Caring Times July/August issue

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Staff / recruitment... Property marketplace... Innovation... Expert analysis...

Public sees care homes as ‘no go zones’

Established principles will resolve legal claims

The ‘new normal’ – a better deal for staff?

Coming down with Covid – a care worker’s account

July/August 2020

Social care business management

COVID-19 – £6.6bn EXTRA COSTS FOR CARE PROVIDERS

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PRECISE LEGAL SUPPORT In the face of legal challenges, precision and ƺǔˡƬǣƺȇƬɵ ǣɀ Ǹƺɵ ٫ ƺɀȵƺƬǣƏǼǼɵ ǣȇ Ɏǝƺ ǝƺƏǼɎǝ ƏȇƳ ɀȒƬǣƏǼ ƬƏȸƺ ɀƺƬɎȒȸ ɯǝƺȸƺ ɮɖǼȇƺȸƏƫǼƺ ȵƺȒȵǼƺ ȸƺǼɵ Ȓȇ ɵȒɖȸ ƬƏȸƺِ áǝƺȇ ɵȒɖ ȇƺƺƳ ǼƺǕƏǼ ɀɖȵȵȒȸɎ ǔȒȸ ɵȒɖȸ ƫɖɀǣȇƺɀɀً ɵȒɖ ȇƺƺƳ ǣɎ ɎȒ ƫƺ ȸǣǕǝɎ ǔȒȸ ɵȒɖً ƏȇƳ ɎǝƏɎ‫ټ‬ɀ ɯǝɵ Ȓɖȸ ɎƺƏȅ Ȓǔ ɀȵƺƬǣƏǼǣɀɎ ɀȒǼǣƬǣɎȒȸɀ ɯǣǼǼ ɯȒȸǸ ƏǼȒȇǕɀǣƳƺ ȵȸȒɮǣƳƺȸɀً ƺȇɀɖȸǣȇǕ ɎǝƏɎ ɵȒɖ ȸƺƬƺǣɮƺ ɀɖȵȵȒȸɎ ɎǝƏɎ ǣɀ ɎƏǣǼȒȸƺƳ ɎȒ ɵȒɖ ƏȇƳ ɵȒɖȸ ȵȸƺƬǣɀƺ ɀǣɎɖƏɎǣȒȇِ Ridouts offers legal, operational and strategic advice to health and social care providers. Our clients are at the heart of everything we do. We get results no matter how time sensitive the issue.

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inside

July/August 2020

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OFF-MESSAGE

The public has been panicked into seeing care homes as ‘no go zones’, says Rapport’s LEON STEER

‘NEW NORMAL’

Social gerontologist Prof. ALISOUN MILNE says care workers deserve a better deal

LEGAL REMEDIES

COVID-19 – £6.6BN EXTRA COSTS FOR CARE PROVIDERS

PAUL RIDOUT says established principles will resolve pandemic-related claims A care worker shares her experience

ENTRIES OPEN NOW SEE PAGE 17

LORRAINE’S LOCK-DOWN of coming down with Covid-19

SIMON KENTON shows how health can better engage with social care

SERVICE INTEGRATION MORTALITY STATS

Carterwood highlights regions where care homes have been hardest hit by Covid-19

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news

July/August 2020

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Providers may face more than £6bn in extra Covid-19 costs Providers of adult social care services may face more than £6.6 billion in extra costs due to the Covid-19 pandemic by the end of September this year, according to a report commissioned by councils and social care directors.

Maintaining safe staffing levels and providing personal protective equipment (PPE) are the biggest drivers of these extra financial pressures, as well as the need for enhanced cleaning of care homes and other care settings.

Councils and social care providers are struggling to meet these escalating costs, while seeing their income levels fall. While extra funding has helped so far, this still falls far short of what is expected to be needed in the coming weeks and months ahead.

The Local Government Association (LGA) and Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS), working with the Care Providers AlEditorial & advertising Investor Publishing Ltd, 1st Floor, Greener House, 66-68 Haymarket, London, SW1Y 4RF Tel: 020 7720 2109 • Fax: 020 7451 7051.

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Managing director Vernon Baxter Caring Times is published eleven times a year by Investor Publishing Ltd. ISSN 0953-4873 Average net circulation of 9,032 (July 2018 – June 2019) © HAV 2018 Ltd 2020 Deadlines for September issue Display advert. space booking: July 30 Display advertising copy: August 6 Product news copy: August 4 Editorial copy: July 31 The views expressed in Caring Times are not necessarily those of the editor or publishers.

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liance, commissioned LaingBuisson to produce working closely with providers to support their fithe analysis to help give the Department of nancial resilience. Of the £3.2 billion of emerHealth and Social Care a detailed estimate of the gency funding given to councils to deal with the potential future costs facing the sector. immediate impact of the pandemic across all The joint analysis in summary, for the months local services, 40% has been allocated to adult April to September 2020, predicts that: social care.

■ Providers (care homes, home care agencies and supported living providers) face potential JAMES BULLION: increased staffing costs of Without the right £1.018 billion, due mainly to having to maintain safe levels of funding and staffing levels while staff are ill support, providers will or self-isolating.

■ PPE costs will total £4.179 no longer be billion if detailed guidance is sustainable and followed on its use and if people with care and some current costs of PPE support needs will be continue.

■ There are a further nearly left unsupported. £700 million of extra costs around enhanced cleaning of “We look forward to working with government care homes and increased overheads. on finding a solution to the immediate pressures facing the sector, including a significant further inIn total, these amount to £6.606 billion in potenjection of funding, as well as agreeing a longtial extra costs. term, sustainable funding settlement for social The costs include those incurred by providers care once this current crisis is over.” of services to those who fund their own support, ADASS president James Bullion said the as well as to those providing services that are Covid-19 pandemic had demonstrated that sofunded by local authorities and Clinical Commiscial care was essential to the fabric of society. sioning Groups (CCGs): an initial estimate is that “Social care colleagues and providers have £2.6 billion of the cost pressures relate to selfplayed a pivotal role in ensuring that those of us funders and CCGs and £3.3 billion to local auwith care and support needs continue to get the thorities. care we need to live our lives,” said Mr Bullion.

There may be a further financial pressure of “This analysis underlines the huge financial lost revenue of £714 million. pressures being faced by social care providers.

Cllr Ian Hudspeth, chairman of the LGA’s Without the right levels of funding and support, Community Wellbeing Board, said the figures providers will no longer be sustainable; safety will highlighted the financial pressures facing councils be compromised; quality of care will suffer; and and social care providers. people with care and support needs left unsup“People who use and work in social care are at ported. The government’s number one priority the heart of our concerns about this,” said Cllr must be to protect social care.”

Hudspeth. “This analysis needs to spark a fundaThe figures predicted in the report are gross mental debate about the ability of the care marcosts, and do not take into account funding alket to respond to the pandemic and what more ready transferred to providers from local authorican be done to support it. ties, or PPE which may have been made “Providers are doing an incredible job in the available to providers free of charge. most testing of circumstances. Councils are

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news DIGEST

July/August 2020

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Social care taskforce announced A social care taskforce has been set up to stop the spread of Covid-19 among all people who receive care, the government announced in early June.

David Pearson, the newly appointed chairman of the “National Covid-19 Social Care Support Taskforce” acknowledged the crisis in care homes, which had seen several thousand vulnerable people die of Covid-19 since the pandemic reached the UK and said the body’s focus would be on stopping infection while trying to ensure the wellbeing of all people who received care and support, whether they lived in care homes or at home.

The taskforce is made up of representatives from PHE, CQC, Care Providers Alliance LGA, ADASS, Healthwatch England, MHCLG, Cabinet Office and DHSC. “The taskforce will bring together the concerted and determined actions of both local and central government, in order to protect care home staff and residents, many of whom are considered extremely clinically vulnerable,” said Mr Pearson.

Health secretary Matt Hancock also announced an extension of the Covid-19 testing regime to include all staff and residents at all adult care homes in England, a service which would benefit residents and staff in more than 6,000 more care homes.

Previously only care homes exclusively housing the over-65s were eligible for facility-wide testing of staff and residents.

“It will mean that right across adult social care, everyone will have the certainty and confidence

of a high quality coronavirus “We look forward to working test, whether symptomatic or with David Pearson to ensure not,” said the health secretary. that this taskforce keeps the Since the launch of whole government on track in fulfilling care home testing, the governcommitments to enable those ment says it has provided who receive care and support 1,071,103 test kits to 8,984 to have access to safe, quality, care homes. person centred care,” said Ms “It will play an important part Rayner. “In addition, I was very in ensuring we are doing everypleased to hear David thing we can to reduce the risk acknowledge the ‘extraordinary of transmission of Covid-19 in acts of kindness’ enacted by the sector, both for those who the social care workforce up rely on care and support and and down the country and the David Pearson the social care workforce,” debt of ‘gratitude’ to those 1.5 Mr Pearson said. million staff.

Not-for-profit provider representative body “During the Covid-19 pandemic the skills and the National Care Forum has welcomed the expertise of social care staff have come to the launch of the taskforce, with executive director fore, and this taskforce will play a vital role in Vic Rayner saying social care must never again ensuring this is appropriately recognised and be seen as an afterthought in government or embedded in our understanding of the social public thinking, or action. care professional.”

Hampshire provider washes uniforms in-house to minimise risk of infection A Hampshire care provider is washing uniforms in-house to minimise any infection risk to staff’s families during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Cornerstone Healthcare operates two specialist nursing homes; South Africa Lodge in

Digital Social Care offers advice to care providers on cyber security

6

Digital Social Care has been working with the Local Government Association, NHS Digital and NHSX on how to help care providers benefit from the increased use of digital technology while also keeping safe and secure.

Over the last year, 24 local projects and 57 individual care providers have been exploring practical solutions to the challenges of data and cyber security.

Nine of the projects were led by local care associations, nine by local councils, four by national trade associations and two by individual care providers.

The full programme report, written by the Institute of Public Care at Oxford Brookes University, and some associated information can be downloaded via the Digital Social Care website: digitalsocialcare.co.uk The report highlights that, while there are great benefits to the increased use of digital technology in care services, there are risks in areas such as smartphone use, password practice, backups and staff training and awareness.

The programme is developing a range of tools

and guidance and the first of these, guidance on data and cyber security training materials, has been published alongside the programme report.

There is also new guidance for the commissioners of adult social care services – local councils and CCGs. The guidance has been published by the Local Government Association and can be viewed at local.gov.uk/our-support Ian Turner, who leads the programme on behalf of Digital Social Care and the Care Provider Alliance, said: “We know that while care providers have never been busier, meeting the challenges of Covid-19, and that data and cyber security may not seem an immediate priority, the risks were still out there. I would encourage all care providers to look carefully at this topic when they are able to,” said Mr Turner.

“We hope that the information and guidance we publish will help them to do so.”

Digital Social Care is asking every care provider to sign-up to receive further updates and information through the Digital Social Care newsletter.

Waterlooville and Kitnocks House in Curdridge.

The homes care for people with challenging behaviours associated with complex neurological, physical and mental health needs.

The company’s chief executive, Johann van Zyl, said the laundry service has been introduced because of staff concerns.

“We know that some staff have been worried about wearing their uniforms to and from work because of the risks it may pose to their families,” said Mr van Zyl. “It’s important we respond to any concerns our staff have during this difficult period.

Therefore, we’ve decided to bring in an in-house washing facility just for their uniforms.”

Scientists at De Montfort University in Leicester recently advised healthcare workers not to wash their uniforms at home because of the risk of contamination and because domestic washings machines don’t operate at high temperatures for long enough to remove micro-organisms.

Cornerstone Healthcare, which employs 261 staff, has brought in extra laundry staff to make sure uniforms are ready on time for each shift.

Staff have been given iron-on name labels so uniforms can be clearly identified, and designated laundry bags in staff changing areas to make sure uniforms are washed separately to residents’ laundry.

“This isn’t just on offer to staff who provide personal care,” added Mr van Zyl. “Everyone who wears a Cornerstone Healthcare uniform can use this service.”

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news DIGEST

July/August 2020

www.careinfo.org

Safer ageing charity joins legal action to force inquiry into PPE shortages Judicial review proceedings were issued in early June after the government refused to launch an urgent inquiry into failures to provide adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) for NHS staff and other frontline care workers.

Safer ageing charity Hourglass (the working name of Action on Elder Abuse) has joined the crowdfunded legal challenge being brought by the Doctors’ Association UK and the Good Law Project to bring attention to the government’s failures to protect vulnerable

care home residents in their handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The challenge sets out the Department of Health and Social Care’s legal obligation under the Human Rights Act 1998 and Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights to start an immediate and independent investigation into whether failures to provide adequate PPE may have caused or contributed to the deaths or serious illness from Covid-19 of workers in the health and social care sectors, as well as patients

End of life charity says transfers to care homes were ‘gross negligence’ Figures released by NHS England in early June confirmed that more 20,000 patients were discharged from hospitals into care homes between 17 March and 16 April, a time when testing for Covid-19 was not widespread.

In response to those figures, Simon Jones, director of policy and public affairs at the Marie Curie end of life charity said that, while it was difficult to know exactly where and how Covid-19 enters a care home, if people were discharged from hospital into that setting without being tested, then it called into serious question the thinking behind the process.

“Surely it is impossible for anyone, as the pandemic unfolded through March, not to have

Government chose not to implement ‘radical lock-down’ of care homes The government reportedly rejected a plan to protect care homes proposed by Public Health England as deaths in care homes began to escalate in late April.

The Guardian newspaper has claimed to have seen evidence that PHE wanted to implement a “radical lock-down” to deal with soaring deaths from Covid-19 which would include care home staff living in and the use of NHS Nightingale hospitals which had thousands of empty beds. The 11-point plan was apparently submitted to the government on 28 April by PHE, as fatalities peaked in care homes and the virus spread to half of homes in the worst-affected areas but was thrown out by health secretary Matt Hancock.

PHE officials asked ministers to “use NHS facilities and other temporary accommodation to quarantine and isolate residents”.

considered the consequence of putting someone with coronavirus into an environment like a care home,” said Mr Jones. “Residential homes are designed, by nature, to encourage communal living. In some cases, these homes don’t offer clinical or nursing support or clinical provision is not geared up to manage a communicable disease as virulent as Covid-19. The obvious risks posed by discharging untested people from hospital into this environment is that they would then have to manage Covid-19 in a setting that they are simply not geared up to do.

“The gross negligence shown to our older generation and those most vulnerable has had devastating consequences.”

and care home residents. There have been at least 180 deaths of NHS staff and 131 deaths of social care workers in England.

Commenting on the charity’s move to support the legal action, Hourglass chief executive Richard Robinson said care homes had effectively been left to fend for themselves throughout the pandemic.

“Recent figures have shown that at least 40% of all Covid-19 deaths so far have occurred in care homes – the very places dedicated to keeping older people safe in their later years,” said Mr Robinson.

“The under-reporting of deaths, the lack of PPE and testing available to staff, and the practice of transferring untested hospital patients into care facilities without sufficient processes for managing infection have all contributed to the deaths of more than 130 staff and more than 20,000 care home residents.

