Care & Nursing Essentials - Online Guide

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Essentials

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&NURSING

Dementia Summit 31 OCT 2023 THE KING'S FUND LONDON

It’s time to talk about dementia Who Should Attend?

C-Level Care Professionals Care Home Owners & Senior Staff Leaders in Dementia Domiciliary Providers Those Associated with Dementia Government and Authorities

FIND OUT MORE

Conference Themes Dementia Diagnosis New Prevention Research Financial Complexities of Dementia Dementia at Home Living with Dementia Relationships and Communication

Dementia Summit has been launched with the mission to empower, and elevate the education, research, and care surrounding dementia.

01425 838393

info@dementiasummit.co.uk

dementiasummit.co.uk

Leading care homes meals provider, apetito, and wellbeing specialist, Oomph!, which is now part of Person Centred Software, have joined forces and announced a strategic partnership that enables care home teams to access valuable dietary expertise to help support their residents.

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taff in care settings with the Oomph! On Demand’ digital platform can now access a range of specialist nutrition content created by apetito, which includes access to a library of transformative information.

Teams can share, learn, and grow from a host of content including webinars, activity resources and videos created by the apetito’s in-house dietitians. Menus and serving suggestions are included that give adaptations for residents living with dementia and malnutrition - adaptations which can be aligned to meet the highly personalised needs of residents impacted. apetito’s mission is to help care homes by providing over 200 nutritionallybalanced, delicious meals. Its awardwinning meals include specialist nutrition ranges, such as Texture Modified (specially moulded softer meals for residents living with dysphagia), and Finger Foods Bites help bring dignity,

independence and restore enjoyment to mealtimes.

The Oomph! On Demand digital wellbeing platform supports physical and emotional health with expert exercise and meaningful wellbeing activities, 365 days a year to help residents in care settings live a full life. It takes a holistic approach with nutrition and wellbeing playing an important part of its approach.

Richard Woodward, General Manager, apetito Care Homes, explains that the partnership is based on natural synergy and common values in supporting Care Homes with a highly personalised approach to dietary learnings. He says: “To deliver nutritional pathways that are personalised and meet special dietary needs for residents can be complex and challenging.

“Our partnering initiative with Oomph! chimes well with care homes as its On Demand digital wellbeing platform

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apetito puts the ‘Oomph!’ into dietary learnings for Care Homes

drives value-add into an area which we know is very important to homes.

Now they will be able to tap into our dietitians’ specialist expertise, which is extensive.”

Ben Benson-Breen, Head of Product and Delivery at Oomph!, said: “Oomph! takes a whole home approach to wellbeing and so joining forces with apetito as an expert nutrition partner is part of this. Supporting care staff to be able to ensure the enjoyment of mealtimes and make nutritious food accessible for everyone, whatever their care needs, is an important part of our specialist wellbeing activities and exercises.”

Care Homes that would like to know more should check out https://link. edgepilot.com/s/2c57622f/HDiftba3gk_ EHQc63kTImg?u=http://www.oomphwellness.org/ or contact apetito at carehomes.apetito.co.uk or 0808 239 2399.

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Image courtesy of apetito Ltd

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Health and Social Care Policies Health and social care policies play a crucial role in ensuring the delivery of safe and effective care by service providers

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egulation 17 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 states that care providers must have systems and processes in place to meet Regulations 4 to 20A. Policies not only ensure compliance but also drive improvements and safeguard the well-being of service users.

Without robust policies, providers can face significant risks of negligence and breaching regulation 17. Let’s look at an example…

There are allegations of abuse of a service user at a

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Image courtesy of W & P Training

provider that does not have fit-for-purpose safeguarding and whistleblowing policies.

In this instance, they are at risk of failing in their duty to protect the health, wellbeing, and human rights of the service user to live free from harm, abuse, and neglect.

Without clear whistleblowing procedures, they may also be preventing staff from raising concerns early for fear of repercussions or confusion over to how to do so. Opportunities to act may be missed, raising the risk that the abuse is prolonged or escalated. Beyond the moral

implications here, the legal ramifications should also be clear.

To avoid such pitfalls, providers must regularly review and update their policies to align with changing laws, regulations, and technologies. Annual reviews, conducted by both employees and subject matter experts, are essential to ensure policies remain relevant and effective. For smaller providers lacking the necessary expertise, purchasing policies from reputable sources can ensure compliance and adherence to

best practices.

For many small- to mediumsized providers, there may not be the in-house skills, knowledge, and experience to complete such a robust annual review. Many choose instead to purchase their policies and procedures from a reputable provider, who will also complete reviews and ensure their policies and procedures remain up to date. This way a provider not only ensures they remain compliant; they also benefit from best practice policies and procedures that provide a solid foundation for safe working practices and – ultimately – protect and support service users and staff.

W&P offers sets of health and social care policies and procedures for residential, domiciliary, learning disabilities, supported living and nursing homes, as well as sets for the regulatory regimes in Scotland (Care Inspectorate) and Wales (Care Inspectorate Wales).

