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We caught up with Head of People, Lizzie Petty, fresh from her overnight visit with the night team at Petworth and asked her about the experience.

“It was amazing. I was lucky to be able to sit down with the full staff team, who were so welcoming. We had some great conversations about the work we need to do around equality, diversity and inclusion. We discussed the challenges night colleagues face around signing off the competencies. I gave some insights into what the new supervision process might look like, and we discussed night worker training. These conversations were so valuable and there were so many things for me to take away and explore. I was really pleasantly surprised by how open and honest everyone was and the many great ideas they had to improve retention and recognition.”

How did you find the house?

It felt really homely and the atmosphere was so calm. All of the people we support were in bed and settled when I arrived, with a colleague sat outside each bedroom either listening out or watching them with assisted technology. Later, we all gathered at the dining table for a team meeting, and colleagues took in turns to go and check on each individual and record the interaction on the laptop or tablet.

Tell us about something that impressed you.

The use of assisted technology to promote the dignity of the people we support. I hadn’t seen this in action before and loved how this meant that the people we support could have privacy whilst also making sure they were safe.

What’s next?

We want to make sure we’re fully aware of the challenges night workers face and the impact that night working can have on their health so that we can provide the right wellbeing support. So, in July, we’re going to be undertaking a night work risk assessment.

Anything to add?

Just a big thank you to the night team at Petworth; I look forward to meeting you all again soon. I also have a couple more night visits planned across the year, and I’m always happy to hear from any other colleagues who would like me to visit their service.