Quality Care Promise

Quality Standards of the Mentor Service  

The Health Creation Mentor Code of Practice

Health Creation Service Policies

Quality Standards of the Mentor Service

All mentors will be required to deliver a high quality service in order to meet the Health Creation  ‘Quality Care Promise’. They will assess themselves against our quality care criteria after each session.  Their self-assessment report will be checked at quarterly intervals by the Training & Quality Manager, who will compare this with the client’s feedback.  If a mentor is found not to be delivering a sufficiently high standard of service then the appropriate re-training will be taken to rectify the situation.

The Health Creation Quality Care Promise is that:

• Mentors will be excellent listeners who will provide compassionate support, guidance and encouragement for their clients;

• Mentors will be well trained and knowledgeable about the resources available for the client, able to help the client elicit their state and needs and guide the clients appropriately and effectively towards high quality resources;

• Mentors will be punctual and be good time-keepers in relation to their agreed time and length of calls with their clients;

• Mentors will be polite and helpful to clients at all times;

• Mentors will remain available to clients through good times and bad, referring clients on to senior staff if there are problems with which they feel unable to help;

• Mentors will observe the Health Creation Code of Practice at all times;

• Mentors will be efficient, ensuring quick response to calls from their clients;

• When working Mentors must judge themselves fit to work in terms of their physical and emotional health, energy levels and personal stress, taking time-out if they are not well enough to work at any time;

• Mentors must attend regular ongoing professional Health Creation training;

• Mentors must undergo service quality appraisals with the Training & Quality Manager, and have regular supervision sessions with a professionally trained supervisor;

• Mentors must operate within the Health Creation ethos.

The Health Creation Mentor Code of Practice

Health Creation Mentors practise to an agreed Code of Practice to which they are signed up by contract with Health Creation.  The Health Creation Code of Practice requires that Mentors:

• Observe a strict code of confidentiality with respect to all client information and records
• Adhere to the Data Protection Act
• Practise professional standards within their home setting, ensuring the privacy of calls
• Ensure they are fit to practise in terms of physical, mental health and personal energy and stress levels
• Totally respect and understand the sensitivity of the nature of their work and act appropriately
• Ensure the guidance given is within the scope of their role as Mentors, which will involve them giving neither medical or therapeutic advice to clients
• Will not meet their clients socially.

Health Creation Service Policies

Quality Care – Client Feedback

Health Creation is completely dependent upon feedback from our clients as to the value and quality of our service so that we may continuously develop and improve our service.
Once enlisted as a client of Health Creation individuals will receive ‘spot-check’ email or phone contact to create the opportunity to comment on the quality of the service they are receiving. 

Complaints

We value our Mentor Service very highly so we are keen to know of problems clients encounter with any element of the Health Creation service. We invite clients to write, ring or email us with feedback.  All complaints should be sent to Mike Tooze, Operations Director at Bailbrook House, Eveleigh Avenue, Bath, BA1 7JD or emailed to mike@healthcreation.co.uk.  We recommend that clients approach us with complaints before they escalate and become a grievance whenever possible!

Grievance

In the event of a client becoming aggrieved by any aspect of our service, we would ask Mentors to inform us as quickly as possible so that we may deal effectively with the matter.  Health Creation exists to provide high quality service to our clients and will treat any grievance with the utmost respect and concern.

Cancellation

Appointments made with Mentors will constitute a ‘contract’ between the client and the Mentor and time booked must be paid for unless 24-hour notice is given or unless there are serious extenuating circumstances.  This is because the Mentor will have reserved this time for the client and will be unable to utilise this time for other clients unless given proper prior notice.  The co-operation of clients in this respect is greatly appreciated. 

Refund

The Kit and its contents can be returned (in perfect condition) with full refund if the client is not fully satisfied within 14 days.  The cost of the mentor service will also be refunded if there is not satisfaction after the first full hour’s mentoring. 

Payment

Full payment for the Kit or any of its individual components must be made prior to their despatch.  The client will be responsible for the payment of VAT and postage in order for the Kit to be despatched.  The mentor service must be paid for in advance of hours used.  Refund will be given if hours paid for cannot be used due to extreme illness or the demise of the client.

Fitness to Work

All mentors will be asked to complete their own fitness for work assessment on a quarterly basis to discuss with the Training & Quality Manager, to ensure that they are in a good state themselves to give optimum service to their clients.

Legal Framework of the Mentor Service

Mentors are not employees of the Health Creation Company.  They are acting independently to mentor their clients having successfully completed the Health Creation Mentor Training.

The Health Creation Service Agreement that Mentors sign on qualification requires that they practise within the Service Framework and Code of Practice described in this manual.  Most particularly, it requires that they practise within the limits of the Mentor role and their professional competency.  Mentors who offer advice that is outside the bounds of their training and role are in breach of their agreement with Health Creation and are personally liable for any such advice given.

Whilst Health Creation takes full responsibility for the delivery of the Mentor service as described within this service framework, it cannot be held responsible for the advice given by Mentors which fall beyond the boundaries of their Mentor role and who are therefore in breach of their agreement with Health Creation.

Mentors must carry their own independent professional liability insurance in their Mentor capacity and any claims against mentors for inappropriate medical or therapeutic advice will be the responsibility of the mentor and their insuring body. Evidence of appropriate insurance will be sought annually by the Mentor Administrator.  Health Creation carries professional indemnity insurance covering its services to a sum assured of £2 million.

Dr Rosy Daniel, medical author of the Health Creation Programmes is professionally insured and carries the liability for all advice given in writing within the Cancer Lifeline Kit and Programmes.