Relationship with
Clients’ Families or Friends

Sunny Bank PRS aims to promote good
relationships with clients’ families, and friends.

Where clients and families desire this involvement our broad
principles of care/support encourage: -

• Active participation of families in the care/support planning and care management review process.
• Active participation and involvement of clients’ families within the care/support plan, and implementation of programmes and approaches. For example, to encourage continuity of care/support during family visits, holidays etc., to improve and maintain the quality of time the family/client spend together.
• Families to work together with Sunny Bank PRS, to maintain a client’s mental health.
• The development of specifically designed contracts as an integral part of care/support. These may relate to specific areas and would be discussed prior to, (or during) admission with members of the multi-disciplinary team and the family.
• Clients and families to maintain contact (if desired by themselves).

Sunny Bank PRS endeavours to maintain and promote clients’ contact with family and friends by: -

• Encouraging and prompting telephone calls and letter writing.
• Encouraging and prompting the buying of cards and gifts for birthday, anniversary, Christmas, Special events and occasions.
• Visits to families for family/friends for events and occasions.
• Periods of leave for holidays and home visits; (bed retained with fees payable).
• Families are encouraged to visit clients at Sunny Bank. (Visiting times should be arranged with client and staff due to the active daily programme).
• Friends and relatives need to be aware that we have to respect a client’s wishes, if they do not want their family/friends to be involved, or only want limited contact.

It is recognised that in some instances where clients do not have relatives, they may benefit from the social network established amongst Sunny Bank PRS’s clients at the various properties, and/or from befrienders.

Likewise, we will also involve Bury and Rochdale Advocacy Service for any clients who, (we or others involved in their care/support), feel would benefit from an independent, experienced advocate.