Caring Times December 2020

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Care home tech – does it deliver?

The legal aspects of inquests explained

Wounded healers – caring for the carers

Covid-19 – one carer’s story

December 2020

Social care business management

THE BEST OF US – HOW CARERS WON THE NATION’S HEART

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December 2020

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Difficult times

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

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How to prepare for an inquest following a care home death

Caring for the carers

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THE BEST OF US

Friends of the Elderly tells Caring Times about the charity’s Wellbeing Pledge to its staff

The worst of times, the best of care

– HOW CARERS WON THE NATION’S HEART

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In a new report the CQC recognises excellent care but says opportunities must be grasped

Changing places

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Embracing the future

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Meet the finalists...

See page 20

One nurse describes what it’s like to contract Covid-19

The use of technology in the care sector is growing in popularity and becoming increasingly important

Life on the front line

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The lived experiences of care home staff are revealed in a new report from the National Care Forum

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ARCO launches Advisory Council to shape future of housing-with-care Housing-with-care representative body ARCO (Associated Retirement Community Operators), has launched an Advisory Council to help shape the sector’s future at what it says is a pivotal moment for housing and social care reform.

The ARCO Advisory Council, which brings together leading sector experts in the key disciplines relevant to the sector, will meet regularly and make recommendations to the ARCO Board.

ARCO says it created the council because there has never been a more important time for drawing on wide-

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ranging expertise in the housing-withcare sector. ARCO’s executive director Michael Voges said provision of housingwith-care was geared for a period of rapid expansion, with the legislative and regulatory framework for the sector set to change considerably over the next decade.

“Our country is at an absolutely critical moment in deciding how we best care for and support older people,” said Mr Voges.

“More of the same is not going to suffice, and we urgently need to expand models of housing and care that keep older people safe and secure, while boosting independence, health and wellbeing.”

The Advisory Council’s membership comes from a number of key areas, including legal services (Trowers & Hamlins, Gowling, Pinsent Masons and BCLP), consultancy (Carterwood, CBRE, JLL, Knight Frank, Savills, Whiteley Consulting), recruitment and people (Badenoch & Clark), sales (Sherpa), research (Promatura International), design & build (Castleoak), architecture (nicol thomas and Urban Edge), technology (Tunstall) and investment (Octopus Real Estate).

“It is incredibly exciting to welcome such a wide-ranging group of experts and leading voices to the ARCO Advisory Council,” said Mr Voges.

“By pooling knowledge and insights on law, the customer experience, design, technology, healthcare and much more, ARCO will be in a much stronger position to help the housing-with-care sector to flourish.”

The Advisory Council will focus much of its attention on helping to shape the policy, investment and operational landscape for housing-with-care. While the government is currently consulting on changes to the planning system and will next year push ahead with social care reform, ARCO is urging political leaders to act now to expand housing-with-care.

The representative body has recently urged all three main parties to immediately support the sector so that older people are not left behind again.

ARCO says that, despite successfully

Michael Voges

shielding older residents, providing high-quality care and support on site, improving health and wellbeing, and saving billions for the NHS and social care system, a meagre 0.6% of over-65s currently have the opportunity to live in housing-with-care.

ARCO’s Vision 2030 is for 250,000 people to live in housing-with-care within ten years which, it says, would bring savings of £5.6 billion for the health and social care systems, and generate turnover of over £70 billion.

ARCO chair and chief executive of Audley Villages Nick Sanderson said the formation of the Advisory Council was further proof that the housing-with-care sector was maturing.

“When housing-with-care got going more than 20 years ago, good advice was hard to come by as things were still so new,” said Mr Sanderson.

“Today, we’re incredibly fortunate to be working with colleagues who believe in the potential of the retirement community model and have developed deep sector knowledge: we are fortunate to have them on the ARCO Advisory Council, and the ARCO Board looks forward to a collaborative working relationship in the future.”

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December 2020

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Fibo waterproof panels now specified across all Accomplish Group residential care developments A wall finish that creates a homely design style, is easy to clean, hygienic and impact resistant was the requirement for bathrooms and kitchens at adult residential care setting The Haven, in Pembrokeshire – owned by the Accomplish Group. Providing an alternative to traditional tiling, waterproof wall panels from Fibo have been installed and it’s for these reasons that the company is the Group’s preferred supplier across its supported living developments.

The Haven provides specialist support for adults with mental health needs, acquired brain injuries, learning disabilities and physical health needs. As part of the Group’s on-going property upgrade programme, this particular adult social care setting has been completely remodelled and refurbished including two independent new build units.

As well as at The Haven, Fibo panels have been used for refurbishments at the Group’s 4 Harvey Road site in Bournemouth and at Boston House in Oldham; with Fibo the only brand of waterproof panels the Group now specifies.

There are several reasons Fibo is specified, as Marc Vickery, Head of Estates explains: “Fibo isn’t the cheapest waterproof panel product on the market but the quality of the aesthetics are far superior compared with other options. Visually, it looks like the real deal and creates that high quality finish we’re aiming to achieve.

“For each development, our goal is to create a homely environment, taking an individually considered approach to each room. The Fibo range offers a great selection of styles and colours, which provides real flexibility when it comes to the interior design side of things. We always try and use a selection of different Fibo panels throughout.

This means we get a more individual look, which

naturally creates a more homely environment.”

For The Haven, a 14-bed residential home, tileeffect panels have been used in all of the bathroom areas. Various Fibo decors are featured including London, which provides a grey, high gloss finish, and Marina Grey Oak with its fresh white grout-look style, as well as Anthracite and Athen White. Fibo wall panels are manufactured to 2.4m in height – covering more surface area and making installation more efficient.

The Haven’s bathroom facilities vary from a main bathroom area, that incorporates a specialised bath track and hoist, to en-suite bathrooms and wetrooms, which include features like level access showering, disabled bathing as well as living aids

such as grab rails and shower seats that fix to the Fibo wall panels.

High standards of cleanliness are key in this type of adult social care setting to ensure residents live with dignity. Accomplish Group Head of Estates, Marc Vickery, expands on why Fibo products are particularly suited to this environment: “The Fibo panels we specify provide an especially hygienic finish. With no grout to clean, the Fibo wall panels offer a smooth, wipeable surface, which makes cleaning much easier and quicker.”

He also adds: “Another reason Fibo panels are specified is that they are impact resistant. In these settings, situations can be unpredictable and things can become damaged by specialised equipment such as bespoke wheelchairs. Fibo panels are solid - unlike some that are hollow - so from a performance perspective the Fibo panels offer durability and longevity.” Fibo panels are manufactured from a decorative, high-pressure laminate surface, bonded to a specially developed high quality 9mm seven-layer WBP Plywood core with a balancer laminate on the reverse.

This high-quality finish has also been applied in The Haven’s kitchen areas with Fibo kitchen splashbacks installed throughout. The panels are 600mm wide and are offered in both 580mm heights for above the worktop, and 900mm heights for above the electric hob.

From an installation perspective, the Group uses a network of contractors to install the waterproof panels. Marc Vickery concludes: “In the three years we have been specifying Fibo we have had no failings from contractor install or product failure.”

To find out more about the Fibo range of bathroom and kitchen waterproof wall panel systems, visit www.fibo.co.uk.

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December 2020

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Charity trials acoustic monitoring system With support from a Social Care Digital Pathfinders grant through NHS Digital’s Digital Pathfinders project, the charity Friends of the Elderly has been linking acoustic monitoring with electronic care planning in its care homes. The charity has used integrated technology to develop a new way of working at night, which it says allows care team members to safely respond to alerts rather than going into residents’ rooms and disturbing their sleep.

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The three care homes operated by the charity, comprising 90 registered beds, which participated in the nine-month pilot have reported a 55% reduction in night time falls and a 20% reduction in hospital admissions, compared to the previous nine months, and a 75% reduction in the number of physical night time checks conducted by staff which had been deemed unnecessary.

The pilot project involved wirelessenabled acoustic monitoring devices being installed in residents’ rooms with their explicit consent. The Artificial Intelligence (AI) capability powering the devices filters out background noise unrelated to the person’s activity, works out their activity profile based on sounds they make, then classifies and interprets sounds according to whether they are normal or abnormal for that person.

As a result, it is said the device can identify night time events such as unusual movement or calling for help and raise an alert to the care home staff. The data are then sent to a digital care

planning system where a resident's complete care history can be accessed.

The manager of one of the pilot care home’s commented that: “We have learned so much about our residents through the new system, which means our care is more appropriate and beneficial to them. My team can assist residents before anything happens. They are now much happier as they know they are providing safer care for our residents.”

Jessica Stone, head of marketing and communications at Friends of the Elderly added: “We have been delighted with the results of the pilot project. The project is supporting us to continue to provide the best possible care, respond to any night time concerns more quickly and to deliver better resident health and wellbeing.”

Care Tech boss awarded OBE for services to social care Care sector business leader and CareTech Foundation founder Farouq Sheikh has been awarded an OBE for his work in specialist social care in the business sector, as part of the Queen’s birthday honours list.

Farouq Sheikh founded CareTech with his brother Haroon Sheikh in 1993. From a single small care home, the company has grown into one of the largest providers of specialist care services in the UK. The group now operates more than 550 residential facilities and specialist schools around the UK, employs more than 10,000

staff, generating revenue of c.£400 million p.a., and supports over 4,500 service users.

Through its investments in MENA, CareTech also operates the largest network of outpatient mental health clinics in the UAE and is developing specialist social care, education and training services for the local market and expanding into the wider Gulf region.

Farouq Sheikh said he accepted the honour with deep appreciation on behalf of his brother, Haroon, as well as all of the CareTech family who have supported them.

Farouq Sheikh, founder of CareTech

“Together, we have created one of the leading UK care home providers, CareTech,” said Mr Sheikh.

“The success of CareTech continues to gain momentum, as does the good work of The CareTech Foundation. As a family, we will continue to play our part in helping local and global communities.”

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December 2020

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CQC State of Care report 2019/20

Care homes have borne the brunt of Covid-19 In the Adult Social Care section of its State of Care report 2019/20, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) says the impact of Covid-19 on adult social care has been severe, with care homes bearing the brunt of a disease that disproportionately affects older people and those with multiple conditions and care needs. The CQC report said adult social care staff had worked hard to keep people safe but the sector, already fragile, had faced significant challenges during the first wave of the pandemic.

“We heard how staff being off sick or self-isolating led to some providers not being able to accept people,” said the CQC report.

“We heard of some positive examples of local authorities stepping in during the pandemic to support providers where there were significantly reduced staff numbers. However, challenges around staffing and not being able to accept new admissions meant that some providers were facing a shortfall in people using their services, putting the financial viability of some care homes at risk. Recent analysis of providers in our Market Oversight scheme indicates that recovery in care home admissions is slower for self-funded places compared with admissions funded by local authorities. This could put added financial pressure on homes that are more reliant on people who fund their own care.”

The report referred to a statement by the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services in June which said that a quarter of directors were concerned about the financial sustainability of most of their residential and nursing providers following the outbreak. Also, 15% were concerned about the financial sustainability of most of their home care and community care providers; before the onset of COVID-19, this figure was 3%.

Government action The CQC outlined what measures had been taken by government to ameliorate the pressures on care homes resulting from the pandemic. To support the sector, the government provided £3.7 billion of extra funding to local authorities to help them address the pressures they are facing across the range of public services

including social care, and also £600 million through a new Infection Control Fund.

In June, the Social Care Sector Covid-19 Support Taskforce (which included representation from CQC) was commissioned to ensure that concerted and determined action was taken to reduce the risk of transmission of Covid-19, both for those who rely on care and support and for the social care workforce. This was followed in September by the government’s winter plan for adult social care. This coincided with an extension of the Infection Control Fund, with a further £546 million to help the sector restrict the movement of staff between care homes to stop the spread of the virus.

