5th edition of Spotlight - Northern Ireland Housing Executive

Spotlight Issue 5
Social Development Minister Alex Attwood MLA at the Living Rivers Lighthouse Hostel
‘Open Day’ on 15th September 2010.

Contents
• Foreword 2
• Business update 3
• SP Modernising Services project update 3
• What is the SP Public Services Directory? 4
• Monitoring Outcomes 5
• A Regional Outcomes Framework For NI 5
• MindWise Outcomes Framework 6
• Outcomes Paperwork Report:
Women’s Aid in Antrim, Ballymena,
Carrickfergus, Larne & Newtownabbey 7
• Peoples’ Millions Funding for the Women’s
Aid Safe Haven Garden in Antrim 8
• Castle Erne, Enniskillen - A new type of
partnership for NIHE and Fold 8
• Belfast Central Mission’s (BCM) Lite 60+
Floating Support Service 9
• Mullan Mews wins International
Dementia Excellence Award 10
Foreword
Welcome to the 5th edition of the Spotlight
newsletter. We are now well into the 8th
operating year of the Supporting People (SP)
programme in Northern Ireland.
In this issue you will find business update information
covering up to the half way point of the delivery of the
2010/11 Supporting People Programme. While it is not
yet clear how the CSR (covering the period 2011/12 to
2014/15) will impact on the Supporting People budget,
work is ongoing to ensure that expenditure is closely
managed, that vital services continue to be delivered to
our vulnerable clients and that, where possible, new or
remodelled services can be delivered.
Also in this edition we have included articles from SP
providers which illustrate a range of housing related
support services, the experience of introducing outcomes
monitoring and achieving wider recognition for their
services.
• Lighthouse Hostel - The Express Yourself
Exhibition and launch event 11
• Meet the Teams - SP Administration Team 12
• Update – Who’s who in the SP team 13
Colm McQuillan
Assistant Director
Strategic Partnerships
• How to contact the SP Team 14
• Glossary of Terms 15
• SP Website Updates 16
• For the next issue of the SP Spotlight 16
2

Business update
In October 2010 SP provided the NIHE Board
with an update on the delivery of the 2010/11
programme, which currently funds services to
more than 23,000 vulnerable people each year.
The SP budget for 2010/11 is £63.89 million. This was
allocated to:
• Fund over 800 existing housing support schemes;
• Allow for the development of 5 new services; and
• Provide a small contingency fund.
At the half year point it was anticipated that there may be
some reduction in the projected SP spend due to scheme
slippage and a reduction in the projected spend of a
number of existing services, as a result of remodelling /
potential decommissioning of services. The Board agreed
that any ‘under spend’ could be used to supplement the
contingency fund.
Commissioning and managing the SP programme:
Work is being progressed on contingency planning,
risk management and service remodelling /
decommissioning arrangements. In addition,
co-ordinated capital and revenue bids have been
submitted as part of the CSR bid to DSD/DHSSPS for
housing, support and care projects.
Contract management and monitoring arrangements:
A revised framework, underpinned by a risk management
approach is now fully operational and activity at the half
year point in line with agreed business targets.
Capacity building with the provider sector: This
is being facilitated through research and a series of
pilot projects. Work is ongoing regarding collaborative
working (partnerships and/or mergers) and service
restructuring.
All services to be delivered by accredited (or
passported) providers: Over 99% of the programme
spend is now delivered by accredited providers (4 of the
117 provider organisations remain unaccredited). Work
is underway regarding a number of housing associations
that DSD, following the regulation and inspection
process, have advised should have their passport for SP
accreditation removed.
SP Modernising Services Project: The project is on
schedule to be completed by March 2011 and has
been successful in implementing a new ICT system.
(fully operational by the end of October 2010) and the
introduction of a range of revised business processes.
Outcome monitoring pilots are currently being evaluated
to inform the broader roll-out of an outcome framework
across the SP provider sector.
Brian O’Kane
Senior Principal Officer
Strategic Partnerships
brian.okane@nihe.gov.uk
SP Modernising Services Project
update
The SP Modernising Services Project is nearing
completion. Phase 1 was completed in December
2009 with the implementation of the core ICT
system to administer the SP Programme. Phase
2 focused on the roll out of the SPOCC.net
application for providers and the launch of the
new online Public Services Directory.