The policies and procedures are regularly reviewed and updated by W&P’s team of experienced social care professionals. www.wandptraining.co.uk Tel: 01305 767104

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Christmas is just around the corner...

£4,075 + VAT or per month £96 From zero deposit*

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£4,675 + VAT or From £110 per month zero deposit*

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£5,675 + VAT or From £133 per month zero deposit*

*Finance available subject to status

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Order now for guaranteed Christmas delivery and open up a HUGE new world of engaging activities to enjoy with those you care for.

The Tiny Tablet Touchscreen Activity Tables are revolutionising well-being in care settings across the UK. Combining technology and tradition, our tables bring warmth, learning, and person centred interactivity right to the heart of care.

Whether you’re looking for a way to boost morale, enhance activity schedules or simply bring a modern touch to your setting, the Tiny Tablet is your answer.

✓ Latest Android software

✓ Robust & Aesthetically Pleasing Design ✓ 8-10 Hours of Continuous Engagement ✓ 100s of free and engaging apps

Secure yours now for a guaranteed delivery before Christmas!

Contact us today on 01746866715 or email info@inspiredinspirations.com or order online at www.inspired-inspirations.com A brighter, more engaging Christmas awaits!

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And the best part? With monthly payment options starting from just £96, with zero deposit, these tables are an affordable luxury.

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Rosehill Furnishings Rosehill Furnishings are proud to have a longstanding history within the furniture industry.

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t’s their unique history and knowledge of the market which sets them apart from the rest. They’re committed to quality, and their standards have continued to excel over the last 40 years.

The expert team at Rosehill understand the market and can tailor your order to suit your exact requirements. With over four decades experience in the industry, you can feel at ease knowing that you’re in safe hands. They take pride in the quality products they supply which are built to last, while also being great value for money.

Rosehill have experience working with healthcare organisations who require durable and comfortable seating for their patients and staff. Rosehill specialise in seating and tables for care home lounges, dining rooms, visitor and waiting rooms, wards, staff rooms and FF&E packages.

Options include bariatric seats, anti-

microbial vinyl and fabrics for hygiene and infection control, high back chairs with head support and armchairs.

Product Highlights • High back chairs with head support and wingback models.

• Chairs which have been tested for bariatric use.

• Their upholstered chairs can be supplied with anti-microbial vinyl and wood finishes for hygiene and infection control.

• Models are available with arms to assist people getting up and down from their seat.

• Made to order products in a huge range of colours and finishes to fit in with your existing décor.

• Lounge chairs, side chairs and coffee tables, which are designed to enhance your communal areas.

• Dining chairs and armchairs with stylish and durable tables in a range of

Image courtesy of Rosehill Furnishings

shapes and sizes.

• Bedroom furniture with fitted items in high quality finishes.

• Outdoor furniture and benches.

• Complimentary breakout, modular and office furniture for staff areas and receptions Their furniture is available in a variety of styles and is designed and manufactured to help you provide a safe and comfortable seating option for your staff, patients and visitors. Their range is high quality and built to offer great comfort, and durability for furniture that lasts.

Browse their wide range of furniture for your care home, clinic, ward or waiting room online at www.rosehill.co.uk, or call 0161 485 1717 to request a brochure or discuss your requirements with their helpful sales team.

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T: 0161 485 1717 E: sales@rosehill.co.uk

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Rosehill Furnishings has been supplying quality contract furniture for over 40 years.

Specialising in seating for the community, healthcare and education sectors with a wide selection of products.

Contact us for expert advice, information and prices.

www.rosehill.co.uk

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Subscribe to our magazines today

www.euromediaal.com

Please see our Checkatrade page for more information.

We have plenty of experience in the care sector. If you would like specific information or contacts please get in touch.

We supply and fit curtains and blinds using NHS compliant fabrics

mrtrax.co.uk | E: mrtrax001@yahoo.com

We supplyT:and fit440156 curtains 01323 | 0800and 33 45 114 | 07968 242004 blinds using NHS compliant fabrics mrtrax.co.uk | E: mrtrax001@yahoo.com.

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MR TRAX CURTAIN & BLIND SOLUTIONS CURTAIN & BLIND SOLUTIONS

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Mobile Kitchens Ltd specialises in the hire of temporary catering facilities and foodservice equipment.

Ideal for events or to provide temporary catering facilities during your kitchen refurbishment, our versatile units and equipment offer an efficient and economical solution to the caterers’ needs.

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roduction Kitchens, Preparation Kitchens, Ware-washing Units, Dry Store Units, Cold Rooms and Restaurant Units are available as individual units in their own right or they can be linked together on site to form a complete complex.

Alternatively, we can offer modular, open-plan facilities, usually for larger, longer-term hires.

We offer a free design service, and project management from concept through to delivery and installation on site, plus full technical support throughout the hire period.

The standard specification of our Medium Production Kitchen unit includes a six burner oven range, salamander grill, twin basket fryer, undercounter fridge, undercounter freezer, hot cupboard, double bowl sink unit with integral hand wash basin, storage racking, plus ample power points to plug in Microwaves, Food Processors, Toasters etc. Internal equipment can be interchanged, and clients can effectively specify their preferred layout.

