Caring Times October 2023

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A fair deal for care workers In his first interview since being appointed shadow minister for social care last month, Andrew Gwynne, shares Labour’s plans for a National Care Service and a Fair Pay Agreement

AL SO IN THIS IS SU E

Leader’s spotlight Caroline Roberts sets our her vision for Aria Care

Opinion Nadra Ahmed says we need to value social care

CT on the road Biodiversity garden is a wild success

Helping you navigate the complex Providers of regulated activity operate in a challenging and highly regulated landscape.

As leading legal advisers in the health and care sector, Mills & Reeve is a law firm who can support you every step of the way.

CQC inspections and enforcement action CIW inspections and enforcement action Safeguarding investigations Police investigations and prosecutions Health and safety enforcement Inquests

To find out more please get in touch: Amanda Narkiewicz Partner, health and care regulatory Amanda.Narkiewicz@mills-reeve.com 01223 222267

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16 POLITICS & POLICY Andrew Gwynne on Labour's plans for social care

7 OPINION

12 LEADER'S SPOTLIGHT

32 CT ON THE ROAD

Nadra Ahmed says we need to value social care

Caroline Roberts shares vision for Aria Care

Biodiversity garden is a wild success

business | welcome Chief executive officer Alex Dampier Chief operating officer Sarah Hyman Chief marketing officer Julia Payne Editor-in-chief Lee Peart Features editor Charlotte Goddard Subeditor Charles Wheeldon Advertising & event sales director Caroline Bowern 0797 4643292 caroline.bowern@nexusgroup.co.uk Business development director Mike Griffin Sales manager Luke Crist Business development executive Kirsty Parks Business development researcher Robert Drummond Delegate relationship manager Sharifa Marshall Event manager Conor Diggin Senior conference producer Teresa Zargouni Head of digital content Alice Jones Marketing design manager Craig Williams Marketing content manager Sophie Davies

Sustainability still matters September was not a good month for sustainability. As the UK was wracked with storms, we had the unedifying spectacle of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who remains well behind in the polls, grubbily scrabbling around for votes by backtracking on environmental commitments on the back of popular opposition in London to the Mayor’s ULEZ expansion. In a cynically populist move, Sunak announced a five-year delay on the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars while insisting the UK would still hit its net zero target by 2050.

Labour, for its part, suffered the ignominy of a protest by Extinction Rebellion protestors at its London HQ, which just happens to be around the corner from Caring Times, after it scaled down its commitment to fund the transition to clean energy.

Meanwhile, despite the habitual lack of leadership from politicians, social care continued to advance its green agenda. Speaking at Spectrum Care’s Demystifying ESG event at Colliers in London, managing director of BKR Consultancy, Bhavna KeaneRao, provided an update on the Social Care Sustainability Alliance’s work on producing guidance for operators on implementing a sustainability strategy.

The Alliance hopes to publish the first

of a rolling programme of guidance this month, covering the business case for sustainability, the regulatory framework and retrofitting. Barclays’ head of healthcare, Steve Fergus, also warned attendees that the CQC and banks would expect care home operators to have sustainability plans in place within the next few years.

Later last month I was inspired by market leader Oakland Care’s trailblazing innovations in sustainability during a visit to their wildlife garden at Maplewood Court in Maidstone, which has been set up with the support of Kent Wildlife Trust and Low Carbon Kent.

All of this gives me hope that, despite the usual leadership vacuum in government, social care will continue to take the lead when it matters.

Lee Peart Editor-in-chief Caring Times

Marketing campaign manager Sean Sutton Publisher Harry Hyman Investor Publishing Ltd, 5th Floor, Greener House, 66-68 Haymarket, London, SW1Y 4RF Tel: 020 7104 2000 Website: caring-times.co.uk

Caring Times is published 10 times a year by Investor Publishing Ltd. ISSN 0953-4873 © Investor Publishing Limited 2023 The views expressed in Caring Times are not necessarily those of the editor or publishers.

Caring Times™ and the CT® logo are registered trademarks of Nexus Media Group

business contents 5 NEWS IN BRIEF

18 SURVEYS & DATA

7 OPINION

22 PEOPLE MOVES

Our round-up of last month's big stories

Nadra Ahmed says we need to value social care

9 RETIREMENT LIVING

UK is 'sick man of Europe' for social care

The latest big people moves

24 PROPERTY & DEVELOPMENT The latest hot property deals

Wallacea Living targets the London market

12 LEADER’S SPOTLIGHT

26 SUSTAINABILITY MATTERS

@Caring_Times

Caroline Roberts shares her vision for Aria Care

linkedin.com/company/caring-times

16 POLITICS & POLICY

28 LEGAL & REGULATORY

Andrew Gwynne shares Labour's plans for social care

4 | OCTOBER 2023

Oakland and CareTech give us our monthly green fix

Preparing for the Single Assessment Framework

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news | business

News in brief POLICY & LEGISLATION

A £40 million social care top-up fund for areas facing greater pressures in urgent and emergency care this winter was announced by the government.

The funding, which came alongside £200 million announced for the NHS,

Care minister Helen Whately

followed a winter round table with health and social care leaders hosted by health and social care secretary Steve Barclay and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Scottish care workers are to receive £12 an hour as part of a new government programme to reduce poverty and deliver growth. Under the Programme for Government for 2023-24 announced by First Minister Humza Yousaf all workers in direct care roles will receive at least £12 an hour from April next year.

Care England chief executive Professor Martin Green warned local care providers and service users are at risk after Birmingham City Council declared effective bankruptcy by issuing a Section 114 notice, which means all new spending, with the exception of protecting vulnerable people and statutory services, stopped immediately.

The council said it was no longer able to meet its financial liabilities relating to equal pay claims adding that it had a budget shortfall of around £87 million.

Renaissance Care and Four Seasons

Robert Kilgour

Health Care founder Robert Kilgour set up a new UK-wide think tank and pressure group to represent social care.