SPOCC.net
SPOCC.net (Supporting People by Oxford Computer
Consultants) provides a secure online link for data
access and exchange between SP providers and the
SP team. Roll out started in April 2010 and is almost
complete with over 95% of providers now able to access
and use SPOCC.net to send and access information
relating to their SP funded services.
Overall, the feedback from providers has been very
positive. Users have identified a number of benefits
including:
• Quicker responses to requests sent to SP
• More accurate and up-to-date data
• Less paper based exchange of information
• Ability to access their service information online
• Ability to update information when convenient rather
than at a given point in time.
Further information about SPOCC.net
Further information about SPOCC.net is available on the
NIHE website, including:
• Information about any planned PortWise upgrades
• Guidance for SPOCC.net usage
• Guidance for completion of PI Workbooks
• Contacts for help and assistance.
3

What is the SP Public Services
Directory?
Search for Supporting People
services
The SP Public Services Directory went live on the NIHE
website in September 2010. This is a new searchable
directory which allows anyone to view the latest
information about a range of housing support services
funded by SP across Northern Ireland.
www.nihe.gov.uk/supporting_people_service_provider_
directory.htm
The directory contains key details about each service,
including:
• The client group
• Any groups the service cannot cater for
• Support activities
• How to get access to the service
• Who to contact for more information.
You can search by:
• Organisation or service name
• Client group
• Postcode
• Service type, e.g. accommodation based or floating
support
• Support tasks provided
• Household type.
Helen Irvine
Supporting People
helen.irvine@nihe.gov.uk
4

Quality Assessment Framework -
QAF2
SITRA were awarded the SP contract to deliver the
training on the new QAF2. Initial training for the
providers in the QAF2 Reading Group and also SP staff
took place during August – September 2010. The QAF2
Reading Group providers involved were then asked to
submit their returns for the new QAF2.
The desktop assessments and validation visits for
the QAF2 Reading Group returns were completed in
November. SP are grateful for the contribution and
feedback from the Reading Group providers who took
part in the QAF2 pilot. Feedback from those providers
involved in the pilot exercise was generally positive and
will assist with refining the administration for and the
general roll out of QAF2 from April 2011.
SITRA training events for all SP providers took place across
the 5 SP areas from November 2010 to January 2011.
SITRA guidance on QAF2 can be accessed on their website
http://www.sitra.org/fileadmin/sitra_user/2009/QAF/
Understanding_the_QAF_refresh_150110.pdf
The SP website will continue to be updated to include
guidance and documentation for all providers in advance
of their QAF2 submission.
http://www.nihe.gov.uk/supporting_people-3.htm
A Regional Outcomes
Framework for NI
The potential for SP providers to use outcomes
monitoring and distance travelled models.
In 2007 Communities and Local Government
(CLG) adopted an outcomes approach to the
monitoring of the SP programme.
In 2009 work commenced to develop options for the
Northern Ireland Outcomes Framework. To assess the
draft framework, SP operated a pilot study with a range
of organisations covering a variety of client groups and
service models. The 3 levels of outcomes against which
indicators were mapped were service user, service and
strategic outcomes.
NICVA have now completed a draft evaluation of the
pilot drawing on the experiences of the SP provider
organisations involved.
SP wish to thank the providers who participated in the
pilot exercise and now need to consider the evaluation
findings. The findings will help inform the approach for
the broader rollout of a Regional Outcomes Framework
for NI. SP will provide updates to the sector with
developments around this and future implementation
arrangements.
Nationally, information on outcomes for clients of the
full range of SP services is now widely available. In the
future, SP providers in Northern Ireland can also expect
outcomes information to become part of the normal
discourse about services and to be a standard part of
service contracts and contract monitoring.
As well as the organisations who participated in the pilot
exercise many other SP providers in NI have also begun
to invest time and resources in researching outcomes
models across the UK and implementing the outcomes
approach in their services.
QAF2 training in the Millenium Centre, Loughgiel.