“Staff in some cases were left with nothing but bin bags for protection – risking their own lives to care for some of the most vulnerable people in our society. This cannot continue.

“As lock-down restrictions ease, it is vital that lessons are learned from our response to the pandemic before we encounter a second wave.

There can be no excuse for a repeat of the carnage we’ve seen in our care homes over the last few months. The government must act now and commit to an urgent public inquiry before yet more lives are lost.”

Regulator rapped by residents and relatives group over reporting of Covid-19 mortality Health and social care regulator the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has been accused of failing to alert ministers to the mounting death toll in care homes caused by Covid-19.

In late May, The Guardian reported that the Relatives & Residents Association (RRA), which represents people in care and their families, had written to the CQC, accusing it of multiple failures to protect people in care, their relatives and care home staff.

RRA chair Judy Downey said about half of all Covid-19 deaths in the UK were believed to have been of care home residents and that the CQC needed to speak up for social care, which had borne the brunt of the crisis.

“It is a legal requirement for providers to immediately report deaths in care homes to CQC,” said Ms Downey in her letter. “CQC had access to daily information about deaths. This information, had it been made promptly available, would have helped to inform the national picture much sooner.

However, the CQC’s failure to produce these figures urgently for public use resulted in the government not being made aware of the true seriousness of the situation in care homes.”

The CQC said it had been sharing death

notification data with the Department of Health “on a daily basis”, but it changed its data collection methods on 10 April to make it easier to record Covid-19 deaths.

Until this point, care providers had to describe each death by writing in a free text box but the resulting data “did not match what CQC was hearing anecdotally from providers”. After the change, the CQC asked providers to tick boxes on the online form and that data was being used by the Office of National Statistics to create weekly reports.

“It was clear from the outset that care services would be in peril and yet when Public Health England stated that ‘it was very unlikely that anyone receiving care in a care home or in the community will become infected’, CQC failed to speak out immediately to refute this ill-judged view.

Ms Downey acknowledged that the CQC had published detailed advice for care providers on 1 May, but said this fell short of giving guidance on how homes should talk to worried families, with many remaining anxious about the impact of lock-down and the possibility that vulnerable relatives may be at risk of abuse because of a lack of oversight and scrutiny.

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covid comment

O

n the overwhelming evidence, it would be reasonable for most commentators at this stage of the Covid-19 pandemic to conclude that care homes have experienced a considerable lack of government support in multiple areas. This includes the provision of personal protective equipment (PPE), the testing of residents and staff, as well as inadequate additional funding.

July/August 2020

www.careinfo.org

Rapport Housing & Care chief executive LEON STEER says media coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic has seen care homes become ‘no go zones’ in the public’s perception.

Unintended consequences

8

This injustice has been widely reported in the media. Is there a danger, however, that in our attempt to ensure vulnerable people receive the support they need during this pandemic and in the future, we could have unintentionally ‘thrown the baby out with the bathwater’? Most of the people I have spoken to outside of our sector now see care homes as no go zones.

Not surprisingly, therefore, we, along with most providers, have seen enquiries and admissions, along with income, drop dramatically.

Despite the immense injustices care homes have experienced during this pandemic, about two-thirds have reported no cases of Covid-19 and, because of the exceptional skill and resilience of our staff, some of the frailest members of society who contracted the virus have also recovered.

I am mindful that because of the lack of testing, there is every likelihood that there have been more cases. However, would that have shown that the majority of care home residents and staff have had the virus or the minority? Certainly, from the early test results we are seeing for our residents and staff (who are now all being tested in our homes) I suspect it will be the minority, essentially, because of the valiant efforts of our staff who have willingly worn uncomfortable PPE and religiously followed infection control procedures. Is their reward however going to be an uphill struggle because we have unintentionally destroyed confidence in the sector?

Without any doubt we should be raising awareness of the injustices the sector has suffered, but have we been proportionate with our views? Have we overemphasised the inadequate support we have received compared with the herculean achievements of our staff, who have been continuing to keep care homes essentially a safe place to live? Have our views represented the majority of care

homes or the minority? The number of care home residents who have died during the Covid-19 outbreak is now equivalent to at least one in ten of the entire care home population, according to Sky News analysis. Between early March and the first week of May, nearly 54,000 care home residents have died in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. This number includes deaths from all causes, and while only a fraction is formally attributed to Covid-19, the cumulative total is now well over double the historical average for deaths at this point in the year.

Misconceptions For the avoidance of any doubt, I don’t want to diminish the profound impact any family member experiences when a loved one living in a care home contracts Covid19 or dies from it. We know from our own distressing experience of managing residents with the virus, along with those who have died, the devastating effect this illness has on a person and their family as well as our staff. Unfortunately some care homes have had an exceptionally high number of residents who have contracted Covid-19. However, in our own organisation the infection level has been small compared to our total resident population; we have one home where none of the residents or staff have had the virus.

Another misconception that is contributing to the drop in admissions is that families are not permitted to have any contact with a resident. At present visitors are unable to enter a care home. Contact is being maintained, however, through video technology as well as viewing family members through an external window and talking on a telephone.

These arrangements are unquestionably not the same as personal contact but they explode the myth that you are not permitted to have any contact at all.

Even before this pandemic the care home market was very fragile. Decades of underfunding by government needs to be addressed and I believe this must form a key element in any subsequent public enquiry into this pandemic Data produced by Company Watch in 2019 shows that the percentage of care home companies with a one in four chance of going into insolvency or in need of major restructuring in the next three years had increased from 24% in March 2014 to 30% in September 2019.

The cost of improving our standards of care demanded by the Care Quality Commission, which I fully support, together with the increase in the Living Wage continues to accelerate the rate of closures. In addition to this, it is forecast that the UK will need at least 75,000 additional elderly care beds by 2030 and that, based on trends before the pandemic, demand will outstrip supply by 2022.

All of us in the sector know that care homes are comparable to a life support machine for some of the frailest members of our society who need assistance eating and drinking along with their personal care, because they can no longer be cared for in the community.

This pandemic has created considerable uncertainty for every sector and profession which will hopefully begin to ease as we exit from it. For the vulnerable people in care homes, however, it doesn’t end; they went into this pandemic with a fragile future and will come out facing a potentially catastrophic one unless we can rapidly change the misconception that exists regarding care homes being no go zones and attract new admissions again.

The sector looks after 410,000 residents compared to 141,000 beds in NHS hospitals. We deserve more plaudits for the enormous contribution we make to society.

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Care Home Manager Mandy Hay, comments, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our residents come from the local area and DUH OLNHO\ WR NQRZ WKH VWDÎ? ZKLFK KHOSV WR FUHDWH D UHDO IDPLO\ DWPRVSKHUH Our residents are also very active in the local FRPPXQLW\ IRU H[DPSOH JRLQJ RQ ZDONV visiting the nursery and attending exercise classes in the local hotel.

We often have visitors from the local school coming to the care home and vice versa, for

H[DPSOH ZH UHFHQWO\ KHOG D :RUOG :DU GD\ DQG WKLV LQWHU JHQHUDWLRQDO DSSURDFK UHDOO\ works. The home is run by 10 volunteers on a Board of Directors and it really is a case of being run by the community, for the community. :H DUH DOVR IRUWXQDWH HQRXJK WR SDUWQHU ZLWK 2QWH[ *OREDO DQG WKH WUDLQLQJ DQG VXSSRUW WKH\ SURYLGH LV KLJKO\ EHQHČ´FLDO WR RXU UHVLGHQWV KHOSLQJ WKHP DFWLYHO\ SDUWLFLSDWH in the activities we runâ&#x20AC;?

Ontex nurse advisor commented, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We started working with The Falls of Dochart Nursing Home 3 years ago when we took on the 1+6 FRQWUDFW IRU VXSSO\LQJ FRQWLQHQFH FDUH SURGXFWV WR 1XUVLQJ +RPHV DFURVV 6FRWODQG This is an extremely well-run Care Home, with ORYHO\ VWDÎ? ZKR UHDOO\ PDNH D GLÎ?HUHQFH WR the lives of their residents.â&#x20AC;?

For more information or images, please contact Louise Pinchin Call 07815 307592 or email louise@whiterosepr.co.uk

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interview

July/August 2020

www.careinfo.org

Care workers need a With the Covid-19 pandemic bringing a wider appreciation of the role of care workers, many people are calling for their greater recognition and reward.

Caring Times editor Geoff Hodgson spoke to ALISOUN MILNE, a professor in social gerontology and social work at the University of Kent, about how this might form part of a new approach to adult social care in a postpandemic UK.

‘new normal’

“D

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o we want the care workforce to be recognised for the work that they do and be rewarded accordingly? That is a political question and, up to now, we have fudged it,”said Professor Milne when I talked with her in mid-May. “What has become starkly visible in the last few weeks is the government’s failure to recognise and take account of the care home and home care sector.

“For many years the government has had a lukewarm relationship with social care; it claims the opposite of course but they don’t really understand it; it’s a much more complicated and much more fragmented sector than is the NHS. On the one hand, the government recognises some public responsibility to make sure older people are protected, so we have the Care Quality Commission and local authorities under their safeguarding function, but other than that government would say it’s a commercial sector which should make its own decisions.”

Prof. Milne said the government’s hitherto “hands-off” relationship with

care homes had been brought into sharp relief during the Covid-19 pandemic: “It scrabbled around in a panic saying ‘we have this protective ring around care homes’ while in the real world, thousands of care home residents have died and many of those deaths could have been

prevented. And now we are told that social care workers have been at twice the risk to which healthcare workers are exposed.

“I think there can be no other meaningful solution than a shift towards a universal system of health and social

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interview care. There can be no other sensible, coherent solution but for us to finally develop a universal system which meets the needs of older people with complex care needs, dementia being obviously one of those. Hopefully the pandemic will lead to a much more meaningful discussion to where we actually get on with it and do it.”

Prof Milne is clear that care workers deserve, and must be given, more recognition and reward.

“At the moment we are doing care workers a great disservice,” she said.

“We partly recognise that nurses do a skilled job, but care workers, particularly those who work in care homes, have been seen as not doing a skilled job, a job which the government has described in one of its own reports as ‘a job which a lot of people can relatively easily do as long as they’ve got a good heart’. Well, of course you do need a good heart, but looking at how much more visible their work has become in the last weeks, it is now much more widely and publicly recognised that care work is complicated, skilled, emotionally demanding and deserves to be recognised as such.

“Part of the recognition is about pay and conditions in that people are respected, they are given training, they are qualified, they have the opportunity to follow a career path. But care workers are part of this fragmented sector where they do not have the collective identity of nurses in the NHS.” Prof. Milne believes changes to care workers’ status must be considered as being part of a new approach to social care and ageing in general.

“I think we’ve got to take a longer lens on understanding the causes of ill health in older people,” she said.

“A lot of the causes of physical and mental health issues in later life are in both an individual’s life-course as well as in later life itself. Ageing is not an even experience; some people are at much more risk of becoming ill much earlier in their life-course than others. They may have been disadvantaged by poverty. I teach social work to students and they are quite switched-on to the idea that poverty isn’t a very good thing for children but we often don’t make that connection in the case of older people. Most people who have been poor children, poor young adults and poor middle-aged people are going to become poor old people and they are going to be more exposed to risks

July/August 2020

www.careinfo.org

Part of the recognition is about pay and conditions in that people are respected, they are given training, they are qualified, they have the opportunity to follow a career path. But care workers are part of this fragmented sector where they do not have the collective identity of nurses in the NHS.

related to their health and wellbeing.”

Prof. Milne said it was well-established that people who experience frailty do so 10 to 15 years younger if they come from a poor background than those who are better off.

“Many people assume that age is the great leveller but it most certainly isn’t,” she said. “People become ill in later life in part because of issues that occur at that stage of life but as much if not more because of things that have happened during their life-course.

“There are real challenges to people’s health and wellbeing in older age itself.

You lose your friends, your long-term partner may die, you may have to become a carer for your partner or for another relative, but better-off people can buy-in support or buy some aids and adaptations for the home. If you are an elderly person of modest means, and that means you are more likely to be a woman, your choices are reduced; a lot of elderly people have to ask themselves whether they can go out and have a coffee with their friend or instead settle the gas bill.

And if you don’t live in a pleasant environment, with no green space to look out on, and if local shops and services have shut-down, all these things impact on people’s wellbeing. And while many older people choose to live alone there are many others who are lonely, and many of the current generation of older people are not at ease with using technology to stay in touch with their friends and relatives.

There must be lots of older people out there in lock-down land, whose mental health must be becoming frayed around the edges.”

Prof. Milne said there were strong arguments for a more preventative approach to older people’s health and wellbeing, but that constrained budgets had meant many opportunities for positive interventions were being missed: “At present, older people with complex needs have to navigate a very

complicated health and social care arena at a point in their lives when they’re having a crisis; at the point of hospital discharge or when they’ve had a stroke, for example. They are suddenly confronted with eight different home care agencies and they have no idea where to start. I understand that younger people are keen to make their own choices but many older people are not able to make informed choices. What they need are kind people, who are properly trained, who pay them attention and who develop a relationship with them, but we are struggling to provide this.

“Social work has been eroded for many years, and much of what used be the responsibility of social workers is now done by cheaper, less-qualified people, often with long titles. The overwhelming majority of social workers are employed by local authorities and they, like care workers, are often forgotten about. There is much more that social workers could and should be doing but that, again, is a political question; I think there is an appetite among social workers to be more involved in adult social care at an earlier stage. At the moment, eligibility criteria are so high but the evidence is overwhelming that, if a social worker can be involved at an earlier stage, they can provide support much more effectively.

But because local authorities’ budgets have been cut, social workers’ roles have been severely narrowed and constrained.

“We need a ‘new normal’ in social care – I have massive admiration for care workers, particularly for their conduct in the pandemic, but at the end of the pandemic, we cannot simply say ‘thank you very much for doing all that’. Care work is skilled and if, in the future, people want to be looked after properly by people who have skills, who have training, who are supported to be fullyrounded professionals who have opportunities, then I think we have to bite the bullet and get on with it.”

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legal landscape

July/August 2020

www.careinfo.org

Covid-19: A new threat but resolution lies in established principles

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s with the whole world, the threat posed by Covid-19 has shocked and shaken the health and social care sector in the UK. However, serious as it is, and far reaching as it is, the legal and commercial solutions required to combat these challenges, fall squarely within established principles of law and practice.

The somewhat outlandish predictions and comments by pundits, some wellknown, need to be dismissed and replaced by a more restrained and solid intellectual response. Decisions made in anger or extreme fear are seldom good decisions.

Let us take some examples:

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Admissions to care homes Who is admitted to care is a matter exclusively for the provider of care. That provider has established and existing â&#x20AC;&#x153;duties of careâ&#x20AC;? to staff and existing residents. Existing residents who develop symptoms which may endanger others should be supported and managed so as to, at least, minimise risks to others and themselves. New residents who may disrupt or enhance risk should never be admitted.