The Social Care Foundation aims to provide and encourage positive debate, ideas and suggestions on the best way ahead for social care reform. >

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OCTOBER 2023 | 5

business | cover story

News in brief > POLICY & LEGISLATION CONTINUED

Covid and flu vaccines were rolled out to older people in care homes in England from 11 September. The roll-out came after news that 28 cases of the BA.2.86 variant had been found in a Norfolk care home. Healthcare Homes’ Shipdham Manor in Thetford was later revealed as the care home where the variant was found.

inspection. St Mary’s Group’s St Mary’s Riverside in Hessle, which opened in February last year, received the CQC’s top rating following an inspection in April.

PROVIDER NEWS

HC-One said it was working “to find a solution” at a Highlands care home it owns following a report it had been sold. The statement came after concerned workers at Moss Park told The Press & Journal that a deal for the home had been agreed.

Coventry care home MHA Allesley Hall celebrated after receiving the maximum rating on online review site Carehome.co.uk. The home received an overall score of 10, calculated from the 55 reviews posted on the website by residents, family and friends.

Care provider Sanctuary Care was recognised for its outstanding employee support by achieving Investors in People Strong Gold status. Investors in People is an internationally recognised mark of good practice focused on how organisations care for their employees, recognise their contributions and nurture their abilities and skills.

WORKFORCE St Mary’s Riverside in Hessle, East Riding

RMBI Care Co’s Cornwallis Court in Bury St Edmunds was rated Outstanding by the CQC. The service became the charity’s fourth home with the CQC’s top rating following an inspection in July.

RMBI Care Co’s Cornwallis Court

LEGAL & REGULATORY Sanctuary Care's Neil Quinn, director of HR, and Sarah Clarke-Kuehn, chief operating officer - care

A care home in East Riding, Yorkshire was rated Outstanding in its first

6 | OCTOBER 2023

2 and 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and two offences under regulation 3 (1 and 3) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998.

A West Yorkshire council admitted “mistakes” and issued an apology after a man living with dementia was left unsupported in a hotel. Calderdale Council issued the apology following a decision by the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman.

Renaissance Care’s Cowdray Club care home in Aberdeen was rated Very Good in all categories following an inspection by the regulator. The Care Inspectorate gave the care home its second-highest rating following an unannounced inspection in July.

A care home owner was jailed for six months after fitting a gas cooker without holding a Gas Safe registration. Amarjit Sehmi, 66, of Crowhurst Care Home in Brentford, was sentenced after pleading guilty to two offences under sections

A two-day strike by care workers was launched at three Glasgow care homes in a dispute over pay and conditions.

The action by GMB Scotland members took place at Cardonald, Ballieston and Stobhill care homes which were previously run by the Four Seasons group before being taken over by Silverline and are now administered by Minster Care Group.

Cowdray Club staff celebrate their Very Good rating

Skills for Care supported social care teams to #Recruit Right with its latest campaign. The campaign followed Skills for Care’s latest data released in July which revealed a current vacancy rate of around 9.9% or around 152,000 posts, down slightly on last year.

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opinion | business

We need to value social care Nadra Ahmed, executive co-chairman of the National Care Association, says valuing social care is key to delivering an effective healthcare system

T

here is no doubt that social care remains at the heart of the healthcare responses in our nation where, despite the fact that successive governments have failed to recognise its value or prioritised its role within the healthcare economy.

While social care provision remains neglected and underfunded, our colleagues in the NHS continue to receive focused attention from all decision-makers because it remains free at the point of access, thus ensuring citizens can access clinical support when they need it.

Social care, on the other hand, remains means tested and chronically underfunded. It is hindered by unacceptable delays in assessments and pathways to care and support at every level, which has a devasting impact on individuals and their loved ones.

One of the main challenges we face as a society is that we fail those we seek to serve by not having a strategy or policy that supports collaborate thinking across health and social care; we have no seamless service which takes an individual from crisis to acute care to support in the community with its many options.

A pathway which is truly person-centred ensures that the needs of the individual remain at the heart of all we do and empowers them to retain choice and control of their health and care needs.

We must stop trying to fit individuals into systems and processes that do not “It is unacceptable that we continue down a path which fails the individuals needing care and support at every turn. Sustainable change must be established to ensure that we are not only fit for the future but remain so.”

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adequately respond to the personalisation agenda talked about so often. We understand we need systems to support processes, but the key to success relies heavily on support in a personalised way where the best outcome is in the best interest of the individual, not the system.

The healthcare sector has consistently struggled over the past two decades, which has been undeniably exacerbated

by Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic in the past five years. We know with a growing and ageing population the need to re-establish access to healthcare services needed to be recalibrated.

It is unacceptable that we continue down a path which fails the individuals needing care and support at every turn.

Sustainable change must be established to ensure that we are not only fit for the future but remain so.

The demographics of needs for an ageing population have been in the public domain as forward projections for decades. We know, and should celebrate, that people are living longer due to the investments in medical research which finds cures, but alongside that it is important to recognise that we must also invest in supporting people with complex healthcare needs which need ongoing monitoring.

Keeping people healthy is heavily dependent on a robust prevention strategy which has sustainable resource, both financial and human, to create longterm care and support when needed.

To ensure we meet those needs we know we will need half a million more carers by 2030/35 to support them.

What we do not have is a strategy to ensure we can meet the projected demand despite repeated calls for this. Without a competent and confident workforce, we will not be in position to meet the demand.

As we enter an election year, we need to hear from our political leaders about their deliverable aspirations for social care, not visions and rhetoric. We have had many iterations of this on the steps of Downing Street over the years and every time they

Nadra Ahmed

have failed to deliver. There is always mitigation when quizzed with short termism, none of which has moved the sector forward in a sustainable way.

In fact, at times short-term grants and funds have had a negative impact which makes the pace of change even more challenging. We only need to look at the mandatory vaccination policy to see the impact on a highly motivated workforce who were unrecognised throughout the Covid period.

This trend of announcement to plug gaps creates huge challenges for both the providers and the local authorities which are often charged with distribution of funds. It also set precedents with no sustainable funding, an example of this was the sickness funding for social care staff at the height of the pandemic.

The question around the image of social care is one which remains a conundrum for us all who work in or try to access services. Those of us who work in social care or access it in time of need will understand its value, at times we will be challenged by the twists and turns too.