We have many tried and tested design

layouts and would be pleased to put forward our recommendations for your project.

So, if you’re planning a refurbishment or need to cater for an event then why not give us a call and we’ll be happy

to provide advice and put forward a competitive proposal.

For further information or to arrange a site visit, email: sales@mk-hire.co.uk or call us on 0345 812 0800, or visit our website: www.mk-hire.co.uk

Images courtesy of Mobile Kitchens Ltd

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Water Treatment & Legionella Specialists

• • • • • • • We are a registered supplier on various onboarding platforms like GRI, Matrix, NHS, County Councils and other private Nursing and Caring Homes for supply of: Nurses, Doctors, Midwives, Allied health professionals Social Workers / Public Health / Senior care workers Healthcare assistants / Administrative / Clerical / IT Blue Light Services / Catering / Hospitality / Children Services

Hot & Cold domestic water services Pipework flushing & disinfection Water tank(s) cleaning & maintenance Legionella risk, sampling / lab testing Communal areas / toilets / showers Restaurants / Cafés and - Heating System flushing

TEMPORARY CAT FACILITIES & KIT EQUIPMENT HIR Mobile Kitchens Ltd specialises in the hire of temporary catering facilities and foodservice equipment.

The standard range of container units includes; Production Kitchens, Preparation Kitchens, Dishwasher Units, Cold Rooms, Freezer Rooms, Dry Stores, Restaurant and Servery Units etc.

TEMPORARY CATERING FACILITIES & KITCHEN Tel: 01925-758995 | enquiries@msbhygiene.com EQUIPMENT HIRE

The services the company offers include; Site Surveys, Project Management, Design, Preparation Delivery & Installation, On-site Maintenance and Su Contingency Planning and Export.

From its base in the UK, the company supplies its products all over the world.

Mobile Kitchens Ltd specialises in the hire of temporary catering facilities and foodservice equipment. Get an online budget hire quote via our website.

Notes

The standard range of containerwww.mk-hire.co.uk units includes; Production Kitchens, Preparation Kitchens, Dishwasher Units, Cold Rooms, Freezer Rooms, Dry Stores, Restaurant and Servery Units etc.

0345-812-0800

sales@mk-hi

TEMPORARY CATERINGHyperlink for LCA logo: https://www.legionellacontrol.org.uk/company/?name=M.S.B FACILITIES & KITCHEN Hyperlink for CHAS logo: https://client.chas.co.uk/accredited EQUIPMENT HIRE Hyperlink for header logo & “van photo”: https://www.msbhy The services the company offers include; Site Surveys, Project Management, Design, Preparation, Delivery & Installation, On-site Maintenance and Support, Contingency Planning and Export.

From its base in the UK, the company supplies its products all over the world.

Get an online budget hire quote via our website.

Editorial (130 words) www.mk-hire.co.uk

0345-812-0800

sales@mk-hire.co.uk

M.S.B. Hygiene Ltd has over 25 years experience in Water Treatme the UK. Our Engineers have the skills & expertise to carry out water cleaning / disinfection and heating systems flushing. For Academy T direct, more cost effective service for your budgets.

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Mobile Kitchens Ltd specialises in the hire of temporary catering facilities and foodservice equipment.

The standard range of container units includes; Our samples are taken to UKAS accredited laboratories for testing.

Production Kitchens, Preparation Kitchens, Dishwasher and sampling are provided upon completion. We are members of th Units, Cold Rooms, Freezer Rooms, Dry Stores, Restaurant Association and are CHAS (Contractors Health & Safety Assessme and Servery Units etc.

We provide a highly professional but friendly service together with c The services the company offers include; Site Surveys, Project Manstraightforward advice – we aim to be easy to do business with. We agement, Design, Preparation, Delivery & Installation, On-site Mainteth “the 4 emergency service” for your water treatment & legionella co nance and Support, Contingency Planning and Export.

From its base in the UK, the company supplies its products all over the world.

Get an online budget hire quote via our website. www.mk-hire.co.uk 0345-812-0800 sales@mk-hire.co.uk

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Image courtesy of Adobe Stock

Top tips to avoid falls

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s many as three adults over the age of 65 have a serious fall every year, and around 70% of those fear falling again, according to health and care technology experts telmenow.com.

When someone takes a nasty fall it can have a huge psychological impact, as well as a physical one, but there are steps you can take to restore the confidence of your residents and reduce the risk of them falling again.

Chief executive of telmenow.com Norman Niven has a wealth of advice for people looking at ways to help make a difference.

Norman Niven, chief executive of telmenow.com Norman says it is important for family, friends, or carers to take the time to have a good look around and to remove any obstacles that could be a trip hazard. These can include cords or wires, bags or boxes, loose clothing or footwear,

pet toys, beds, or furniture that might be blocking walkways.

Clear the floor by getting rid of loose rugs or carpets.