CQC’s State of Care report said social care’s longstanding need for reform, investment and workforce planning had been thrown into stark relief by the pandemic.

“The legacy of Covid-19 must be the recognition that issues around funding, staffing and operational support need to be

tackled now – not at some point in the future,” the report said.

“In its April Covid-19 action plan for adult social care, the government made a commitment to ‘ensure that social care gets the recognition and parity of esteem that it deserves. An important legacy of this crisis must be the value that we place on social care as an essential service, core to delivering the frontline response to this crisis, and to ensure everyone understands that people who work in social care are key workers, in every sense’.

“We support this call for parity. The pandemic has powerfully underlined the essential value of social care in helping people to live the lives they want to lead.

To ensure the very best care and support for people in the future, there needs to be a new deal for the care workforce – one that develops clear career progression, secures the right skills for the sector, better recognises and values staff, invests in their training and supports appropriate professionalisation.”

Care home manager tells select committee of lessons learnt Theresa Steed, home manager of Tunbridge Wells Care Centre, has given evidence at the Coronavirus: Lessons Learnt Inquiry organised jointly by the Science and Technology and the Health and Social Care Committees.

Theresa spoke about the challenges faced by her and her staff at the Canford Healthcare-owned home during the early days of the pandemic.

These included a lack of testing, concerns over the safety of residents and the need to keep them in regular contact with relatives once visiting was suspended. She spoke movingly of the impact of the virus on families.

“Having someone pass away with Covid, whether it’s direct or linked to, Theresa Steed has a massive impact on families,” she said.

“Being able to support the staff and the families that actually are sitting with their loved ones, not knowing whether they can take their masks off and give their mum and dad a kiss and a hug at the end – it’s really hard.”

Theresa also described the care home’s current visiting policy – a booking system that enables each family to see their relative every week in the garden (weather permitting) or in the reception area. Theresa said there were strict hygiene and cleaning protocols in place before and after each visit and visitors were screened before entering the home. Visits are supplemented with regular video calls via Zoom and WhatsApp so that residents can keep in close contact with their relatives.

There is extra support for families of residents who are at end of life. “That is crucial,” she told the Joint Select Committee. “To keep that link there and for them to say goodbye.” She reported that tests were now plentiful, with staff being tested weekly and residents every 28 days.

“Our residents are among the most vulnerable people in society and we take their safety very seriously,” said Theresa.

“We work hard to protect them, as well as their relatives and our staff and look upon them all as part of our extended family.”

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Scottish provider says relaxation of visiting rules ‘premature’ and ‘ill-thought-out’ Scottish care home provider Balhousie Care Group has criticised the timing of the Scottish Government’s announcement relaxing care home visiting rules.

While it supports enhanced visits for residents and the health and wellbeing benefits that accompany them, Balhousie said it would not relax its own visiting rules until there were reassurances of safer and better practices to minimise the risk of transmission of the virus.

The Scottish Government’s announcement on allows for four-hour in-home visits to care homes, hand-

holding, and up to six visitors in gardens.

Balhousie chairman Tony Banks said the announcement was premature and illthought-out.

“While we welcome improved and enhanced care home visits, and fully appreciate the wellness benefits more visits would bring our residents, why, in the middle of another sharp spike in community transmissions of Covid-19, would we relax our rules and put our residents and staff at possible risk of infection?,” said Mr Banks.

“Scotland’s care homes went through hell in the spring during the first Covid-19

Care chief calls for testing to be widened to care home visitors

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A Dorset care home group director is calling for the government to allow Covid-19 testing in care homes to be expanded to visitors to help preserve vital contact with loved ones.

Mandy Kittlety, managing director of Luxurycare which operates five homes in Bournemouth and Poole, has added her voice to the growing campaign against isolation in care homes. She is urging the government to give the care sector “the tools it needs” to manage the Covid-19 risk, while maintaining visits which are so vital for residents' mental and emotional health.

Ms Kittlety says Luxurycare has in place robust infection control, including PPE for all staff and social distancing measures, and has asked families to name just one designated visitor for each resident, but she wants to be free to offer visitors weekly Covid-19 testing across the five care homes, in the same way that their staff are tested.

“Testing visitors, as well as residents and staff members, is the only way to close the circle, short of stopping visits altogether which we feel leaves residents, particularly those with dementia, feeling isolated and distressed,” said Ms Kittlety.

“While we ask people to stay away if they are feeling unwell, we know that regular testing is the only way to pick up non-symptomatic infections. Identifying these ‘invisible’ cases, combined with our other measures, enables us to prevent the spread of the virus – as we have already seen after two members of staff recently tested positive despite being free of symptoms.

“If we could offer nominated visitors weekly testing it would increase the safety of everyone in the home, at the same time as helping us stay open to visitors - something which is incredibly important for our residents and their families.”

As the pandemic resurges, care homes up and down the country are enforcing increasingly stringent restrictions such as only allowing families to see their loved ones through windows or Perspex partitions, or stopping visits altogether.

In response, campaign groups have been formed to “end isolation in care”, with some even mounting a legal challenge against the government guidance that restricts family visits.

Along with many other providers, Luxurycare has sought to balance the dual priorities of managing the Covid-19 risk while continuing to prioritise compassion and supporting residents’ mental and emotional wellbeing. For example, family members can spend time with loved ones who are receiving end-of-life care, and homes even provide PPE ‘cuddle packs’ to allow for some physical contact between residents and visitors.

“Everyone in this industry wants to do the right thing and manage the risks from Covid-19,,” said Ms Kittlety.

“But the longer this situation continues, the more evidence we see of the psychological damage caused by keeping residents apart from the people they love. It is heartbreakingly cruel.

“A balance has to be struck. We have done and continue to do everything in our power to make sure our residents can still safely see family members, but it seems to me that Covid-19 testing for visitors is the vital missing piece we need to get that balancing act right.”

spike. I never want to put our residents, families or staff through that again. We need assurances that what happened Tony Banks then will not be repeated. That includes efficient, accurate testing of our staff, with timely results, as well as testing of visitors before entry to our homes.”

Mr Banks, who has publicly shared his frustrations over his staff’s Covid-19 test results taking up to seven days to be returned, said he welcomed health secretary Jeane Freeman’s commitment on the day the announcement was made to transition care home staff testing from the UK Government to the NHS. “But we need it to happen now,” he said. “We need to be confident that we are doing all we can to stem possible transmission of the virus. Opening our doors wider only widens the risks. And for us, right now, that is an unacceptable risk.”

In a letter written to relatives on the day the announcement was made, Balhousie Care Group outlined its support for enhanced visits but said it would continue with only garden and window visits for the time being: “We feel it is necessary to do this to a timescale that is both practicable and safe,” said the letter.

Mr Banks also expressed his concern that the Scottish Government’s move received the backing of Scottish Care, which represents the care sector in Scotland.

“We made our feelings about enhanced visits known to Scottish Care weeks ago, saying we are not in agreement with relaxing care home visits at a time when the elderly are extremely vulnerable again to the rising transmission rates of the disease,” he said.

“We know we are not the only care operator feeling this way nor the only care operator that has made their feelings known to Scottish Care. Yet as a body Scottish Care have stated their support of yesterday’s announcement, without any consultation with its members.”

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competition

2020 Congratulations to our next winners – Kevin Lowing, Care Supervisor Signature Rosebery Manor Kevin went over and above his role to meet a last wish of a resident who was in the final days of this life. He wished that he could see his brother for one last time, but this was difficult as his brother is living in Essex and housebound. Kevin planned by himself in his free time to take the company mini bus to collect the residents brother, The two brothers spent time together fulfilling the residents last wish and the staff member made the 100mile round trip to drop the brother back home. The resident died peacefully a few days after.

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December 2020

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Hallmark hosts virtual launch of £12m Essex home Hallmark Care Homes opened its new £12m care home, Hutton View, in Essex using online technology.

The live stream was hosted by Hallmark Care Homes Chair and CEO of Savista Developments, Avnish Goyal.

During the special event, guests were invited to hear about the vision of the how the home was created, participate in a panel discussion with Hallmark’s dementia and relationship centred care experts and take a virtual tour of the 77bed home’s state-of-the-art facilities.

Around 300 local businesses and care professionals logged on to hear from Avnish Goyal and Hallmark’s Managing Director Ram Goyal as well as witness the all-important ribbon cutting ceremony to formally open the home.

General manager at Hutton View Care Home, Louise Baxter said: “I am so proud to be part of the team who have grouped together and have made

Hutton View the wonderful home that it is today.

“At Hallmark Care Homes we take pride in our reputation of providing high-quality relationship-centred care to the residents and I am excited to be able to lead the team here who have been handpicked out of 900 people for their

caring nature and passion for helping others.

“We hope to be a well-respected member of the Hutton community and I cannot wait to welcome our first residents into the home so they can experience the amazing care that I know we will provide.”

Sector to welcome relatives with Covid-secure facilities

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Relatives and loved ones will be able to meet residents during the latest lockdown and beyond following new guidance issued by the government.

Along with many other providers, the Royal Star & Garter homes in Surbiton, Solihull and High Wycombe have built Covid-secure indoor meeting rooms in each of its Solihull, Surbiton and High Wycombe Homes, following the receipt of a £100,000 donation. This will enable the charity to meet new guidelines and allow relatives to continue safely visiting their loved ones throughout the winter months.

The charity is one of over 60 organisations representing relatives, carers and providers to sign up to the Visiting Care Homes campaign organised by the National Care Forum (NCF).

In an open letter sent to the government, the NCF has warned it would be “intrinsically harmful” for residents not to receive visits, calling it “an erosion of people’s human rights.”

The £100,000 donation to support this project came from Scheinberg Relief Fund, a $50m philanthropic fund established by businessman and philanthropist Mark Scheinberg, together with his family, in March 2020 to help tackle the direct impact of Covid-19. The new rooms will allow up to two visitors per resident without supervision. Residents and relatives will enter from different entrances, and be partitioned by a floor-to-ceiling pane of glass. The rooms have a homely feel to them, with the grant also covering furnishings and high-tech sound systems to allow for a more natural conversation, and to help those that are hard of hearing.

The rooms will be thoroughly cleaned after each visit.

The charity has been awaiting local approval for use of their COVID-secure rooms, and this has been given for the two they have built in Solihull. Families have been unable to visit residents at the Home there since 8 September due to regional restrictions. But thanks to their COVID-

secure rooms, visits with loved ones will begin again on Monday, 16 November, after more than two months.

Chief Executive Andy Cole said “We are so pleased that our residents will be able to benefit from continued visits from their loved ones. However, this is still not sufficient for some residents and we fully support the NCF’s campaign in calling for rapid testing in care homes, and for relatives to be given key worker status.

Much more needs to be done to prevent hundreds of thousands of care home residents across the country being isolated from their families. We know how much time with family boosts residents’ wellbeing and morale, and we’re delighted that visits will continue thanks to the generous support of Scheinberg Relief Fund. It will mean the world to our residents and their families.”

Royal Star & Garter and Scheinberg Relief Fund plan to share the learnings around the construction of the COVIDsecure indoor spaces with other care home providers and charities both in the UK and the other countries where SRF focuses its funding support.

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Creative fireworks display Residents of Edward Moore House Residential Care Home in Gravesend decided to get creative to enjoy some fireworks fun on Bonfire Night Armed with their aprons and paints, the residents of the Trinity Road residential care home spent a morning painting abstract style firework displays. Using homemade paper tools, which generated a splash and splatter firework effect, the end result was some lovely bright paintings depicting a fireworks night scene.

Melanie Martin, Deputy Manager at Edward Moore House said: “Our residents here really enjoy their craft mornings, they find them very therapeutic and enable them to show their creative side, they also enjoy nattering together over a cup of tea!