The law is clear that admission should follow careful holistic assessment. If that assessment indicates circumstances which point against admission, admission should be declined (even where the service user is temporarily absent or has a prior relationship with the care home). Admitting such people is a clear breach of duty established to other residents and staff.

Media-grabbing excuses about business viability and public conscience should be dismissed. If such an admission occurs, the provider may expect to be sued by anyone damaged, and, beware, liability insurers may look to policy conditions to avoid that liability. Insurers cover unforeseen risk, not deliberate actions known to cause potential damage.

If providers have been bullied by commissioners and feel obliged to take such admissions, the law will avoid obligations undertaken under duress. At the least, providers coerced into such action should prepare to claim indemnities from local authority or NHS commissioners.

By PAUL RIDOUT Managing director, solicitor Ridouts Professional Services www.ridout-law.com

Threats to breach contract by commissioners for example by withholding service payments legitimately due are nothing short of disgraceful.

Losses suffered should be reclaimed against the transgressing authorities.

Providers should sue immediately and expect to recover commercial interest, currently 8.01% and in certain cases may be able to seek aggregated or punitive damages. The loss of a business (which is not inconceivable) may legally be attributed to those who committed such misconduct (as with the banks).

Visitors Property law is very clear. Owners have the right to exclude any potential visitor or to remove those who they consider undesirable, using reasonable force if necessary. There are a number of ways in which necessary visits can be managed to limit risk. Providers have been imaginative and ingenious in devising such arrangements.

Ultimately (with the exception of the CQC) providers control who comes into their premises and the rules under which entry is permitted. Save for CQC (or police with a warrant) no one has a right to enter a care home or to remain there after being asked to leave.

Deprivation of liberty As the most recent government guidance (May 2020) confirms, the provisions of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 as interpreted by the courts (for example, in Cheshire West) are in full force and are unchanged.

All residents are deemed to have capacity to consent to care home accommodation, unless there are

reasonable grounds to suspect that capacity is lacking. It follows that capacitous residents must comply with reasonable requirements and measures for community living. In the unlikely event of persistent or serious non-compliance, the individual can and should be removed after necessary court proceedings if there is a refusal.

Requirements in accordance with medical advice, government guidance and pragmatic practice to manage Covid19 risks are obviously measures with which residents must comply.

Where there is a lack of capacity in the case of existing residents almost certainly determined on admission, then the usual rules apply. Liberty cannot be restricted without a Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) authorisation and even then only in accordance with that authorisation, or if a matter of detail, if determined by the provider, taking into account the advice of commissioners, medical advisors and family that the restrictions are in the residentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best interests. It is a provider decision (but providers please carefully document the process). In such a case: 1. Ensure that there is an authorisation.

2. Consult the terms of the authorisation.

3. If the proposed action is potentially beyond the authorisation, seek a change, maybe using an urgent authorisation for change.

4. If the change is a gloss of detail on the authorisation, make a best interests decision as soon as possible.

5.If the matter is challenged, the issue must go to the Court of Protection led by the local authority. This is cumbersome and expensive. It may well be that the

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legal landscape effective challenge in Covid-19 circumstances (e.g a requirement for confinement to one room) is too urgent to await the court and may need termination of tenure of the noncompliant resident.

Contracts Contracts are not varied by exceptional circumstances. They remain subject to all their conditions. Read the contract carefully, with legal advice to see if the terms of the contract provide any remedy for your particular problem. This is

absolutely standard. Sometimes there is a clause called force majeure which is designed to manage the relationship where unforeseen circumstances affect its performance. Maybe terms can be implied to make the contract workable in the changed circumstances – but only if such changes are absolutely necessary.

If all else fails the legal doctrine of “frustration” may apply. If the contract can no longer be performed at all, the parties may be discharged from their obligations going forward but not retrospectively. This does not permit demands for change but

When faced with distressing and fearsome circumstances, which may threaten your very livelihood, be calm and review your options against a clearly established legal background. The principles are there. Be calm, take advice and maybe even “whistle a happy tune…”.

July/August 2020

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in effect cancels the contract. Be very careful what you wish for! The remedy is to declare that the contract is discharged i.e there are no further obligations on any side. Is that what you want? It could mean all residents being removed. It is very hard to see “frustration” as having any application to contracts in the Covid-19 pandemic.

Conclusion When faced with distressing and fearsome circumstances, which may threaten your very livelihood, be calm and review your options against a clearly established legal background. The principles are there. Be calm, take advice and maybe even “whistle a happy tune…”.

Do not be seduced by hyperbole and foghorn media pronouncements, which may be comforting in the short term but useless in the long term. Too often these are nothing more than self-promotion by those who seek advantage in reaching for their megaphones.

Keep calm and carry on.

FEM now supplying safety screens from Follett PROMOTION: FEM’s safety screens make paying safe again Range of screens from Follett help to control exposure FEM are now supplying a comprehensive range of safety screens from Follett designed to reduce the chance of infection at checkouts and customer service and payment counters.

Constructed from clear, hardwearing acrylic these screens are a simple way to reduce exposure between customers and staff. Each features a cutout hole to facilitate payment and the range includes a number of variations to account for most counter types.

This includesfree-standing selfsupporting units, one unit with a sturdy stainless steel base and suction cups and one with a thumbscrew mounting under the counter, perfect for a desk or kiosk counter.

No tools are required for installation allowing it to be deployed quickly with little or no

disruption to service.Furthermore, FEM supply a quick set mobile variant which can be moved around your business and placed where you need it when you need it.

There is also a ceiling-mounted unit which

can be suspended from a ceiling grid by cables. The screen incorporates counter brackets to prevent the unit swinging, making it just as safe as the counter mounted units.

The 5mm acrylic sheet is sturdy and hard-wearing, and simple to clean.

Both the size and the location of the cutout can be adjusted according to requirements.

“FEM is committed to providing simple solutions to the problems of businesses looking to adapt to a postlockdown world,” says Mark Hogan, commercial director of FEM. “This is a simple and low-hassle way for operators to improve the safety of both their employees and their customers.”

The screens have list prices starting from £173.00 for the quick set model.

For more information and details of local stockists call FEM on +44 (0) 1355 244111, email sales@fem.co.uk or visit www.fem.co.uk

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news

July/August 2020

www.careinfo.org

UK care homes face national bed crisis – 6,500 care homes totalling 140,000 beds at risk of closure The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for investment and innovation in the UK healthcare property sector, with long-term demand due to an ageing population combined with the accelerated closure of underperforming assets leading to a national bed crisis in care homes, according to research from global property adviser Knight Frank.

Knight Frank’s research identifies a potential 6,500 care homes at risk of closure over the next five years, equating to 140,000 beds. This shortage will be exacerbated by the increased demand for care homes by 2050, which will see a national bed crisis in the UK as the share of people over the age of 80 is expected to surge over the next 30 years, with one in ten adults set to be over 80 by 2050, compared to one in 20 currently.

Estimating that the UK requires more than £15 billion to upgrade existing beds in order to futureproof for the ageing population, Knight Frank says the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated trends that will lead to closures of care homes that are no longer fit for purpose, resulting in a

significant national shortfall of bed provision.

Julian Evans, Head of Healthcare at Knight Frank, said: “Whilst the Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated the outstanding collaboration between the private sector, social care sector and NHS at this time of need and the strength in controlling infection levels, it has also highlighted the lack of investment by successive governments into the UK’s healthcare sector, and therefore the urgent need to prioritise preventative and crisis funding.

“At present, there is not enough care bed capacity and there is a structural under-provision of beds in the social care sector. The pandemic has accelerated trends to scrutinise those buildings that are not fit for purpose whilst emphasising the insufficient funding available for reinvestment into existing care homes, which has therefore expedited the number of potential care home closures. This will result in a national bed crisis unless significant inward investment in the UK care home sector is taken.

“Our research shows that 6,500 care homes are at risk of closure currently, which is before we take

into account that the peak of demand will continue to 2050 as our population continues to age.

“Once the situation resolves around the Covid-19 pandemic, we will see a number of changes around how operators fare and we expect that with the scarcity of stock and a continuing ageing population driving demand, the investment appetite for care home developments will remain strong.

“There will undoubtedly be a flight to quality as investors seek defensive healthcare assets and we anticipate that investment into the sector will be robust, from a broad church of domestic and overseas investors.”

Mr Evans said the Covid-19 pandemic had placed additional pressures on the care home market which had already seen closures due to a range of factors including the continued impact of the National Living Wage affecting an already constrained labour market and ongoing staffing challenges, with an acute shortage of qualified nurses, combined with restrained care home development owing to building material inflation costs.

Antimicrobial handle helps boost care homes’ active protection methods against bacteria

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PROMOTION: Care homes can now help to reduce the spread of bacteria using a maintenance-free, antimicrobial surface for door hardware.

HOPPE has developed SecuSan®, an antibacterial and antimicrobial surface for door and window handles, to help ensure high hygiene standards wherever people are present in large numbers.

SecuSan® immediately suppresses the growth of pathogens on the handle on a lasting basis. Independent tests have proved that SecuSan® reduces microbial growth by more than 99%.

Andy Matthews, head of sales at HOPPE (UK), said: “SecuSan® is ideal for facilities managers trying to take care of high traffic buildings. In these types of buildings where there is so much to monitor and keep clean, SecuSan® helps to maintain high hygiene standards. It actively fights bacteria and fungi from the moment it is installed and is wear-free on a long term basis. This is particularly important in care homes where residents are much more vulnerable.”

The surface can be applied to a wide range of popular HOPPE handle designs including the Amsterdam and Paris series, all available in aluminium silver and stainless steel. It is also covered by HOPPE’s 10-year operational guarantee that applies to all

HOPPE door and window handles.

For more information on SecuSan®, please contact Andy on Andy.Matthews@hoppe.com or 01902 484 400 www.hoppe.com

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promotion

July/August 2020

www.careinfo.org

New ways to provide technical support In these challenging times for our industry, high quality technical support is more valuable than ever.

Adam Buxey, Altro’s new Technical Services Manager, explains how Altro has embraced new ways of working and tailored its support to meet the ever-evolving demands of an industry needing to work smart.

Q. What does an average day in Technical Services look like?

A. Our work is so varied, so there’s not an average!

There is a lot of reactive work – our team is highly experienced, experts in the products and all their applications, so we are on hand to help with technical installation queries, maintenance questions and if anything doesn’t go quite to plan, we’re working with installers and main contractors to find solutions. But a lot of our work is proactive – we use all that product knowledge and industry experience to feed into new product development, we work closely with Altro’s specification managers in the field. And we support Altro’s Training Schools too, for floors and for walls - a really important resource for installers.

Q. How have things changed in the current climate?

A. Well, it’s certainly been a challenge, but one that we’ve risen to. It’s been very important to us to keep providing the support that people expect from Altro. So, we’re still offering all that we were before, but we’ve adapted our ways of working to be able to deliver that safely. Across the business we turned to remote working solutions straight away – we use Microsoft Teams, which allows us to do virtual site visits via video call for example. We have also introduced an out of hours hotline, taking technical calls until 9pm on all aspects of flooring and walling - and not just Altro products. Everyone is working in new ways, and we’ve adapted to provide service where it’s needed.

Q. Have the types of technical enquiries changed?

A. Whilst in some areas the volume of calls has clearly dropped, in other sectors there’s a spike in demand – we’ve offered a lot of technical support around temporary and quick turnaround medical facilities, providing solutions for unusual situations.

Lots of enquiries about installing vinyl flooring over different subfloors, temporary flooring to protect sportshall floors, and even how to install over deep pile luxury carpet in hotels. Our team here provide technical support for Altro globally, so we’ve been involved in some large-scale projects in the US and Canada, and in Spain too. There’s so much knowledge to be shared across the countries.

Alongside the traditional flooring contractors, we’ve had enquiries from military personnel involved in construction of temporary medical facilities, and also from architects who are interested in the solutions being offered to gain understanding for future projects and

developments. We are adapting our guidance depending on who we’re talking to – whether it is someone with decades of industry experience, or someone new to this, it’s important to gauge what the customer needs to know and help them accordingly.

And priorities have changed – whereas cost was often a major driver, in this situation it’s far more about function – what will be watertight, cleanable, secure but removable. Lots of people may not have used adhesive-free flooring before for example, but now they are finding it ticks all the boxes for what they need now.

Q. What do you think the industry might learn from this for the future?

A. Though not by choice of course, this situation has given us an opportunity to put into practice some of the working practices the business has been looking at for a while. Our Tech Services team cover so many miles on site visits every year – that’s a lot of time, a lot of fuel. By experiencing remote working we are seeing first hand how virtual visits work, and our team and many customers now more confident relying on technology in this way.

Looking to the future, virtual visits could have a valuable role to play for all concerned, in the right circumstances and alongside traditional site visits.

And I think we have strengthened a lot of

relationships – working with people we may not have worked with before, needing to be adaptable and innovative and share experiences at all levels.

Responding to challenges in these unprecedented times has called for true teamwork more than ever.

And for those people who are less busy than usual, whilst there is of course uncertainty, there’s also opportunity to take stock, and to develop skills and knowledge.

Q. What training resources are available for contractors to access at the moment?

A. Our physical training schools have had to close for now, but we’ve worked to get even more materials online and are open to any suggestions for anything further people would find useful. We have detailed installation guidance and technical guides on our website. And we’ve been adding lots of video content too so you can see up close how everything works. Our technical blogs cover some of the most common queries that come our way, and we’re adapting how we offer CPDs, including a webinar of our ‘reducing the risk of slipping’ CPD. All of those are accessible via the Support section of our website, plus there’s a lot of technical content on our social media channels too. We are able to run some training courses remotely as well, so get in touch to find out how we can help. www.altro.co.uk

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wales

July/August 2020

www.careinfo.org

A care home owner mourning the loss of 19 residents to Covid-19 is suffering financial losses of £15,000 a week and fears many care homes will not survive.

Care home owner mourning Covid-19 deaths warns sector faces collapse

B

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rian Rosenberg, who owns Tregwilym Lodge Nursing and Residential Home in Rogerstone, Newport, is backing calls from Care Forum Wales for a public inquiry into the Welsh Government’s handling of the pandemic and says an urgent national plan is needed to ensure the future survival of the sector.

Mr Rosenberg, who has owned Tregwilym since 1985, said the home had lost at least 19 residents to the disease – 12 over the Easter period. Many of these remain unconfirmed cases as staff could only arrange testing for seven residents – one of the tests was lost and the result never came back.

Meanwhile, staff absence also soared as 15 staff tested positive or showed symptoms while 14 others were unable to work because they were pregnant, had health issues of their own or had a member of the family who was shielding while one member of staff had been unable to return from Ghana.

On top of the huge emotional toll of the losses on staff, the 74-bed home is also grappling with £15,000 losses per week from having 20 vacancies and spiralling staff and PPE expenditure. Two months into the crisis, it has yet to receive any additional funding to cover the extra costs although a payment was expected soon.

“Care homes felt completely abandoned,” said Mr Rosenberg.