If a door catches on a carpet don’t ignore it, fix it, lay alternative flooring or mats on surfaces which are slippery or which may get wet, e.g. bathrooms and if there are any missing or broken tiles in the house, replace them.Visibility is a major issue when it comes to trips. As you grow older your eyesight deteriorates so first thing’s first, make sure your prescription is up to date.

Once your glasses are in order take other preventative measures like making sure lighting is always accessible.

Examples of this include, ensuring you have a bedside lamp, light switches are at both the top and bottom of the stairs and keep battery powered torches within reach in case of a power outage.

These days there is an

abundance of lighting solutions but one we at telmenow.com think is particularly intelligent is a sensory light. You can buy lights to line your hallway that will turn on when they detect movement. That way, if you get up in the middle of the night wanting to use the toilet, the light will guide you.

Grab rails should be installed all around the home. These should go all the way up the stairs to help you or your loved one make it up without falling; in the bathroom as something to grab on to if the floor is slippery or to help you out of the bath; and near any chairs or furniture which is used regularly so you can easily help yourself up.

For that additional peace of mind, alarm systems can be put in place to send an alert if you or your loved one has fallen. By simply pressing a pendant which is kept on the body at all times or a

button on the alarm pad, family members, carers or a professional monitoring company can be alerted if it is triggered.

The fear of falling can be dangerous and lead to more accidents and additional steps on top of adapting your home can also be taken.

Many people reduce their activity levels believing it will lower their risk of a fall when in fact it may make them more likely to tumble again.

Inactivity leads to muscle weakness which increases the chance of falling once more. Strength and balance exercises can help reduce this risk and gyms often offer programmes for older people, which can also be great for socialising. By making yourself aware of the dangers lurking in the home and taking preventative action, you can help people feel safe again, and finally stop worrying about a dreaded fall.

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Radar Healthcare launches new enhanced audit software Radar Healthcare is helping health and social care providers transform auditing processes with its new and improved audits module.

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underperforming locations can be on a weekly or fortnightly schedule, while other homes are audited monthly.

Mark Fewster, Chief Product Officer at Radar Healthcare said: “We know that when looking for risk management and audit software. Our customers need a product which competes with tools solely designed for this purpose, which is exactly what our enhanced module does.

“We’ve developed this in partnership with our customers, we’ve involved them both at ideas stage and in our development process to ensure we can shape the product that they want. We’re confident that our fully integrated Audit module is as good as any standalone auditing software on the market but with the added benefit of being integrated with our full risk and compliance system.”

Ben Winfield, Quality Systems Manager at Lifeways Group said: “The Lifeways Group have been using Radar Healthcare to monitor compliance across our various service models since January 2022. Radar Healthcare has allowed us to ensure local and organisational governance processes are embedded and followed to great success. The final “missing piece” for us is the Radar Healthcare Enhanced Audit module which will allow us to evidence our validation and continual quality monitoring of services; demonstrating the outstanding support given to the people we support.

“As an organisation, we see the great benefit of the new alerts and notifications linked to a specific question within the audits. The value of such a feature for an organisation of our size with thousands of audits taking place throughout the year removes

the reliance of our managers alerting us to specific findings, improving both quality and safety of our operations.

We are looking forward to demonstrating to our Regulators, Commissioners and external stakeholders the quality assurance processes which the Enhanced Audits will provide. The themes and trend reporting from the audits will be invaluable for our strategic decision making and supporting our colleagues in the work they do.“ Radar Healthcare is one of the most established quality and compliance software solutions and was founded in 2012 with the vision to make a real difference in delivering positive outcomes and instilling a culture of continuous improvement in health and social care.

For more information visit www.radarhealthcare.com

Image courtesy of Radar Healthcare

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he module, which went live in March, enables users to access a market leading audit and assessment module in the same place as their risk, quality and compliance software.

The enhanced module allows users to continue their audit with or without internet access, meaning health and care providers no longer need to factor in user access to computers or internet into audit timelines.

A recent report by BT found that 58% of responders cited connectivity issues are a real challenge when it comes to using technology so being able to work offline while carrying out an audit is a huge benefit to staff when it comes to their time and efficiencies.

The Audits module has been created in partnership with Radar Healthcare’s customers through its forums and Beta groups and will allow customers to integrate audits with workflows within the same system.

As an upgrade of Radar Healthcare’s existing Audit module, the new and improved version will enable customers to fully configure audits to the specific needs of their organisation or setting.

Users will be able to create bespoke audits with set or customised responses, share audits between different job roles and track the history of an audit’s actions.

Customers can also amend audit frequency by location according to the needs of the organisation, for example

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ONLINE GUIDE

Option 4: Care Planning

Leecare is a leading UK and international aged care sector software system. The Platinum 5 (P5) system supports all CQC standards for optimal resident and operational management.

Sectors • • • • •

Residential Care Homes Nursing Homes Supported Living Domiciliary Care Learning Disability

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Features

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esigned by aged care expert staff and tailored specifically to aged care organisations, P5 assists with predicting, recording and providing evidence for all resident and business needs in one user-friendly system.