Claire Crainey, Supporting People
claire.crainey@nihe.gov.uk
In this edition of SP Spotlight, MindWise and Women’s
Aid in Antrim, Ballymena, Carrickfergus, Larne and
Newtownabbey (A, B, C, L & N) share their experiences of
developing and implementing an outcomes monitoring
approach to their service.
Julie Alexander, Supporting People
julie.alexander@nihe.gov.uk
5

MindWise Outcomes
Framework
About MindWise
MindWise, (formerly Rethink NI) is a leading membership
charity which supports people affected by severe mental
illness and other mental health difficulties and promotes
early intervention. We offer a range of recovery based
services including supported housing, community
resource centres, advocacy services, carer support,
volunteer and self management programmes.
Outcomes Framework
MindWise Outcomes Framework aims to organisationally
embed best practice in supporting people with mental
health needs.
We compared some existing models and agreed that
‘Recovery Star’ (the ‘Outcomes Framework for Mental
Health Services’ under the National Social Inclusion
Programme 2009) could, with some adaptation, ‘sit
well’ within both our Supported Housing and Day Care/
Resource services. It would provide a standardised
direction and approach whilst creating a direct link to
MindWise referral processes and service support plans
and hence these would be interwoven within all aspects
of the outcomes framework.
The core operational outcomes are:
Managing Mental health
• Self-care
• Living skills
• Social networks
• Work
• Relationships
• Addictive behaviour
• Responsibilities
• Identity and self-esteem
• Trust and hope
Rolling it out
The priorities for this were:
• To ensure representation from the diverse range
of key stakeholders (staff, volunteers, service users,
carers) in the development of the product – a project
management approach was used
• To ensure the delivery of effective training to all staff
alongside the production of meaningful outcome
capture documentation
• To allow learning from current best practice regarding
outcome data capture
• Demonstration of current best practice in capture of
outcome data
• Development and introduction of an outcome capture
tool within an appropriate time frame.
MindWise services and their managers were required
to be highly motivated for taking part in the outcomes
work, as the engagement and service implementation
needs to be essentially self-driven. Strong leadership
was required to ensure the process remain inclusive and
achieved the desired result.
Next Steps
MindWise Outcomes Framework has been in place from
mid March 2010 and to date the feedback from both
service users and staff during service review visits has
been positive. As with any new system there are of
course some ‘blips’ which require ironing out, but they are
minor and the process continues to run fairly smoothly.
The compilation of returns will provide a selection
of qualitative and quantitive data for analysis and
consideration as to how the system is working and will also
provide broad indicators as to how we can further improve
and develop the framework and process of collection.
MindWise Service Improvement Team recognises this
initiative as a continual ‘live’ process, with ongoing
opportunities for growth and development and as a
major part of service delivery and improvement.
For further information contact:
Chris Smallwoods, Service Improvement Manager,
MindWise Tel: (028) 90402323
chris.smallwoods@mindwisenv.org
Congratulations to Chris who was one of the ten award
winners recognised at the recent Northern Ireland
Independent Health Care Awards. Chris earned his
nomination in the Training Initiative Category, for putting
in place an Outcomes Framework to allow MindWise to
measure the work they do.
6

Outcomes Paperwork Report:
Women’s Aid in Antrim, Ballymena,
Carrickfergus, Larne & Newtownabbey
In May 2009 a training day was facilitated by
Onus Training & Consultancy to demonstrate the
principles of the ‘Wheel of Life’. Using the ‘Wheel
of Life’ as a model, the Women’s Aid Outcomes
Wheel, Needs Assessment and Support Planning
paperwork was created by the Floating Support and
Community Resettlement Manager in consultation
with the Refuge, Floating Support, and Community
Resettlement Services and their clients.
Ten areas of need (to be assessed when a client would
utilise the services) were selected in line with the Basket
of Indicators detailed by SP and which incorporate the 5
high level SP national outcomes:
1. Domestic Violence / Safety Assessment
2. Housing Assessment
3. Dependents Assessment
4. Legal Assessment
5. Income / Financial Assessment
6. Physical Health Assessment
7. Emotional / Mental Health Assessment
8. Self Care / Living Skills & Drug/Alcohol Assessment
9. Support Network
& Cultural Needs
Assessment
10. Personal Growth
Assessment
LEGAL
At the end of the pilot the feedback was extremely
positive from both staff and clients. Clients reported
the benefits of being able to visualise their journey of
progression on the wheel (distance travelled) and staff
reported the benefits of being able to capture a full
picture of the client’s support requirements with the
absence of unnecessary duplication.