Notably, our colleagues in the NHS are also among those who understand the value and role of social care as they navigate the key pathways to wellbeing for those who access acute healthcare options but then need community options. Despite this, we find the > OCTOBER 2023 | 7

business | opinion

> perception of social care, portrayed

through the media and indeed policy, devalues all we do. A scandal in the NHS will see social care at the centre of any reform; this was especially worrying with the Winterbourne View scandal.

The fact that policy is clear that social care is not free at the point of access has also created a negativity by the fact that it is predominately an investment by providers who deliver public service using business models.

The narrative on return on investment occupies the minds of commentators, but the fact that this is a conscious policy decision by government evades mention.

Publicly run care services are substantially far more expensive which is why the care home market was wound down leaving “Valuing social care is the key to all healthcare options, until and unless that is recognised, we will continue to procrastinate and deliver little.”

8 | OCTOBER 2023

the private and voluntary sectors to invest in and deliver the support required.

Interestingly, this is no different to the medical practices of GPs, but the social care sector is scrutinised at every turn, while GPs, who refuse to take on any extra responsibility without financial incentive are ignored.

This was especially interesting during the recent pandemic when care providers were asked to take discharges out of hospitals at pre-agreed contract prices, but GPs were incentivised to administer the Covid vaccine. It is important to note that both services are private enterprises, but one is vilified while the other is supported unquestioned and seen as the NHS response to wellbeing.

The reality is there has been much talk about the integration of health and social care over the past few decades and little progress has been made. The term ‘integration’ at the simplest level is the processing of two or more things to create a whole so it is about bringing together multiple systems to form a collaborative unit.

This collaborative unit should be based on a model which meets the needs of individuals who pass through the system – commonly known as personalisation.

So, to create integration we must bring

together, as one, a multifaceted NHS (under one master) with 18,000-plus independent and entrepreneurial services in an ever-changing and quite frankly chaotic economic climate.

There are undoubtedly areas of good practice across the nation which exist because of the commitment of individuals to deliver a joined-up service to those we serve – the individual who needs care and support in times of crisis.

Until and unless we see the value of social care within the healthcare ‘system’ we will continue to fail our citizens. We must be able to deliver the same rewards for our highly skilled workforce caring for people with complex conditions which include dementia, end of life care, mental health etc, which two decades ago were supported by the NHS and funded accordingly. The conditions remain complex, but social care is expected to deliver at a fraction of the funding.

Valuing social care is the key to all healthcare options, until and unless that is recognised, we will continue to procrastinate and deliver little. Social care will remain a political football at every election with no resolution post forming the government and the citizens will continue to struggle trying to access care and support when they need it.

CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

retirement living | business

The time of your life Giving people the time of their life during their retirement is the mantra of new London market entrant, Wallacea Living, reports Lee Peart

E

stablished by former managing directors, Paul Morgan (Audley) and Paul Coles (Goldman Sachs), Wallacea plans to open its first development in Paddington in 2025.

“Paul Coles and I had been speaking for some time about the opportunity in London,” Morgan says.

Coles had been part of the team that financed Battersea Place for LifeCare Residences before leading Goldman Sachs’ retirement venture, Riverstone, while Morgan spent 15 years at retirement living pioneer, Audley.

“With Paul’s emphasis on the planning and development side of the business and mine from an operational perspective, we thought we had the skill set to succeed with a new venture,” Morgan says. “It “After a slow start in recent decades, integrated retirement community (IRC) operators are now increasingly targeting untapped demand and affluence in the capital.”

was a great opportunity for me at a personal level. I’ve spoken at enough conferences about how these businesses should operate. It was time to put that to the test and try use the best practices I learnt previously and build on them or do things slightly different.”

After a slow start in recent decades, integrated retirement community (IRC) operators are now increasingly targeting untapped demand and affluence in the capital.

“In New Zealand you have 800,000 people over the age of 65 – 50,000 living in IRCs,” Morgan says. “In London you have one million over 65s and just over 1,000 apartments.”

The Wallacea founder says it was elderly Londoners’ love of an active social lifestyle that made the capital ideally suited to the retirement living offering.

“People in London love the atmosphere and the lifestyle and the friends they have so don’t want to move out into the countryside, so we have to find opportunities within the M25,” he explains. “There are different expectations in London compared to other regions and we need to make sure we meet those.”

Wellbeing ethos When asked what makes Wallacea different from its growing number of competitors, Morgan highlights its

Paul Morgan

wellbeing ethos and in-house recruitment model.

“We have a real emphasis on wellbeing, where I genuinely believe a lot of people pay a lot of lip service to it, but don’t have a great deal to back it up,” Morgan notes.

The company has already hired care and wellbeing director Fionna Cannon who will be fully involved in the sales process going forward with Wallacea’s first marketing suite going live this month.

“Wellbeing is right at the heart of everything that we are going to do,” Morgan says. “That starts from the sales process. The health and wellbeing manager will be involved in the sales >

Outdoor CGI of Wallacea's forthcoming Paddington development

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SEPTEMBER 2023 | 9

The Paddington development will offer panoramic views

“We will only be delivering care to people living with us; we won’t be serving people outside the complex, which will allow us to concentrate on delivering a better service.”

> process and fully understanding our

customers’ interests and what they want out of the coming years.

“If someone used to play golf and they want to play again but have a dodgy knee, it’s about rectifying that and being able to meet those sorts of goals. We want to help people try to achieve their real life goals. We want to make sure we have an emphasis on enjoyment and our people have the time of their life as they go through their retirement.”

In-house recruitment The second key differentiator of Wallacea highlighted by Morgan was its ethos of in-house recruitment.

“Anyone who works on our site will be 100% employed by us,” Morgan notes. “There’s no franchising within any element of the business. All the people who come and join us will be inducted and trained by us, which means that anyone who lives with us can speak to any member of the team and it will go straight to the right person right away.”

Highlighting the need for a single well-

10 | OCTOBER 2023

trained team, Morgan cites a previous example of how a bar team member noticed one of the owners wasn’t quite behaving as normal and passed on the detail to the care team, who in turn paid a visit. As the situation evolved the lady in question required medical intervention.