Three different care plans in the program reflect the same assessment information in different formats ensuring that all resident needs are documented in an easily accessible format depending on the audience. Rather than having to manage a suite of different care plans for a resident staff are able to see all of the care and support information required to assist the resident in the one place. Management can allocate specific forms and reports to be seen by only the staff that need to see them, removing unnecessary distractions.

Staff are able to upload documents, photos and videos relevant to the resident

and house them on the resident’s home page where they can be accessed by those with permission. Documents such as contracts and consents can be embedded into the relevant assessment ensuring information is not misplaced.

As the system can be used from any device and accessed via Wi-Fi from anywhere, data can be entered in a timely manner at the point of care or when it is convenient. For example, staff can access the program to enter assessment data at the bedside or download maintenance reports from the workshop.

CONTACT: Annick Guirate Petrina Turner-Benny Tel: 07735294745 Tel: 07732775385 E:annick.g@leecare.co.uk E: Petrina.t@leecare.co.uk

• Clinical, Care, Lifestyle management • Alerts and KPI / Quality dashboards • Fully customisable documentation and care planning • BI Tool connectivity and prepared ‘views’ • Incident Management • Wound and Infection Control Management • Quality & Continuous Improvement • Operations’ and Facility Management • Credentials & Education • Document Control • Tailored reporting • Medication Management • Finance Management • Forms, content and reports’ builders

Your proven partner in social & aged care.

Leecare has continued to pioneer the development of userfriendly information technology solutions for the social and aged care industries since 1997.

Our Leecare P5 programme is a comprehensive and fully integrated suite of clinical, management, operational and financial capability to support you and your organisation.

Designed for your desktop, laptop, phone or tablet our programme will enhance and expand the capability of your organisation to efficiently and effectively provide the highest possible level of care.

Leecare provides the social, aged and community care sectors with innovative, simple software solutions with easy to use apps run on your server or in our Cloud, the choice is in your hands.

Proven by:

900+

125,000+

110,000+

organisations across six countries

licenses

active users

With Leecare you can: Enhance your clinical care Improve organisational efficiency Improve organisational processes Support your CQC audits

Petrina Turner-Benny Deputy CEO / UK Executive Director 0773 277 53 85 Petrina.T@leecare.co.uk

Annick Guirate Consultant / Trainer 0773 529 47 45 Annick.G@leecare.co.uk

leecare.co.uk

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SKILLS BOOST ON THE HORIZON FOR HEALTH AND CARE SMES IN 2023 • New Skills Horizon barometer shows 74% of SMEs in the health and care sector plan to invest in upskilling workforce • While nearly half of health and care SMEs cite recruitment and skills as a top priority, many are trialling new ways to recruit and retain staff • SMEs in the health and care sector reveal challenges and opportunities for the year ahead

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recent poll of SMEs across the health and care sector reveals – while 2023 may be a challenging year – they still expect on average a 26% growth in revenue. The Skills Horizon barometer, launched by the Skills for Life campaign, asked 1,250 SMEs in England about their challenges and opportunities when it comes to skills and recruitment in the year ahead, has found many are exploring the best ways to strengthen their workforce to achieve this growth.

In the health and care sector specifically, it reveals 74% are planning to invest in upskilling their workforce, bolstering their capabilities for the year ahead.

The Skills for Life campaign aims to help SMEs understand all the training and employment schemes available to them, including Apprenticeships, T Levels, Skills Bootcamps, HTQs and Multiply numeracy courses. Businesses who are considering hiring employees can access a range of government programmes offering work experience or upskilling existing staff, some of which offer financial incentives. This moment in the campaign follows last week’s National Apprenticeship Week, dedicated to celebrating apprenticeships and the newer introduction of T Levels to highlight their positive impact on communities, businesses, and the wider economy.

Over half (41%) SMEs in the health and care industry rank staffing challenges – such as recruitment and skills – amongst their top three concerns for 2023. However, nearly half (46%) plan to invest in building digital skills within their company and nearly half (42%) will encourage staff to engage in current or

free training resources – such as Skills for Life Bootcamps. Many SMEs in the health and care sector are hoping this will help them tackle the challenges they face with recruitment and staffing in 2023, as they cite their three top recruitment and staffing concerns as retaining staff (45%), not having enough employees with the right skills (40%) and not being able to recruit new employees with the right skills (47%) and. Over a fifth (21%) are seeking to hire from broad education routes such as apprentices and T Levels students.

Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education Robert Halfon said: “Boosting skills in key sectors like digital, manufacturing and healthcare is essential to building a skills nation and the government is investing in resources and skills qualifications - spending over £3.8bn this Parliament.

“This investment is being recognised

by SMEs who are planning to invest in upskilling their workforce this year, and I would encourage businesses of all sizes follow suit.

“Whether it’s through apprenticeships,

T Levels or courses in essential numeracy and literacy skills, there are free and flexible ways for employers to tap into the highly skilled workforce they need to thrive.”

Laura Wolstenholme, Head of Workforce at Persona Care and Support – a social care organisation that prioritises helping people live their best life – says, “We’re looking at ways in which we can change the way we recruit. In this industry, experience isn’t as necessary as people holding the right values - like care and empathy - then practical skills for the role can be taught.

