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A postman’s award winning idea to keep an eye on vulnerable members of the community could end up doing the rounds in the UK.
Joe Dickinson who came up with Jersey Post’s “Call & Check” service is leading a seminar next month and will be showing NHS and postal leaders how they too could help support people in their homes.
The pilot scheme started in St Brelade last year with postmen and women checking on elderly Islanders during their rounds to see whether they need anything either medically or socially and Joe says there have been a few instances where posties have had to call the emergency services to help their customers.
Around 20 high-level guests from across the health and post service sectors will join Jersey Post's CEO Tim Brown to hear Joe speak at the event in London on 3 March run by Reform – the UK think-tank that looks into how tax payers money can be best spent and who says that meeting the needs of an ageing population is one of the foremost challenges facing future governments.
Joe said: “The meeting will be attended by UK leaders from the health, voluntary and business sectors plus the national media, it will be great platform for Call & Check and Jersey Post.
"A number of organisations have already said they would like to see Call & Check in the UK, it will be interesting to see what the UK government does as the policy advisor to No.10 has been invited.
"The meeting will also demonstrate on a national stage that Jersey is a place for community innovation."
Last year Joe was the winner of The Sunday Times The Change Makers competition 2014 – that celebrates individuals who have made a difference through brilliant initiatives over the last five years and which have a big social impact.
His scheme has been rolled out to other parishes since its pilot in St Brelade and there are now plans for it to go Island-wide this year not only to help elderly Islanders and those with disabilities but also to support the large number of carers in Jersey.
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