Advanced Community Care opens new offices

Pictured at the opening of the new Advanced Community Care office at Ballinderry Business Park are Health Minister Edwin Poots, who carried out the official opening, with Lisburn Mayor Margaret Tolerton and Nial Smith, director at Advanced Community Care. US1327-539cd

That was the key message from Health Minister Edwin Poots as he officially opened the new premises of Advanced Community Care in Ballinderry Business Park, Lisburn.

Speaking at the opening, Minister Poots said “Many elderly people can feel isolated and alone. They are some of the most vulnerable individuals in our society. Yet they are also some of the most valuable.

“Under Transforming Your Care (TYC) and at the core for my vision for our health and social care system, people should be supported to remain in their own homes.  Advanced Community Care  is clearly an organisation which is helping to achieve this aim.”

Advanced Community Care has also looked to develop work in the area of Learning Disability and Physical Disability.

Their growth over the last 18 months has seen them move to new premises to accommodate their needs.

Advanced Community Care domiciliary care agency provides domiciliary care in the community to mainly older people in both the Belfast and South Eastern Trust.

The Minister concluded: “One of the key central objectives to community care is the commitment to continue to develop a mixed economy of care. My Department takes the view that partnership between the statutory, independent and voluntary sectors is vital if we are going to provide high quality and safe services that meet the needs of the most vulnerable people in our society.

“Moving to these new premises is a clear indication of the progress Advanced Community Care has made and the services the organisation provides are invaluable to these client groups.”

Niall Smyth, the Director of Advanced Community Care, said he was delighted with the move to the new offices. “Our previous office based in Finaghy was not really fit for purpose.

“The new offices have excellent car parking facilities and are easily accessible at ground floor level and, we have our training and meeting rooms, alongside all the usual office requirements. We share the current office space with IOT Technologies our technology partners with whom we are working on a range of technologies to make Domicilary care a more effective solution for more people but just as importantly a safer option.”

Mr Smyth has over 30 years experience in the health sector with his expertise gained mainly in the mental health and learning disability fields.

It is not surprising therefore that Advanced Community Care has focused a lot of their care services in these areas whilst also providing services to older people.

The ethos of Advanced Community Care is that the service user or client is central to everything that the company does and it was therefore great to see several service users’ attend the opening and, they really appeared to enjoy meeting with Mr Poots and Lisburn’s newly elected Mayor Mrs Margaret Tolerton.