Domiciliary care With the opening of its first site in 2025, Wallacea Living Care will be registered with the Care Quality Commission as a 24-hour domiciliary care provider.

The company intends to recruit a care manager with at least a Level 5 qualification along with an experienced team to provide the site’s care services.

“We will only be delivering care to people living with us; we won’t be serving people outside the complex, which will allow us to concentrate on delivering a better service,” Morgan notes.

“Our whole ethos is this is a home for life. Our care team will be trained to deal with various forms of dementia. We will have close links with district nurses and other specialists if people do need any acute care. We don’t envisage people having to leave us any longer than a few weeks before their final days should they need to at all. We will be able to care for them up until that point.”

Paddington development The 15-floor Paddington site, which was purchased from Berkley Homes, will comprise 104 one- and two-bed apartments and a selection of penthouses priced from £900,000 to £3 million.

Facilities will include an onsite restaurant, bar, cinema and multi-purpose function

room for exercise and activity classes.

By targeting the capital’s affluent over 65s, Wallacea plans to offer a wide range of social and exercise activities to keep its residents mentally and physically healthy.

“There’s a misconception of retirement that people should start slowing down,” Morgan says. “We disagree with that.

It really is the time to start to take advantage and have fun. When people talk about health and wellbeing there’s a lot of concentration on the gym. It’s not just about that. Yes of course people need to be healthy and physically active but it’s about mental stimulation as well.”

Rapid expansion Looking ahead, Morgan reveals Wallacea’s plans for rapid expansion over the next decade as growth in the IRC market finally begins to accelerate following a sluggish start in the UK. “Until 2010 the market was still fairly slow,” Morgan observes. “During 2010 to 2020 you could see some traction picking up. The villages that have opened in the last three or four years have sold out two or three times faster than those in 2009 to 2011. There’s a greater awareness, more information out in the press and I think ARCO has done a particularly good job in ensuring there are consumer codes in place so there is a little bit of protection for the consumer.”

Morgan reveals Wallacea plans to be offering “double figures” in terms of sites by the end of the decade.

With its ambitious growth plans, Wallacea Living will be one to watch as the IRC market looks finally set for takeoff in the capital.

CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

advertorial | business

WASHCO’s Care Home Laundry Health Check Is your care home being held back by endless piles of laundry and struggling with outdated processes? It may be time to embrace a fresh approach to laundry management

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ASHCO's care expert, Amanda Symmons, is here to guide you through a Laundry Health Check that will help to identify areas where you can enhance efficiency and boost productivity.

Evaluate your capacity The capacity of your laundry machines directly impacts how much laundry your home can handle.

The general rule is that a care home will need 0.5 kilos capacity per resident, however this will vary dependent on the type of home. A nursing or dementia home may have more laundry per resident whereas residential homes may have a lower requirement.*

*Based on the laundry operating for 8 hours per day, 7 days a week.

soiled and infected items. This way, your team can easily select the appropriate programs in the laundry room, ensuring proper cleaning and safe disinfection of the linens. Moreover, drying similar loads together optimises the use of residual moisture programs, further reducing drying times.

Optimise temperature settings Following current HTM01-04 guidelines, only "red bag" laundry (e.g. foul and infected items in a red dissolvable bag) needs to be processed at 65 degrees for thermal disinfection. Consider switching to a 40-degree wash (with the appropriate chemical) for standard laundry, which can save you about 20 minutes per cycle. This small change can add up to significant time savings, allowing you to increase throughput in the laundry.

Design an efficient layout A well-designed laundry room is crucial for optimal performance. Carefully plan the layout to provide easy access to machines and smooth transportation of laundry. It's recommended to have a clear separation between clean and dirty linen areas, with separate entry and exit points for dirty linen, if possible. A good rule of thumb is to reserve approximately 1/3 of the room for dirty laundry and 2/3 for clean laundry.

Implement source sorting Establishing a sorting practice at the source, such as within residents' rooms, can streamline your laundry process.

For example, you could categorise laundry items into textile families such as bedding, towels, clothing, and "red bag"

Meet Amanda and the WASHCO team at the Care Show On Day 1 of the Care Show this October, Amanda will be hosting a talk at the People Theatre (2:55pm – 3:25pm).

During the talk, she’ll discuss why people, not machines, are the most valuable asset

CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

to your care home’s laundry, as well as why laundry is such a critical function of your operations. At the end, the winners of the 2023 Love Laundry Awards will be revealed!

The WASHCO team can also be found on Stand C35 at the show, where they will be on hand to discuss your care home laundry needs.

WASHCO have a library of handy resources to give you a helping hand with managing your care home’s laundry. Scan the QR code to check it out.

Alternatively, visit washco.co.uk/ free-care-home-resources

OCTOBER 2023 | 11

business | leader’s spotlight

New kids on the block Santerre Health Investors made a big splash in the care home market in December with its acquisition of Caring Homes Healthcare Group, subsequently rebranded as Aria Care. Lee Peart talked to chief executive Caroline Roberts who sets out her priorities for the newly formed, 50 care home operator

C

aroline Roberts, an industry leader with a distinguished 35-year career in care, was appointed chief executive in December.

Roberts climbed the ranks from being a dedicated carer to holding senior executive positions in quality, compliance and governance. Having previously worked as group director of care compliance and operations at care home investor Welltower, Roberts seized the opportunity to return to an operational role when Aria Care came calling.

From the outset, Roberts swiftly integrated herself into the organisation with a clear vision: “Residents must be at the centre of everything we do, and every colleague should be empowered to perform their roles effectively, efficiently, and to the best of their abilities,” she says.

The most significant change under her leadership has been cultural transformation, emphasising visibility, transparency, teamwork and leading by example with Aria's motto, ‘Care from the heart’.

Vision and values To ensure that teams were kept informed and felt included in the exciting journey ahead, Roberts promptly implemented bi-weekly team manager calls to update everyone on what was happening across the business and to ensure they had chance to share their views, so that they felt part of a growing organisation.

Roberts emphasises Aria's commitment to being open, honest and transparent, giving everyone a voice and acting upon their input. She highlights her lead by example, hands-on approach, actively spending time with colleagues and residents in the communities to stay close to and connected with daily operations.