“With the second lockdown underway, we’re all keeping busy with our usual activities and trying to keep as much normality as we can, I’m sure there will be plenty of seasonal crafting over Christmas.”

Apetito adopts voluntary Living Wage A leading meals provider to the Care Home sector has confirmed it will adopt the new voluntary Living Wage which is set at higher rate to the government’s National Living Wage.

According to apetito’s Director of Corporate Affairs and Policy, Lee Sheppard, supporting the Living Wage is quite simply “the right thing to do”. He says: “We fully support the Living Wage Foundation and its principles as we don’t believe the government’s national rates go

far enough. Paying a fair wage not only improves our employees’ quality of life but also benefits our business, and society as a whole… Indeed, our profit-share scheme, which all staff participate in, means that we are effectively paying ‘over and above’ the Living Wage.

“Furthermore, we embed these same principles in everything we do whether in the support of our customers, or across our supply chain.

“We value our staff across every role in the business and I truly believe that the

accreditation shows how we are making a real difference and creating a workplace that we can all be proud of”.

The Living Wage is a voluntary scheme run by the Living Wage Foundation, which independently sets an hourly rate according to the costs of living, based on a social consensus as to what people need to make ends meet. Importantly, it differs from the National Living Wage, which it exceeds by more than £1 an hour for those under 25 and includes provision for higher costs of living in London.

Louise chops her locks for charity A senior support worker at a West Midlands home for people with disabilities braved the chop for charity as she donated her hair to a good cause.

Louise Turner, who works at Trembath in Kingswinford, a facility for five individuals which is managed by Salutem Care and Education, had grown her hair out over many years to the bottom of her back. She decided to have it cut and the hair donated to the Little Princess Trust charity, which fashions wigs for cancer patients.

The adults living at Trembath have a variety of needs and disabilities but with the help of support workers like Louise, they are empowered to live independent and fulfilled lives.

Louise surprised staff and the people supported by the service by arriving at work sporting a sleek new bob after making the generous donation.

The Little Princess Trust uses human hair to fashion realistic wigs for cancer patients to help them feel less self-

conscious while they undergo treatment.

Louise said: “I’d been growing my hair for a long time and having such long locks was a huge part of me, so making the decision to cut it all off was a big deal.

“Everyone is touched by cancer in some way and I realised by donating my hair I could make a real difference to someone’s life. The Little Princess Trust relies on donations like mine to provide wigs and hair pieces to cancer patients and I was more than happy to do it. Everyone has been very complimentary about my new look. I’m absolutely delighted.”

Laura Reece, manager at Trembath, said: “I want to say a huge well done to Louise for such a selfless act. We’re all proud to have you as a member of the supported living team in the West Midlands.

“Someone is going to be absolutely thrilled with the wig made from your hair and it’s going to boost their confidence and help them on their treatment journey.

You’re an absolute star.”

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legal landscape

December 2020

www.careinfo.org

How do you prepare for an inquest following a care home death? Jenny Wilde of Ridouts explains the legal position.

Difficult times T

he last 6 months have been fraught with fear, challenge and financial and emotional hardship for many of us. The adult social care sector has suffered hugely through the pandemic but put its shoulder to the wheel in order to keep service users safe whilst continuing to provide quality care the some of the most vulnerable people in our population.

There was significant loss of life in our sector during the first wave, but now the dust has settled (on the first section of the pandemic at least), providers have a new problem to tackle.

With death in care homes comes the prospect of an inquest, but many providers are unfamiliar with the process of such hearings or may never have encountered the Coroner’s Court. This article in intended to be a brief overview of the process and give an idea of what providers can expect. Participation in an inquest is, in our view, vital when the involvement of the service (or its staff) in a person’s death has been called into question.

12

The purpose of an Inquest It is important for health and social care providers to remember that an inquest is a fact-finding exercise. It is purely an inquisitorial process undertaken by the Coroner to answer four key questions: 1. Who was the deceased?

2. When did they die?

3. Where did they die?

4. How did they die?

It is not a trial and juries are not common but are necessary in certain circumstances.

There are no ‘sides’ in an inquest and the Coroner will not seek to apportion blame.

If the family of a deceased person wish to make a claim for negligence against a provider, this is a separate process and a claim will not be discussed at an inquest.

However, the outcome of an inquest may be used to inform any future claim.

Interested Persons Care providers, Registered Managers or care staff involved in a person’s care in the lead up to their death could be notified by the Coroner’s Court that they are Interested Persons at the inquest. You may want to be an Interested Person too and request that the Coroner considers you as such. Interested Persons are entitled to see witness statements, disclosure and make legal submissions to the conclusions but are also under certain legal duties too. An interested person may also be called as a witness during the inquest.

It is very important that this “disclosure” is carefully reviewed so that parties can fully understand what the issues are and identify any risk that their service or involvement may be criticised.

A proper analysis of all evidence is absolutely essential in order to formulate a detailed position. On that basis, a witness or Interested Person will be aware of the kinds of questions that the Coroner may ask of them.

Giving evidence at an Inquest Witnesses at an inquest are allowed to take any documents that they wish into the witness box. The Coroner will ask the witness questions based on their statement and begin by asking them to explain their name, position and qualifications. The witness will then be asked questions about their direct involvement in the care of the

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legal landscape

deceased. Every witness gives evidence ‘on oath’ and there is a choice to swear upon a religious book or ‘affirm’.

Potential conclusions There is no definitive list of conclusions available to a Coroner. The following are those most commonly used: ■

■ ■ ■

■ ■ ■

■ ■ ■

natural causes (including fatal medical conditions); accident or misadventure; industrial disease; dependence on drugs/non-dependent abuse of drugs; attempted/self-induced abortion; disasters subject to public inquiry; lawful killing (such as deaths caused during acts of war, or self-defence); unlawful killing; suicide; open verdict (where there is insufficient evidence for any other verdict).

In addition to these conclusions, Coroners or a jury may also deliver a 'narrative' conclusion which sets out the facts surrounding the death in more detail. This longer explanation will include the coroner's or jury's conclusions on the main issues arising in the circumstances of the death.

A narrative conclusion is the nearest a Coroner is likely to come to addressing the concerns of the family of someone who has died whilst in the care of an organisation.

This verdict would indicate that death took place for a series of reasons, and,

whilst the Coroner does not apportion blame, these verdicts can frame the circumstances of the death in a very unflattering light, so far as the deceased’s carers are concerned. The Coroner may also make recommendations with regard to the institutions involved based upon the findings. Whilst this does not apportion blame as such, it is readily apparent that no Coroner would make such recommendations if serious flaws in the deceased’s treatment had not been found.

Health and social care providers must be mindful of such a verdict as this has the potential to be highly damaging to the business both reputationally and commercially. On that basis, where an inquest has the potential to criticise delivery of care, we would always recommend getting legal representation to put forward the most detailed position to the Coroner.

There are several red flags which may result in providers considering legal representation. These can include: 1. A family complaint and/or legal representation.

2. Multiple interested persons (this can make an inquest more complicated).

3. Involvement of state agencies e.g. the police or prison service.

4. Where the deceased was, or may have been, detained (e.g. within a mental health unit).

5. Where there has been a safeguarding referral 6. Child or neonatal deaths.

December 2020

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7. Other agencies being critical of the provider.

8. Staff facing disciplinary or regulatory proceedings.

Conclusion An inquest can create many challenges for health and social care providers and each step of the process can bring with it complications, particularly when there are high volumes of care documentation, witness statements and family complaints to deal with. In addition to this practical aspect, providers must be able to support their staff that are involved in an inquest (if the provider is satisfied that the staff member has acted appropriately) and must also be prepared to manage reputational risks to the organisation. The result of an inquest is likely to be publicised and if there is criticism of a service, that will almost certainly catch the attention of regulatory bodies such as the CQC, the Health and Safety Executive or even the Police.

Having an expert eye evaluate any risks that may be facing a provider in an inquest, at the earliest opportunity, will help to prepare a robust and detailed response that the Coroner must take into consideration before making any conclusion.

Ridouts can work with you to assist with each step of the inquest process. Should you have any queries in relation to the above, please contact us on 0207 317 0340 or info@ridout-law.com.

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recruitment and retention

December 2020

www.careinfo.org

Caring for the carers Friends of the Elderly’s head of human resources, Mathew Yates, tells Caring Times about the charity’s Wellbeing Pledge to its staff and his thoughts and commitment to their continued workplace support.

F

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riends of the Elderly, the charity which runs care homes, day care centres and home care services throughout England, hosted a series of employee workshops to discover, and put into action, how it can deliver better support and improve wellbeing in the workplace for all its teams.

“One of our four key strategic priorities is to be an employer of choice. One of the actions already identified that will help us achieve this is to create great workplaces and to develop a staff led approach to wellbeing. In order to do this we needed to ask our staff what mattered to them. This was then broken down into some key themes.”

“The feedback we received from the workshops was honest and frank and gave as a clear insight into our teams’ feelings, frustrations and where they felt they needed more support, training and guidance. These open outcomes led us to create the Friends of the Elderly’s Wellbeing Pledge, which underpins the charity’s ethos, values and future plans to ensure its Team’s continued workplace wellbeing,” said Mathew Yates, the charity’s head of human resources.

“Our teams are our most important asset, we rely heavily on the experience, skills and talents of our employees and volunteers and need to ensure they have everything they need to continue to deliver an exceptional level of care to all our residents and service users.”

“We rely heavily on the experience, skills and talents of our employees and volunteers and need to ensure they have everything they need to deliver an exceptional care”

The wellbeing of its teams is the charity’s top priority and it works to achieve this by keeping everyone safe and respecting everyone’s needs albeit physical, emotional, mental and occupational. Through the Wellbeing Pledge, the charity hopes to reinforce its respectful and safe environment which provides a space for everyone to share experiences and learn from each other.

The Wellbeing Pledge is based on the VIPS Framework developed by the Association for Dementia Studies, led

by Professor Dawn Brooker at the University of Worcester, which promotes person-centred care.

Mathew continued, “The VIPS Framework has helped us to construct and support the Wellbeing Pledge. V refers to a Values base that asserts the absolute of all human lives regardless of age or cognitive ability. I is an Individualised approach which recognises everyone’s uniqueness. P is understanding the world from the Perspective of our residents and services users; and S provides a Social environment which Supports psychological needs. When these elements are brought together, they are a powerful approach for us to support and value everybody. By valuing everyone, we are reinforcing our culture where everyone is valued, feels safe and supported. It demonstrates how we treat our teams and volunteers in the same way that we treat all our service users.”

To achieve its aims, the charity has ensured it is inclusive and diverse in its approach. It is committed to promoting equal opportunities and treatment regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national

origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Rachel North, the charity’s Learning and Development Adviser said, “Our objective is to become an employer of choice. We are continuously improving, developing and learning to make sure we are always inclusive and continue to promote cultural awareness.”

The charity has also adapted social psychologist, Tom Kitwood’s, ‘Flower’ which identifies the fundamental psychological and social human needs which must be met for everyone in order to maintain a good sense of wellbeing.

By adopting the five-petal flower model, Friends of the Elderly has additionally pledged to be committed to its team’s Identity, Occupation, Inclusion, Attachment and Comfort. This has led to the charity creating a refreshed wellbeing package that encompasses staff development opportunities, recognition, supporting mental health at work and focuses on inclusion, diversity and what is most important to each of its team members.

Friends of the Elderly’s Learning and Development Consultant, Yvette Carr added, “We are committed to treating everyone with respect and supporting their specific needs by being an understanding and flexible organisation.

We provide individual training and

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recruitment and retention opportunities for personal, vocational, and professional development, reflecting people’s individual interests and skills, as well as celebrating their achievements.