“It’s appalling – the staff have suffered badly. It’s even worse when you have got undertakers so overwhelmed with work they are slow to remove people.

“I feel deeply sorry for the relatives.

How horrible to know your next of kin has passed away and you cannot even be there

in their last moments.

“This is not like any other business. Care homes run around the clock, it’s a 365-day service, and you’re dealing with human beings and lives. I take the responsibility very, very seriously. These people are in my charge.

“The complete mishandling of the situation amazes me. A pandemic of this nature is very difficult for businesses to absorb and survive. There are a lot of care homes which are very close to going bust.

That’s a fact.

“I’ve always run my business on the basis of preparing for a rainy day.

Fortunately, I have a strong management team in there and they were able to cope better than a lot of people because they are highly skilled at what they do.

“As a businessman in other sectors too, I would say the care home structure is pathetic in terms of the way it is funded, controlled and regulated. The people who are controlling the way care homes operate don’t have a clue.”

The home, which employs 110 staff, closed its doors to visitors on March 14 and saw its first case of Covid-19 around a week later. From then, it spread quickly and staff implemented isolation strategies.

“The worst time for us was at Easter and you just can’t describe it,” said Mr Rosenberg.

“I think in the space of just over a week we lost 12 people. During this period, we were also losing staff to sickness and agencies refused to supply replacements because we were considered too high-risk.

“We cannot say categorically it came from hospital. In all fairness, we have 110 staff and they are coming in and out of the home. The testing just wasn’t in place – we

were relying on the fact that they were showing symptoms.”

Mr Rosenberg is supporting the call from Care Forum Wales for a public inquiry into the management of the crisis including the lack of testing in the beginning, the inaccessibility and cost of PPE and the absence of financial support to safeguard the sector.

“Someone has to take responsibility for the failings,” he said.

“There’s an old saying that you should judge a country by the way in which it treats its elderly. I don’t think we come up with a very good score.

“It would be extremely difficult to make any prosecution for corporate manslaughter stick but the evidence has got to emerge.

“That’s a judgement call for others to make in due course but CFW is absolutely right – there has to be a national plan, there has to be a national debate and there has to be a public inquiry.

“I cannot think of any area in the country that has the public funding that’s sufficient to operate these care homes and show a return that makes it a sensible business.

“In a nutshell, the way in which it’s currently run through local authorities is bloated, wasteful and fragmented. This country needs a viable care sector but that’s not going to happen unless we start changing the way care homes are funded and operated. There’s aspiration to raise standards but there’s no aspiration to fund the costs that go with that.

“Our local Aneurin Bevan University Health Board has been superb but at the end of the day they are hamstrung because of the attitude of the Welsh Government.”

ed iv ce re uly e 7J tb 1 us y m rida es F tri by En

#CareAwards

ENTRY FORM 27 November 2020 London category sponsors

drinks reception sponsor

photobooth sponsor

dinner programme sponsor

THE 22ND NATIONAL CARE AWARDS| ENTRY FORM Carer

Care Home Manager

This award recognises the vital role of the care assistant in providing quality care. Evidence of dedication, sensitive handling of matters of importance to residents, and career progress through training will all be taken into account.

This award will be made to an exceptional care home manager (or deputy). They will be expected to demonstrate a high level of expertise in managing the services of the home to the benefit of residents, staff and their local community.

Criteria • Give a full description of the nominee’s role and responsibilities (up to 250 words) • Explain what positive effect the individual has had on the residents and staff within their workplace since being in their role (up to 250 words) • Provide examples of how the individual has provided high quality support to the residents, including any relevant information about activities, going beyond standard duties, dedication and commitment to understanding what is important to residents and families (up to 250 words) • 30 word biography of nominee

Criteria • Give a full description of the individual’s role and day to day management (up to 250 words) • Provide examples of where the individual has demonstrated (up to 500 words) • leadership skills and the ability to support, develop and motivate staff • confidence working with relatives and residents • creating a caring, stimulating and person-centred environment that is home-like and with good connections to the local community • Explain what positive effect the individual has had on their residents, staff and local community within the home since being in their role (up to 250 words) • 30 word biography of nominee

Supporting evidence • Provide 1-5 testimonials from staff, relatives or residents • Provide details of training, qualifications or accreditations the individual has received (if applicable)

Care Registered Nurse This award will be made to a registered nurse who has made long term care their area of professional specialisation. In addition to maintaining training and demonstrating outstanding clinical and managerial qualities, the winner will have demonstrated a high level of dedication to, and advocacy for, the people they support.

Criteria • Give a full description of the nominee’s role and responsibilities (up to 250 words) • Explain what positive effect the individual has had on the residents and staff within their workplace since being in their role (up to 250 words) • Provide examples of how the individual has provided outstanding dedication to, and advocacy for, the people they support (up to 250 words) • 30 word biography of nominee Supporting evidence • Provide 1-5 testimonials from staff, relatives or residents • Provide details of training, qualification or accreditations the individual has received

Care Team This award will be made to a staff team who have developed and maintained an outstanding standard of care and team ethos within any care setting.

Criteria • Give a full description of the service the team is based within (up to 500 words) • Explain why this team is a worthy winner of the award, including the development of any innovative projects to improve the quality of life for the residents or users of the service (up to 250 words) • Explain how the team has the skills, knowledge and enthusiasm to empower and enable residents to either regain or maintain a level of independence and meaningful lives (up to 250 words) • 30 word profile of the team Supporting evidence • Include the most recent inspection report from the home/service where the team is based • Provide 1-5 testimonials from management, residents and relatives • Provide details of any recognition or accreditation from any recognised bodies (if applicable)

Entries must be received by Friday 17 July

Supporting evidence • Include the most recent inspection report for the home the individual manages • Provide 1-5 testimonials from staff, residents and relatives • Provide details of training, qualification or accreditations the individual has received

Dementia Care Manager This award will be made to an outstanding manager (or deputy) of a care service where more than 50 per cent of the residents live with dementia. They will be expected to demonstrate a high level of expertise in managing the service to the benefit of residents with dementia as well as staff.

Criteria • Give a full description of the individual’s role and responsibilities and why you consider them to be outstanding in their role (up to 500 words) • Provide examples of where the individual has demonstrated (up to 250 words) • leadership skills and the ability to support, develop and motivate staff • confidence working with relatives and promoting positive inclusive relationships with residents • creating a person-centred, supportive and stimulating environment with good connections to the community • Explain what positive effect the individual has had on the service and staff since being in their role (up to 250 words) • 30 word biography of nominee Supporting evidence • Include the most recent inspection report for the service the individual manages • Provide 1-5 testimonials from staff, residents and relatives • Provide details of training, qualification or accreditations the individual has received

FOR ALL ENTRIES Please submit ALL the requested criteria and supporting evidence (any entries which do not submit the requirements will be disregarded)

Care Operations / Area Manager The winner of this award will have demonstrated exceptional vision, leadership and be at the forefront of new management techniques. They will have inspired their colleagues to provide exceptional care throughout the homes for which they are responsible.

Criteria • Give a full description of the individual’s role and day to day leadership (up to 500 words) • Provide examples of where the individual has promoted the highest standards of quality care and service (up to 250 words) • Explain what positive effect the individual has had on the residents and staff within the setting since being in their role (up to 250 words) • 30 word biography of the nominee Supporting evidence • Include a recent summary of the most recent inspection reports for all settings (e.g. 5 Outstanding, 4 Good) • Provide 1-5 testimonials from staff, residents and relatives • Provide details of training, qualification or accreditations the individual has received

Care Activities Co-ordinator/Facilitator This award will be made to a person within a care home or day care service who has made an exceptional contribution to the quality of life, health and happiness of all the people they support through the activities they provide.

Criteria • Give a full description of the activities or lifestyle opportunities the individual has implemented, developed or maintained since being in their role (up to 500 words) • Explain how the individual works in a person-centred way, including how they inspire and encourage participation, motivation and understanding in residents (up to 250 words) • Demonstrate what positive effect the individual has had on the service since being in their role and why they should win this award (up to 250 words) • 30 word biography of nominee Supporting evidence • Include the most recent inspection report for the home or service • Supply 1-5 photographs of activities • Provide 1-5 testimonials from staff, residents/attendees and relatives • Provide details of training, qualification or accreditations the individual has received (if applicable)

Care Housekeeper Running the housekeeping services of a care home is vital for the well-being of residents and staff.

This award will be made to an outstanding housekeeper who can demonstrate the passion and commitment needed to make a real difference.

Criteria • Give a full description of the individual’s role and day to day duties and why they should win this award (up to 500 words) • Explain how the individual demonstrates a high level of dedication and innovation alongside a person-centred approach to provide the highest quality of service and environment for residents and staff (up to 250 words) • Provide examples showing where the individual has been a proactive and helpful member of the team, contributing ideas and making the home an enjoyable place to be (up to 250 words) • 30 word biography of nominee Supporting evidence • Include the most inspection report for the home or homes the individual is responsible for • Provide 1-5 testimonials from staff, residents and relatives • Provide details of training, qualification or accreditations the individual has received (if applicable)

• Care Chef

This award will be made to a chef in a long term care setting who shows exceptional ability in providing well-balanced, nutritious and delicious food.

Criteria • Outline the reasons why the nominee shows exceptional ability in providing well-balanced, nutritious and delicious food that takes into account individual needs of the residents (up to 500 words) • 30 biography of the nominee Supporting evidence • Provide a copy of a monthly menu served within the last 3 months • Provide a copy of the three-course menu (taken from the monthly menu) that the nominee will cook at the ‘Cook Off’ if chosen to be a finalist • Provide the cost per resident of the ‘Cook Off’ menu

Entries must be received by Friday 17 July Care Home of the Year This award will be made to a care home with 15 or more residents which can demonstrate exceptional quality care across all the services it offers.

Criteria • Give a full description of the care home including how residents and staff live and work together successfully and how the home is part of the local community (up to 500 words) • Give a brief description of the sort of activities the residents take part in and how they are designed to promote well-being and social interaction (up to 250 words) • Explain how the care home is homelike for the residents and how the residents actively participate in this (up to 250 words) • Describe how the care home provides exceptional care and support to people enabling them to live fulfilled and meaningful lives with a focus on maintaining skills and independence and contact with the local community (up to 250 words) • 30 word profile of care home Supporting evidence • Include the most recent inspection report • Supply 1-5 photographs • Provide 1-5 testimonials from staff, residents and relatives • Provide details of any recognition or accreditation from any recognised bodies (if applicable)

The Dignity & Respect Care Home of the Year This award will be made to an exceptional care home which can convincingly demonstrate that it has put dignity and respect for its residents and staff at the very heart of all it does, and that this emphasis has resulted in tangible benefits for residents, relatives and staff alike.

Criteria • Give a full description of how the care home provides an environment for residents where they are treated with dignity and respect (up to 500 words) • Explain how you support the people who live in your home to make choices about the way they live and the support they receive (for example: independence, lifestyle opportunities, cultural and religious beliefs, privacy, eating and nutritional care, pain management, personal hygiene) (up to 250 words) • 30 word profile of the home being nominated Supporting evidence • Include the most recent inspection report • Supply 1-5 photographs • Provide 1-5 testimonials from staff, residents and relatives • Provide details of any recognition or accreditation from any recognised bodies (if applicable)

Care Newcomer NEW AWARD FOR 2020 This award will be made to a person working in care, who is new to the sector over the past 18 months, and who is already delivering the very best standard of care. The judges will be looking for an individual who excels in their personal and team roles, and exhibits enthusiasm, professionalism, confidence and a shining commitment to their on-going career development.

Criteria • Give a full description of the nominee’s role and responsibilities (up to 250 words) • Explain what positive effect the individual has had on the residents and staff within their workplace since being in their role (up to 250 words) • 30 word biography of the nominee Supporting evidence • Provide 1- 5 testimonials from residents, relatives of residents and colleagues • Provide details of training, qualification or accreditations the individual has received

Care Champion This award will go to an exceptional person, whether they are a member of staff, a relative, resident or a volunteer who has gone above and beyond and made a real difference. It could be a charitable achievement or making life better for residents and relatives, or simply someone who has done great things but may not have had the recognition they deserve.

Criteria • Please explain why this person is so important, and why they are a worthy winner of this award (up to 500 words) • 30 word biography of nominee Supporting evidence • Provide 1-5 testimonials from staff, relatives or residents

Outstanding Care in a Crisis NEW AWARD FOR 2020 This award will be made to a care home that has demonstrated an outstanding level of care and compassion to their residents during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Criteria • Give a full description of how the care home responded to Covid-19 pandemic, including (up to 500 words); • how exceptional care and support was given to residents, relatives and staff • how the home continued to promote well-being and social interaction in unprecedented circumstances • 30 word profile of care home Supporting evidence • Provide 1-5 testimonials from staff, residents and relatives • Provide details of any recognition or accreditation from any recognised bodies (if applicable)

THE 22ND NATIONAL CARE AWARDS| ENTRY FORM Care Leadership This award will be made to an outstanding individual, in any care setting, small or large, whose leadership has resulted in an exceptional outcome for clients, team members and the organisation they work for.

Criteria • Give a full description of the individual’s role and responsibilities and why they should win this award (up to 500 words) • Show examples of where the individual has demonstrated (up to 250 words) • leadership skills and the ability to support, develop and motivate staff • confidence working with relatives and promoting positive inclusive relationships • promoting well-being by monitoring the re-evaluation of care needs in partnership with the resident, their key-workers and relatives • Explain what positive effect the individual has had on people using their service and staff members (up to 250 words) • 30 word biography of nominee Supporting evidence • Include the most recent inspection report for the service for which the individual is a care leader • Provide 1-5 testimonials from staff, residents and relatives • Provide details of training, qualification or accreditations the individual has received

Care Home Group This award will go to an outstanding care group with more than three care homes which is able to evidence exceptional client care combined with excellent staff development and impressive financial results.

Criteria • Give a full description of the care home group including the settings, residents and members of staff (up to 250 words) • Describe how the care home group provides exceptional care and support to residents enabling them to live fulfilled and meaningful lives with a focus on maintaining skills and independence (up to 250 words) • Describe the corporate identity, values and focus, the group’s strengths/ USP, training systems and approaches as well as the group’s success in delivering high quality care and plans for the future (up to 250 words) • Summarise the group’s financial performance over the last five years (up to 100 words) Supporting evidence • Include a recent summary of the most recent inspection reports for all settings (e.g. 5 Outstanding, 4 Good) • Supply 1-5 photographs showing some of the Groups settings • Provide 1-5 testimonials from staff, residents and relatives • Provide details of any recognition or accreditation from any recognised bodies (if applicable)

FOR ALL ENTRIES Please submit ALL the requested criteria and supporting evidence (any entries which do not submit the requirements will be disregarded)

Lifetime Achievement in Care This award will be made to an exceptional person who has committed a significant portion of their life to working in a care home, or in social care, in the community or in sheltered housing, and has made a substantial difference to the quality of life of the people they have worked with.