As a sector we’re good at offering entry level roles, with apprenticeships being a good route to employment and making care a long-term career. It’s important to plan longer term and invest in staff.

For us, it’s about making connections between individuals.”

To find training and employment schemes for your business, as well as support on how to implement these, visit: find-employer-schemes.education. gov.uk/.

Image courtesy of Adobe Stock

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Ideal Carehomes Announces Record Pay Rise of 8.5% for all Hourly Paid Staff

Award-winning care provider, Ideal Carehomes, is investing another £2.5 million per annum to increase the wages of its staff.

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secure and valued in their career with us.

‘Over the past year alone, we’ve grown our teams by 27% and opened six brand-new care homes, with plans to open three more by the end of 2024.

Our growth is providing our current and future teams with the rewarding careers they deserve through real time opportunities to grow with us and in turn, further strengthening their earning potential.’

Ideal Carehomes’ care and domestic assistants will now start on a minimum salary of £23,805 per annum, and with progression through the Ideal Academy, their award-winning in-house training scheme, could be earning over £30,000 per annum within a couple of years.

In addition to its most recent wage increase and comprehensive training initiatives, Ideal Carehomes offers team members wider support and benefits such as a Wellbeing Pathway, which saw the company shortlisted in the Best Employee Wellbeing Strategy category

at the Engage Awards 2022.

Stacey continued, ‘As a business we have bounced back and are trading again at pre-pandemic occupancy levels, and this has allowed us to further invest in our people who make it all happen.

‘Recruitment in our sector is a challenge but we are proud to offer some of the best training and pay rates which enables us to attract and retain the best staff.

‘The latest pay rise is a necessity in the current financial climate with the increased cost of living, not only to give staff peace of mind, but also to ensure that

they are rightfully rewarded for the important and dedicated work that they do.’

Ideal Carehomes provides 24 hour residential and dementia care, with an allinclusive fee, in state-of-theart homes across the country.

They were announced as winners of the Large Residential Care category in the LaingBuisson Awards 2022 and have been named a Top 20 Care Home Group by carehome.co.uk for the third year running.

To find out more, visit idealcarehomes.co.uk, call 0113 465 4000 or email hello@ idealcarehomes.co.uk.

Image courtesy of Adobe Stock

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his will mark Ideal Carehomes’ fourth wage increase in two years, a total investment of over £6 million which has added 20% to the care teams’ salaries and cemented the company as one of the top paying care providers in the UK. The latest rise, which comes into effect in April, will see all hourly paid care team members receive a minimum increase of 8.5%, the biggest single investment in pay so far

by Ideal Carehomes.

Currently employing over 1700 people in care homes across the country, hourly rates will start at £10.90 per hour in line with the Real Living Wage and far exceeding the National Minimum Wage.

Stacey Linn, the Managing Director at Ideal Carehomes, said, ‘With the cost of living remaining a constant worry, we feel it is imperative that we make these vital investments to support our staff. We are a people business, and nothing is more important to us than making sure our people feel

Stacey Linn, Managing Director at Ideal Carehomes Image courtesy of Ideal Carehomes

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per year, per resident, when compared to traditional pot-washer solutions (that rely on boiling water and high energy consumption).

Available on a short-term trial basis and as part of a longer-term migration, contact us today to find out more, info@haighmed.com

ONLINE GUIDE

Improving the Processes Behind the Care

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astroi are gearing up to deliver our Real-Time Care (RTC) product to Leeds County Council this Autumn, as we do this, we wanted to share some thoughts from our latest White Paper. In it we try to understand the reasons why so many care companies have struggled to improve or even maintain their CQC ratings in the 2018 State of Care report. We believe that many companies are still using pen and paper with no form of care management software. However, we don’t think it is that straightforward either. Care Management Software is a tool that if used properly can help to improve the levels of care quality, but underneath the bonnet of any organisation are the quality processes and continuous improvement strategies that really affect a company’s ability to deliver that quality care. These are completely separate from the job of looking after our service users. In the White Paper we look at some of the ideas surrounding lean health and highlight the different forms of waste that can hamper quality if they are allowed to flourish. We also examine some practical examples of how these ideas could be implemented in the care industry.

The Flaws of Inspection The CQC inspection system may seem effective at grading care services, and the reports do provide a lot of valuable information, but in fact, they only give a snapshot of the care being provided in that organisation on a particular day. We would argue that real quality can only

be achieved by embarking on a journey of continuous improvement across all levels of the organisation. By involving the whole organisation we can bring about a more sustainable and lasting improvement in the quality of care.

Simply put, if you want to achieve the highest levels of quality, you must first identify the areas where you need to improve, then you must fix them so that they cannot return. Keep doing this every day. If you are awarded ‘Outstanding’ status by the CQC, great, keep going. If you win national awards, keep going!

Quality Comes From Within RTC is a tool that allows care companies to focus on improving their processes by taking the pressure off of the individual and putting it into the

tool. By automating activities such as care planning, reporting and alerts, a company can spend more time focussing on making sure that the care they give the service users is of the highest quality.