“We want to ensure that everyone who works within Friends of the Elderly is supported in their work and has the right tools and support to ensure they feel valued. We recognise good practice and how important it is to reward people when they go above and beyond in their roles. By communicating openly and inclusively with all our colleagues and providing a space for everyone to share good practice, is key to people being happy and fulfilled at work.”

Work is important, but wellbeing is about finding a work-life balance, so Friends of the Elderly is committed to increasing its work-based benefits package to ensure that everyone is able to make the most of time with friends and families. Caring for others is so important as well as rewarding; however, it can also be very challenging and put a strain on mental health and wellbeing. The charity recognises this and has made it a priority

to ensure that its teams feel safe in their roles, and their mental and physical wellbeing is looked after.

Support systems are in place to make sure that no one goes unnoticed if they are struggling, as well as training more individuals to provide psychological and mental health first aid, so that the tools are in place for additional support.

Mathew continued “At the centre of the Kitwood Flower is the need to be loved and to love someone. These are extraordinary and unprecedented times, the likes of which none of us have ever faced before. They are scary and very present in our workplaces. Being loved and accepted is part of the human need for survival, from when we were born.

Love can range from loving a person, an activity or a favourite food, to loving a god and feeling self-love. We cannot manufacture love, but we can support all our teams by laying the foundations to meet their needs.

“Moving forward, taking into account the events of this current year, we decided to develop a survey based on the

December 2020

www.careinfo.org

themes of our Wellbeing Pledge, as the needs and priorities of our staff had no doubt changed. The results of that survey will then feed into our Wellbeing Policy, which will be a series of objectives we want to achieve, and an action plan, the progress of which will be closely monitored by our newly created Wellbeing Progress Team and the Senior Management Team.

“Our Wellbeing Pledge is just the first step in our wellbeing journey as an organisation and these are our commitments to our valued teams.”

Register now for the Pinders 2021 Healthcare Design Awards Caring Times is delighted to be the media partner for the 30th Pinders Healthcare Design Awards and entries for this prestigious event should be submitted by 31 December.

The awards have played a major role in promoting and celebrating the huge progress made in how healthcare facilities are built, refurbished and re-purposed across the UK since they were established in 1991.

This year there will be a subtle change to the awards categories, recognising more accurately the work of the various teams and disciplines that come together to create outstanding design.

For newly-built care homes, awards will be in the following categories:

For independent living projects, an award will be given for:

n

n

n

n

Best Architectural Design – recognising the best layouts and aesthetics with the home’s setting Best Interior Design – awarded for the best use of colour, contrast, materials and signage to enhance the residents’ experience Best Exterior Design – how terraces, balconies and gardens benefit residents and their visitors

Best Independent Living Scheme

For both care homes and independent living projects: n

n

Best Regeneration Model – recognising outstanding restoration, remodelling and improvements of existing properties Innovation in Design – an award for projects which push the boundaries of care through technology and creativity

Projects may be entered for more than one category and be submitted by any party involved subject to the permission of the owners.

Entry forms are available at www.healthcaredesignawards.co.uk or please email Jon Chapman at Pinders jon.chapman@pinders.co.uk The closing date for entries is 31 December 2020

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the state of care

December 2020

www.careinfo.org

The worst of times, The CQC’s annual State of Care report reveals the remarkable response and achievements of the sector when faced with the catastrophic impact of Covid-19 but also points to the need for urgent structural reform.

Rob Munro reviews the findings.

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16

o one would argue with the Dickensian analysis of 2020 as the worst of years in the care sector. The Covid-19 pandemic rampaged across homes as staff struggled to keep their residents safe from the merciless virus, often with tragic impotence. But from the midst of bitter battle shone the light of hope as the caring profession responded with selfless devotion and stories of remarkable dedication and resourcefulness emerged on a daily basis.

In its annual State of Care report, The Care Quality Commission is rightly fulsome in its praise for operators and care staff who went to incredible lengths to adapt in the face of what was an unforeseen disaster.

“The progress achieved in transforming the way care is delivered has been extraordinary,” says the CQC. ”In a matter of days, services developed new procedures and ways of working, often taking advantage of technology. Changes which were expected to take years – like the switch to more flexible GP consultations by phone and online – took place almost overnight.

This report highlights many examples of collaboration among services which have made a real difference to people’s care.”

But while acknowledging the sector’s heroic efforts to adapt to the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, the regulator is clear that much needs to be done if the UK’s care system is to be fit for purpose given its long-standing structural problems.

The authors point out that the sector was already “fragile as a result of the lack of a long-term funding solution, and in need of investment and workforce planning” before Covid-19 emerged.

“In March 2020, CQC’s Market Oversight report highlighted that, in the

Ian Trenholm

absence of mitigating action, any further shocks to the labour market would be expected to increase the existing level of market fragility, place more pressure on local authority finances and could increase unmet care needs. There have been short-term interventions since that point but the need for a longer-term funding plan has still not been addressed,” says the Commission.

It adds that Covid-19 not only exposed but exacerbated existing problems.

“The sector, already fragile, faced significant challenges around access to PPE, testing and staffing – and coordinated support was less readily

available than for the NHS. The longstanding need for reform, investment and workforce planning in adult social care has been thrown into stark relief by the pandemic,” says the report.

Maintaining momentum Despite the fantastic work of those in the sector and the huge public recognition rightly given to carers, with Covid-19 an ever-present threat despite the emerging promise of a vaccine, there is no room for complacency.

As Ian Trenholm, chief executive of the CQC, says, momentum for change must be maintained and the opportunities revealed by the sector’s admirable flexibility grasped.

“Pre-Covid, the health and care system was often characterised as resistant to change. Covid has demonstrated that this is not the case. The challenge now is to maintain the momentum of transformation, but to do so in a sustainable way that delivers for everyone – driven by local leadership with a shared vision and supported by integrated funding for health and care,” he says.

“There is an opportunity now for Government, Parliament and health and care leaders to agree and lay out a vision for the future at both a national and local level. Key to this will be tackling longstanding issues in adult social care around funding and operational support, underpinned by a new deal for the care workforce. This needs to happen now – not at some point in the future.

“Covid is magnifying inequalities across the health and care system – a seismic upheaval which has disproportionately affected some more than others and risks turning fault lines into chasms. As we adjust to a Covid age, the focus must be on shaping a fairer health and care system – both for people who use services, and for those who work in them.”

Covid is a seismic upheaval which has disproportionately affected some more than others and risks turning fault lines into chasms.

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the state of care

December 2020

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the best of care

The challenge now will be to keep and develop the best aspects of these new ways of delivering services while making sure that no one is disadvantaged in the process.

The reviews have brought into focus the learning that needs to be used to help plan for a longer-term response to the virus. It is essential that the right support is available for all parts of a local health and social care system to drive improvements where they are needed, and to involve voluntary and community organisations in promoting health and wellbeing.

Lack of reflection Of course the CQC itself had a major part to play in how the pandemic was managed by the care sector and some are

keen to point out the lack of introspection contained in the report.

Professor Martin Green, chief executive of the care sector representative body Care England, says the regulator needs to engage in a degree of “internal reflection”.

“Although this year’s State of Care report makes a raft of important recommendations including a new deal for the adult social care workforce, it is disappointing to note that the report is predominantly a narrative of events which spanned the Covid-19 pandemic, as opposed to a critical reflection of what must change. This is underscored by the lack of internal reflection from CQC as to its handling of the crisis,” he says.

Professor Green adds that the need for an integrated approach to health and care

delivery has been bought into ever sharper relief by the pandemic.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated the interdependence of the health and social care system and the organisations that operate across the system. The regulator must now reflect upon its own role and look to facilitate the delivery of safe, quality and sustainable Covid-19 proof care in the future,” he says.

This is an area the CQC also acknowledges and says in areas of the country where services worked together, outcomes, perhaps unsurprisingly, were much improved. “…there was evidence that the places with established working relationships and an understanding of need in their local areas were better able to care for ➤

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the state of care

Martin Green

➤ the local population in a time of crisis,” says the Commission.

Money, money, money

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Many providers are struggling to keep afloat as a result of reduced occupancy exacerbating the problems of inadequate local authority funding. While analysts such as healthcare property specialists Knight Frank are bullish about the future of the self-pay sector in the post-pandemic world, those who rely wholly or in part on local authority-funded residents are calling for a permanent settlement from the government to solve the chronic problem of costs exceeding payments.

“The [government’s] upcoming spending review must urgently provide councils with the extra funding they need to help shore up social care ahead of winter, while also using this as the basis for future reform of social care,” said Ian Hudspeth, chair of the Local Government Association’s community wellbeing board.

Richard Murray, Chief Executive of The King’s Fund, agrees the government must address how social care is funded going forward if services are to be maintained.

“The pandemic has increased the urgency with which long-overlooked

challenges need to be addressed. Ahead of the oft-promised reform of social care funding, there is an immediate need for short-term funding to stabilise the beleaguered sector and support providers to implement adequate infection control,” he says.

“Throughout the pandemic, health and care staff have demonstrated remarkable dedication, ingenuity and resilience. To ensure their continued commitment and safeguard the quality of future services, it is essential that the government uses the Spending Review to provide the multiyear funding needed to meet its manifesto commitments to boost staff numbers.”

Peter Wyman, chair of the CQC, says the lessons learnt from the pandemic need to become a permanent part of the health and social care fabric.

“What the response to Covid has demonstrated is how better joined up system working can improve both the quality of care and people’s experience of it. The increased pressures that the pandemic has placed on health and social care make it more crucial than ever to seize the opportunities available to rethink the delivery of care – or risk poorer care for some of the most vulnerable, and more patients left behind as a result of the pandemic,” he says.

December 2020

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Caring for the carers Meanwhile, The Care Workers’ Charity is calling on the CQC “to report comprehensively on the wellbeing of the social care workforce in their reporting and actions - as it is indisputable that this is an issue that directly affects quality of care”.

The charity points out that care workers across the country are putting their lives at risk, and on hold, in order to care for others.

“They do this whilst experiencing stress and trauma as they try to cope with a ‘new normal’. It is already clear that increased incidences of insomnia, depression, anxiety and PTSD among the social care workforce are now commonplace- as they continue to lose colleagues, family members, loved ones and those they are caring for to this horrendous disease. They have, and continue to, sacrifice so much in their roles-not enough is being done to support them in return “We cannot expect care workers to deliver care of the highest quality, if they are not treated with dignity and respect themselves. As noted in ‘State of Care’, the pandemic represents a point of pivotal change and reflection- we can and must do better by our social care workforce,” says a CWC spokesperson.

THE STATE OF UK CARE 2020 The state of health care and adult social care in England 2019/20 is based on inspections and ratings data, along with other information, including that from people who use services, their families and carers, to inform CQC’s judgements of the quality of care.

This includes quantitative analysis of inspection ratings of 31,000 services and providers, drawing on other monitoring information including staff and public surveys, and performance. In previous years, ratings have been as at 31 July, to enable as contemporaneous a view as possible. Due to the suspension of CQC’s routine inspections in March 2020 as a result of the pandemic, the ratings in this report are as at 31 March 2020 and all comparisons with the previous year are to ratings as at 31 July 2019.

As at 31 March 2020: n

80% of adult social care services were rated as good and 5% as outstanding (31 July 2019: 80%, 4%)

n

89% of GP practices were rated as good and 5% as outstanding (31 July 2019: 90%, 5%)

n

67% of NHS acute core services were rated as good and 8% as outstanding (31 July 2019: 65%, 7%)

n

71% of NHS mental health core services were rated as good and 11% as outstanding (31 July 2019: 71%, 10%)

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#careawards CELEBRATING THE BEST IN THE SECTOR! 25 November 2020

l

Virtual event

Starting at 5pm on Wednesday 25th November, we are excited to welcome you to our virtual awards presentation

Attendees will be able to network and chat with friends and colleagues at the virtual bar, visit the sponsor booths or have 1:1 meetings before and joining the main stage for the live presentation of the Awards!