Criteria • Describe and provide evidence of how the individual’s dedication and commitment throughout their care career has impacted the people they have supported (up to 500 words) • Evidence how the individual has influenced or inspired those they have worked with (up to 250 words) • 30 word biography of nominee Supporting evidence • Provide 1-5 testimonials from residents, relatives of residents and colleagues • Provide details of training, qualification or accreditations the individual has received

Care Personality

#CareAwards

An independent panel will select 5 finalists who they feel have made a big contribution to the care home sector within the past 12 months. The people chosen will be contacted before the awards ceremony and notified of the finalist position. This award does not require an entry from individuals, however if you would like to nominate someone for the panel to consider please do so along with 500 words to support your nomination.

27 November 2020 London

#CareAwards HOW TO ENTER

CATEGORY (please tick)

• Choose the category you wish to enter • If you choose more than one category, a separate entry form must be completed for each separate entry • Read the judging criteria provided carefully • Complete and supply ALL of the required information, criteria and supporting evidence • Enter online at careinfo.org/awards • Alternatively, complete this form and email to: events@investorpublishing.co.uk, remembering to attach all your supporting documents • Please make sure that the name of the nominee and the award category is included on all separate attachments and supporting information • If you wish to enter by post please contact the events team on events@investorpublishing.co.uk for the postal address.

RULES • The competition is open to all staff working in long-term care and hospital settings • Entries are treated in the strictest confidence • Finalists will be required to attend the Judging Day in London in October 2020 – date TBC • The Care Chef Judging will take place separately in October 2020 – date TBC • Entries will not be returned • One copy of the submission is required • Use one entry form per entry, photocopies are acceptable • Employees of the Caring Times and their families are not entitled to enter • Entries will be judged by a panel of eminent and impartial adjudicators appointed by Caring Times • The winners will be announced at the National Care Awards Gala Night on 27 November 2020 • There will be four or five finalists in each category • Award winners and finalists may state in advertising or other promotional material that they are or have been winners or finalists. The year that the Award was won must be included in the same typeface and size as the statement of the Award

CHECKLIST (please tick)

□ This entry form completed by you □ Required judging criteria □ Required supporting evidence □ Full contact details for the nominee and nominator All entries must be received by FRIDAY 17 JULY 2020 For sponsorship opportunities contact caroline.bowern@investorpublishing.co.uk

□ Carer □ Care Registered Nurse □ Care Team □ Care Home Manager □ Dementia Care Manager □ Care Operations / Area Manager □ Care Activities Co-ordinator / Facilitator □ Care Housekeeper □ Care Chef □ Care Home of the Year □ The Dignity & Respect Care Home of the Year □ Care Newcomer □ Care Champion □ Outstanding Care in a Crisis □ Care Leadership □ Care Home Group □ Lifetime Achievement in Care □ Care Personality DETAILS Name of person being nominated _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Job title _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Organisation _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Website address _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Organisation address _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ Postcode _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Telephone _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Email address _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Name of person making nomination _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Nominator contact number _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Who should we contact if successful? (please tick) Nominator Nominee

□ □

SUBMIT

Enter online: careinfo.org/awards Email to: events@investorpublishing.co.uk

ANY QUESTIONS? Contact The Events Team: events@investorpublishing.co.uk or 0207 720 2109

Enter online at careinfo.org/awards Best of luck from everyone at Caring Times

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specialist care

July/August 2020

www.careinfo.org

In mid-May, Exemplar Health Care chief executive JOHN WHITEHEAD joined other sector leaders in a webinar to discuss the current state and future prospects of the adult specialist care sector, following the Covid-19 pandemic. Here, John shares his reflections on what lessons we’ve learned from the pandemic and how changing public opinions are helping to shape the future for adult specialist care providers.

Specialist adult care in a

post-Covid world S

ince March 2020, care homes across the UK have reported cases of Covid-19 and at Exemplar Health Care, sadly we have lost some of our residents, but our primary focus is and will always be, to deliver high-quality care for our residents and provide a safe working environment for our colleagues.

Fortunately, coming into the pandemic, Exemplar Health Care was in a positive position which enabled us to take swift investment decisions to protect our residents and colleagues. We were in a good place financially, we had a dedicated team of colleagues with low turnover rates and had well-established quality assurance processes and systems already in place.

Early intervention ensured that we secured Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) through global suppliers, meaning that we had enough supplies to protect our staff. Exemplar Health Care has shown great resilience throughout these challenging times and there are a lot of lessons that we can take away, as we start to think about moving forward.

Processes that can be continued post-Covid When you’re driven by necessity, it’s amazing how quickly you can adapt. A lot of the changes that we’ve made over the past few months, will continue to support the business in the future.

During the pandemic, we’re continuing to innovate by introducing new technology across our network, to help

manage and maintain staffing levels.

The pandemic has placed a great pressure on the health and social care sector, which has resulted in the need to recruit additional staff. In response to this challenge, we’ve implemented a new online dashboard that provides real-time information about staffing levels across our homes. When colleagues enter and leave one of the care homes, they’re required to sign in and out on an iPad. This information feeds into the dashboard and is updated every 15 minutes; providing the operations team with a realtime view of how many colleagues are in each home at any given time.

This is a much more efficient way of tracking staffing levels as it has reduced the number of emails and phone calls with home managers, meaning that we all have more time to spend supporting our residents and colleagues.

Lockdown also posed huge challenges to the way that we usually deliver induction and training, however, we made new ways. Our learning and development team took swift action to adapt our induction process for new starters, and built on our existing eLearning platform to ensure that everyone can continue to learn and develop in their role, which, in the long-term, will only complement our already robust learning and development programme.

Changing opinions of social care Social care has shown incredible resilience throughout the pandemic,

despite not having the same support and funding as the NHS. Each week, as we stand on our doorsteps and ‘Clap For Carer’, I feel encouraged that more and more people are seeing social care as an equal to our health counterparts.

The media attention throughout the pandemic has gone some way to highlight the social care sector, along with its position as ‘number two’ to the NHS – but this needs to change.

I believe that the overall social care operating model will be unchanged by Covid-19 and core failings of funding for the social care sector are likely to continue without a concerted governmental effort.

The challenges that the sector faces post-Covid are likely to further emphasise the gap between lower and higher acuity care. The fact remains that, despite the funding challenges that the sector faces, the adult specialist care that Exemplar Health Care provides cannot be commoditised – it needs to be bespoke and tailored individually to each person. Sadly for other providers, such as elderly care and domiciliary care providers, these challenges might have the opposite effect whereby care becomes increasingly driven by commoditised pricing.

Future change is being helped by the public’s increased attention on the challenges facing the industry. This current, heightened public engagement is, however, now set against a challenging fiscal future.

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personal experience

July/August 2020

www.careinfo.org

What is the reality of working in a care home while trying to navigate your way through a pandemic?

LORRAINE LAKER, care co-ordinator at Rapport Housing & Care’s Rogers House Residential Care Home in Gillingham, Kent, shares her experience.

Lorraine in lock-down – back at work after coming down with Covid-19

“T

22

o be honest, there was an awful lot of pressure when things got serious and we had to close the home to visitors – we were one of the first homes to do that and it was so sad explaining to family members and residents why they couldn’t see each other. Once we had organised the set-up of technology, we could manage our residents seeing their loved ones over FaceTime or Skype and waving through the windows.

“The scary thing was lack of testing for all of us. The government wasn’t making it easy for us to get tests, it felt like we had been forgotten, both with testing and PPE. It is very different now, the whole home has been tested and some staff are even trained to do it, including me!”

The country had been in lock-down for a few weeks and Lorraine had had a particularly busy week, juggling lots of different things. When Friday arrived, she didn’t feel quite right.

“I knew I needed an early night and to regroup over the weekend so I was ready for Monday, but by Sunday, I got up and tried to start preparing our roast dinner and I couldn’t even peel the potatoes. I was so hot, I couldn’t breathe properly and within four hours it had really got a grip on me. The shaking and fever was just incredible, I felt so cold but was boiling hot to touch. Straight away I went upstairs and isolated from the rest of my

Families have been so lovely, saying how grateful they are for the staff here, and knowing on a Thursday they are clapping for us, that is so humbling. family. That’s when my whole home set up changed for the next 25 days.”

Lorraine lives with three key workers.

Her son being a prison officer meant the prison service paid for her to be tested –, the results were back within 24 hours. She tested positive for Covid-19.

“I don’t even remember getting tested, I know I scared my family – I missed them so much while I was in isolation. They lived downstairs and I lived upstairs – I missed the whole of April! It took me 25 days before I could finally get up; it was such a nice day and I managed to get to the garden to enjoy it, which did take me a while and I had to take a four hour nap once I was there. Then, day by day, I managed to do a little bit more, but wow I was frustrated.”

Lorraine went for a second test on a Friday, which came back negative and meant she could go back to work when she felt ready. Which for Lorraine, of course meant Monday!

“I feel so upbeat now, I was naturally nervous as there is so much we don’t know about this illness but coming back to the home has just been wonderful. We know we can get tested now, we have a good stock of PPE and we can just carry on caring for our residents as we always have. Families have been so lovely, sending us beautiful cards and saying how grateful they are for the staff here, and knowing on a Thursday they are clapping for us, that is so humbling.”

It is wonderful to hear Lorraine is back to her old self, she is yet to regain her sense of taste and smell, but at the time of reporting she told us she had eaten a frazzle and detected a tiny taste of the flavour.

“Stop and smell the roses,” she advises.

“Or the frazzles!”

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July/August 2020

www.careinfo.org

A ssoci ation for Demen tia i Studies

Appointments Bield, a provider of older people’s housing and services in Scotland, has appointed Paula Rice as director of finance and resources.

Paula, who brings more than 25 years of experience working across a variety of sectors, will lead the finance, HR and IT teams across Bield and she has already outlined her determination to support the organisation’s staff to continue providing the best care and housing services for customers. Her career has seen her hold senior management positions within the housing sector which she believes will provide valuable insight and practical knowledge for the unique challenges set to face Bield which, with its headquarters in Edinburgh, operates across 23 local authority areas as a major provider of housing for older people.

Mandy Curran has been appointed registered operations manager of Brunelcare’s home care division in Bridgwater, Somerset.

Mandy will be responsible for the day-to-day runnings of Bridgwater’s home care. She has a vision to implement activity drop-in sessions for the people who receive home care with Brunelcare and to introduce a new starter forum for the charity.

Mandy has nearly 30-years experience in the health and social care sector and was previously operations manager at Somerset Care.

The charity has also appointed Emma Gwynne as volunteering development manager at its Saffron Gardens head office.

Emma has been in the care and volunteering sector for 20 years and has worked with organisations such as LinkAge, WECIL, running a peer support service encouraging people to get involved with social activities and the Terrence Higgins Trust.

Eden Futures, a provider of supported living services for adults with learning disabilities, challenging behaviour, mental ill health and autism, has appointed Lindsey Myers as its new regional operations director for the Midlands.

With more than 20 years of experience in the social and health care sectors, Lindsey has held senior roles within a range of national organisations across the UK. In her role at Eden Futures, Lindsey will be working to ensure the delivery of local services with a national standard, collaborating with the company’s operations team across its services in the Midlands across Shropshire, Coventry and Warwickshire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. The region has seen rising demand for learning disability supported living placements, with this trend expected to continue.

Alexandru Vasile started at Gracewell of High Wycombe in April 2020 as the care home’s new activity co-ordinator. Prior to this, Alexandru had been a selfemployed web-designer and an assistant manager at Compass UK & Ireland.

When asked why he chose to apply for the role at Gracewell of High Wycombe, Alexandru said: “I love making a difference in someone’s life, and I think that everyone working in this sector will agree with me when I say that caring for someone brings out the best in all of us.”

Alexandru studied an events management degree at Coventry University and now hopes to put into practice both his studies and his devotion to caring for others.

Person-Centred Dementia Studies Part-time Postgraduate Certificcate & Expert Practice Award

DELIVERED FULLY ONLINE Developed by a team with a proven track rrecord in delivering in-depth, effective evidence based programmes for care homes, hospitals, commu m nities and housing.

Gain the expertise to support people to live well with demen ntia Modul es avai lable to stud y singly or in combin nation:

September 2020

Person-Ce ntred Le ad ership: the VIPS Approach ( mandatory ) Suppor ti ng Pe ople Livi ng with Advancced Dementi a Enab li ng Envi ronme nts for People Living with Dementia January 2021

Exper t Pr actice i n De liveri ng Person- Ce ntred Dem enti a Care Eng ageme nt and Emp owerme nt in Demee nti a S tudie s Dementi a i n the Family Conte xt The closing date for applications for courses/modules starting in September is July 20th 2020 Interested?

Visit: www.worcester.ac.uk/dementia ster.ac.uk/dementia or w

ww.worcester.acc.uk/dementia/pg-cert Email: dementia@ @worc.ac.uk

23

AWARD ENTRIES NOW OPEN THURSDAY 12TH NOVEMBER Note to entrants: We have tried to keep many of the awards categories as open as possible so that a variety of people, organisations and collaborations involved in the dementia care community are eligible to apply. This includes, but is not limited to, day care and community settings, home care providers, third sector organisations, hospitals, businesses, social enterprises, housing and extra care organisations. If you have a question, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hesitate to contact us.

Outstanding Dementia Care Resource This award will be made to an outstanding resource which can be shown to have transformed the lives of those living with dementia and/or their carers.

Outstanding Dementia Care Innovation This award recognises the vital role of new and stimulating innovations in developing high quality services for people living with dementia.

Best Dementia Carer This award recognises the vital role of the care assistant in providing quality care. Evidence of dedication, sensitive handling of matters of importance to residents, and career progress through training will all be taken into account.

Best Activities Co-ordinator for People Living with Dementia This award will be made to a person within a care home or community setting with more than 50% of people living with dementia who has made an exceptional contribution to the quality of life, health and happiness of all the people they work with through the activities they facilitate.

Best Dementia Care Practitioner â&#x20AC;˘ NEW FOR 2020 This award will be made to an outstanding dementia care practitioner (eg nurse, dementia lead or allied professional) who has demonstrated an expert level of skill, knowledge, management and leadership. They will have supported their colleagues in delivering high quality dementia care either in an acute, residential or community setting, facilitating staff training, developing person-centred care pathways and delivering improvements in dementia care practice.

Best Dementia Care Manager This award will be made to an outstanding dementia manager (or deputy) in a dementia focused environment.

They will be expected to show exceptional leadership, caring, training and management skills for the benefit of people with dementia and staff.

Best Dementia Garden This award will be made to a dementia focused garden in any setting which has outstanding features that significantly enhance the quality of life of people with dementia and staff.

Best Dementia Training Initiative This award recognises the vital role of effective training in dementia care. It will be made to an individual, organisation or collaboration that can demonstrate the value and impact of a training initiative which they have successfully implemented.

Dementia Care Champion This award will go to an exceptional person, whether they are a member of staff, a relative, person with dementia or a volunteer who has gone above and beyond and made a real difference. It could be a charitable achievement or making life better for people with dementia and relatives, or simply someone who has done great things but may not have had the recognition they deserve.