Information sessions about the Outcomes Model have
also been facilitated for other Women’s Aid groups
regionally. As a result, another pilot commenced in
September and will run to the end of December 2010.
In January 2011 a working group will consider feedback
from staff and clients on a regional level with a view
to making amendments and improvements to the
current format. The aim is to create the final outcomes
documentation for Women’s Aid services by March 2011.
For further information contact:
Gail McLaughlin
Womens Aid (A, B, C, L & N)
gail.womensaid@btconnect.com
Outcomes wheel - assessment guidelines
Mark each area 1-5 where 5 = no issue and 1 = serious issue
DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE /
SAFETY
5
DEPENDENTS
In August 2009 there was an
information session for all
staff and following this we
ran a four month pilot phase
September to December 2009.
Continuous feedback was
received from the various
teams throughout the period,
the aim being to ensure that
the Needs Assessment and
Support Plans were both client
led and outcomes focused.
As a result amendments
were made throughout the
process so that the paperwork
identified all the needs
associated with survivors of
domestic violence.
PERSONAL
GROWTH
SELF-CARE/
LIVING SKILLS
5
5
4
4
5
5
3
3
4
SUPPORT
NETWORK/
CULTURAL NEEDS
4
3
2
2
3
2
1
1
2
1
1
4
1
2
3
4
5
3
2
1
1
1
EMOTIONAL/
MENTAL
HEALTH
2
1
1
2
3
3
2
2
4
4
5
3
3
5
4
4
PHYSICAL
HEALTH
5
5
HOUSING
INCOME/
BUDGETING
7

People’s Millions Funding for the
Women’s Aid Safe Haven Garden
in Antrim
The local Housing Executive District Office in Fermanagh
is sole referrer to the service. Those placed within
Castle Erne are provided with a floating support service
delivered for the first time by Housing Executive staff.
Fold Housing Association is responsible for housing
management services.
The service is centred on the individual’s needs and
the NIHE’s Floating Support staff liaise with statutory,
voluntary and charitable organisations on behalf of
their clients and provide support in relation to their
permanent accommodation needs, assistance with
benefit claims, a range of issues arising from the
problems of homelessness and other eligible floating
support tasks.
People’s Millions have awarded Women’s Aid
in Antrim, Ballymena, Carrickfergus, Larne and
Newtownabbey (A, B, C, L & N) £50,000 funding
for the Safe Haven Garden project in Antrim. We
applied to People’s Millions for funding to refurbish
land into a garden area for the benefit of children
who are living with domestic violence and would
like to thank everyone who supported the project!
The garden will make a big difference to the lives of
women and children who use our services.
The experience of the service has shown that those
who avail of it are able to take on a tenancy and sustain
it, thereby reducing the issues associated with repeat
homelessness. The 11 units are currently operating at full
capacity and 39 households have benefitted from the
service to date.
The 3 Housing Executive staff members Edith Bell, Hazel
Farlow and Hazel McClelland who have provided the
floating support service were awarded the HG Simpson
Award for Innovation and Housing Practice at the 2010
Housing Executive Annual Management Conference.
Fran O’Boyle, Service Manager,
Women’s Aid (A, B, C, L & N)
fran.womensaid@btconnect.com
Tel: (028) 25632136
Castle Erne, Enniskillen - A new
type of partnership for NIHE and
Fold
Castle Erne Supported Temporary Homeless
Accommodation opened in March 2009. The
accommodation consists of 11 self contained two
and three bedroom units. The project provides
both temporary accommodation for a maximum
of two years and a floating support service for
people who are homeless and have had to seek
emergency accommodation for a variety of
reasons.
For further information contact:
Lead officer SP South Area Team
Eamon Mullan
eamon.mullan@nihe.gov.uk
8

Belfast Central Mission’s (BCM)
Lite 60+ Floating Support Service
BCM’s Lite (Living Independently Through
Empowerment) 60+ floating Ssupport service is
aimed at people aged 60+ in the greater Belfast
area who require assistance to help them to
continue to live independently in their own homes.