Meet the finalists...

Don’t miss out on celebrating the sector with us, visit:

careinfo.org/award/national-care-awards-2020

and register for your free tickets online.

Award category sponsored by: Hallmark Care Homes

Carer 2020

Annalisa Baguio,

Nightingale House, Nightingale Hammerson

Gail Makinson,

Tudor Bank Nursing Home, We Care Group

Anna Maslowska,

Park Beck Care Home, Regal Care Trading

Belmont House, Caring Homes Group

Fanel Encea,

Hastings Court Care Home, Oakland Care

Shabnam Masih Sagar,

Admiral Court Care Home, Hallmark Care Homes

Fatma Makalo,

Joe Armstrong & Michelle Newell,

Wellbeing Team, Jack Dormand, HC-One

Dani Whitehouse,

Fernhill House Care Home, Majesticare

Elizabeth Smith,

The Gables, Consensus

Maureen Tilbrook, Stowlangtoft Hall, Stow Healthcare

Award category sponsored by: Barchester Healthcare

Care Team 2020

Bridgeside Lodge Staff Team, Bridgeside Lodge Care Centre, Forest Healthcare

Sunrise of Eastbourne, Sunrise Senior Living UK

Award category sponsored by: Care UK

Care Registered Nurse 2020

Aries Castillo,

Jayne Stephenson,

Melita Carter & Georgina Miller,

Chelsea Court Team,

Jan Bill,

Beverley Manzar,

Michelle Phillips,

Blesson Thomas,

Blesson Thomas,

Gabriela Zackova,

Kew House Care Home, Hallmark Care Homes

Chelsea Court Place, Loveday & Co

The Rapid Response Team, The Good Care Group

Care Home Manager 2020

20 Samantha Evens,

Arcot House Care Home, Doveleigh Care

Samantha Gallagher, Brandon Park Nursing Home, Stow Healthcare

Ebury Court Care Home, Ebury Court Residential Home

EachStep Blackley, Community Integrated Care

The Heights, The Fremantle Trust

Dementia Care Manager 2020

Gary Haynes,

Hastings Court Care Home, Oakland Care

Michelle Phillips,

EachStep Blackley, Community Integrated Care

Anna Senir,

Mill House Care Home, Caring Homes Group

The Heights, The Fremantle Trust

Chelsea Court Place, Loveday & Co

p20-23 CT Awards Finalists.qxp_Layout 1 16/11/2020 15:18 Page 21

Care Operations / Area Manager 2020

Award category sponsored by: Compass Associates

Lisa Booth,

Jacqueline Orrells,

Birtenshaw

Amy Burt,

Doveleigh Care

Ruth French,

Stow Healthcare

HC-One

Care Activities Co-ordinator/Facilitator 2020

Poppy Bellchambers,

Whitebeach Residential Care Home, Coast Care Homes

Mandy Button,

Seckford Care, Seckford Foundation

Anna Selby,

Sunrise Senior Living UK and Gracewell Healthcare

Award category sponsored by: Avery Healthcare

Cynthia Constantine,

Emma Crompton,

Robert Speker,

Julie Loscombe,

Hannah Marriner,

Jackie Moon,

Christopher Pilgrim,

Graham Roffey,

Alex Wendling,

Chelsea Court Place, Loveday & Co

Bradshaw Manor Care Home, Barchester Healthcare

Sydmar Lodge, Sydmar Lodge Care Home

Care Housekeeper 2020

Adriane Axente,

Karuna Manor, TLC Care

Noopur Chauhan,

Parklands Manor, Signature Senior Lifestyle

Defoe Court, HC-One

Oaktree Court Care Home, Majesticare

Cartref Porthceri, Vale of Glamorgan Council

Care Chef 2020

Alex Morte,

Chelsea Court Place, Loveday & Co

Richard Pearshouse,

Parklands Manor, Signature Senior Lifestyle

Baycroft Great Baddow, One Housing

Amanda Tanner,

Samantha Evens,

Arcot House Care Home, Doveleigh Care

Beverley Manzar,

Ebury Court Care Home, Ebury Court Residential Home

Yetty Adepegba & Izabela Klaczkiewicz, Kew House Care Home, Hallmark Care Homes

The Dignity & Respect Care Home of the Year 2020

Louise Axtell,

Cumnor Hill House, Berkley Care Group

Elaine Brereton,

Paisley Court, Care UK

Caroline Newman,

Hassingham House Care Centre, Forest Healthcare

Gwen Walford House Nursing Home, Rotherwood Healthcare

Eddie Heitmann,

Birtenshaw Adult supported tenancies Compton, Birtenshaw

Sanjay Dhrona,

The Close Care Home

Award category sponsored by: HC-One

Dianne Maskery & Saturnino Lopez,

Jack Dormand, HC-One

Allison Webster,

High Haven, NorseCare

Award category sponsored by: Lifetime Training

Care Newcomer 2020

Ryan Anderson,

Lennox House, Care UK

Award category sponsored by: Ontex Healthcare

Care Home of the Year 2020

Shinfield View Care Home, Berkley Care Group

Cuffley Manor, TLC Care

Chantelle Kelly,

Caring Homes Group

Dean Thomas,

Ty Mair Care Home, WAM Care Homes

Elise Woolnough,

Woodland Grove Care Home, Oakland Care

21

p20-23 CT Awards Finalists.qxp_Layout 1 16/11/2020 15:18 Page 22

Meet the finalists... (continued) Award category sponsored by: Court Cavendish

Care Champion 2020

Tony Beard,

Devonshire Road, Making Space

Karolina Gerlich, The Care Workers’ Charity

Kim Millard,

Longbridge Service, Outlook Care

Alison Innes-Farquhar,

Babs Mitchel,

Blandford Grange Care Home, Healthcare Homes Group

Sandra Watson,

Anisha Grange Care Home, Hallmark Care Homes

HC-One

Outstanding Care in a Crisis 2020

Amanda Tanner,

Shinfield View Care Home, Berkley Care Group

Christine Gibson,

Stanley Park, Care UK

Michelle Philips,

EachStep Blackley, Community Integrated Care

Gabriela Ogreanu,

Sefton Hall Nursing and Residential Care Home, Southern Healthcare

TLC Care

Louise Barnett,

Renaissance Care

Wendy Lawther,

Forest Care Village, Forest Healthcare

Rochelle Lewis,

Lewis Lloyd Court, NorseCare

Barchester Healthcare

Andrew Knight, Care UK

Julie Mason & Mark Gash,

Caring Homes Group

Julie Rayner & April Dobson,

Hallmark Care Homes

Carol Britton,

Gracewell of Bath, Gracewell Healthcare

Wendy Mead,

The Grange Care Centre, Forest Healthcare

Care UK

Anthony Heppell,

Home From Home Care

Award category sponsored by: TLC Group

Lifetime Achievement in Care 2020

22

Suzanne Mumford,

Award category sponsored by: Christie & Co

Care Home Group 2020

Pete Calveley,

Brandon Park Nursing Home, Stow Healthcare Group

Award category sponsored by: Domus Recruitment

Care Leadership 2020

Lorna Badrick,

Brandon Park Team,

Karen Shepherd, Birtenshaw

Graham Stokes, HC-One

Maureen Tilbrook,

Stowlangtoft Hall, Stow Healthcare

Care Personality 2020

Mark Adams,

Community Integrated Care

Nadra Ahmed,

National Care Association

Robert Kilgour,

Renaissance Care

Vic Rayner,

National Care Forum

Don’t miss out on celebrating the sector with us, visit:

careinfo.org/award/national-care-awards-2020 and register for your free tickets online.

#careawards

p20-23 CT Awards Finalists.qxp_Layout 1 16/11/2020 15:18 Page 23

Meet the sponsors...

Main sponsor

Christie & Co has been delighted to be involved in the National Care Awards since their inception, 22 years ago. This year more than any, it’s so important to highlight, acknowledge and reward some of the most hard working, dedicated professional people delivering care on the frontline everyday. It is crucial to showcase all that is good in the sector and remind everyone of the commitment and sheer hard work by many people across the UK.

Category sponsors

Hallmark is a family-run care provider that has three ‘Outstanding’ homes. It provides residential, nursing and dementia care to 1,200 residents across 20 locations UK wide and has won 100 awards over the last 23 years.

Court Cavendish is Britain’s leading health and social care turnaround company.

We are delighted to be the launch partner for the new Care Champion award, which will recognise the hidden heroes who are passionate about improving their area of specialism to revolutionise the delivery of highquality care.

HC-One, the Kind Care Company, is the UK’s leading provider of residential, nursing and dementia care services. HC-One strives to be the first-choice care home in every community for those looking for the very best care, and for Colleagues seeking a long-term career delivering the kindest and highest quality care.

Care UK is a leading national provider of residential care for over 6,000 older people. We deliver nursing, end of life and specialist dementia care as well as day and respite care. Our Fulfilling lives approach has seen us achieve some of the strongest regulator ratings in the sector.

TLC Care provides luxury care and enhanced wellbeing in award-winning homes across North London, Hertfordshire, Surrey and Cambridge. Our expert teams offer personalised residential, nursing, dementia and respite care, designed to provide each resident with the support they need to live a fulfilling and active life.

Compass Associates are a multi-award-winning recruitment business, with a market-leading track record in the elderly care sector. With Consultants aligned to cover the entire UK with dedicated geographical remits, the team have delivered more than 1,500 care home management placements since the business was established in 2009. Find out more by visiting www.compassltd.co.uk

carehome.co.uk is the UK’s most popular care home sector website with over 16 million visitors each year.

Listing over 17,500 care homes and providing access to over 180,000 reviews it is a valuable resource for care seekers in helping them make an informed decision when selecting the perfect care home for loved ones. carehome.co.uk is committed to helping care homes face the challenge of COVID-19 by fast tracking new supportive functionality including virtual tours and real-time COVID-19 update announcements.

Through their 24 years’ experience Lifetime Training have grown and developed to become the UK’s leading training provider for Care, helping over 5,000 learners a year to reach their career goals with the highest quality apprenticeship courses across the sector including in domiciliary, learning disability, dementia and residential care.

Avery Healthcare provides high-quality residential, dementia, nursing, and respite care throughout its 57 care homes in England.

Set in purpose-built, high quality communities, Avery differentiates by combining first class care with hotel-standard services, enhanced by a sector-leading Well-being programme that supports resident independence with an active fulfilling lifestyle. It is an employer of choice for the care sector, with an award-winning training and development division delivering proven career pathways for all staff.

Established in 2009 Domus Recruitment are Social Care Recruitment Specialists focusing on Middle Management to Senior Board Level appointments.

Our industry specific focus allows us to channel all of our energies into Care and we are proud of the transformational impact our work has on Care Providers that we partner. Our belief and dedication to quality and elevates our service above and beyond our client’s expectations and leads to long lasting relationships and results. We’re proud to sponsor the Care Awards for the third year running and what a testing year it has been. We express a heart felt thanks to the strength and resilience the sector’s people have demonstrating in these times.

Barchester is one of the UK’s largest care providers supporting older people to live with dignity and respect. A leading care provider over the last 25 years, Barchester support almost 12,000 residents across 236 homes and 6 mental health hospitals for a variety of care needs for short breaks to long term stays. Barchester are proud to be the only care home provider to win the RoSPA Health and Safety Award in 2019 and 2020.