RTC enables care companies to add consistency to their business while also making it easy to demonstrate best practice when necessary. It must be very disheartening to have worked so hard to achieve a good grading only to see it get worse at the next inspection. RTC when used in conjunction with the ideas of lean health, continuous improvement and waste, gives a care company everything it needs to provide efficient, world class care without being burdened with the pressure of poor processes.

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ONLINE GUIDE

Incontinence in care homes

It is important to remember that the risk of urinary incontinence increases with age but is not an inevitable part of ageing. It is estimated that more than 50% of residents in long-term care settings are affected by incontinence and in many cases, it is associated with embarrassment and reduced quality of life.

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t can be challenging alleviating embarrassment and preserving dignity of the individual but it is important to remember that incontinence can be managed, treated and in some cases cured. Providing the right solutions can provide a better quality of life, increase independence, and promote dignity.

Urinary Incontinence can by classed in the following categories: stress incontinence, urge incontinence, overflow incontinence, functional incontinence, and mixed urinary incontinence. A holistic continence assessment can help to understand the type, level, and severity of incontinence.

Other factors that are considered are functional aspects, limited mobility preventing timely access to a toilet, effects of medications e.g. diuretics increasing urinary output and medical conditions that may cause excessive urination or difficulty with urination e.g. diabetes, neurological disease etc or. Once the resident’s is assessed, the choice of treatment and management can be identified and a treatment plan So, what simple measures can be

taken to maintain continence • Understand the person’s toileting patterns and prompt them to visit the toilet regularly, ensure that they know the location of the toilet and provide privacy • Use aids and appliance to make toileting more accessible such as a raised toilet or a wall-mounted grab bar if the person is unsteady on their feet.

Commodes/ urinals for men if toilet not accessible, to use in the privacy of their own rooms • Ensure clothing is easy to remove, clothing with Velcro fasteners or elasticised waistbands may be easier to manage • Limit drinks like caffeinated coffee, tea, and sodas, which may increase urination, but encourage water and diluting juice.

There are many different treatments available to manage incontinence including medications, bladder training programmes, and pelvic floor exercises.

In some cases, the individual may not respond to treatment and containment products may be required to maintain dignity. If containment products are

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required ensure that they meet the individual needs.

Here are some tips on how to choose a containment product : • Type of incontinence - is it urinary, faecal, double, this will help with the choice of design/shape of product • Level of incontinence - is it light, moderate, heavy this will aid the choice of the correct absorbency to aid containment • Correct size - measure the hips and waist and take the larger of the two measurements as the size guide, this will ensure the correct fit for fixation pants, all-in-one products, or pull-on measure • Lifestyle & mobility, (immobile, limited mobility, limited activity, active) this will help with choice of design of the product.

Attends provide the right solution for individuals to help support best practice in continence care. If you would be interested in learning more, Attends offer an online continence training program learning.attends.co.uk. or contact our customers services team 01924 669 260.

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ONLINE GUIDE

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ONLINE GUIDE

Stress Awareness Month: How Can Nurses Dealing With Workplace Stress Alleviate Their Burnout Symptoms?

40% of nurses reported that their mental health was worse in 2022 than it was during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and in 2021, according to research by Nursing Times.

The findings cite lack of staff, financial concerns, and patient safety as the key issues that negatively affect mental wellbeing in the workplace.

As well as contending with these issues day-to-day, there is also the emotional aspect of the job, dealing with illness and death of patients on a regular basis understandably has an impact on nurses mental wellbeing, causing workplace stress, and often leading to burnout.

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But how do we know when we’re experiencing burnout and what we can do to prevent it?

Professor Sir Cary Cooper, Advisory Board Member at Delamere, sheds light on the issue of burnout and how you can prevent it within a healthcare focused workplace.

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How can you spot and prevent burnout in the workplace?

Burnout is when an individual physically and psychologically cannot do their job anymore, this could be due to heavy work pressures, long hours or workloads. Nurses can be particularly prone to experiencing burnout due to the physical and emotional demands the vocation involves.

Professor Sir Cary Cooper, Advisory Board Member at Delamere to share how you can spot and prevent burnout in the nursing sector.

What are the key signs of burnout in the workplace?

Burnout is recognised in three signs; feelings of exhaustion, negativity about your job role, and reduced effectiveness. The key component to preventing burnout is identifying the symptoms as early as possible, before

the demand becomes too much, leading to depression.

Feeling exhausted Employees on the verge of burnout, due to either stress or increased workload, can begin to experience and display emotional and physical signs of exhaustion.

People begin to feel a lack of physical energy, but they also develop feelings of being emotionally drained and depleted.

A common sign of exhaustion is the lack of motivation to get out of bed in the morning, or when day-to-day work tasks become more challenging than normal.

Over-exhaustion and extreme tiredness can result in sickness amongst employees. The shortage of energy from burnout can lead to increased frequency of common colds and cases of flu. An increasing number of days off sick can be a sign of exhaustion and work related burnout.