AWARD ENTRIES NOW OPEN #DementiaCareAwards

Outstanding Arts and Creativity in Dementia Care This award will be made to an organisation, collaboration or person that has developed and delivered an outstanding creative arts project, in any setting, to improve the quality of lives of people living with dementia.

Best Dementia Team This award will be made to a dementia-focused team which has developed and maintained an excellent standard of care within any care setting.

Exceptional Contribution by an Informal/Family Carer â&#x20AC;˘ NEW FOR 2020 To recognise the valuable contribution of family or informal carers, this award is made by the Journal of Dementia Care to a person, or group of people, to acknowledge the difference they have made. This could be to a person with dementia, to a community or nationally. This award does not require an entry from individuals, however if you would like to nominate someone for the panel to consider please do so along with 500 words to support your nomination.

Best Dementia Friendly Hospital This award will be made to an acute or community hospital which can demonstrate that it has developed outstanding and innovative services for people living with dementia admitted for treatment of medical/surgical conditions.

Dementia Friendly Employer â&#x20AC;˘ NEW FOR 2020 This award will be made to an employer that can demonstrate they have developed an open and supportive working culture that values everyone and who flexibly support and enable staff affected by dementia.

Exceptional Contribution by a Person/People Living with Dementia This award is made by the Journal of Dementia Care to a person, or group of people, living with dementia who live and work with incredible passion and commitment to improve the lives and wellbeing of others living with dementia, and who inspire so many within the dementia community. This award does not require an entry from individuals, however if you would like to nominate someone for the panel to consider please do so along with 500 words to support your nomination.

Best Dementia Care Home This award will be made to a care home with more than 50% of residents living with dementia which provides an outstanding environment with exceptional standards of care and support for people with dementia as well as relatives and staff, and is a well-respected place in the local community.

Deadline for entries: Friday 17th July 2020

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recruitment

July/August 2020

www.careinfo.org

Qube Learning chief executive JOE CROSSLEY says, given the recent focus on social care, more young people may regard care work as a meaningful career option.

Making care work an attractive option for younger people

I

t’s interesting how one of the seemingly least valued sectors in the land has now become one of the highest, if current heightened parliamentary interest and demonstrable public appreciation are anything to go by.

Align this to the fact that nearly two thirds of young people aged 18-34 in England would consider applying for a job in adult social care; with more than half citing interest in a career that helps or supports others, perhaps social care can now attract far more of the million-plus under-25s who face unemployment as youth magnet industries, such as hospitality and retail, struggle to recover from lock-down. Will perhaps the care industry now become the employment saviour our young people turn to?

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Vocational spirit Of course it’s also fair to accept that the light shone on care homes in recent weeks hasn’t exactly presented a rosy picture of the environment but, that said, it has highlighted a breathtaking vocational spirit and level of dedication among staff, akin to other healthcare professions, such as hospital workers, which will appeal to many young people who aspire to a job they can feel good about and which gives a value to society.

Taking all this into account, perhaps there is now no really better time for younger people to consider a career in adult social care. But where to start?

Working in care requires a very particular set of attributes, some of which can't necessarily be taught – empathy and a desire to help others for example; but there are also more practical and technical skills – hygiene, administration,

and even basic skills such as timekeeping, which can be taught and for which training does exist.

We know from our own research that young people in particular crave active, personal support, and while government schemes may dwarf those of private providers in number, these latter are in practice the very organisations which are proven to change people’s lives. Certainly we have all had to become more flexible in delivering more remote learning experiences, but there can still be tutor engagement online rather than the ‘tick box’ delivery of less personalised options.

But that’s not the only route. Companies can also tap into the Apprenticeship Levy Transfer to support their own apprentices.

The Apprenticeship Levy is charged at a rate of 0.5% of all employers with a pay bill of more than £3 million per annum, enabling them to thereafter draw down from their government account to spend on upskilling their workforce. For nonlevy paying employers, the Apprenticeship Levy is still there to access with the government funding 95%

of the costs.

The Apprenticeship Levy was introduced to encourage employers to analyse how such schemes would most benefit their business and generate the best return on investment. And it doesn’t just apply to school leavers and younger people as it also makes sense to maximise the Apprenticeship Levy to develop a current and future workforce of team leaders and managers.

The care sector needs new recruits and a well-trained workforce as never before, not least to manage the impact of Covid19, but also the imminent impact of Brexit on personnel availability. Brexit may be much overlooked in the current climate, but it remains just around the corner, and is as yet unresolved. The social care sector needs to attract new recruits in very great numbers to meet these challenges.

There has never been a more vital moment for employers to harness the availability of training opportunities across the sector and use it to attract new people to what can be a worthy and truly rewarding career.

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WEDNESDAY 11TH – THURSDAY 12TH NOVEMBER 2020 BOURNEMOUTH INTERNATIONAL CENTRE BOOKINGS NOW OPEN: Early bird discount before 16th September Plenary speakers • Parallel sessions • Interactive workshops • Symposia • Posters • Early bird sessions • Special events

A strong theme will be the way the Covid-19 pandemic has demanded changes in dementia care practice in all settings, the innovative ways challenges have been met and the way ahead.

Sessions will include: • Covid-19 – review, reflection and the road forward in dementia care • Innovations and evaluations in staff development, training and education • Creative ways to connect through technology • Music and music therapy – Individual arts interventions – Intergenerational arts practice • The ‘uniform’ question • A review and new guidelines on responding to stress and distress • Self-management, peer and early support • Care and support at home • Experience of people with dementia from minority ethnic communities • New dementia service models: Co-producing services – Social prescribing of arts – Housing with care • Best practice in sustaining post-diagnosis support groups • Reducing polypharmacy / Supporting mobility – practical approaches – non pharmacological interventions • Younger people with dementia – diagnosis and support • Carers and Families – caring in lockdown – distance caring – living grief and bereavement • LGBTQ people living with dementia There are also dedicated whole day special interest sessions on: • End-of-life care in all dementia care environments – challenges for care homes, enabling a good death, advance care planning • Dementia care in acute hospitals – Covid-19 workshop, innovation and research, arts and intergenerational practice

in association with

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We are pleased to announce that 15th UK Dementia Congress 2020 will go ahead as planned but with an all-new virtual online component. The congress will now be a hybrid event, but we are currently planning to still include live, in person programming at the Bournemouth International Centre on England’s beautiful south coast.

Situated in the heart of the town and a few steps away from the seafront, Bournemouth International Centre is a purpose-built event venue offering easy access and a coastal vibe with amazing sea views. As an exciting hybrid event, we look forward to continuing to build on the success of the UK’s most well-loved multi-disciplinary congress on dementia care.

We are continuously monitoring the ever-changing circumstances surrounding Covid-19, and are focused on keeping our delegates, speakers and supporters safe during this time. We will continue to adapt to the shifting landscape and the needs and wishes of our dementia care community. We will be following the recommendations of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Public Health England and all relevant authorities in relation to the congress, and will ensure to update all attendees if measures in place will affect our plans for the event.

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WHY SHOULD YOU ATTEND?

PLENARY SPEAKERS

• •

People living with dementia and their supporters

• • • • • • • • •

CPD certified two-day conference programme Plenary sessions, keynote speakers and a wide choice of parallel sessions, symposia and interactive workshops Over 40 parallel sessions to choose from covering the latest in dementia care, research, policy and innovation People with dementia and carers sharing their experiences Large and lively exhibition Themed and facilitated networking sessions Congress app Poster presentations Panel discussions and audience question time Opportunities to network and socialise with like-minded individuals Drinks reception and special events

Paola Barbarino, Alzheimer’s Disease International Professor Linda Clare, University of Exeter Jackie Pool, Sunrise Senior Living & Gracewell Healthcare Dr James Warner, Imperial College London

Programme: theresa.ellmers@investorpublishing.co.uk Sponsorship opportunities: caroline.bowern@investorpublishing.co.uk Bookings: events@investorpublishing.co.uk organised by

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coping with covid-19

Caring for care home staff DANUTA LIPINSKA, a My Home Life action learning facilitator and specialist in ageing & dementia care, offers some practical advice to help care home staff cope with the anxieties and stresses of working during the pandemic.

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irst of all, thank you seems inadequate to express how we feel about how you are working and caring throughout these immensely challenging times. You have our deepest appreciation and lifelong gratitude.

Working in care and supporting vulnerable women and men, you have probably had to manage a quarantine of some kind before – more times than the average person. Following a detailed protocol is not alien to you, as it is for me and for so many others. Was it scabies, or Norovirus? Something else?

You know what it feels like when relatives have had to stay away, And you know how to clean stuff really well. You know how to prevent infection. You also know how to care beautifully for those at the end of life and how to support a dear person and their family as they prepare to leave this life.

One of the many things that make this experience of caring so very different, is

You are doing the best that you can in extreme situations. There is a way forward; it will not resolve the pandemic but it may buy you a few minutes of peace. that we have little or no control over what comes next, or when it will end. The ending of lives may feel premature, preventable. The partners and relatives, faith leaders are not at the bedside.

Questions like: What will tomorrow bring? Who will become unwell next?

Who is not going to come in to work?

Where will our PPE come from? Who is going to supply our food? are always with you. We may not know the answers, or how to solve the problems and not knowing creates anxiety and stress.

Let's remind ourselves and acknowledge that our human responses to threat are the four Fs:

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■

■

■

■

Fight – rising to the challenge, getting stuck into the work, not giving up, rallying others to the cause Flight – needing to get away from it all physically and/or psychologically (in lock-down, that’s not so easy) – emotionally distancing from the sadness, grief, feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, needing to feel numb and detached, maybe not talking to partners, family or friends. “zoning out” Freeze – not doing anything other than essentials, putting all other things on hold Follow – letting others guide and direct us, tell us what to do, where to go. It might feel safer to leave decisions to someone else for a while.

We can do all or some, all of the time or some of the time, or just one, over and over. If it isn't meeting our need to feel safer and less threatened, we move to another response(s).

What you need and what works for you will be unique in your circumstances.

Usually, these responses just kick-in and we may not be consciously aware of them until we stop and pay attention.

You are doing the best that you can in extreme situations. When you narrow it all down, there is a way forward; it will not resolve the pandemic, it will not create a vaccine., but it may buy you a few minutes of peace. That’s a few minutes more than you might have had before.

Here are some things you might want to try. They may sound really simple, but I believe they work some of the time, for some people.

Breathe Our most precious gift is breathing. When we are afraid, anxious and feeling out of control, when we are feeling huge pressure and expectation, we take little shallow, timid breaths.

Our brains need big, deep breaths to help us to think clearly, to move through the cobwebs of confusion and to bring life giving, enriched oxygen to those very distant and tired parts of body, mind, and soul.

I bet there are moments in the day when, like me, you realise that you are hardly breathing at all, and that you can't remember the last time you breathed from deep in your belly so your lungs were really full and then really empty.

Try breathing in through your nose to the count of five, hold it for the count of

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coping with covid-19 three and then breathe out through your mouth for the count of four. You can do this anywhere. If you are wearing masks a lot of the day, it is important to find a safe place to do this and even better, stick your head out the door or the window.

In your imagination, visualise your “happy place” – maybe you also have a post card or photo of that beach, or a child's birthday party, a wedding or family gathering that made you feel relaxed, connected and wonderful.

Keep the mental pictures or real photos handy and go there when you can. You can even invite a resident to share their special place and talk about them together.

Drink The brain is 70% water. When we aren't drinking, we become dehydrated, confused, and grumpy. We get headaches and dizziness. Our brain is not able to function as it needs to, so the rest of the body and soul will also be struggling.

When you are helping residents to drinks, think about getting one for yourself too when it is convenient. It doesn't have to be water.

Tea, coffee, juice, squash, and any other beverages. Decaffeinated, sugar free, herbal if you can manage it, but not if it ruins your enjoyment and stops you drinking.

A nice glass of what you fancy (beer or wine) when you get home can be a lovely treat. Spirits aren't considered helpful on the rehydration front.

If your appetite isn't great, try smoothies (sweet or savoury), soups, milkshakes, lemon and ginger tea, fresh fruit also has water and healthy sugars.

Nourish Remember to eat. Maybe you can't manage what you used to, either because of too many demands or not being home for supper in time anymore. Or you simply aren't hungry.

It doesn't have to be a full-blown meal if you can't manage it for whatever reason.

Healthy, nutritious, high protein snacks and food on the go can help even out blood sugar and increase protein release over time, rather than having the empty sugar rush that doesn’t last.

Comfort food will also be helpful, in moderation. Pace yourself. Keep some of the chocolate cake or hobnobs for another day.

Eat slowly and mindfully, really allowing yourself to enjoy the taste, smell

If we spread our focus too widely – to the wider world, We can become more anxious, more frightened, and feel even more out of control.

and sight of your food. Sit down somewhere away from work or the TV news if you can. Be with those you love if you are able.

Eat when you are hungry, stop when you are full. If you can't eat, drink. See above.

Allow others to do the cooking and to experiment with meals and your lunch box that you take to work.

Rest We all need sleep to recover and regenerate. It may not come easily at the moment or it may be that you don't really want to wake up and have to force yourself out of sleep with an alarm (or two).

When things are stressful, sleep can seem like a good escape. And it is – until being asleep reduces your quality and amount of awake time. Find ways of not oversleeping if this is the case.

If you are too ‘wired’ after a long shift, or exhausted from doing algebra with your child after a hard day, find routines and rhythms to help you get off to sleep, including sex - alone or with another.

Warm bubble bath or shower, comfy sheets, a teddy (pet or human) to cuddle can help. You might need music or a book to change your thoughts and take you to another world.

Do not force yourself to read books that require deep thinking. Light, fun topics that interest you are best. Even reading aloud with your children or the dog can revive and restore your mood and imagination, taking you to another place, helping you to relax.

Laughter and humour are great stress releasers too. Some people find prayer and meditation, yoga, music, poetry are all helpful bedtime helpers. You can create your own list. No one thing suits us all.

Look Just open your hands, look into your palms and ask; What can I do now, in this moment with these hands, with what I have in front of me and available to me right now?

July/August 2020

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It may be a very small thing, but it is one positive action, word or thought and it might be all you can manage.

Narrow your focus. Reduce the sense of being overwhelmed by taking one small aspect of the task at hand, that is doable and achievable now.

If we spread our focus too widely – to the wider world, to the immense suffering and grief, to the bombardment of information and news (not all of it accurate or helpful) to tomorrow or next month, we can become more anxious, more frightened, and feel even more out of control. This one, small thing, is what I can do now.

Feel But not too much. Or all at once. There will be time to do that later on.

Right now, you have to keep it together for so many. But it is important to acknowledge the feeling (s) when they arrive and choose to allow them to be expressed then, or later on.

"It is true that is what is happening. I don't like it. I wish it wasn't happening.

But I can choose how to feel about it. I am going to choose NOT to think about it or feel it right now.

I can think about this feeling and allow myself to feel it for a moment. Yes, this is real. I can feel it, but it doesn't have to take over. I can return to it later if I want to or leave it alone if I want to.

