STARS battle through snow and ice to help residents in need

Councillor Iftikhar Ahmed with STARS worker Donna Diggle

It’s been one of the most pressurised winters on record for health and social care teams, but the snow and ice has proved to be no match for the Council’s STARS team.

The team, who visit people in their homes up to four times a day to help them with tasks like personal care and meal preparation, made 215 house calls last Tuesday, the snowiest day. And all 98 residents on the STARS programme continued to receive all their visits throughout the week.

Over the week, the team, who work 365 days a year, made over 1,500 visits all over the borough.

Cabinet Member for Adult Care, Councillor Iftikhar Ahmed, went out to meet some of the STARS team and the people they support to find out more about how they’re dealing with the challenges that harsh winters bring.

He said: “It was fantastic to see the STARS team in action and watch how they work and interact with our most vulnerable residents. They’re an incredibly dedicated group of people who I’m really proud to have in the adult care team. The staff I saw had a really good relationship with the people they work with and I’m glad that they have continued to provide people with the best care throughout the winter when our residents need them the most. Being out in the community helping our most vulnerable residents at their time of need is what this service is all about.”

Kate Ferguson, 83, from Newhey, whose husband John, 80, is supported by the team, said: “I had no doubts that the STARS team would get to us, even in this weather. They actually arrived early on some of the visits. In my opinion, these people go beyond what they are supposed to do. They help John in ways that I wouldn’t be able to do, as we’re no spring chickens. Without their support, he may have had to go into a home. When you’re elderly, you need backup and lots of it, and that’s what we get with the STARS team.”

The STARS team play a vital role in helping to ease pressure on the NHS, by helping people in their homes to avoid readmissions to hospital.

STARS worker, Donna Diggle, said: “I get around on foot, but would never miss a visit or arrive late, as it’s so important for the people we support and they are particularly vulnerable in winter. Often, our clients rely on us to give them a hot breakfast and hot lunch and the company means a lot to them as we are sometimes the only people they will see in a day. I love my job and have a really good rapport with the people I visit.”