Time, investment and dedication have seen Care UK’s Colchester-based facilities management team reach the finals of a nationwide competition to find the team who have made the greatest impact on their organisation’s performance.
The team of 13 has been shortlisted for the British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM) Award category for ‘Impact on Organisational Performance’ for its work with 120 care homes stretching from Aberdeen to Poole in Dorset. They are shortlisted alongside well-known big companies such as Skanska and CBRE.
Kevin Orme, Care UK’s head of facilities management, says: “Care UK provides first class residential care to more than 9000 residents and our team decided that the best way to provide the same high level of service was to create a flexible and robust facilities management function.
“Our team believe it is paramount that we ensure each of our care homes is exactly that – a home. The best way we can support that is to help the home managers concentrate on care while we manage the facilities.”
The team has achieved this by creating an in-house property services helpdesk and facilities management team. The helpdesk is manned by Care UK colleagues during normal working hours.
The helpdesk manager and seven helpdesk colleagues act as a contact point, managing the process from the initial call from a home through to final contract invoice and payment. Outside operational hours the team are supported by CBRE, who manage the helpdesk function.
Recruitment of the best people and having the right structure in place has been critical to the team’s success and on the ground support is provided by a team of four regional facilities managers.
Not only has the new system led to significant efficiency savings through effective management of supplier contracts, but home managers have also been delighted with the improvement in service. Regular satisfaction surveys reveal an impressive 86 per cent overall rate of satisfaction.
Orme says: “We are over the moon at being selected as a finalist. I am incredibly proud of my team, who have achieved this through their hard work and dedication. As a facilities management expert, I am an enviable position; not only have I been able to support the company I work for achieve its goals, but my team’s work has tangibly increased the health and wellbeing of thousands of residents, and that it is a great feeling.”
The winner will be announced at the BIFM Awards ceremony on 15 October at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London.
