Age UK Medway to merge with the Carers Relief Service in January 2021

Age UK Medway are delighted to be bringing the Carers Relief Service (CRS) into our organisation as part of our portfolio of services. CRS will benefit from a host of support and efficiencies that come with being part of a larger organisation, whilst retaining their individual identity.

CRS approached Age UK Medway back in late 2019 to open a discussion about the potential for merging with us, recognising that Age UK Medway demonstrate a great number of similarities to CRS as organisations and also that our infrastructure investments made over the last few years would greatly enhance their offer to their clients. 

As discussions have progressed, it has become increasingly clear that the benefits are reciprocal, and Age UK Medway will benefit too from having CRS inside the organisation.  Our client groups, whilst distinctly different in the way that their support needs initially present, overlap considerably, in age demographics and also in the way we deliver services, out in the community through a mobile workforce. The computer software systems and smart phone technology Age UK Medway uses to support its homecare service, will be of immediate benefit to the CRS staff and clients after the merger, and will allow a greater flow of important information from the client to the people charge with their support in real time. 

CRS will be able to take advantage of the efficiencies that Age UK Medway have discovered through using this technology, and which has resulted in the freeing up of carer time, to spend more and better quality time with the clients across the services.  In addition, CRS will benefit from a shared central office location, improved access to IT and other business support functions including financial management, payroll and HR.

Age UK Medway will gain the opportunity to align our services with CRS, and to reach CRS clients with offers of additional support which might further enhance their ability to maintain effective support at hope, including delivered meals, membership, access to centre based activities and the backing of a CQC regulated provider with a “Good” rating.

While the legal processes to effect the merger take place in the background, CRS will move into the Age UK Medway buildings and begin the painstaking processes of integration of their services to the Age UK Medway systems, so that when the legal work is complete, the transition will be seamless to anyone looking in from the outside.

It is the discussion and planning at this strategic level that will underpin the sustainability of the local voluntary sector, and we are thrilled to have made a start bringing a smaller charity into the Age UK Medway group, despite the challenges of the pandemic, it is key that the sector maintains focus on the longer term goals of partnership, collaboration and sustainability, and we look forward to demonstrating the benefits to all as we move through to completing the merger.

John Norley
Group Chief Executive