Mencap Heart of England's Helena Wallis navigates care sector waters with a 'compass for good outcomes'

These might be turbulent times for the care sector, but choppy waters are there to be endured and mastered if we are to adopt the outlook of Mencap Heart of England’s chief executive Helena Wallis.

Previously based in the engineering sector, Ms Wallis moved into the care sector from a human resources and corporate governance role, after the learning disability charity recognised her experience in helping workforces to engage more with community life as ideal for furthering their impact, first making her a trustee for a year before she became chief executive in April.

Reflecting upon her route into the care sector, Ms Wallis believes she chose the right opportunities rather than following a specific career plan, but it was learning about adult care at a time when her daughter was ill and required hospital care that opened her eyes to the challenges of personal care.

She explains: “Being exposed to the challenges of caring for an individual presented me with an insight into how carers are faced with finding the right solutions on a practical level, balanced with the emotional bond of being involved in a familial situation.”

It was an experience she was able to draw upon when connecting with Mencap: “There is great benefit in being in a position of supporting people through experience and we’re able to practice care that helps individuals with personal development; it’s really rewarding to see a positive change in themselves.”

Ms Wallis says one of the most satisfying aspects of working for an organisation like Mencap is “bringing to life the phrase ‘delighting the customer’”, while some of the most important aspects to master relate to service integration, “In our case, especially when it comes to the transition from children’s to adult’s services”.

She sees the ability of services and organisations to collaborate and work together as one of the most crucial challenges to overcome when supporting vulnerable adults, saying, “Services need to be appropriately aligned and function without the assumption of liaising happening. Of particular dismay to service users is when they find themselves having the same conversation with many different people when, if services were aligned effectively, one conversation would have sufficed.”

On developing her professional outlook, Ms Wallis describes her first experiences as a volunteer as ‘a real eye-opener’, saying “The differences between the private sector and a charity couldn’t be much more extreme; they’re worlds apart. When you’ve moved from a company where you’re used to decisions that lead to the spending of millions of pounds, to a profession where looking at and justifying costs and value really is everything. It was a real eye-opener. You have to be willing to learn when working for a charity, to be very clear on the value of all your resources and their ultimate results. Our product is the care we deliver.”

At the same time she has embraced the more human element of Mencap’s work, saying, “As opposed to engineering, where I never saw the end user, working for Mencap enables me to see the differences we make to people’s lives”.

Acknowledging that the sector is facing a challenging time, she insists that a positive approach to problems is always better than bemoaning whatever regulatory or financial issues are seen to be holding services back, saying, “We always need to be alive to the need to do things differently, making the most of service potential and ensuring that transitions especially are handled well.”

From engineering to care might strike as an unusual journey but a motto Ms Wallis has adopted is the founder of Ford motor company, Henry Ford’s “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you always got”, a motto she finds equally relevant to her life outside engineering and the journey metaphor would seem to be apt for her role at Heart of England.

As she explains: “The role we play is best described as if someone had asked you to navigate a route they don’t know. Looking ahead and assessing the terrain with parents and carers, important steps can be taken on that journey. I often think that our role is to provide a compass for good outcomes.”

This positive outlook will still require setting sail with diminishing local authority resources, however, something Ms Wallis readily acknowledges. New means of provision need to be found and she remains determined to present each service user with a “menu of options” that ensures an active lifestyle and maximum community involvement. To achieve this Ms Wallis says, “We look to engage with the community as much as possible and support integration; we get a lot of help at a local level and a positive community response is a great help in helping service users to feel like a valued citizen.”

She continues: “Funding cuts are not going to change; the challenge is to find a courageous approach that remains solutions orientated. We look to get actively involved in any developments or discussions that might see health and social care coming together.”

On action she would like to see from local authorities, Ms Wallis says, “We need to see more of a flexibility from LAs, too many times we see a tendency to stamp one model of care, one source of income and overreliance on block contracts. We need a broader outlook not focused on one source of income but one that welcomes social enterprises, more opportunities and welcomes competition. Ultimately all providers have a responsibility to provide solutions and choices.”

Interesting facts

First job: I worked in a local restaurant where focus was on service and quality. It was long hours, low pay and demanding customers – but invaluable experience that set the tone for my views on the importance of customer service and high standards. I remember the owners being particularly obsessed with making tables and glasses sparkle! But they invested time and effort in my early development and rewarded me with increased responsibility.

Favourite book: A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khaled Hosseini – a story of endurance and the ability to overcome the most challenging issues life can throw at someone.

Favourite film: The Wizard of Oz

Favourite piece of music: I probably don’t have one favourite piece – my tastes change daily – but today it would be Elbow – One day Like This.

What is the best present you have received?: Anything my children make for me! I Have boxes full of pictures and strange models.

Last holiday: A cottage holiday in Penzance – exploring the delightful coastline and secluded beaches of Cornwall.