which appears most beneficial, and, e) the overall effect of the counselling experience upon the client in terms of outcome and the longer term effects. From our experience to date, both through written and anecdotal feedback, evidence shows that clients do largely benefit in health from talking to a counsellor, and that GP’s and other health professionals also benefit in the process, by having an additional support and expertise for them to call upon.
WORKING WITH GENERAL PRACTITIONERS, LOCAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND AGENCIES.
The Faversham Counselling Service has been working closely with health professionals and agencies within the local community since 1993, and from the feedback we receive, believe we are offering a valuable and valued service. GP’s have contacted us expressing their support and gratitude for the general counselling we provide. We believe that it has helped with those individuals referred by reducing doctor/patient time, as well as the length of time clients remain on medication.
The centre has a dedicated website: www.faversham.org and on www.favershamcounselling.org giving information on services and how to make an appointment or find more information. This site also links us to other counselling networks, etc. We provide a leaflet, which is freely available to practitioners and the general public on our service and how to make a preliminary enquiry or an appointment. This leaflet is freely available in surgeries.