Ontex is a leading global producer of disposable incontinence products. Due to our focus on quality, innovation and value-for-money, our products are distributed in more than 110 countries. In the UK, our iD & Lille healthcare incontinence products are used by over half a million people and supplied through medical shops, distributors and the NHS. Our core values of integrity and customer care, combined with the latest design and manufacturing technology, make us the smart choice for health institutions and consumers globally.

Christie & Co is proud of our commitment to the care sector and have sponsored The National Care Awards since its inception. Christie & Co are specialist business property advisers to the entire spectrum of care related business properties, including specialist, elderly and medical care, and are recognised as market leaders in each of these important sectors.

23

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real lives

December 2020

www.careinfo.org

A backlog of hugs 24

JUDE LALLY is a nurse at Royal Star & Garter’s 63-bed nursing home in Surbiton, South London. Here, she talks about falling ill with Covid-19, the mental and physical stress caused by lock-down, and her immense pride in the people she works with.

T

he past few months have been tough, and very sad for us all. I knew that this was going to be something big when the Surbiton home went into lock-down a week before everyone else. I was on jury service at the time and the case I was on was abandoned.

At first, working here during early lock-down was very hard. We were worried about our residents, we were worried about ourselves, and we were worried for our families. Over the weeks and months, we missed simple things

like hugging each other, especially when somebody had passed away.

When I got tested it was no surprise it was positive. I was really unwell and there was no doubt in my mind that I had the virus. I had incredible pain in my back and my hips. I was very hot, tight on the chest, I lost the sense of taste and smell, had a bit of a cough. But the main thing for me was it was so painful in my back. I have to say it was very frightening, there was one night where I thought that I might need to go to hospital. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst

enemy. I was just drinking water and eating fruit to try and get some energy.

I tested positive twice and was off work for two weeks. I needed to rest and recover, but I wanted to be at work. I wanted to be doing my job. I knew how hard everybody was working, it was tough. We had a new member of staff that had just started, and I was mentoring them. I was off and I was worried about their induction, I was worried about the residents.

One of the toughest times was the morning when we came in and I was told that a staff member had lost a very close family member. That affected us all very badly. It was really tough for us and I think we all cried in handover. We said to each other: ‘I owe you a hug’. We’ve said that a lot during this time. We didn’t discuss it with the residents because we couldn’t talk about it without choking up ourselves.

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real lives Staff have relied so much on each other for support. I didn’t doubt the support for each other was there before, but you saw it again and again.

Not knowing when it was going to be over was really hard. I think I cried every night in the car on the way home because I didn’t want to take the virus home, but sadly I did pass it to my husband, who has now fully recovered. I felt like I needed to ditch my worries, stress and frustrations somewhere on the way. I have a friend who is a nurse in the NHS and we’d be messaging each other for support in the very early hours of the morning. So I had a support network in my friend rather than bringing it all home for my family.

We’ve been supported so much by Royal Star & Garter during this period.

Helena, our home manager, has been brilliant. She’s been very practical and very informative, she’s rolled her sleeves up and got involved. It’s great for all of us to see that the bosses will muck in. Then we’ve had people driving staff to and from work, keeping them off public transport. Our caterers also allowed us to buy some essentials from them during the time when food was difficult to get for frontline staff. People are going above and beyond all the time. I think the staff were incredibly caring towards the residents, and each other, everyone was very sensitive towards each other’s feelings.

Everyone was working very hard because we wanted to do our best.

December 2020

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We always had enough PPE and guidelines on what we should be wearing.

That was a big thing for us.

Right now I feel so tired. I think we’re all tired. I think everyone would love to jump on a plane and go somewhere warm and sit on a beach, but we all know it’s not going to happen. I’m glad that period is

over – I’m not looking forward to the next spike, but we are ready and prepared.

Given our experience, we should be reassured as we have been through this already. I know how we acted as a team.

The home has the PPE and procedures in place. Having had the experience means we will be better equipped physically and mentally to cope.

From a nursing point of view, it’s always been about the testing and this will be important again if there’s a second spike. It means that we know all the residents are safe and all the staff are safe.

If someone tests positive we are able to act quickly to protect residents.

We’ve definitely learned lessons. If we go into lock-down again we have Zoom and video calls already set up. They have been great for residents and relatives to connect them with their families and support mental well-being.

There’s a resignation, but we coped last time and we can cope again. We have that experience. Right now we see glimpses of normality, like family visits which have been happening outside, or residents sitting together for dinner – with all the appropriate social distancing in place.

These are positive signs and are what I’m really looking forward to, that light at the end of the tunnel.

25

MEET THE WINNERS

category sponsors

Outstanding Dementia Care Resource 2020 Mark Carter, Care Visions Healthy Ageing YouTube Channel, Care Visions Healthy Ageing

The judges chose this winner because of the unique blend of contemporary online resources in a free accessible format with a great range of innovative content inclusive of the perspectives of people with dementia and their families with opportunities to demonstrate outcomes through research. The judges added that this was not an easy decision due to the diverse nature of the shortlisted initiatives and congratulate all finalists for making it this far in the proceedings.

Outstanding Dementia Care Innovation 2020 Lewis Hornby, Jelly Drops Water Sweets, Jelly Drops

Jelly Drops are a truly innovative answer to a difficult problem. The judges were impressed to see a physical health need and the dangers of dehydration recognised and addressed in such an imaginative and effective way.

Best Dementia Carer 2020 Emma Harper, Ty Enfys Care Home, Hallmark Care Homes

The judges were impressed with all of the finalists, but chose Emma as it was clear she is someone who goes above and beyond in her vocation. Emma takes care to provide sensory baths, tailored to the individual likes and dislikes of those in her care and the judges felt that this care and attention must be enormously comforting.

Best Activities Co-ordinator for People Living with Dementia 2020 Gemma Hutson, Lydia Eva Court / All Hallows, NorseCare

Gemma’s outstanding ethos, compassionate nature and creative whole home approach has been personally recognised by residents & their families. She’s also worked tirelessly to forge meaningful community involvement. Ask her about the 80 bikers!

Best Dementia Care Practitioner 2020 Kerry Lyons, Royal Bolton Hospital, Bolton NHS Foundation Trust

It was clear to the judges that Kerry demonstrates inspirational leadership in a challenging hybrid role geared to supporting people with dementia and family carers in both hospital and in community settings whilst improving dementia care in highly rated NHS Trust. Her colleagues value her contribution to service improvement and look to her as a role model for high quality multi-disciplinary dementia liaison practice in a hospital setting.

What made Kerry’s work stand out in this category was her skills in developing and mobilising a wide range of initiatives that have helped to deliver outstanding outcomes for people with dementia and their families.

Best Dementia Care Manager 2020 Gillian Pratt, Brook Court, Care UK

Gillian impressed the judges as a strong manager and leader in the best sense – practical, warm and caring towards her staff, her residents and their families. Taking staff with her she has reduced use of agency workers to zero for over a year.

Best Dementia Garden 2020 Inderpreet Hanzra & Emily Sheath, Lakeview Care Home, Hallmark Care Homes

The judges chose Lakeview because it’s so accessible, sensory and an integral part of residents’ daily lives.

It promotes connection with nature, creative activities and a culture of independence for wellbeing.

MEET THE WINNERS #DementiaCareAwards

THURSDAY 12TH NOVEMBER

careinfo.org/awards

Best Dementia Training Initiative 2020 Charis Hollyoake, Neurological Awareness Training, Elysium Neurological Healthcare

The judges chose Elysium Neurological Healthcare because of their passion and commitment and for their ability to clearly demonstrate how the impact of this training would improve the lived experience of people living with Dementia.

Dementia Care Champion 2020 Denise Carr, The Fremantle Trust

The judges chose Denise because they felt her warm and inclusive approach is exceptional and that she goes above and beyond to ensure the people she supports feel safe and relaxed; including gaining a qualification in Dementia Care, adapting the environment to be engaging and choosing music for each of her hairdressing clients based on their individual preferences. She is a great example of how all members of a team can make a real difference to the lives of the people they support. The judges added that they would love to get their hair done in Denise’s salon but thought she must be fully booked!

Outstanding Arts and Creativity in Dementia Care 2020 Grace Meadows, m4d Radio, Music for Dementia

The judges felt strongly that the M4D Radio was a fantastic concept and that it was available for all people living with dementia at home or in a care home.

Best Dementia Team 2020 Jan Bill, The Good Care Group live-in care team, The Good Care Group

The judges commented that all entrants were so different, but what made The Good Care Group stand out as the winner was the moving testimonials, and attention to person centred details, as well as the support to their staff in what is a very complex environment.

Exceptional Contribution by an Informal/Family Carer 2020 Suzy Webster

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. The judges chose Suzy Webster, for her passion in promoting good practice in care homes for older people, through all aspects of her work and her gentle, collaborative approach, while caring for her mother who has dementia.

Best Dementia Friendly Hospital 2020 Olivia Frimpong & Lydia Russell, Kingston Hospital, Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

The judges thought all the finalists were brilliant. They chose Kingston Hospital as the winner because of their exceptional commitment to improving the hospital experience for patients with dementia and their carers. In their achievements, they have demonstrated their underpinning philosophy – “the more you know about the background of the person with dementia, the better care you can give.”

Exceptional Contribution by a Person/People Living with Dementia 2020 Agnes Houston

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. The judges chose Agnes Houston because she is a warm, engaging and effective advocate for best practice and improving the lives of people with dementia since her diagnosis with younger onset Alzheimer’s disease in 2006 at the age of 57.

Best Dementia Care Home 2020 Beverley Manzar, Ebury Court Care Home, Ebury Court Residential Home

The judges felt that although all of the homes in this category were strong contenders, the Ebury Court stood out from the rest because their leadership clearly showed their passion for supporting people with dementia to live well, enjoying clubs reflecting their needs and abilities. Throughout this difficult time families were supported to maintain their relationships despite the restrictions.

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technology

December 2020

www.careinfo.org

Embracing technology in the social care sector The use of technology in the care sector is growing in popularity, but as the climate crisis intensifies and we learn to live with the ongoing risk posed by coronavirus, these opportunities will become increasingly important.

Naeem Walji, principal at 4th Wave Technology, leading distributors of clean air technology, discusses how the incorporation of new technologies within care settings can improve the life expectancy and quality of life of residents, as well as mitigating the spread of coronavirus.

I

t is undeniable that technology is changing the way people provide and receive care across the UK. When implemented effectively, innovative uses of technology can provide huge benefits and support in delivering high-quality care with minimal disruption. The adoption of devices such as audio and movement sensors, voice recognition software, and the use of digital records, for example, have improved efficiency in both caregiving and administration across the sector, and can help to make care more personcentred and less disruptive.

As we face two major crises – the climate crisis and the coronavirus pandemic – technological advances have the potential to not only improve the efficiency of operations, but also to safeguard residents’ health and improve life expectancy.

Applying lessons learnt to the UK

The coronavirus pandemic has changed the way that we view health and safety measures within the social care sector forever, with heightened infection prevention and control standards, and an entirely new perspective on what measures need to be taken to keep both residents and staff safe. Whilst public health officials had previously warned that a novel disease could eventually cause a global pandemic, only certain countries were wholly prepared for the possibility of an outbreak and had the technology in place to support this.

Having experienced the Sars outbreak of 2003, when faced with the initial spread of coronavirus, countries like South Korea,

With air quality in the UK worsening year on year, the adverse health effects of pollution are of increasing importance, and due to comorbidity, exposure to air pollutants in older people is of particular concern1. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the levels of indoor air pollutants can be between two to five times higher than outdoors 2. With older people spending approximately 19-20 hours a day indoors, research from various institutes in Europe shows that even at low levels, indoor air quality detrimentally affects respiratory health in older people living in care homes, with frailty increasing with age 3.

