25 June 2014
Jersey Post’s award-winning ‘Call and Check’ scheme, in which postal workers check on the welfare of elderly or vulnerable people, is to be extended.
Last week Call and Check won international acclaim, winning the Corporate Social Responsibility category at the prestigious World Mail Awards in Berlin. The Jersey Post scheme beat off short-listed rivals representing two of the world’s biggest postal companies – the US Postal Service and Deutsche Post DHL.
Success at the so-called ‘Post Office Oscars’ followed an accolade on home soil earlier in June, with Call and Check being one of the corporate social responsibility projects which contributed to Jersey Post’s success in winning the Community Award at the Awards For Enterprise organised by Jersey Business.
Successful pilot in St Brelade
Following a successful pilot of the scheme, which began in St Brelade in November last year, Call and Check is now to be rolled out to three other parishes – St Ouen, St Peter and St Mary – via a leaflet drop by Jersey Post.
Approximately 25 Islanders signed up to the original Call and Check scheme, saying they’d welcome a short, regular visit from a postal worker to check on their welfare. The scheme was developed by Jersey Post in conjunction with the Health and Social Services Department (HSSD), to provide a simple way of checking on people in the community, offering visits to Islanders who might need some extra help and support.
Residents in parishes where Call and Check is operational fill in a form to say they are interested in the scheme. That referral is passed onto the postal worker who delivers post to their house. The postal worker checks on the participant and if there are any worries or concerns, the postal worker then passes these on to the individual’s contacts and support network.
More than 400 calls have been carried out to homes in St Brelade by Jersey Post employees, and HSSD has welcomed the scheme's progress.
Putting care into the community
Richard Jouault, Head of Community and Social Services, said “The Call and Check Service resonates perfectly with what we are trying to achieve as we redesign health and social care services for Islanders. We are putting care into the community, and the aim is that as many Islanders as possible can live in their own homes and enjoy full, independent lives, as long as they are supported adequately."
Joe Dickinson, Special Projects Manager at Jersey Post said: “We’re pleased that the pilot Call and Check scheme has been welcomed by Islanders and that it has been further extended in Jersey to more parishes.
“It’s about providing people with a bit of extra help and support where they need it. The postal workers who visit Islanders can quickly act if there any problems which need addressing. We’ve found that not only do those who have signed up to the scheme find the face-to-face contact reassuring and welcoming, it also provides peace of mind for their family, who may not be able to visit regularly or may not live in Jersey.”
Those living in one of the four parishes can find out more and ask to be visited by filling in a form on the leaflet which will be delivered shortly, or by calling +44(0) 1534 616594.
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