Achieve together, a leading provider of specialist support for people with learning disabilities, autism and associated complex care needs, are pleased today to have completed the transfer of the residential and community services run by RNID, the national hearing loss charity.
Achieve together, which has over 25 years’ experience in providing the best specialist support to over 2,000 people across England and Wales, will now operate RNID’s care and support services in these countries, and welcome onboard many amazing team members who will continue their inspiring work delivering specialist support for people who are deaf or have hearing loss.
Alongside building on Achieve together’s existing expertise in delivering specialist support for people who are deaf or have hearing loss, in line with RNID’s core aims the acquisition will also enable further investment in team members, technology and the services to support them to grow, develop and to uphold the very best standards of care and support.
As part of the transfer, the many team members supporting RNID’s care services will benefit from access to Achieve together’s high-quality leadership, expert resources, and wide-ranging professional development opportunities, aimed at nurturing and driving skills and talents.
RNID conducted a thorough search to find an organisation who met their strict criteria of being a provider with a strong track record, committed to ensuring continuity of care for the people we support, The services, which are located across England and Wales, will now work closely together with Achieve together to drive the central purpose of ensuring every person they support has the opportunity to live happy, healthy and meaningful lives, with their extraordinary skills, passions and individuality recognised and celebrated.
Achieve together has already been undertaking a listening and co-production exercise, with involvement from team members across RNID’s services and Achieve together, the people supported and their families to ensure the services can transfer as smoothly as possible.
The shared values and ethos of the two organisations, based on their collective person-centred approach and specialist provision, makes this partnership a natural fit which is intended to deliver long-term and positive impact for team members and those receiving support.
The transfer completed on 30th June 2021, with all services and team members having now transitioned.
This latest acquisition further consolidates Achieve together’s position as one of the UK’s leading provider of support for people living with complex needs, as it continues to drive quality and shape the future of high-quality, sustainable social care provision.
Emma Pearson, Chief Executive Officer of Achieve together, said: “We are incredibly excited and proud, to be welcoming RNID’s care and support services, and dedicated teams, to Achieve together.
“We will be focussed on collaboration and importantly, co-production, as we all work together to deliver the best specialist support through the amazing teams, our networks and our partnerships, including with families”.
“We are really looking forward to working closely with each service, our new team members, the individuals we support and their families, as we embark on this new and exciting chapter together.”
Mark Atkinson, Chief Executive, RNID, said: “In 2019 we refined our strategy to have wider reach and impact for the 1 in 5 adults in the UK who are deaf or have hearing loss and the 1 in 8 who have tinnitus.
“To realise this strategy, we knew that we could not continue to do everything we do today. For this reason, our Board of Trustees proposed to transfer our care and support services to a new provider.
“We wanted to find an organisation we had confidence in; an organisation that shares our values and our ethos and our commitment to high quality, person-centred care.
“So, I am pleased to say that we have transferred our care and support services in England and Wales to Achieve together. We have also said goodbye to our amazing colleagues, who will continue their inspiring work delivering specialist support for people who are deaf or have hearing loss.
“We believe Achieve together is well placed to invest in our services, support them to grow and continue to run them in the future.”
Please find a BSL version of this press release below:
Notes to editors:
About Achieve together
- Achieve together is one of the UK’s leading providers of specialist support for people with learning disabilities, autism and associated complex needs.
- It provides the best specialist support to over 2,200 young people and adults in over 350 services across England and Wales.
- Achieve together is dedicated to empowering the individuals it supports, helping them to live happy, healthy and meaningful lives. It does this by supporting them to develop skills for life and healthy relationships, as well as helping to boost their confidence and self-esteem.
- The organisation harnesses over 25 years of expertise and insight in providing high-quality care and support, with its team of 6,000 compassionate and dedicated team members putting the people it supports, and their families, at the heart of everything they do.
- Achieve together has long been at the forefront of best practice across the sector and country, driving quality and standards, and leading by example.
- Achieve together’s latest Impact Report tracks and celebrates some of the key outcomes and milestones delivered within the last year, with highlights including:
- 92% of services rated Good or Outstanding
- Of the 2,200 people supported, over 97% said Achieve together is doing a good job, as does 95% of the relatives surveyed.
- As an excellent employer, alongside its 6,000 team members Achieve together also employs over 350 apprenticeship
About RNID
- RNID is the national charity making life fully inclusive for deaf people and those with hearing loss or tinnitus.
- Currently, one in five adults in the UK have a form of hearing loss. One in eight people have tinnitus.
- RNID was founded in 1911. For more than 100 years the charity has pioneered new treatments for hearing loss and tinnitus. It has promoted access to sign language and subtitles, brought in free hearing tests for new-born babies, worked with technology for cochlear implants and developed techniques to help people cope with tinnitus.
- We’re a collective force campaigning for an inclusive society. We make deaf people, and those with hearing loss and tinnitus, part of the conversation to drive change – and help friends and families, workplaces and communities stay connected. We’re a trusted source of practical advice and we pioneer new treatments for hearing loss and tinnitus. We’ve been around for over 100 years and, until everyone is 100% included, we’re here to stay.
- From 2 November 2020, the charity’s trading name will be RNID. The company name will remain The Royal National Institute for Deaf People.
- Our Infoline offers free confidential and impartial information on a range of subjects related to hearing loss and tinnitus. It is open between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. Call: 0808 808 0123. Live chat and BSL infoline is available on our website at www.rnid.org.uk.
- Visit our website for more information and support on all topics that deaf people or those with hearing loss or tinnitus face.
Press details:
Contact the Achieve together press office:
Email: achievetogetherpressoffice@gmail.com
Telephone: 0743 261 9216
Contact RNID press office:
Email: prteam@rnid.org.uk
