CDA Life gets positive feedback from CQC over Covid Response

Cambridgeshire Deaf Association, are celebrating after being recognised by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for their excellent care and diligence during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ruth Godden is the Registered Manager for CDA Life, the care division of the Cambridgeshire Deaf Association, and is very pleased that the staff’s incredible hard work in this pandemic has been appreciated.

Ruth says, “After a successful engagement and support call with CQC it’s been a time to reflect on the positive way we have managed through Covid-19.

It’s been a tough time for everyone but through the pandemic we have been able to adequately source enough PPE, continue to provide a safe service to service users, and ensure staff are supported throughout.

“This has included working with our colleagues in health and social care to continue to ensure service users safety at all times.

“We use systems to ensure consistent contact is made throughout the team, including remote handovers to reduce risks, case recording, ensuring safe practice is adhered to, and we are able to connect remotely to health colleagues for support.

“We have continued supervisions, team meetings, and operational meetings through video call which enables a continued smooth running of the service and a good way to monitor risks. All our staff use sign language and therefore video call has been crucial during this period to enable us to maintain good communication.

“CDA Life continues to be vigilant, monitoring risks, and focusing on client and staff safety at all times. It’s certainly been a scary and very uncertain time, but we have a great team spirit and an incredible amount of support for each other, which is something we can all be proud of.”

No other organisation offers the support and expertise that CDA do in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire and they are working hard to support those that need help in these incredibly stressful times.

CDA support over three hundred deaf people in their homes across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough through advocacy, support, personal care and social and sports activities. They now have over two hundred accessible British sign language videos on their website, on a range of topics.

During Covid they produced an incredible 40 videos sharing essential Covid info in British sign language that would otherwise have been inaccessible to some deaf people.

Cambridgeshire Deaf Association were established over one hundred years ago and they are at the heart of the deaf community in the county, with many of their staff either deaf or hard of hearing – 85% of their 35 staff are profoundly deaf.