38 Exploring the difference made by Support at home enable a growth in the Red Cross’s reach, and also identify critical gaps in the current support available to meet the often longer- term, unmet needs of our service users. (See direct link with recommendation 6). It also contributes to strengthening local, “under the radar” and other potentially innovative grass roots community groups, as well as the community’s resilience. Community links are vital in times of crisis. The research highlighted that the Red Cross is well placed to contribute to the building of these links and bringing people together.28 > Make our services more visible. Life on hospital wards can be dynamic and busy. Without making the services offered more visible to all referrers (including agency staff who may not be familiar with the ward or the Red Cross offer) the degree to which we are automatically called upon, as an immediate choice for referrers looking for this type of support, becomes limited. Similarly, in non- hospital-based schemes, Red Cross offices are often out of town and out of sight. Staff and 3. develop active partnerships to extend our volunteers acknowledged that more linking in reach and maximise impact with hospital and community health and social The Red Cross aspires to reach greater numbers care settings is necessary to provide that vital of people in need across a wide spectrum safety net and ensure we reach more people of communities. The most effective ways of in need. A strategic and deliberate choice of doing this are by expanding and intensifying where staff are located was also considered our partnerships with those organisations that critical to visibility and outreach. already work with, and are well connected to, 26 these communities, and increasing awareness 4. clarify the red cross’ position for people of our services amongst those who would refer in need who fall outside of our commissioned to us. This also enables us to play to our own contracts strengths and consider how to fill gaps where The Red Cross delivers Support at home as need is highlighted, as well as looking outside a contracted service within a humanitarian for innovations and new ideas to offer a support organisation. Ensuring clarity on whether we can 27 role to smaller organisations where appropriate provide support to people in need who fall outside (Jarvis and Marvel, 2013). Such a strategy of of the existing commissioned criteria or catchment actively partnering in this way will also allow us area (contract obligations and restrictions) would to explore solutions for the challenges raised in be of benefit to the Red Cross. recommendation six around signposting – that there are fewer places/community resources to Implications for the organisation to consider: signpost people on to. > Capture and understand the experiences of frontline staff. The research highlighted that Implications for the organisation to consider: frontline staff are left dealing with the question > Intensify the degree to which the Red Cross of how our contract-driven model fits with the promotes and supports the capacity of Red Cross vision that “everyone gets the help local organisations and community groups. they need in a crisis”. The study suggests that Partnering with groups delivering similar or further exploration of the scale of this issue, specialist support in their communities could and consideration of the options for our ways of working, is desirable. 26 The evaluation of the TESCO funded Care in the home projects indicated a growing understanding of partnership working and its strategic importance in the development of the service. 28 For example, one Red Cross service in the study identified a need and 27 Some of our services have specific experience in partnership supported a group of service users to set up an exercise class in the development and are well placed to share learning, e.g. the local village hall – contributing to potential health outcomes and the Neighbourhood Links service in Scotland. building of social networks.