Roberts emphasises the organisation has to be team-led, supporting and guiding its direction while relying on the collective efforts of the team. A culture

12 | OCTOBER 2023

Caroline Roberts

of support and communication was established where managers could reach out to the executive team for assistance or clarification on changes.

“I am not a chief executive who sits in a head office,” Roberts stresses. “I am out and about and like being in the homes. I actively want to know what’s happening.

“The managers have welcomed our approach with open arms,” Roberts adds.

“Any new chief executive will want to put a new spin on things and reflect their ethos. I wanted a culture where we can all do anything. If I go into a home and they need additional support in the kitchen, for example, I will happily role my sleeves up and go in and help out.

“The whole exec team is happy and willing to do the same. I want a culture where if a manager is feeling overwhelmed with something, whether that be the change we are implementing or a new system we are putting in, they feel able to pick up the phone to any member of our exec team and say ‘help, what’s going on here?’ And ‘why are you doing this?’ Those are the types of

things that we looked to change quickly.

We didn’t change the way people care because they do that really well.”

Aria Care held a conference shortly following the transaction to involve its team in defining the group's vision and values. The feedback was vitally important as it was used to formulate the organisation's core values.

“Sharing Aria Care's vision and values was a pivotal moment, as this defines our culture, our ways of working and commitments to our people in our homes and to our team,” Roberts explains.

The launch was held at a summer BBQ and was well-received.

In terms of employment, existing contracts for workers remained unchanged, but incentive packages and pay rates were reviewed to reflect some of today’s challenges.

Aria Care is a living wage employer, with some employees earning above the minimum wage in certain areas.

“We quickly reviewed our managers’ pay because we were failing behind in CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

leader’s spotlight | business

Home of Compassion

“I feel like I have a significant voice in Aria Care, as Caroline actively encourages open communication and values the input of all team members in shaping our future. The latest examples are managers’ enhanced benefits; following the discussion with Caroline they have been reviewed and adjusted with the current market. I went home on Friday and I said to my partner that for the first time I felt listened to and felt really valued by the company and of course by Caroline. It makes me really proud and happy to work for Aria.”

Eva Trochim, home manager, Galsworthy House Nursing Home

some areas,” Roberts says. “We have also increased our managers’ annual leave from 25 to 27 days because we wanted to say thank you for all their hard work.

In addition, with bank holidays and

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our length of service award, a manager can potentially get up to 40 days annual leave a year.” £18 million refurbishment Aria Care Group's diverse portfolio ranges from new builds to some older properties with character that have been converted. Notably, the group’s flagship Home of Compassion overlooks the Thames in picturesque Thames Ditton.

Offering care for up to 2,580 residents, Aria Care communities range in size from 28 to 95 beds, covering a wide geographic footprint from Scotland down to the Southwest and Home Counties, as well as two homes in Jersey.

In March, Aria Care launched an extensive £18 million investment programme to enhance its communities.

Currently, 12 communities are nearing completion, with plans to extend the programme to other communities in the coming months.

“This investment aims to create a safe, comfortable and fulfilling environment for residents, aligning with Aria Care's vision of becoming a leading care provider known for exceptional quality of care, innovative services and compassion,” Roberts says.

The refurbishment programme encompasses interior upgrades, improved accessibility and the creation of inviting personal and communal spaces.

“Furniture has been provided by our preferred partner Shackletons and they are integral to the transformation,” Roberts explains.

The programme is being managed by Richard Smith, director of European Healthcare Santerre, supported by construction professionals, McCleod and Aitken. The refurbishment encompasses communal areas, new lounges, dining rooms, hallways, bistro areas, bedrooms, en suites, colleague areas and furnishings.

“The investment creates the perfect place for the people we care for to feel safe, comfortable and fulfilled during their time with us,” says Roberts.

Quality focus With Roberts’ previous experience in compliance and governance as both a care operator and inspector, establishing a robust quality foundation was a top priority. This was emphasised by the appointment of former nurse and Care Quality Commission inspector Mark Sims as director of quality and governance, along with the strengthening and restructuring of the quality team.

The organisation has reorganised its regional operations team and reduced the number of regional managers from nine to six. This restructuring created regional directors who will be aligned > OCTOBER 2023 | 13

Brook House

> with a quality business partner in each region to enhance care quality and improve ratings.

“We are proud to have 93% of Aria Care communities currently with Good ratings,” Roberts says.

With a strong foundation established, the next goal is for Aria to achieve its first overall Outstanding rating.

Occupancy In parallel with its focus on quality, Aria Care is striving to build occupancy against a backdrop of the ongoing impact of the pandemic and Brexit.

Although occupancy levels have been affected, the organisation is moving towards its desired levels while ensuring a careful approach to admitting residents and not occupying homes undergoing refurbishment.

“The pandemic had a huge part to play in reducing occupancy which still isn’t where we want it to be,” Roberts acknowledges. “We are moving in the right direction. We are driving towards the occupancy levels we want but we need to do everything carefully. We can’t just open the doors and allow unsafe admissions. We have also made a conscious decision not to admit to all of our homes where we know we are going to refurb them.”

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Technology Technology plays a significant role in Aria Care's efforts to enhance care quality. The business has completed the implementation of Person Centred Software's digital care planning system.

“The system allows for detailed monitoring and facilitates informed conversations in the homes, benefiting both residents and colleagues,” Roberts explains. “I will log into Person Centred Software and have a look at anything outstanding or any particular residents with conditions so we can have conversations in the home. We can then explore or validate this and it also allows the regionals to do the same.”

Additionally, Aria Care is collaborating with Trusted Care on customer relationship management and implementing CareHQ as its CRM system.

“We are currently in the early development stages of having a complete management system built for us,” Roberts notes. “This will enable managers to have all of the information they require at the touch of a button and ensure one version of the truth.

Streamlining all of our systems and processes is a key focus to enable us to have one centralised source of information.”

A notable addition to technology initiatives is the inclusion of CCTV in new builds, emphasising the importance of choice and assurance for residents.

“This decision aligns with a broader industry trend and the concept of providing an additional layer of security,” Roberts explains.