Feeling sensitive and irritable Aggressive behaviour is also a common indicator, this could be both within the workplace and outside of office hours. Irritable employees may experience a level of sensitivity and aggression towards their family, friends and colleagues.

While everybody experiences some

negative emotions within their job roles, it’s vital to recognise when these feelings are becoming unusual.

Feeling unmotivated Employees may begin to feel more socially withdrawn and find themselves disconnecting within the workplace.

This could be recognised as not getting involved with colleague discussions, negative attitude towards work and slipping job performance.

Changes to work motivation can lead to employees taking additional days off, or turning into work late. This is something employers should look out for before it becomes untenable.

How can you deal with burnout in the workplace?

Recognising the three key signs are crucial, but there are five strategies and tools you can use to avoid burnout before it becomes too much of an issue.

Finding the root of the problem Burnout can be a response to stress, increased working hours, changes to the work environment and increased workload. But finding where the issue has stemmed from can be beneficial in helping you deal with the situation.

Speak to your management and be honest about how you are feeling.

ONLINE GUIDE

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) - counselling services RCN members can gain access to free and confidential counselling support, to deal with any personal and work-related emotional issues. A trained counsellor or therapist listens to your feelings and helps you with finding a solution. Many people will find talking to a stranger easier than opening up to someone they know.

Counselling and talking therapies can benefit nurses and offer a sense of relief by allowing them to discuss how they are feeling in an open and confidential environment. It can also aid in developing a deeper understanding of what is causing you to feel negatively.

The RCN’s free counselling service operates over the phone, meaning that nurses can access at a time that suits them, without having to travel to an in-person appointment. To make an appointment for counselling, nurses can call RCN Direct on 0345 772 6100, The counselling service operates over the telephone so you can access counselling at a time that suits you. One of our counsellors will phone you at an agreed time.

Nursing & Midwifery Council Fitness to Practise Careline For nurses who may be experiencing symptoms of workplace stress and burnout, and are going through the

Fitness to Practise process, the NMC has a Fitness to Practise Careline in place to offer support.

As this process may be particularly stressful and can lead to negative emotions, due to being assessed on the risk they pose to patients and the public, the careline offers support, practical help and advice from trained counsellors.

Nurses can access the Careline via freephone by calling 0800 587 7396.

Write a journal or diary

Keeping a journal or a diary can be a positive outlet when it comes to managing negative thoughts. You may find that getting your emotions down on paper can offer a form of release, especially after a long shift on the ward where you may have encountered several difficult and emotional situations. If you find it difficult to talk about these situations and feelings with others, it can often be the best method for you to get your feelings out.

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Image courtesy of Adobe Stock

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ONLINE GUIDE

Horticultural therapy for the elderly

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orticultural therapy as a trend is rising, not only amongst the elderly, but across the nation, as mental health stigmas are reduced. In this context however, we will be looking at what this type of therapy is and how it can be beneficial for those looking to get a bit greener with their fingers.

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What is it?

Plant therapy or horticultural therapy involves the use of nature, and gardening as an activity, to evoke feelings of serenity and calmness. In a setting with older people, this can be an excellent way to reflect, but also to rediscover days gone by where gardening would have previously been a key hobby. Whilst you can get those who work full time as plant therapists to come to your care home, there are also simple additions you can

Image courtesy of Adobe Stock

make to encourage similar feelings in your patients.

Seasonal relevance Whilst, plants and gardening are renowned for their positive wellbeing effects, it’s also important to focus on the season at hand.

For example, if it’s autumn, projects involving autumnal leaves, or plants that bloom in this season, like the Crocus, can be a good way to focus on time as a concept, which often helps with dementia patients. The power of reminiscing about seasons gone by should not be ignored and can be a good way for people to interact whilst focusing on this one temporal topic.

Practicalities Practically, there needs to be consideration given to the type of products you can use, but also the health and safety of any activity. For Deep root planter for horticultural

therapyexample, utilising arthritis-friendly garden tools, or raised planters can allow those with movement difficulties the option to join in. Ensure the plants being used in any therapy sessions are safe, for this reason, those with thorns or nettles are best avoided.

Organisation is key As some of those involving themselves in horticultural therapy may have trouble relating to their memory, simple things can make gardening much easier. Use old plant pots and a marker pen to put into the flower beds to indicate what exactly is growing beneath the soil.

This can be a huge help when keeping track of plants and flowers, especially if gardeners may have forgotten where exactly certain things were planted and when. It’s simple, it makes use of old plant pots and it’s one of

the most useful things for gardeners (of any age!)

Ensure it is on view The rehabilitative and wellbeing effects of gardens and plants come from being able to see them.

By this we mean, ensure there is ample opportunity to view the greenery as it grows. There could be a particular viewing spot for those who may not be able to get involved, which is why planters at different heights is crucial to provide a varied viewing experience. If the garden is out of view from many people, it’s full potential is being wasted and it’s affects not fairly dispersed across the populace of the home.

However far you want to take horticultural therapy, it can be a powerful tool in allowing older people to destress and unwind, whilst also providing something to focus their efforts on.

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