Corinium scoops award for customer service

Corinium Care is delighted to announce that the company has won an award for excellence in customer care.

The Stroud Life Business Awards took place at a glittering ceremony, attended by more than 100 finalists and their guests, at The Old Lodge in Minchinhampton.

A huge cheer arose from the Corinium Care table when the winners of the Customer Care and Service category were announced.

Cheers: the Corinium Care team at the awards dinner

“It was a great night,” said Finance Director Rachel Dedman. “We pride ourselves on our customer care – it’s such an essential element of our business, so it’s really rewarding to receive this kind of recognition. We were thrilled when they read out our name.”

MD of Corinium Care, Clare Janik, congratulated her team. “This award is for all our staff and carers who work so hard to make Corinium such a great company – they really do go the extra mile. They prove that ‘caring’ and ‘business’ can go together. It's been the cornerstone of our success since the company was formed in 1995.”

Judges said they were looking for evidence of a commitment to continuously improving standards of customer service, a clear, well-implemented customer care policy and examples of services exceeding customer expectations. They also wished to hear how customer care initiatives contribute to the overall success of the business.

Corinium Care also won the Customer Care and Service Award in the Stroud Life Business Awards in 2012.

Corinium is a finalist for customer care award

Corinium Care is delighted to be a finalist in awards that highlight excellence in customer care.

The company is shortlisted in the Customer Care and Service category in the Stroud Life Business Awards 2014, set up to celebrate business excellence.

MD of Corinium Care, Clare Janik, said: “It’s fantastic to receive this kind of recognition. First-class customer care and service is at the heart of everything Corinium Care does. We believe passionately in doing the very best for our clients, and all our staff and registered carers live and breathe that philosophy.

“We like to think we provide proof that ‘caring’ and ‘business’ can and do go together. That concept has been the cornerstone of Corinium Care’s success since the company was formed in 1995.”

The winners of the 12 categories in the Stroud Life Awards will be announced at a dinner at the Old Lodge in Minchinhampton on July 16.

Clare and Rachel head for Ben Nevis

Two leading ladies at Corinium Care are lacing up their boots and preparing to climb Ben Nevis by moonlight.

Preparing for Ben Nevis: Rachel, left, and Clare

Managing Director Clare Janik and Finance Director Rachel Dedman will swap lipstick for lace-ups and a head-torch when they trek to the top of the UK’s highest peak to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society.

Neither have climbed a mountain before and hope to raise £500 on August 30.
“With an increasing number of our clients suffering from Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia we were keen to help raise awareness of this devastating condition. And we are aware that the Alzheimer’s Society does a very good job,” said Clare.
Both women enjoy keeping fit when they’re not working at the live-in care agency in Nailsworth.
Rachel lost more than three stone when she hit her 50th birthday and has kept fit ever since – as well as preparing for Ben Nevis, she is also training for her second triathlon.
Clare goes running twice a week with a local running club.
“We’re looking forward to seeing the sunrise at the summit and walking down to a good breakfast,” she said.
Anyone who wants to sponsor Clare and Rachel can do so at http://www.justgiving.com/CoriniumCareLtd
 

Birthday lunch is a treat for Miss Acheson

Corinium Care hosted a special lunch for client Miss Mary Acheson to mark her 89th birthday and her fifth year with the live-in care agency.

Over the years, Miss Acheson, who lives in the Cotswolds, has spoken to most of the company’s 17 staff on the phone.

Miss Acheson with MD Clare Janik 

When she expressed a wish to meet them in person, Managing Director Clare Janik was happy to oblige, and arranged a celebratory lunch at Corinium Care’s head office in Nailsworth.

Miss Acheson, who spent most of her career in nursing, thanked the company for their consistently high standards. 

“I could say so many nice things about Corinium Care. You have all looked after me very well. When I ring, everyone is excellent. It’s something I really appreciate,” she said.

“It’s so nice to meet you all. It makes a big difference to put a friendly face to a telephone voice.”

Clare presented Miss Acheson with a card and a gift. “Miss Acheson has a lovely sense of humour and it has been a pleasure to have her as our guest,” she said.

BJ is guest speaker at training day for carers

When Corinium Care offered a new training course about complex care needs for live-in carers, the company asked client BJ Mozley to be guest speaker. 

Billie-Jane (BJ for short) has cerebral palsy and has been a Corinium client for 17 years since she opted to live independently in Cheltenham. 

“I wanted to help carers understand what it’s like to need care from the client’s perspective,” said BJ, 39, who uses a wheelchair and has restricted movement in almost every part of her body. 

BJ with Senior Care Manager Suzanne Hathaway and carers

“The best advice I can give is ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’. Just because someone is disabled doesn’t mean they are stupid.” 

She praised the care provided by Corinium. “I wouldn’t go to anyone else. They understand my needs and my regular carer is fantastic. Corinium is definitely a care agency to be proud of,” she told the team of live-in carers. 

“The most important thing is to safeguard our dignity. When you’re disabled, that can be the first thing to disappear.”

The Complex Care Needs Training Day was free for Corinium’s live-in carers and included sessions on nutrition, stroke awareness, and use of equipment. It took place at the agency’s head office in Nailsworth.

“An increasing number of our clients have more complex care needs such as peg feeding and stoma care. It’s important we give them all the help we can so they know what to expect and feel confident,” said Senior Care Manager Suzanne Hathaway. 

Carer Sheldene Holtzhausen said: “Having BJ along was a brilliant idea - it’s nice to hear what being cared for is like from someone so articulate. I am always nervous when I go to a new client. It’s comforting to hear that the client is usually equally apprehensive.”

New roles for Celia and Sal

Sal Craw has joined Corinium Care as our new Recruitment and Training Assistant.

With a university degree in English and drama and a career spent largely as a librarian, she is a newcomer the care industry. 

Sal Craw

“Corinium is a great place to work. I’m quite blown away by the genuine kindness to people that I witness every day,” said Sal, who lives in Nailsworth.

Her colleague Celia Mackie has moved from the post of Recruitment and Training Co-Ordinator to Bookings and Client Services Co-ordinator.

Celia Mackie

Celia is a former live-in carer with Corinium Care. “Having been a carer myself makes the job that much easier,” said Celia, who has lived in Gloucestershire for 13 years.

“When my two children grew up and left home, I was free to become a live-in carer. A few friends who had worked through Corinium Care couldn’t praise the company enough, so that’s the agency I chose to join.

“It’s friendly and really well run. The staff are very supportive which is so important for carers. Having a reassuring voice at the end of the phone at all times means a lot."

MD of Corinium Care Clare Janik congratulated Sal and Celia on their new roles. “We’re delighted to have them on the team – both are real assets to the company,” she said.

Clients give our service seal of approval

A survey of Corinium Care clients reveals a high rate of satisfaction and improving levels of service.
The survey was carried out at the end of 2013 as part of the company’s continuing aim to provide the highest possible standards of live-in care.
The questions covered a host of topics, from general levels of service to complaints and time off for carers.
Of those who responded, nearly 90 per cent said that Corinium Care took their needs into account well or very well.
A similar number were of the opinion that the standard of service they received had either remained consistently high or improved.
Carers are considered to be generally well-informed on arrival, and clients’ choices of carer are almost always met.
Whilst awareness of the company complaints procedure is high, very few clients said they had had cause to use it.
Managing Director of Corinium Care, Clare Janik, thanked clients for taking the time and trouble to complete the survey.
“In our determination to strive for excellence, it is important that we invite feedback and have the courage to act upon it. It’s clear that those who completed the questionnaires invested a lot of thought into their response. The information received has been taken on board and will be very useful as we plan for the future,” she said.