The chief executive added that Aria Care would be including CCTV in new builds in partnership with Care Campaign for the Vulnerable.

“We are looking to trial CCTV in one of our homes,” Roberts adds. “I agree with the concept as long as people have the choice to say yes or no. It provides an extra level of assurance.”

Outlook and future focus As Aria Care continues to establish its brand presence, Roberts acknowledges the organisation's status as newcomers in the industry, however, she stresses her determination to make a significant impact, striving to be the best in the field.

Caring Times was interested to learn what her priorities were as she looks to build on the group’s first year.

The care leader says focusing on innovative care home design would be key as the group seeks to expand its offering in the years ahead.

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leader’s spotlight | business

“I know my ideas and opinions are being heard and I feel involved in the development of the business.

We are kept informed of everything that is happening and about future plans.

There has been huge investment in the homes and streamlining of processes meaning that as managers we get more time to be on the floor and involved with both the immediate and local community.”

Nicky Kelly, home manager, Mount Pleasant Care Home

“When we come to look at new builds we need to look for the future not for the now,” she highlights. “We will be looking at what we can do differently because that’s our offering. I don’t want us to offer a tiny room with just an en

suite. I want a separate seating area. We are going to have to look at providing larger personal rooms. Communal lounges are good but I think as the new generation comes through people are going to want their own space and time so that means larger rooms with their own seating area.”

“Everyone’s building cinemas,” Roberts adds. “We don’t need that. You can have a large TV in the lounge if you want that.”

Roberts says Aria will be seeking the views of potential customers going forward on what they look for environmentally so that it can make informed decisions.

The chief executive also advocates “better wellbeing rooms” that can incorporate a range of therapies and private activities, such as hand massage, listening to audio books or just reading the paper.

“It’s about changing the whole culture from cinema rooms and activities areas to more of a wellbeing and lifestyle choice,” she stresses.

Roberts identifies workforce and aligning values as the second key pillar of her strategy going forward.

“We need to make sure we have our

colleagues aligned so they feel valued and promote the company for us,” she emphasises. “’Better together’ and ‘Caring from the heart’ are out mottos.

If my mum goes into care, I want someone to truly care for her, not just go through the process of caring for her, and that’s what we expect from all of our colleagues.

“For the best possible care in homes we want outstanding managers. We have looked at the skills we need within the executive team and have made some changes and new appointments so we feel we are best prepared for our growth, both in size and offering.”

The chief executive says Aria Care needs a period of consolidation following a lot of change in the past nine months.

Concluding, Roberts says building the Aria Care brand will be crucial to its growth in the months ahead.

The organisation's commitment to transparency, innovation, and a compassionate approach to senior care, positions Aria Care Group as a formidable contender in the evolving landscape of senior living and healthcare.

Kingsclear

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OCTOBER 2023 | 15

business | politics & policy

A fair deal for care workers In his first interview since being appointed shadow minister for social care last month, Andrew Gwynne, shares Labour’s plans for a National Care Service and a Fair Pay Agreement with William Walter, managing director of Townsend Communications What does your appointment as shadow minister for social care mean to you and what relevant experience are you able to bring to the role?

I’m humbled and excited to have been appointed to the role. I know from my own experiences with my dad's care towards the end of his life that social care is absolutely essential in enabling people to live flourishing, dignified and prosperous lives. However, I'm acutely aware that for many people, social care is failing in that mission.

We’ve had 13 years of neglect, with a government that has prioritised shortterm fixes in place of proper, long-term planning. I’m not interested in this sticking-plaster thinking; I’m interested in how we reform the system, tackle the workforce crisis and prioritise ‘home-first’ care in local communities right across the country.

For nearly two years, I’ve worked as Labour’s shadow minister for public health, focusing on things like regional and socioeconomic inequalities. I hope to bring this experience to my new role, along with my interest in the power and potential of local government.

“For nearly two years, I’ve worked as Labour’s shadow minister for public health, focusing on things like regional and socioeconomic inequalities. I hope to bring this experience to my new role, along with my interest in the power and potential of local government.”

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What are your key priorities for the role? How do you intend to get up to speed and engage with the sector? Engagement is also a two-way process, what do you need from the sector to execute your role effectively?

My immediate priority is to tackle the crisis in recruitment and retention.

We have staff shortages of more than 150,000. That is just totally unsustainable and a damning indictment of years of Conservative inaction.

I’ll be working very closely with deputy leader Angela Rayner and my boss shadow secretary of state Wes Streeting to deliver a Fair Pay Agreement in adult social care. Workers deserve better rights at work, fair pay and proper training that offers opportunities for progression. The next Labour government will make that a reality.

In the long term, I’ll be working with users and families and the social care workforce to co-produce a plan to build a National Care Service.

My message to the sector would be that my door is open, and I’m always interested to hear about the daily challenges you face, and how we can address these.

How will you work with your colleagues on the Labour front bench to ensure you deliver practical solutions to the challenges facing the sector?

Well, I’m very lucky to be working in a front bench team that is chocked full of talent and experience. As I say, working alongside Angela will be key, both in terms of delivering this Fair Pay Agreement but also in enshrining the principle of home-first and integrated care into local systems.

But delivering practical solutions to the challenges faced by the sector will also mean engaging with colleagues in our business team, our science innovation and technology team, and our work and pensions team. This will continue in

Andrew Gwynne

government, as I feel very strongly that building a social care system that is fit for the future will require collaboration right across Whitehall.

What do you see as the core weaknesses in the government’s approach to the issues adult social care is currently facing?

I think the government has been far too slow to react to challenges in the sector and suffers from an almost institutional reluctance to tackle complex problems.

We’ve had years and years of broken promises, most notably Boris Johnson’s pledge on the steps of Downing Street to ‘fix social care’. Three years on, not only has this promise not been kept, but we’ve actually seen the government row back on commitments on training and care integration.

Fast-forward to today, and we now have a government that is totally rudderless, lurching from crisis to crisis and in no position to take the ambitious and bold steps needed to address the profound challenges in adult social care. All the while, users and their families, the care workforce and unpaid carers are all suffering. It’s maddening, and change can’t come soon enough.