A floating support service can be delivered to a person for
up to 2 years and is intended to ‘float’ in and out as required
by the client. Therefore the level of support a person receives
may vary depending on their support needs at any given
time. The service has been in operation since April 2007 and
to date we have delivered support to over 150 clients.
Referrals to the service can be for any number of reasons
and as a result the clients we work with have a very diverse
range of needs. To respond to these needs we have
developed solid working relationships with a wide variety of
statutory and voluntary agencies including:
• Belfast Health and Social Care Trust - if the client needs
assistance with elements of their personal care, such as
managing meals or medication
• NIE energy efficiency – to upgrade / improve heating
systems in clients’ homes to ensure that they can remain
comfortably at home
• NIHE – for assistance with re-housing, housing benefit
claims, grants applications etc
• RNID & RNIB outreach teams who can help with the
provision of assistive technologies to help a visually
or hearing impaired person to continue to live
independently in their own home. For example, colour
coded discs fitted to cookers and microwaves can help
a visually impaired person to continue to prepare their
own meals safely
• Liaising with landlords to support clients to resolve issues
in relation to their tenancy.
In addition, where clients express a desire to partake in
activities or courses, we will signpost them to organisations
who may be able to assist. Clients often report the major
improvements that being able to access social and
educational activities make to their feelings of self worth
and achievement.
The Lite 60+ scheme also operates a handyman service
for carrying out minor repairs to clients’ homes - such as
changing locks, plumbing in a washing machine or fitting
draught excluders to doors.
Staff and clients at the first ever BCM Lite 60+ Clients Forum
in November 2010
Case Study
An elderly couple were referred to the Lite 60+
service. They required major renovations to their
privately rented home. The house only had an
outside toilet. There was no bathroom and no
central heating system. The landlord refused to
undertake the work.
Lite 60+ staff engaged with the couple and
representatives from Belfast City Council’s Building
Control Department and eventually the landlord agreed
to make the necessary improvements.
Lite 60+ staff then assisted the couple to secure
alternative temporary accommodation whilst the
renovation work was ongoing and also to move back to
their newly refurbished home 6 months later.
The service continues to support this couple and is
currently working with the Trust’s Occupational Therapy
Department in relation to the need for a level access
shower and also with NIHE regarding their housing
benefit entitlement.
This case study illustrates the type of complex situation
where our staff support clients to address and resolve issues
through working in partnership and innovative thinking.
For further information contact:
Catherine Apsley
fsop@belfastcentralmission.org
Tel (028) 9067 3471
9

Mullan Mews wins International
Dementia Excellence Award
At an event to celebrate the award Health Minister
Michael McGimpsey congratulated everyone involved
in the service. Clare McCarty, Chief Executive of Clanmil
said,
‘Often, so much emphasis is placed on maintaining
physical wellbeing and personal safety for people with
dementia that basic pleasures like eating can be missed
out.
‘Supported living in the community offers an alternative
to residential care for people with dementia that
focuses on maintaining quality of life. Mullan Mews is
an excellent example of partnership working between
Clanmil, Belfast Trust and the NIHE’s Supporting People
Programme’.
Mullan Mews was also shortlisted in the Dementia Design
Innovation of the Year category of the awards.
For further information contact:
In November 2010, Mullan Mews in East
Belfast took first place in the ‘Pleasure of
Eating’ category of the International Dementia
Excellence Awards at the ‘Coming of Age’
Conference in London. This recognises work to
enhance the quality and experience of mealtimes
and food associated activities for people with
dementia. The award includes a grant of £1,000,
to be used to further promote the wellbeing of
the residents.
Christine Ashfield
Clanmil Housing
Tel 028 9087 6000
christine.ashfield@clanmil.org.uk
June Gibney,
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
Tel: 028 9096 0096
june.gibney@belfasttrust.hscni.net
Mullan Mews is owned by Clanmil Housing and
comprises five houses, each providing a home for six
people. Each tenant has their own ensuite bedroom
but share daily living with their neighbours in the
communal living areas, including the kitchen where
they make meals together with support from staff. The
scheme is managed in partnership with the Belfast
Health and Social Care Trust whose staff provide the
care, support and expertise required to help people with
dementia lead meaningful and independent lives in the
community.