You can give yourself one thing at a time that you will allow yourself to feel. For a few minutes only. Ending with deep breathing and a positive affirmation or message to yourself, something like "I am a good person. I am doing the best I can with what I have. In this moment, I am OK. I can't fix anything completely, but I can try to make one thing better.

Tomorrow is another day" Do Put a little “anchor” or touchstone in your pocket. A stone, a button, an acorn, a marble, a small key that doesn't belong to anything anymore, and have it with you to touch as a reminder of better times, a connection to your real inner self, and that this too will pass.

Stay connected, or not – too much of a good thing can also increase stress even if it is good stuff. You might need to hunker down and reduce the stimulation for a bit and come back when you feel ready. Let people know this is your way.

Just for now.

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technology

July/August 2020

www.careinfo.org

An ageing population and funding challenges have placed social care providers under pressure. Industry leaders are investigating how to meet surges in demand and protect against future health crises like Covid-19.

GAVIN BASHAR, UK managing director of Tunstall Healthcare discusses the future of care homes and the role of assistive technology

T

o ensure social care operators are safeguarded for the future and can continue to support the most vulnerable in society, industry leaders must investigate how to meet the coming surge in demand as our population ages, and protect against future health crises like Covid-19.

Social care systems have often been established with reaction rather than prevention in mind. It is crucial that there is a shift in this behaviour to enable greater input into development and innovation.

Care providers need to become more progressive and embrace available opportunities. As we live longer, demands on social care services will increase and the impact of the changing health and care landscape needs to be considered.

Professionals must explore how they can improve the support they deliver and the ways in which technology enabled care in particular, can help elderly and vulnerable people to live well.

Investment needs to be made in empowering residents through cost efficient and appropriate preventative and proactive measures, to continue living as independently, happily, healthily and securely as possible. As the world moves towards an increasingly digital

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Telecare – an integral part of future service delivery future, the social care industry needs to progress and become digitally enabled.

The next generation of systems will become more predictive, using patterns in data to anticipate possible events such as falls by identifying changes in behaviour, ultimately allowing organisations to deliver efficient care to their communities while also enhancing cost-effectiveness and quality of care.

Technology’s role It is crucial that the role of technology in developing the care homes of the future is understood, and that technological advancements are embraced.

Advanced wireless and digital systems which move beyond traditional, fixed-call points will enable providers to meet the demands of modern and future care delivery, and support residential and nursing care. Wireless and digital technology will enable care to be more efficient and responsive, and allow for straightforward, non-obtrusive installation.

Care homes can use technology to deliver a robust platform for health and care delivery, connecting people to enable more proactive and preventative care.

Investment in technology solutions now will also mean we have a sustainable and scalable network in place should we ever have to face such an emergency as Covid19 again.

Technology can work across a wide range of devices including wearables and mobile phones, enabling care workers to manage the safety of residents from anywhere at any time, securing rapid responses, and enabling person-centred

care delivery. Early detection of changes in the behaviour of residents and solutions tailored for individual needs can also create more effective care delivery and support management in making better informed, date-driven decisions.

Systems which support numerous telecare integrations and sensors, including wearable devices, and offer automatic alarms will give residents greater freedom and independence, and carers more opportunities to interact with residents on a social and personal level.

The future in action NHS Calderdale Clinical Commissioning Group in West Yorkshire has been working closely with Calderdale Council since 2012, establishing a more consistent and sustainable model of care for older and vulnerable individuals in Calderdale.

The initiative was developed, combining a multi-disciplinary team, real-time access to live clinical records for GPs and Quest for Quality in Care Homes matrons, telecare and telehealth systems.

The results are impressive: hospital bed days down 68% year on year; GP carehome visits reduced by 45% compared to homes not in the research programme; hospital admissions down 26% year on year; £799,561 in savings from reduced hospital stays; and the number of falls reduced by 18.6%.

This work illustrates how embedding technology in service delivery can change how health and social care works in real life. It makes the lives of older and more vulnerable people safer and at the same time, helps the NHS and social services free-up resources to invest elsewhere.

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THE BEATING HEART OF CARE: SUPPORTING CARE WORKERS BETTER

The Care Workersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Charity is a registered charity 1132286 (England and Wales) & SC048051 (Scotland)

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service integration

C

July/August 2020

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SIMON KENTON, programme director at Warrington Together, looks at how care homes and other social care services can better engage with the UK’s health system after the Covid-19 pandemic.

ollaboration, communication and inclusion are the three pillars of how health and social care should operate. When care professionals work together, converse effectively and share resources and best practice, the services we provide are productive, streamlined and more efficient.

My current role, as programme director of a health and social care alliance called

Towards better engagement Warrington Together, has allowed me to emphasise the importance of integration, while trying to implement this method of working on a wider scale.

There’s lots of work to be done to better integrate care homes, which are often privately-owned, with the wider care system. Greater collaboration between all care services across the UK should lead to better, more sustained results.

Given the current climate, there’s never been a better time for care homes to come together with their local communities and help create a new-look care system, which we can all be proud of.

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Lessons from Covid-19 The Covid-19 pandemic has undoubtedly shaken up our health service. With all eyes on the NHS to guide us through this challenging time, health and social care professionals have adapted in tremendous ways, working closely with community services, including charities and the voluntary sector, to help navigate the country through this difficult period.

Care homes could benefit by taking a similar approach to that demonstrated throughout the pandemic, which could lead to greater involvement with other health and social care services. Care homes are an integral part of the caring community so encouraging more conversations and generating closer relationships with other services will allow them to take advantage of some of the sought-after resources available.

Sharing expertise and learning from others There’s lots to be gained from care home employees working closely with other health and social care professionals, since the roles can be largely interchangeable in local communities. Models like Warrington Together encourage staff to

work across different environments and sectors, facilitating the sharing of knowledge and resources.

For example, when a patient is being discharged from hospital to a care home with a specific care package in place, open communication between the hospital and care home staff will help to ensure the resident’s experience in the care home is significantly enhanced. Facilitating these key relationships, will positively impact the resident’s care, while also making life easier for the employees.

I recognise the position of care homes as independent businesses in many cases, but better resident care is a win-win from both a business and an ethical perspective. Care homes that are exemplary managed, using the resources and expertise of an integrated care system, are set to thrive.

If care homes are able to unite under a collective voice, benefiting from the knowledge, experience and resources of one another, the entire system could be revolutionised to provide a much simplified method of care. Potential benefits associated with this collectivism include sharing the costs of training sessions and the procurement of food and equipment. Beyond this, care home employees and health and social care colleagues are able to better communicate; sharing views to place resident needs at the very forefront of everything they do.

All health and social care staff, including those working in care homes, should be equal partners in our national care system, regardless of individual governance arrangements

Placing residents at the heart of our care Care homes and other health and social care sectors have one core aim – to ensure that residents and patients are at the heart of everything we do. The integrated care model is a fantastic way to ensure our approach is always people-focused.

A lack of synergy between health and social care services can have a detrimental effect on those in our care.

Instead, we should focus on coming together to make managing the care of individuals much easier.

For example, the average number of daily medicines per day for persons over 75 is 26. Under the current process, care home associates must gain this information from the pharmacy and construct personalised care plans for each resident. This lengthy process could be eliminated by using technology to improve communications with health and social care staff, allowing care workers to be present when care packages are devised by the various different health experts.

What next?

All health and social care staff, including those working in care homes, should be equal partners in our national care system, regardless of individual governance arrangements.

The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the vital role that these services play in society. Third sector support groups and the goodwill of our communities is heavily relied on and need to be integral to the future.

Ultimately, it comes down to teamwork and community engagement and it’s imperative that care homes are better integrated into our wider health and social care provision, to create an inclusive and holistic system built on support, understanding and mutual respect.

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social care reform

P

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olitical parties of all colours need to start getting serious about how social care is to be delivered in future. Some of the important questions include: how should it be run; by whom; how is it to be funded and how much money does it need? Too many social care cans have been kicked down the road for far too long. It’s time the Cinderella of the huge Department of Health & Social Care was taken to the ball.

If there has been any positive outcome following the arrival of Covid-19, it has been in the emerging recognition that the care of our elderly people has, for too long, been neglected. Finally, I am glimpsing a wave of sympathy (albeit late very in the day) for its dedicated carers.

From mid-March onwards when people started lining the streets to applaud the NHS every Thursday evening, I felt unable to join in. It wasn’t just that it felt a bit too North Korea to me. It was because I knew that carers were being overlooked.

Whilst our new chancellor was promising the NHS “as much money as it needed”, care staff weren’t even in the queue for basic personal protection equipment. And, when elderly patients were being shipped out of hospitals and into care homes without being tested, existing residents and care staff were being subjected to enormous risk. By the time government cottoned on to this danger, care home deaths had become avoidably stratospheric.

It was my view that if we were going to be applauding every Thursday evening, it should not just be for the doctors and nurses, but for our care home staff and home care visitors, the people working on the tills in supermarkets, and just about everyone else who was putting their necks on the line on a daily basis.

It’s clear there is going to be a major shake-up in Westminster following the arrival of Covid-19. This gives the Prime Minister an enormous opportunity to right some of the wrongs that have beset the social care sector for far too long. This is what I would do: Firstly, the DHSC is too big. The NHS is the largest state-run monolith in the UK, and demand for its services is boundless.

Social care, being largely private sector operated, is a completely different, but equally complicated animal. It hardly gets a look in. I would separate those beasts, creating two government departments: a Department of National Health (‘DNH’) and a Department of Social Care (‘DSC’).

July/August 2020

www.careinfo.org

An opportunity to

right the wrongs

By ANDREW LINDSAY, chairman of the corporate and commercial law firm Representation UK representationuk.com This would enable social care to be put on National Insurance into income tax and an equal financial footing with the rest of corporation tax. And I would create a new, the nation’s health services. hypothecated tax, to fund both the DNH Secondly, funding for the new DSC and the DSC. That way, taxpayers could at should go directly from the Treasury to least have more insight into how their local authorities. After all, local authorities taxes were being spent. already have the expertise (a substantial We don’t pay our carers enough – part of their budget is spent on social care). particularly those working in largely And they currently have a close publicly funded homes or making home relationship with care providers. visits in deprived areas. That’s not because The delivery of social care should care operators are parsimonious. It’s remain overwhelmingly private sector led. because publicly funded fees are not high Private sector delivery of almost enough. The way we look after our elderly everything is more efficient than what is is an indication of how civilised we are as provided by the state. And, surely, as a a society. I would take that argument result of what we have learned because of further, to say that the way we look after Covid-19, we should move beyond those our employees in social care is equally student-like philosophical arguments important. about what the state runs and what is run The introduction of the minimum wage privately. The question should be: ‘who has helped lift carers out of poverty. But does it best and most efficiently?’ that journey can only continue if Covid-19’s arrival has shown us that government pumps a lot more money into local authority social care departments social care. Otherwise, more hard-pressed and private sector providers can work well operators, (already hearing their financial together. We should build on this. We pips squeaking loudly), will sink in know that demand for elderly care increasing numbers. We shouldn’t let that continues to increase as the number of our happen. elderly people grows. More public-private Government still needs to work out how care partnerships need to be encouraged much privately funded residents should between these two sides of the same coin, pay for their care. But, that’s a subject for sharing information about future need and another day. In the meantime, now that the building resilience into the system in case Prime Minister has recognised the huge other viruses arrive in future. importance of social care, I’m happy to It is inevitable that both health and applaud everyone who put their lives at social care will need a lot more cash in risk for us all on a daily basis. future. This means we will all end up paying more through Andrew Lindsay is chairman of the corporate and our taxes. If I were chancellor, I commercial law firm Representation UK and former chair would fold the collection of of the West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce. employer and employee

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30-45CT0720gh.qxp_Layout 1 24/06/2020 16:24 Page 38

building with care

July/August 2020

www.careinfo.org

LNT due to start two new developments LNT Construction has begun work on two 66-bed care home development sites in Faversham and Chippenham, following the completion of homes in Bicester and Sandbach.

Peter Mortimer, managing director of

construction, said it was the company’s goal to provide and enhance a safe environment for both staff and residents.

“I’m extremely proud of the team at LNTC as we have adapted and continued to build exceptional

quality care homes,” said Mr Mortimer.

“Our buildings are designed to work for us to help fight against infectious diseases. All bedrooms and day spaces have natural background trickle ventilation rather than recirculated air to ensure fresh air is being brought in and the old air is flushed out. Our care homes have wide corridors and provide enough day space for residents to relax in through multiple lounges around the home which also prevents overcrowding. All bedrooms are fitted with a full ensuite wetroom as well as additional assisted bathrooms throughout the home.”

LNT care development director Nick Broadbent said it had been a great achievement to be able to safely keep their sites open and continue to provide care beds to the UK in these difficult times.

“We are continually evolving our product to suit current and emerging needs of the sector,” he said.

“We very much look forward to seeing these two fantastic sites take shape over the next12-month construction period.”

LNT Construction is currently on 10 sites and due to start another two developments in July. The company is looking to add more sites to its development pipeline.

LEFT: Illustrative view of the 66-bed care home to be built in Chippenham by LNT Construction.

Exemplar opens specialist facility in Newcastle

38

Complex needs care home provider Exemplar Health Care has launched its first care home in the North East.

Tyne Grange is built on what used to be the Hillfield Nursing Home. Since closing and then being acquired by Exemplar, the care home has been completely rebuilt from the inside at a cost of about £2 million. The facility will support 22 younger adults who live with complex needs such as neuro-disabilities, Huntington’s Disease, brain injury and stroke, and challenging behaviour.

The home is equipped to meet the needs of its new residents, with every bedroom having an en suite wet room. There are two one-bedroom apartments on the ground floor to support more independent living..

Tyne Grange’s commissioning home director Sam Cottam said a hundred staff were being recruited. “I’m thrilled to be opening Exemplar Health Care’s very first care home in Newcastle,” said Ms Cottam. “Exemplar’s existing experience supporting complex needs – as well as its systems, processes and values – will set Tyne Grange apart from other care home providers.

“Every one of our high-quality care homes provides supportive, welcoming, communitybased services which help our residents reach their goals. Supporting complex care residents can be extremely rewarding, and Exemplar Health Care is already offering stable and secure careers to more than 3,200 people.

“As well as providing employment opportunities, there are plans in place to help Tyne Grange become part of the local community. It’s our ambition for Tyne Grange to be a place where we host community events, and where our residents can be part of the community, whether through work placements, local events or volunteering.”

RIGHT: Exemplar Health Care’s commissioning home director Sam Cottam.

Newly rebuilt: An artist’s impression of Exemplar Health Care’s first special needs care home in Newcastle.

30-45CT0720gh.qxp_Layout 1 24/06/2020 16:24 Page 39

November/December 2019 Volume 18 Number 6

NURSERY MANAGEMENT TODAY

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Your hearing How to protect it

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business news

July/August 2020

www.careinfo.org

Anchor Hanover sticks with Miele Anchor Hanover says it will continue the longterm relationship with commercial laundry equipment provider, Miele, after the merger between the Hanover Housing Association and the Anchor Trust.