Due to the way in which viruses attach to air pollution articles, heavily polluted spaces also subsequently have a higher rate of disease infection 4. Reducing levels of indoor air pollution through increased

1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6794286/

2 https://www.epa.gov/report-environment/indoor-air-quality

Infection control procedures around the world

28

Taiwan and Hong Kong were much more experienced in implementing quarantine measures. They were also already utilising technology that improved the efficiency of infection control measures. For example, over the last 16 years clean air technology has been installed in over 80 per cent of the hospitals and universities in South Korea.

By removing viruses, bacteria and pollutants from indoor air, this technology has aided the country in reducing crosscontamination in certain sectors.

Technological applications and initiatives are now multiplying around the world in an attempt to stop the spread of coronavirus among other public health issues, and many of these are applicable to the care sector.

4 https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.15.20065995v2

ventilation and filtration therefore stands to not only improve the physical and mental health of older people, but can also safeguard against airborne disease transmission routes within care homes, reducing the risk of transmission by up to 50 per cent 5.

As we move into winter under a second wave of coronavirus, the use of technologies such as air sterilisers will therefore become one of the many important methods that care providers are likely to implement in order to slow down the spread of coronavirus. This would support the use of other technologies that are increasing in popularity across the sector. As we have already observed, the increased use of communication technology, such as telehealth technologies, can help to reduce person-toperson contact where possible. The installation of thermal imaging cameras is useful in efficiently checking the temperature of care staff each day, and facial recognition technology is also likely to become more frequently used across the sector, as it helps to create contactless pathways, reducing pathogen transfer.

With the current climate changing the way in which investment decisions are made across the sector, there presents an opportunity to follow in the footsteps of countries such as South Korea, in ensuring the rapid incorporation of new technologies wherever possible. This has the potential to enhance the efficiency of infection control measures and to protect residents, both in the short-term from the ongoing risk posed by coronavirus, and in the long-term in terms of both physical and mental health.

3 https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/45/5/1228

5 https://www.ft.com/content/5083fd42-4812-11ea-aee2-9ddbdc86190d

Summit 2020

08-10 DECEMBER 2020 VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE The HealthInvestor Summit 2020 will weave together the best elements of our physical annual Summit within an exclusive virtual forum.

This year’s Summit will be a mix of live and pre-recorded panels and interactive presentations offering sponsors and attendees alike a chance to showcase expertise and network with leading figures in the sector.

For more information about the event, registrations, sponsorship and speaker opportunities contact our events team on +44(0)20 7104 2000 or email events@investorpublishing.co.uk #HISummit2020

SAVE THE DATE FOR HEALTHINVESTOR SUMMIT 2020

Produced by @HealthInvestor

HealthInvestor

InvestorPublishing

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coping with covid-19

December 2020

www.careinfo.org

The real-life experiences of care home staff caring for older people with Covid-19, the lessons they have learned, and the practical knowledge they have shared, are revealed in a new report from the National Care Forum. Kathy Oxtoby looks at the findings.

Life on the

frontline C

ovid-19 has taken a terrible toll on care homes and the families of those within them. The spread and outbreak of the virus in care homes has varied greatly across the sector, sometimes with devastating impact. However, the full picture of incidence and lives lost from Covid-19 in care homes is not known as the situation is still evolving.

Until effective vaccines for the virus are available, older care home residents will remain vulnerable and at greater risk of poorer outcomes if they contract the virus.

This means it is crucial to capture the lessons learnt about the symptoms, progression, and management of this viral infection in the older population (aged over 65 years), and for these lessons to be shared with care homes that have not yet experienced an outbreak of the virus.

30

This is the focus of recent research by The National Care Forum (NCF) and the University of Leeds [published 8 October], which reveals the findings into the experiences of frontline care home and NHS staff caring for older people with Covid-19 in England during the first few months of the pandemic.

The report – LESS COVID: Learning by Experience and Supporting the Care Home Sector during the Covid-19 pandemic – provides an account of key lessons learnt so far by frontline care home and NHS staff. The project was initiated by the NCF, conducted by NICHE-Leeds (Nurturing Innovation in Care Home Excellence in Leeds), a partnership project between Leeds Care Association and the University of Leeds, and funded by the Dunhill Medical Trust. The research presents strategies to manage the care and

Liz Jones

support of older people in care homes during subsequent waves of Covid-19 outbreaks.

Real-life experience of frontline staff Liz Jones, policy director at the National Care Forum, says the research is “essential reading for all those involved in providing care for older people in this new world of Covid-19” “This research is really about how we can help people provide the best care they can, so people can thrive as well as survive,” she says.

Liz says the research was inspired by the daily conversations with NCF members who were “eager to share their rapidly emerging learning and expertise in responding to Covid-19 in care homes”.

“It is not simply theory but real-life experience of staff on the frontline, both in care homes and the NHS. It looks in detail at the clinical presentation and illness trajectory of Covid-19 in older people, what had worked well, or what more was needed, for providing the best care and treatment and lessons learnt for supporting older people in care homes,” she says.

Karen Spilsbury, professor of nursing at the University of Leeds and academic director of NICHE-Leeds, says the pandemic has highlighted the need for research with and for the care home sector.

“This partnership with NCF enabled us to respond quickly to the concerns of their members and to generate findings with practical relevance,” she says.

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coping with covid-19 The timing of this research is “spot on”, says Vic Rayner, executive director, National Care Forum. “It is essential reading for everyone involved in the health and care of those living within care homes to understand both how much has been learned, and how we must ensure that the very real breakdowns in service and support that occurred within the first wave are never repeated.

“People both receiving care and delivering care are vital members of all of our communities, and this research on LESS Covid-19 shows that we need to hold them front and centre of the planning and delivery of resources and support now, and in the future,” she says.

Susan Kay, director of the Dunhill Medical Trust says: “ Capturing lessons learnt about the symptoms, progression and management of this viral infection in the older population and sharing these with care homes that have not yet experienced an outbreak of the virus is crucial.”

Research findings During June and July, researchers carried out interviews with frontline care home and NHS staff about what worked well or what more was need for care and treatment and lessons learnt for supporting infected older people to recover or die well.

Then in September, the research partnership consulted with senior operational and quality managers in care homes to establish the resonance and relevance of its findings, and strategies for managing Covid-19 at an organisational level within the home for the benefit of residents, relatives and staff.

The research findings are presented under seven themes.

1. Clinical presentation. Covid-19 does not always present as a cough and fever in older people. Other symptoms included increased falls, reduced appetite, tremors and seizures.

2. Unpredictable illness trajectory.

Some patterns, based on participants’ experience, were noticed in the illness trajectory for older people with Covid-19.

About one-third of older people will show signs of recovery within 48 hours, and about two-thirds of older people described as severely ill. It was not possible to determine who died or recovered in the severely ill group.

BOX 1:

December 2020

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RECOVERY AND REHABILITATION

Lessons learnt: n

Covid-19 will have a significant impact on the physical, as well as cognitive and emotional health and well-being of many older people.

n

Recovery and rehabilitation should be provided for all residents to address periods of reduced activity and social isolation during extended periods of lockdown.

n

Recovery for older people post-virus is unpredictable, varies by individual, and often takes time.

n

Planning for therapy and rehabilitation services for older people is an important aspect of the recovery phase.

n

There is limited (and variable) access to therapy and rehabilitation services for older people, and particularly for care home residents, which creates challenges for care home and NHS staff when supporting older people to recover.

What can care home managers and staff do based on these lessons learnt? n

Foster positive relationships between colleagues in the wider health and social care system to promote rehabilitation for older people during the recovery phase and to ensure access to appropriate expertise and services for this purpose.

n

Engage in discussion with commissioners about the rehabilitation needs of older people to support better recovery and outcomes and the provision and funding of therapists and services to meet this need.

n

Educate care home staff about the importance of recovery and rehabilitation to promote physical, cognitive and emotional well-being of older people post-virus.

n

If possible, employ exercise instructors who can train care staff or alternatively encourage staff to access online resources for exercise programmes for older people.

n

Provide older people with information, encouragement, support, and motivation to maintain, or indeed increase, their levels of exercise for physical, cognitive and emotional health and well-being.

“I agree about increasing wellbeing now and getting more exercise to address muscle wastage as a result of being indoors for so long.”

31

(Care home deputy chief executive)

3. Managing symptoms and providing supportive care. There is no ‘magic bullet’. Frontline staff reported the variable effectiveness of medicines for managing pain for older people.

4. Recovery and rehabilitation. It is important to promote physical, cognitive and emotional well-being postvirus. [See Box 1] 5. End of life care. Staff emphasised the importance of providing treatment ➤

Vic Rayner

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coping with covid-19 ➤ and care which was consistent with the older person’s preferences and to avoid inappropriate treatment burden when the person was nearing the end of life (EOL). [See Box 2] 6. Infection prevention and control.

Deploying strategies to minimise personto-person contacts is essential to control the spread of COVID-19. For example, if staffing numbers are adequate, then ‘cohorting’ care and cleaning staff to care

BOX 2:

only for residents with or without the virus may minimise cross infection.

7. Promoting partnership through cross sector working and support.

Participants (care home and NHS) emphasised the importance of partnership working across sectors during the pandemic to ensure appropriate and timely responses to the needs of older people with suspected and diagnosed COVID-19.

END OF LIFE CARE

Lessons learnt: n

Due to the unpredictable illness trajectory for an older person with Covid-19 it is important that individuals (with family members when appropriate) have the opportunity to discuss treatment and specific preferences for end of life care.

n

An older person with Covid-19 can deteriorate rapidly and so access to health care professionals and medicines is important to ensure they receive necessary care to manage symptoms and to promote comfort for the individual at the end of their life.

n

In the absence of family members, frontline staff have an important role in ‘being there’ for an individual at the end of their life.

n

Effectively communicating with family members when their relative is dying, and particularly in circumstances when they cannot visit, is important for bereavement care and support of the family.

n

Covid-19 has had a devastating impact on frontline staff due to the pressure and intensity of work and the significant loss of life that they experienced in a short time.

n

Care expertise is essential to support an older person dying with Covid-19 to have a dignified, calm and pain free death.

December 2020

www.careinfo.org

These findings also highlight systemic issues associated with underfunding, limited integration across health and social care, and a lack of wider recognition and value of the contribution of the care home sector and, importantly, its staff. “This crisis should prompt Government and society to address these long-standing issues,” the report states.

Call for action Liz says: “Many of the suggestions in this research involve actions that can be grasped by the sector. “For example, the care home sector must keep on learning and sharing, for the benefit of residents, relatives and staff, and there should be more formal recognition of the expertise of care home staff, within their various roles, the report says.

A resounding theme throughout this research is the importance of the care home workforce, highlighting their skill, dedication, resilience, and compassion.

“Nonetheless, the toll on staff over the last few months must be recognised.

There is an urgent need to support the wellbeing and mental health of the workforce to help them to prepare for the winter months ahead,” the report states.

There are also levers and actions needed that are beyond the control of the sector and need support and action from Government. “These include resolving

What can care home managers and staff do based on these lessons learnt? n

Consider how resident’s wishes can be fulfilled during pandemic circumstances, in particular with regard to what is possible in the circumstances.

n

Ensure individual preferences are clearly documented in a care plan that is accessible and available to all relevant staff.

n

Consider requesting the prescription of anticipatory medicines for older people where appropriate to ensure access to and timely administration of EOL medicines to promote comfort for the individual.

n

Promoting opportunities for family members to visit their relative should be assessed on an individual basis and facilitated by care home staff.

n

Where face-to-face visiting is not possible then alternative strategies should be considered, but these should be mindful of the wishes of the older person who is dying.

n

Consider opportunities for a dedicated family liaison officer or staff member who can support and communicate with family members and offer bereavement support.

n

Determine how best to support frontline staff with their physical and emotional well-being.

n

Communicate with care staff the importance of a ‘good death’.

n

Consider what training and resources is needed.