At Mullan Mews the tenants grow vegetables in their own
gardens, plan menus and regularly go grocery shopping.
In each house the kitchen is the heart of the home.
These activities help maintain community involvement
and restore the joy in the simple pleasure of a good meal
shared with friends, often prompting memories of past
family celebrations and favourite foods.
10

Lighthouse Hostel - The Express
Yourself Exhibition and
launch event
At the event the coffee was sponsored by Starbucks, local
artist Seamus Fox performed his award winning poetry
and Martin Gorman played the baby grand piano.
The exhibition continues in the Braid Arts Gallery and will
also exhibit in the Antrim Library during March 2011.
On 26th November 2010 the Braid Arts Gallery
hosted the launch event for the Express Yourself
Exhibition.
Funded through the Public Health Agency, the Express
Yourself course was designed for Lighthouse Hostel
clients and others in the Ballymena and Antrim area who
were homeless and had addictions. The course focused
on education in relation to dealing with their addictions
and health issues, while being able to express themselves
through the medium of digital photography.
Clients attended health promotion classes and had
their weight, BMI, cholesterol & blood pressure checked
along with having swine flu inoculations through the
ECHO (Enhancing Care for Homeless) project. They were
dealing with issues such as depression, smoking and
weight along with drink and drug issues and kept weekly
journals on their progress through the programme. All
clients completed an OCN Level 1 certification in Drugs
& Alcohol awareness from ACET (Aids Care Education &
Training). For the clients who resided in the Lighthouse
we were able to tie these events into their individual
support plans which saw them grow in confidence over
the duration of the course.
Along with Lighthouse Hostel staff, the programme was
overseen by local Northern Regional College students
completing work experience from their second year
of an HND in Health and Social Care. The clients who
completed the programme successfully achieved their
personal targets in relation to education and reduction
of substances. There were also opportunities for new
experiences such as team building, go-karting and
photography and at the end of a day trip one client
commented;
“Today was a great day because I did not have to think
about getting my next high”.
The exhibition launch included guests from the Northern
Drugs Alcohol Coordination Team, DHSSPS Policy
Department, Supporting People, Northern Regional
College, ACET and the Community Mental Health Teams,
all of which the Lighthouse network with on a daily basis.
“The Heavy Press”
“You would not believe the weight that I carry every day -
That’s Depression”.
For any queries or requests about the exhibition, contact:
Mark Forsythe, Manager,
Lighthouse Hostel
www.lighthousehostel.org
Tel: 02825 647654
11

Meet the Teams - SP
Administration Team
Who are we
ENID McMURRAY
SP Manager
RICHARD BEGLEY
Senior Officer
ROSEMARY OWENS
Senior Officer
James
Taylor
Alisha
Montgomery
David
Mayne
Fionnuala
McArdle
Conor
Loughran
Amy
Donnelly
Vincent
Leonard
The Administration Team was set up in October
2008 as part of the restructuring of Supporting
People. The members of the team are Enid
McMurray (Principal Officer), Richard Begley,
Rosemary Owens, Alisha Montgomery, Amy
Donnelly, Vincent Leonard, Conor Loughran,
David Mayne, Fionnuala McArdle, and James
Taylor. Each member of the team has a range
of housing experience, or has been part of the
wider SP team over the last number of years, and
actively involved in the administration of the
Supporting People Programme.
Activities include:
• Support and back up for the 6 area teams who are the
public face of Supporting People
• Providing support for the roll out of the new contract
management arrangements and the new procedures
for making performance returns through SPOCC.net.
• Administrative support for meetings
• Organising stakeholder and training events.
Contact details for the Administration Team staff can be
found on page 14.
12

Update – Who’s who in the SP
team
The SP team falls under the responsibility of
Colm McQuillan, Assistant Director of Corporate
Services and is headed by Brian O’Kane, Senior
Principal Officer.
Both can be contacted by email:
colm.mcquillan@nihe.gov.uk or
brian.okane@nihe.gov.uk
Or you can contact Alisha Montgomery at
alisha.montgomery@nihe.gov.uk
or by phone on: (028) 9031 8427.