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Recruitment is one of the most significant challenges facing the sector. How would a Labour government get to grips with the shortage of staff and low retention rates?

It’s a huge challenge and one that is dominating much of my time. Angela has set out our offer to deliver a Fair Pay Agreement across the social care sector.

It’s our ambition that by empowering workers to negotiate better rights at work, fair pay and proper training, we can rapidly improve retention and recruitment.

The next Labour government will also require all care providers to demonstrate financial sustainability and responsible tax practices, to value their staff and to deliver high-quality care for service users before they are allowed to receive contracts from local authorities and before they can gain registration from the Care Quality Commission. I don't want to see contracts being handed out to providers who don't treat their staff properly; it's bad for staff and bad for those receiving care, so we'll take action to clamp down on this.

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Care workers are absolutely vital, so moving forward I’m keen to explore how we can improve career progression within the sector and make becoming a care professional an attractive career path for people to take.

Your colleagues and indeed your predecessor have spoken about a National Health and Care Service, but uncertainty remains as to what this means exactly. How do you see the relationship between the health service and the care service: one cohesive unit or two bodies united by a common brand?

Building a National Care Service will be no easy task, so it’s right that we take time to hear from experts, users and providers about how we deliver this.

Labour has been clear that we want to see a National Care Service that is delivered locally but underpinned by high national standards. We envisage it being separate to the NHS, but would like to see far better local partnerships between the NHS and social care on things like hospital discharge, home-first care and

“Care workers are absolutely vital, so moving forward I’m keen to explore how we can improve career progression within the sector and make becoming a care professional an attractive career path for people to take.”

prevention. This will also mean properly supporting unpaid carers and recognising the importance of the work that they do.

Some NHS trusts are acting as trailblazers, voluntarily giving up funding to invest in local social care beds and recruitment to tackle delayed discharges.

It’s better value for money and means better care for patients. The test for ICSs is whether they can encourage more of this.

OCTOBER 2023 | 17

business | surveys & data

Sick man of Europe The UK lags behind its international peers for dementia, cancer and mental health care, according to a new report by the Institute for Public Policy Research

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new IPPR report says the UK could have averted around 240,000 deaths if it had matched the avoidable mortality rates of its European neighbours.

Harry Quilter-Pinner, IPPR director of research and engagement, says: “At their best, health and care services can save lives, transform wellbeing, and support prosperity. But after a decade of austerity, low investment and a pandemic, today’s status quo is not meeting the demands of the 21st century.

“If we continue down this path, we risk a status quo of extortion and inadequacy – where we pay ever increasing sums for health and care services that are, at best, mediocre. Our new research shows we can get better by spending better.”

The report shows dementia mortality is far higher in the UK than in Western European, Nordic and Anglophone nations.

Fiona Carragher, director of research and influencing at Alzheimer’s Society, comments: “One in three people born today will go on to develop dementia, and this report makes plain the serious Figure 2

Figure 1

consequences of failing to properly invest in health and social care. If the UK had matched the dementia mortality rates of our European counterparts, 180,000 people might not have died of dementia between 2010 and 2020.”

The study reveals requests for adult social care support have risen 10% since

“If we continue down this path, we risk a status quo of extortion and inadequacy – where we pay ever increasing sums for health and care services that are, at best, mediocre. Our new research shows we can get better by spending better.”

2016, but the number receiving local authority support has declined by 4%.

It lays out a 10-point plan for health and social care reform, including a social care guarantee with personal care made free, on a par with the NHS, ending the unfairness of diagnoses like dementia leading to avoidable suffering and patients being forced to bear potentially catastrophic costs.

The report also calls for a new deal for health and care workers, including all care workers being paid the real living wage, their student loan debts cancelled,

18 | OCTOBER 2023

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surveys & data | business

Figure 3

“The report adds to the wide consensus that to meet the challenges facing our health and social care sector, we need a skilled and valued workforce.”

greater control over their working time and a greater voice in planning services, alongside the professionalisation of care work with a new Royal College of Social Care. In addition, the report calls for a five-year commitment to increase England’s health and social care budget by 3.6% per annum.

Carragher says: “We hugely welcome the IPPR report's pragmatic and constructive recommendations on care reform, from a social care guarantee that will offer free personal care and drive up the quality of providers through ethical commissioning, to a new deal for health and care workers that would see all care workers paid the real living wage and provided with appropriate training and support for their roles.

Alzheimer's Society has long called for social care workforce reform to tackle record vacancies and ensure we have a workforce fit for the future that can deliver the high-quality, personalised care people living with dementia need and deserve.”

Michael Chard, assistant chief officer at the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, says: “The report adds to the wide consensus that to meet the challenges facing our health and social care sector, we need a skilled and valued workforce. Recognising social care as a profession, improving working

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conditions and paying people fairly, at least equal to similar roles in the NHS, would be a good start. Only this way will we start to tackle the recruitment crisis which meant half a million hours of home care were unable to be delivered across England due to lack of social care staff.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson comments: “We are investing up to £14.1 billion to improve services and cut waiting lists, with a

focus on prevention to help people live longer, healthier lives and reduce pressure on the NHS. “Our Major Conditions Strategy will look at the prevention and management of conditions that are responsible for the highest proportion of ill-health in England. We’re also improving the nation’s health with the introduction of calorie labelling, a £40 million pilot to give eligible patients access to effective obesity drugs, and helping a million smokers across England quit by giving them a free vaping starter kit.

“Harnessing technology and artificial intelligence to improve services for patients is a priority and we are giving NHS patients greater choice over where they are treated at the point of referral, including in the independent sector.”

Figure 4

OCTOBER 2023 | 19

24-25 NOVEMBER 2023 ExCeL LONDON HOSTED BY LORRAINE KELLY Following the landmark launch event at the NEC Birmingham, join Caring Times at ExCeL London for the largest show in the UK dedicated to care managers.

Lorraine Kelly will be our host, with thousands of managers, care groups and sector specialists in attendance.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

• Care managers • Assistant care managers • Care group executives and owners • Care suppliers • Representatives of industry bodies and associations

WHAT’S ON OFFER AT THE SHOW? ENTERTAINMENT

In this central stream, our host Lorraine Kelly will celebrate key figures in the industry and interview guests with first-hand experience of care.