The two organisations have been providing care to the over-55s for more than 50 years and operate in 1,700 locations across England. The newly merged group manages 54,000 homes which includes residential care and retirement villages; offering a range of care services to around 60,000 customers.

Last year’s merger saw a reassessment of incumbent suppliers to make sure the best possible provisions were put in place for the larger organisation. When evaluating laundry, both the Anchor Trust and the Hanover Housing Association had existing contracts with the professional division of Miele. With a combined

relationship spanning 18 years, Miele washer and dryers are installed in 700 locations across Anchor Hanover properties.

Having impressed staff with the quality of laundry and the reliability of the machines, care home managers and employees felt that the Miele equipment was the best product for the job and as a result, it was decided that this long-term association must be continued.

Rashid Bahadur, buyer for Anchor Hanover said feedback from workers who regularly used the machines not only praised laundry results but also the exceptional service provided by engineers, an important consideration for 24-hour businesses such as care homes.

“The Miele machines have enabled staff to carry out their duties with little intervention,” said Mr Bahadur. “The auto-dosing system offers a ‘press and go’ approach, saving time for workers as there

Person Centred Software is given accolade for pioneering technology Digital transformation in the care sector has been recognised in early June with a care home technology developer named as a top 10 digital leader.

Person Centred Software created its digital care planning and monitoring software to help address the UK’s elderly care challenge – and is now used by 1,800 care homes across the UK, with carers using it to record 3 million care interventions every day.

40

The organisation has been named as one of the UK’s top 10 SMEs in a national list by Digital Leaders 100, created to celebrate businesses which have been vital to the UK’s digital transformation.

Person Centred Software’s digital care system, Mobile Care Monitoring is claimed to save care workers an hour a day on paperwork with care interactions evidenced as they happen, enabling them to focus on hands-on care, as well as helping families to stay in touch with their loved ones.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Person Centred Software’s team worked quickly to release a free version of its Relatives Gateway portal to keep care home residents and their families connected via secure messaging, photos and video calls.

“The social care sector is often under recognised and it is heartening to receive this accolade,” said Jonathan Papworth, who set up Person Centred Software with his brother Simon Papworth seven years ago.

“The work we have done alongside care homes is helping to improve standards and make a difference to the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in our society.”

■ The ultimate winner of the Digital Leaders 100 will be announced in October. To vote for Person Centred Software go to https://digileaders100.com/ digital-sme.

is no need to continuously refill the washers with laundry powder and liquid”.

Anchor Hanover says other benefits of its relationship with Miele include: the preinstallation inspection, which is carried out to identify any potential challenges that may occur, minimising disruption; speed and ease of use of the machines, such as the simple to understand controls; and the warranty which offers a dedicated resource, meaning any issues are dealt with straight away.

Sam Bailey, sales and marketing director of the professional division of Miele said the company was committed to developing new ways of working for employees who interact with the company’s machines, including training programmes to help staff self-manage and selfservice equipment allowing for the smooth running of laundry operations.

Marton Care acquires 11 homes from Four Seasons Marton Care Homes has purchased 11 care homes in the North East, Yorkshire and Lancashire. The homes were f o r m e r l y operated by Four Seasons Health Richard Hoggart Care but have been managed by Marton Care Homes for the last few months and have been bought out of administration.

Richard Hoggart founded the business specifically to create a new brand to complement the existing Burlington Care brand and Amanda Cunningham, former chief operating officer of Four Seasons, joined the business in March.

“The staff and management team in these homes have worked tirelessly over the last few months, not only dealing with a new operator but also the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Mr Hoggart.

“I appreciate the effort they have put in and the success they have delivered in such a short space of time. We look forward to the future with optimism about what else we might achieve.”

Marton Care says it intends to make further acquisitions.

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To Buy: 0844 7011 821 To Sell: 0844 3877 498 www.redwoodsdk.com/healthcare R E P U TA ATI TI O N

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Fee income of £265k (y/e 2018) with an EBITDA of £75k

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Management team in place Rated ‘Good’ by CQC & County Council

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30-45CT0720gh.qxp_Layout 1 24/06/2020 16:24 Page 42

analysis

July/August 2020

www.careinfo.org

Carterwood’s latest Covid-19 study focuses on mortality in care homes

42

Care property specialists Carterwood have published their third study into the impact of Covid-19 on the care sector, looking at variations in outcomes across 171 local authorities in England and Wales. The key findings are: The overall average Covid-19 mortality rate per 1,000 beds is 32 (3.15%) in England and Wales.

Of the 171 upper-tier local authorities, 32 have significantly higher than average mortality rates and 30 have significantly lower than average mortality rates.

Four of the five authorities with the highest number of deaths per thousand are located in the South East – Reading (106), Tower Hamlets (86), Hammersmith & Fulham (79) and Berkshire (74). These all have lower numbers of registered care home beds.

South Tyneside in the North East had the fifth highest number of deaths per thousand (72).

Of the five local authorities with the lowest numbers of deaths per thousand, three are in Wales - Ceredigion (0), Anglesey (4) and Gwynedd (5). The other two are North East Lincolnshire (4) and Bracknell Forest (5).

The South East has seen the largest proportion of Covid-19-related care home mortalities at 17.8% (2,015 deaths), followed by the North West (15.7% - 1,778 deaths), Yorkshire & the Humber (11.4% - 1,293 deaths), West Midlands (10.3% - 1,163 deaths), South West (9.7% - 1,095 deaths), East England (8.6% - 974 deaths), North East (8.3% - 938 deaths), London (7.4% 841 deaths), East Midlands (7.3% - 822 deaths) and Wales (3.5% - 394 deaths).

Looking at mortalities per 1,000 beds, the most are observed in the North East with (45), followed by the North West (37), Yorkshire & the Humber (36), London (34), West Midlands (33), South East (32), South West (27), East Midlands (26), East England (25) and Wales (20).

Carterwood’s analysts used a multiple linear regression model to calculate predicted care home mortalities when the number of lab-confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the local population is taken into account, enabling a comparison between this figure and the actual deaths reported and highlighting local authorities where care homes have experienced significantly higher or lower mortalities than might be expected.)

Results in eight local authorities were significantly worse than expected given the prevalence of Covid-19 in that authority’s general population - County Durham (+125 mortalities than the model predicted), Sheffield (+96), Wiltshire (+91),

Gloucestershire (+90), Cheshire East (+69), Hampshire (+67), Oxfordshire (+63) and Leeds (+61).

In contrast, results in five authority areas were significantly better than expected – Lincolnshire (-95 mortalities than the model predicted), Kent (-87), Norfolk (-84), Lancashire (-73) and Devon (-68) Carterwood director Ben Hartley said statistics could deliver a very insensitive view about what had been a deeply distressing and emotional time for those directly affected by what had happened.

“We never forget that,” he said. “And in the light of the recent much-publicised criticism of the government by the UK Statistics Authority, we should all bear in mind the danger of jumping to conclusions. After all, as Mark Twain rather elegantly put it, ‘facts are stubborn but statistics are pliable’ and so we need to exercise caution before jumping to conclusions. There are however a number of observations we can make.

“The impact of Covid-19 deaths seems to be partly driven by the issue of accessibility, not just population density. Coastal areas and the remote fringes have been relatively unaffected.

“London has been significantly impacted at an absolute level and has two of the highest rates of Covid-19 deaths per 1,000 beds of all authorities assessed. But, relative to its total population base, it has been affected in line with what we would expect.

There are also some questions about the rural/urban assumption (i.e. that Covid-19 is more prevalent in urban areas).

“There are also a wide range of factors which will have influenced the outcome in different areas and these include the extent to which PPE was or was not available; the proportion of en suite wetrooms, which impacts infection control; the numbers of residents transferring to care homes from hospital; the rate at which operators isolated their homes and residents; or the sheer misfortune of having one person with Covid-19 come into the home at a time when the impact of the virus was not well-understood and awareness nationally was low.

“Ultimately, I see our work in this area as iterative and ongoing. We want to share it at all stages and we hope that it helps to inform considered discussion and reflection”.

■ Carterwood’s study can be seen in more detail at: carterwood.co.uk/carterwoodresearch-reveals-stark-differences-incovid-19-care-home-impact-by-region/

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July/August 2020

www.careinfo.org

Demand for live-in services is growing Home care provider Bluebird Care Reading, Wokingham, Windsor, Maidenhead and Bracknell says demand for its live-in care service has grown rapidly since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Bluebird says many families had found live-in care a preferable solution to their care needs as the customer is able to remain in their own home and have flexibility with their routine.

“There is no need to be separated from loved ones as Bluebird Care can

support more than one person at home,” said live-in care manager Alex Witten. “There is also no need for customers to leave their pets and home comforts.

“Live-in care is also great value for money compared to residential homes. It allows customers to have a tailored plan to suit their needs rather than be dictated by strict times. It has become a popular solution in the last couple of years, with our live-in care customer base growing by 40%.”

Home Instead makes acquisition to boost its live-in care provision

To advertise in Caring Times please contact caroline.bowern@ investorpublishing.co.uk or tel 07974 643292

MARTIN JONES: ‘Home is the place people feel happiest and most secure.’

Home care company, Home Instead Senior Care UK, has acquired SuperCarers as part of plans to extend its live-in care offering.

The purchase of SuperCarers, a care introductory business which helps connect individuals and organisations with trusted, fully vetted carers in their area, is in response to the changing needs of elderly clients who are looking for live-in care, where a carer provides around the clock care in a person’s home, as an alternative to care homes.

“Home is the place people feel happiest and most secure and our services can support that,” said Home Instead chief executive Martin Jones. “We know from our research that 98% of over-65s say it’s

important to them that they stay living independently in their own home.

“Acquiring the SuperCarers business is an exciting development for us and will allow us to build on our home care offer to support even more people at home for longer. This can be from early stage care, which might only involve using technology to stay in touch with an older person to ensure they are safe, right through to more support around personal care, home help, and then eventually live-in care and palliative care.”

Part of a global franchise network, Home Instead was established in the UK 15 years ago and in this time has grown considerably to 215 offices with 9000 care workers looking after 14,000 elderly clients.

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care businesses sold

May 2020

www.careinfo.org

PROPERTIES AND BUSINESSES RECENTLY SOLD IN THE CARE SECTOR Grove Villa & Annexe Location Registration Agent Tel

Deal, Kent Closed former care home (18 rooms) Christie & Co 01622 656000

Gables Manor nursing home Location

Faith House Location

Saxilby, Lincolnshire

Registration

19 LD

Severn Beach, South Gloucestershire

Buyer

National Care Consortium Making Space

Registration

10 personal care

Seller

Buyer

Mr & Mrs Farooq Ogunseye

Agent

Seller

Mrs Toni Stevens

Guide price Agent Tel

£600,000 Christie & Co 0117 946 8500

Bespoke care

Tel

01142 369532

Former Whitchurch care home Location Registration

Whitchurch, Bristol Former registration for 50, nursing care

Buyer

Mr C Bach

Seller

Geniecare Homes

Guide price Agent Tel

£2,500,000 Christie & Co 0117 946 8500

Amberleigh (closed) Location Registration Buyer Seller Asking price: Agent

Abbotsfield Location Registration

Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria

Abbey Wood Park Property Ltd CIC £550,000 Christie & Co 07870917854

26 elderly

Buyer

Mrs Kim & Mr Philip Rogerson

Seller

Mr Jeff & Mrs Lata Patel

Agent

Christie & Co

Tel

Tel

Liverpool Formerly 38 elderly

07590 486 357

Radcliffe Location Registration

34 elderly

Buyer

Domain Care

Seller

Mr Kevin Martin

Agent

44

Mirfield, West Yorkshire

Tel

Christie & Co 0113 389 2705

■ Information appearing in “Care Businesses Sold” is published in good faith that the information is accurate and cleared for publication. The onus for accuracy is on the property agent. Caring Times will not publish, in a subsequent issue, corrections or alterations to information supplied.

Agents, please note that items cannot be withdrawn once the copy deadline has passed.

We advise readers to confirm any details with the property agent concerned.

Coate Water Care buys new care home in Wiltshire

Durnsford Lodge Location Registration

Plymouth, Devon 28 nursing

Buyer

ZPR Futures Ltd

Seller

Durnsford Lodge Ltd

Agent Tel

Christie & Co 07764 241 310

Coate Water Care, a family-run care provider with a portfolio of eight care homes in Swindon, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Gloucester, has acquired a newly-reopened care home in Devizes, Wiltshire.

The refurbished home, next to the Kennet & Avon canal, is to be called Avebury House and will shortly open to provide a range of nursing and dementia care for up to 47 residents.

Law firm Royds Withy King advised Coate Water on the acquisition. Specialist business agents, Christie & Co, advised the seller and funding for the purchase was provided by NatWest Bank.

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retirement living

July/August 2020

www.careinfo.org

Oak Retirement has welcomed the first residents to its newly-opened Friary Meadow, a £35 million retirement village in Hampshire.

Retirement village welcomes first residents following pandemic delay Hampshire’s newest retirement village has welcomed its first residents – having been obliged to wait for a move-in date due to Covid-19 lockdown restrictions.

Friary Meadow, in Titchfield, initially opened for viewings in mid-March, but the advent of the pandemic meant new residents had to delay their arrival. Now, with lock-down measures slowly easing and the housing market officially open again, the necessary arrangements have been completed, meaning the first residents have finally been able to move in.

Dr Stephen Ladyman, founder of Oak Retirement the firm behind Friary Meadow and a former minister of health responsible for social care, said that, with the first permanent residents now in situ, the village had taken its first steps towards becoming a thriving retirement community.

“Having been years in the making, including both planning and building, it’s tremendously rewarding to see the first members of the new community arrive,” said Dr Ladyman.

“Our ethos at Friary Meadow is centred on offering those of retirement age the opportunity

to be part of a collective of like-minded people who, at a similar stage of life, share similar values and interests.

“Thanks to on-hand care support, residents can maintain their independence for longer while still being part of and involved with the wider community. We’re very much looking forward to seeing this develop as the number of residents grows over time.”

The Friary Meadow development is centred on the Extra Care Living model, which aims to offer support to older people, while allowing them to retain their independence.

With the Covid-19 pandemic an ongoing concern, measures around resident safety on site are strict – something that has seen video tours only being offered over the past few weeks.

“At Friary Meadow we’re extra cautious in our approach to our residents’ safety,” said Dr Ladyman. “This crisis is likely to be ongoing until either a vaccine is found or efficient track and trace starts to minimise any spikes in infection.

“With the very real prospect of a second wave happening over the next few months though, those who choose to live at Friary Meadow will be doing so with an added layer of protection, being able to stay in their homes, while their needs are catered to by our on-site staff.”

The £35 million development is comprised of 86 luxury homes, consisting of a mix of apartments, bungalows and townhouses. The undertaking is a joint project, operated between independent retirement living specialist, Oak Retirement, and real estate fund manager, Frogmore.

New build plans in the pipeline?

Let us know!

Email: editor@caringtimes.plus.com

45

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