Since the fourth edition of SP Spotlight
there have been a number of changes
within the SP team:
The Policy and Strategy Team has been restructured
to incorporate the wider policy remit of Strategic and
Partnerships - Housing and Health, Older People Traveller
Accommodation Policy. The team now includes:
• Mary McDonnell
• Joan Finn
• Connor Smith (Traveller Policy)
The work of the Modernising Services Project Team
is due to complete in March 2011. During the winding
down period there will be a gradual process for relocation
of staff back within the overall staff team or for moving to
new areas of work.
Staff leaving:
• Aidan McGrath (Contract and Payments Team)
The SP staff team are organised into the following main
areas of business:
Five Area Teams:
• Responsible for liaising with providers in their area
• The application of the monitoring and review
framework
• Overseeing service performance
• Sitting on a range of locally based steering
and decision making groups, including area SP
partnerships.
The team members in each area are:
Belfast Area Team
Lead Officers:
Liam O’Hanlon - liam.ohanlon@nihe.gov.uk
- (028) 9031 8381
Sinead Twomey - sinead.twomey@nihe.gov.uk
- (028) 9031 8568
• Marion Fisher - marion.fisher@nihe.gov.uk
- (028) 9031 8411
• Rory McDonnell - rory.mcdonnell@nihe.gov.uk
- (028) 9031 8401
South East Area Team
Lead Officer:
Donal Brereton - donal.brereton@nihe.gov.uk
- (028) 9031 8801
• Sharon Stuart - sharon.stuart@nihe.gov.uk
- (028) 9031 8495
South Area Team
Lead Officer:
Eamon Mullan - eamon.mullan@nihe.gov.uk
- (028) 9031 8749
• Joe Quinn - joe.quinn@nihe.gov.uk
- (028) 9031 8513
North East Area Team
Lead Officer:
Pamela Stevenson - pamela.stevenson@nihe.gov.uk
- (028) 9031 8881
• Angela McLaughlin- angela.mclaughlin@nihe.gov.uk
- (028) 9031 8876
West Area Team
Lead Officer:
Louise Clarke - louise.clarke@nihe.gov.uk
- (028) 9031 8790
• Colin McCloy - colin.mccloy@nihe.gov.uk
- (028) 9031 8405
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The Policy and Strategy Team is responsible for the
delivery of the SP strategy and policy framework,
including:
• The administration of the SP commissioning body;
• Representing SP within a number of multi-agency
groups and
• Liaison with SP umbrella groups/representative
bodies.
The team members are:
Principal Officer:
Mary McDonnell - mary.mcdonnell@nihe.go.uk
- (028) 90318508
• Claire Crainey - claire.crainey@nihe.gov.uk
• - (028) 9031 8906
• Julie Alexander - julie.alexander@nihe.gov.uk
- (028) 9031 8819
• Joan Finn- joan.finn@nihe.gov.uk
- (028) 90318428
• Connor Smith - connor.smith@nihe.gov.uk
- (028) 90318921
The Administration Team is responsible for the
administration activity associated with the programme.
The team members are:
Principal Officer:
Enid McMurray - enid.mcmurray@nihe.gov.uk
- (028) 9031 8779
• Richard Begley - richard.begley@nihe.gov.uk
- (028) 9031 8900
• Rosemary Owens - rosemary.owens@nihe.gov.uk
- (028) 9031 8406
• Fionnuala McArdle - fionnuala.mcardle@nihe.gov.uk
- (028) 9031 8758
• Vincent Leonard - vincent.leonard@nihe.gov.uk
- (028) 9031 8414
• David Mayne - david.mayne@nihe.gov.uk
- (028) 9031 8800
• James Taylor - james.taylor@nihe.gov.uk
- (028) 9031 8820
• Conor Loughran - conor.loughran@nihe.gov.uk
- (028) 9031 8214
• Amy Donnelly - amy.donnelly@nihe.gov.uk
- (028) 90 318404
The Contracting & Payments Team is responsible for
the processing of SP period payments and issuing of
funding agreements.