32

Karen Spilsbury

p30-33 Frontline.qxp_Layout 1 16/11/2020 15:21 Page 33

coping with covid-19

“Not all family could come in because they were shielding, and we did video calls with them. One lady spoke to every single member of her family before she died by video in the last few hours.”

(Care home manager)

the ongoing testing and PPE supply uncertainties, working in genuine partnership with the sector, and putting the individual needs of older people at the heart of policymaking,” says Liz. Finally, the report calls for researchers and funders “to work in partnership with the sector to ensure research fully addresses the priorities of residents, their relatives, staff, and care provider organisations.”

Resourcefulness, resilience and innovation

December 2020

www.careinfo.org

intention is that people keep learning together, offering that support for each other and for the care homes where they work”.

Resourcefulness, resilience and innovation are consistent qualities evident in the experiences shared by care home staff during the first wave of the virus. For Liz, the research shows “just how hard our workforce tried, and how quickly they adapted to a whole new set of really massive challenges during the early months of Covid-19”.

And she says one of the key messages that can be taken from this work with frontline staff is that “it’s important that people feel they can stand proud, and be recognised for their skill, and expertise”.

The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for research with and for the care home sector. The intention is for the report to remain an ‘active’ document with opportunities to continue learning lessons and sharing strategies for the benefit of those living and working in care homes.

“We will continue to capture people’s experiences and plan to revisit this report in January 2021, adding any new learning or strategies that people have used and think are useful to share,” says Karen.

And NCF, working with the University of Leeds and care providers, plans to cocreate resources from this work that are useful for the sector.

Karen says that the report has “captured what was being learned at a point in time n NCF invites care providers to comment on the resonance, when very little was relevance, and any gaps in the first version of this report known about the virus.

(7 October 2020) via an online survey As well as learning from https://leeds.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/less-covid-report-feedback these experiences, the

33

p34 Appointments.qxp_Layout 1 16/11/2020 15:24 Page 34

appointments Westward Care has appointed Jane Stone as a new general manager also responsible for business development at their Southlands Retirement Apartment complex with 24/7 onsite care and support provision based in Roundhay, Leeds.

Jane brings a wealth of experience of working in the care sector to her new role. Having started her career as a care assistant at the age of 19 she went on to work across a variety of Leeds City Council care homes over a period of 28 years. During this time, she became the youngest registered manager in the City at the age of 24 and also undertook a variety of secondments to widen her knowledge on various projects around independent living and supporting people with learning disabilities.

In 2013 Jane moved into working for private care providers across the Yorkshire region. She now joins Westward Care from her last role at Donisthorpe Hall where she succeeded in taking the home from the brink of closure through to an improving CQC rating.

Jane will oversee the running of the 28 apartments (plus two respite/guest suites) and take responsibility for a team of 26 staff.

December 2020

www.careinfo.org

The new home manager at Brook House in Towcester is looking forward to developing the team, welcoming the first residents and their families in October and building up links with the local community.

Bogdan Gancean trained as a nurse in Romania and has also lived and worked in Italy. He has degree in Psychology and experience in mental health care as well as managing nursing and residential services.

Brook House is part of the Caring Homes family of 69 Homes across the UK. “I enjoy the challenges care home life can present and take my responsibilities very seriously, striving to maintain a safe and happy environment, promote great care and make a positive difference to all of our residents’ lives,” said Bogdan “I like the fact that Caring Homes is still a family run business with strong values on care quality and continuous improvement.”

Balhousie offers more benefits to staff

34

In a move to further support staff in what has been a very challenging year, Balhousie Care Group has launched a new employee benefits programme.

Run in association with Sodexo Engage, the new scheme offers Balhousie employees a wide range of discounts, cash back at shops, and support including faceto-face and telephone counselling.

Balhousie’s people services partner Karen

Miller said the scheme went several steps beyond the benefits which were offered before.

Operative from 1 October, the new benefits package includes cashback cards and 4% to 10% money off at Tesco, Morrisons, Currys and New Look.

“This has been a highly challenging and emotional year for all of our staff so it’s only fitting that we provide them with the best possible employee benefits programme,” said Ms Miller.

“We shopped around to find the widest range of perks and services we could give them, and Sodexo Engage goes several steps beyond what was offered before.”

Balhousie Care Group will be promoting the benefits within its 26 care facilities over the coming weeks, encouraging them to maximise the shopping benefits as Christmas approaches.

Balhousie Benefits is one of a number of steps the Perth-based care home group has made this year to support its employees.

In April, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, it launched a dedicated staff smartphone app to improve communication with its staff. The same month it made a fund of £200,000 available to staff to assist in bridging financial hardship that may arise because of the effects of the pandemic.

p34 Appointments.qxp_Layout 1 16/11/2020 15:24 Page 35

REPUTATION

DISCRETION

To Buy: 0844 7011 821 To Sell: 0844 3877 498

Redwoods Dowling Kerr

KNOWLEDGE

www.redwoodsdk.com/healthcare

@RedwoodsDK

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p36-37 Property.qxp_Layout 1 17/11/2020 14:12 Page 36

business & property

December 2020

www.careinfo.org

PROPERTIES AND BUSINESSES RECENTLY SOLD IN THE CARE SECTOR Project Lavender Location

Project Cardinal Bristol

Location

Registration

7 learning disabilities

Registration

Buyer:

Expanding Horizons

Agent

Agent:

Redwoods Dowling Kerr

Contact:

Contact:

Valley View Middlesbrough, Lancashire 20 elderly

Location

Huddersfield, West Yorkshire

Registration

59 elderly, dementia

Redwoods Dowling Kerr

Buyer:

redwoodsdk.com

Seller:

Rex Develop

Agent:

Christie & Co

redwoodsdk.com

Visionary Care

Tel:

07764 241328

■ 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.

Church Farm begins final phase of Rusticus project

36

The final stage of development work at Church Farm Care’s Rusticus site in Cotgrave, Nottingham has begun, while full planning has also been achieved at the Skylarks site in West Bridgford, bringing the group’s vision of a revolutionary model of dementia care one step closer to reality.

The work at Rusticus will include alterations to the internal layout of the existing building to increase visibility and provide greater flexibility of spaces to promote independence, comfort, and quality of life for residents.

The latest work for Rusticus is the fifth and final phase of the development of the site following previous upgrades including the reception and staff facilities, as well as the addition of balconies to the accommodation. This phase sees the addition of Hickling Lodge, a 30-bedroom standalone building with new day lounges, kitchen and laundry.

Once complete, all bedrooms will be furnished and equipped to the highest standard with full disabled access. There will also be the addition of three detached, two-bed assisted living pods, which will

have 24-hour access to nurses and carers, as well as further parking and landscaping – including a walk-through aviary.

The work will also see the development of Socius, a social hub, which will include a café, hairdressers and cinema for both residents and the community to access and enjoy, with completion due in September 2021.

In addition to the work at Rusticus, a purchase of land and full planning has been achieved at its Skylarks home in West Bridgford. The extension to the Skylarks site will add much-needed facilities both for residents and the local community.

Church Farm Care owner Patrick Atkinson said that, in 2019, more than 45 letters and emails had been received by Rushcliffe Borough Council in support of the Skylarks extension, particularly focusing on its hydrotherapy pool, which would not only be an invaluable feature for Skylarks’ residents, but an excellent resource for local schools and community groups.

“It’s been an extraordinary and challenging year so far for us – as it has

been for care homes up and down the country – but we’re really thrilled to have shovels in the ground for the expansion of our Rusticus home and plans now in place to develop Skylarks even further,” said Mr Atkinson.

“Our ethos is a model of care centred on creating “families” of residents that live together based on their interests, life experiences, and personalities. Our extension plans are not just about creating more comfortable and accessible environments but about helping to integrate family members into the community through features that bring the public into the centre – when they are again allowed to do so of course.

“The work at Rusticus for instance includes additions to the current on site salon and cinema, with a new café that will be open to the public as well as a walkthrough aviary with a snaking path for residents and visitors alike to enjoy.”

Church Farm Care has four homes in Nottingham, three of which offer specialist dementia nursing within innovative and supportive environments.

Access to millions more markets An online platform to assess elderly care home markets across England, Wales and now Scotland Email sales@carterwoodanalytics.co.uk to book your free online demo

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p36-37 Property.qxp_Layout 1 17/11/2020 14:12 Page 37

property

New Brendoncare home signed off with Octopus Octopus Real Estate, part of Octopus Group and a UK specialist real estate lender and investor, has announced the completion of a new deal to develop and fund the construction of a 60-bedroom Brendoncare care home in Winchester, for older people.

The development will be forward funded by the Octopus Healthcare Fund for approximately £15 million and is being developed by Octopus Real Estate’s in-house healthcare development team.

St Giles View, which will be built on the site of a former care home, has been custom designed for Brendoncare who will lease and operate the new home. As well as all bedrooms having private en-suite wetroom facilities, there will also be an onsite café which will be open for residents, their families, and the local community to use.

Ed Clough, Director, Care Homes at Octopus Real Estate, said: “We’re delighted to be developing and funding this new, best-inclass care home for Brendoncare. It is an exciting project which pulls together the specialist development and investment expertise within Octopus Real Estate and will deliver a highquality care home for the local community in Winchester.

“We have worked closely with Brendoncare to make sure the home is designed to a high standard meeting their bespoke requirements. Brendoncare’s knowledge of the local area has been invaluable and we hope to work together on future new homes, too.”

Marianne Wanstall, Chief Executive at Brendoncare, said the new home will provide much needed care for nursing, dementia, residential, respite and end-of-life residents in Winchester.

“The community spaces will be invaluable for us to be able to offer services to local people, helping to prevent social isolation and loneliness. We will also be providing community support services for people who may need extra help to enable them to continue to live independently in their own home,” she said.

Octopus Real Estate continues to grow its portfolio of over 60 modern, purpose-built care homes across the UK, addressing the growing need for high-quality real estate that supports the health and wellbeing of the UK's ageing population.

How to help someone with dementia transition to a care home PROMOTION: There could be a number of reasons why a person with dementia might need to move to a care home - their dementia may have progressed, they may have recently been admitted to hospital, or the family member or carer who was previously looking after them may no longer be able to do so. Whatever the reason, the transitional period can be difficult for everyone involved. This is why it’s essential for us to do what we can to make that transition as comfortable as possible.

Finding the right home: One of the most important initial steps you can take to helping someone transition into a care home is taking the time to find a home that will suit them. Not only are you looking for things such as caring and attentive staff and modern facilities, but you also need to consider how much outdoor space they will have access to, and whether the layout of the home itself would be too complex.

The best way to do this is call and arrange visits to care homes in the local area and get a feel for whether they would suit them. Some homes even specialise in memory care, which could be a benefit to your loved one.

Choose the right time of day: Typically, those with dementia are at their best in the late morning or in the afternoon. With this in mind, this is probably the best time to try and arrange the move-in for your loved one, as they will be less likely to be agitated.

Have some of their favourite things with you: When things start changing around us, it can be disorientating, and this is the case whether you have dementia or not. That’s why it’s important to be able to provide your loved one with cherished possessions during the transitional period, as they can act as an anchor to something more familiar.

Take advantage of counseling services: While transitioning into a care home can be a tough experience for the person with dementia, it can also take an emotional toll on you, the carer or family member. To help with this, it’s important to take advantage of a counselling service to try and process the complex range of emotions you might be experiencing.

Do you have a care home project in progress? Aedifice Partnership offers a complete project management package for care home construction projects, ensuring that everything is completed on time and on budget. For further details on the services Aedifice Partnership offer, visit www.aedifice.co.uk or call 0800 151 0234.

37

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