The team members are:
Principal Officer:
Stephen Osborne - stephen.osborne@nihe.gov.uk
- (028) 9031 8776
• Evelyn Jamison - evelyn.jamison@nihe.gov.uk
- (028) 9031 8415
• Eamonn Marley - eamonn.marley@nihe.gov.uk
- (028) 9031 8486
Administrator for providers A-K:
Darren Stockdale - darren.stockdale@nihe.gov.uk
- (028) 9031 8776
Administrator for providers L-Z:
Jonathan Rankin - jonathan.rankin@nihe.gov.uk
- (028) 9031 8487
The Finance Team is responsible for ensuring the best
use is made of SP resources for new and legacy SP
services, through accreditation, value for money analysis
and budget monitoring.
The team members are:
Financial Accountant
John Graham - john.graham@nihe.gov.uk
- (028) 9031 8877
Budget Monitoring & Value for Money
John Bond - john.bond2@nihe.gov.uk - (028) 9031 8878
Accreditation & Value for Money
Nick McGrath - nicholas.mcgrath@nihe.gov.uk - (028)
9031 8879
How to contact the SP Team
If you know the team member you wish to contact, the
direct contact details for the individual members of the
team are provided above. Alternatively you can write to
the SP team at:
Supporting People
The Housing Centre, 2 Adelaide Street, Belfast BT2 8PB
Or email us at:
supportingpeople@nihe.gov.uk
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Glossary of Terms
Accreditation:
A process for assessing the viability and competence of
an organisation and formally recognising their ability to
provide housing support services
ASPP:
Area SP Partnership – There are 4 ASPPs which
correspond to the Health Trust Areas. Membership
consists of representatives from the Housing Executive,
NI Probation Board, Health Trusts and the Health & Social
Care Board. ASPPs are responsible for agreeing priorities,
in their respective localities, to inform the commissioning
of new supported housing and support services, in light
of emerging strategic objectives, and for identifying
unmet housing support needs in their area.
e.g. (EASPP – Eastern Area SP Partnership)
CSR:
The Comprehensive Spending Review is a complete
reassessment of the government’s spending priorities
and sets firm and fixed 3 year spending plans.
SITRA:
An umbrella organisation for the housing, care and
support sector and is the leading provider of training
within the sector. (www.sitra.org)
SP:
Supporting People
SPOCC:
The core ICT system to be used by the NIHE as the
administrators of the SP programme which will enable
ongoing administration including the processing
of payments to providers, maintenance of funding
agreements, performance monitoring and contract
management.
SPOCC.net:
An ICT system which provides a secure online link for
data access and exchange between providers and the SP
team.
ICT:
Information and Communications Technology
NIHE:
Northern Ireland Housing Executive
PI:
Performance Indicator. A particular value or
characteristic used to measure output or outcome. For
SP, performance indicators have been developed to
measure the effectiveness and efficiency of services.
Returns against these PIs are made on a quarterly basis.
Provider:
Organisations or sole operators who are contracted by
the SP team to provide a housing related support service
QAF:
Quality Assessment Framework. This framework defines
quality standards against which providers carry out a
self assessment of their services. This self assessment is
then validated by SP to ensure services meet minimum
standards
QAF2:
Refreshed version of the QAF introduced in England in
April 2009. Full implementation will take place across the
SP sector from April 2011.
15

SP Website Updates
Check out the SP section of the NIHE website at
www.nihe.gov.uk where you can find the latest
news in our ‘What’s New’ section.
Over the next few months the following will be
available:
• QAF2 documentation
• Updates on SP Outcomes Monitoring
For the next Issue of the
SP Spotlight
Are you a provider and would you like your service
to feature in the next edition of SP Spotlight?
Do you have any suggestions for articles in future
issues?
Please let us know what you think of the SP
Spotlight and how it can be improved.
Contact Joan Finn at
joan.finn@nihe.gov.uk
or email:
supportingpeople@nihe.gov.uk
If you know the team member you wish to contact,
please use the direct contact details that are
provided in this newsletter or on our website.
Alternatively, you can write to the SP team at:
Supporting People
The Housing Centre
2 Adelaide Street
Belfast
BT2 8PB
February 2011
www.nihe.gov.uk
CS/599/01/11
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