FREE CPD

Leading training providers will deliver a best-in-class programme of free CPD. Managers will also be able to access information on how further training can help their career, and to talk to care groups offering funded apprenticeships.

OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE

Including workshops and panels, this stream will empower managers to ensure best practice. Leading industry figures will speak to key issues including HR, recruitment, staff morale, and managing risk.

HOME CARE

Managers will have the opportunity to further develop the specific skills needed for home care management, and to hear about some revolutionary and exciting ways the sector is driving forward.

NETWORKING

Connect with attendees, whether this is finding the best talent, speaking to industry experts and operators, or sourcing a key service.

GET YOUR FREE TICKETS TODAY caremanagersshow.co.uk

business | personnel

People moves Andrew Gwynne was appointed Labour’s shadow care minister following a reshuffle. Gwynne, who has served as Labour’s shadow public health minister since December 2021, replaced Liz Kendall who has moved to shadow secretary of state for work and pensions after three-and-a-half years.

Jane Townson, chief executive of the Homecare Association, was appointed chair of the Care Provider Alliance.

The role of CPA chair rotates annually across each of its 10 associations with Townson replacing Nadra Ahmed, chief executive of the National Care Association, who led the organisation for the past 12 months.

Andrew Gwynne

Marcus Hodges and Raphaël Koifman

experience in real estate finance and previously worked for several institutional lending platforms and banks, including Cheyne Capital, Deutsche Pfandbriefbank, Santander and Barclays Capital.

Jane Townson

Aria Care Group appointed Ruth Yates as managing director of operations, assuming operational responsibility for the group’s 50 communities.

Abbeyfield¸ a charity providing housing, residential care and support Ruth Yates to older people, appointed Mike Turner as its chair. Turner has been a trustee on the Abbeyfield board since September 2021. He is an experienced board director, who has worked in senior roles within the infrastructure, commercial, social housing and retirement living sectors, with a particular focus on strategic planning, Mike Turner asset management, procurement and operational delivery within regulated markets.

Care provider Meallmore appointed Gavin Manson and Martyn Everett as non-executive directors. Meallmore has a network of 26 care homes across Scotland, providing a range of residential nursing, elderly, dementia and mental healthcare.

Gavin Manson and Martyn Everett

Rented retirement home provider Birchgrove appointed Marcus Hodges as chief operations officer and Raphaël Koifman as chief financial officer. Hodges has more than two decades’ commercial and operational management experience in co-living, buildto-rent and student accommodation. Koifman has extensive

22 | OCTOBER 2023

in association with

Home care provider Bluebird Care North Hampshire & West Berkshire appointed Tamsin Hudson as dementia care adviser to provide advice and support to individuals who have recently received a dementia diagnosis.

Hudson will work closely with people with dementia and their carers across Tamsin Hudson North Hampshire and West Berkshire, giving tailored guidance to help them to live well at home.

Edinburgh luxury care home Cramond Residence promoted Elaine Vallance to head of lifestyle, tasked with organising a wide range of activities designed to provide meaningful socialisation for residents to help with treating dementia patients. Vallance joined Cramond Residence 15 months ago and has six years’ care experience.

Barchester’s Charitable Foundation appointed a new chairperson, Simon McCall, Barchester’s commercial director, replacing Barchester’s chief executive Dr Pete Calveley, who will continue to help running of the charity as a trustee.

Elaine Vallance

Simon McCall

Not-for-profit health and social care provider Ambient Support appointed Vicky Morris as head of quality, working with regional quality teams across the organisation and ultimately reporting to Ambient’s board of trustees. After gaining a degree in social science, Morris worked as a care Vicky Morris assistant and has progressed through various roles including team leader, assistant team manager, regional manager and head of safeguarding and compliance.

Throughout her 25-year career, Morris has also spent time working as a social care inspector at the Care Quality Commission and studied to become a registered occupational therapist.

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personnel | business Camelot Care’s Camelot House and Lodge dementia care home in Wellington, Somerset, appointed Zillah Oakes as manager, taking over from Sam Paddon who remains a member of the leadership team after seven years managing the home. Since 2019, Oakes has managed a 66-bed Zillah Oakes nursing home in Exeter. She started her career as a care assistant in a nursing home straight from school, then studied at Bournemouth University, graduating in 2003 with a degree in clinical nursing, and has been working as a registered manager since 2019.

New Care appointed Charlotte Sherrocks as home manager at its recently opened Grappenhall Manor care centre in Grappenhall, Warrington, managing a team of 80 nurses and carers. Sherrocks has worked in healthcare for more than 30 years and has been qualified as a Charlotte Sherrocks nurse for 27 years. Her qualifications include a degree in health and social care practice and a diploma in health studies both from Edge Hill University in Liverpool.

New Care also appointed Emma Roberts as deputy manager at Bramhall Manor care centre in Stockport, a luxurious 71-bed purpose-built care centre offering residential, 24-hour nursing and respite care services. Roberts has a background in healthcare and her Emma Roberts qualifications include NVQ2 in healthcare, a foundation degree in nursing and a degree in adult nursing; she is also as a district nurse. Roberts will soon start the induction for her Level 5 management in care apprenticeship.

She previously worked at New Care’s Ashlands Manor care centre in Sale.

Not-for-profit health and social care provider Ambient Support appointed Jane Homer as head of business development. Homer is an experienced manager who has worked within teams covering various disciplines across different client groups, providing service for 23 years to a broad range of clients in the health and social care sector.

Europe’s largest care group Clariane, formerly known as Korian, appointed Laura Taylor as chief executive of its UK division, Berkley Care Group. Taylor was promoted from chief operating officer at the luxury care provider following the recently announced departure of outgoing chief executive, Andrew Winstanley.

Independent care provider Agincare appointed Cher Goodyer-El Meheiry as clinical lead for its live-in care service, tasked with ensuring each care worker receives the right training to understand client’s needs and conditions.

Helen Kings

Laura Taylor

Cher Goodyer-El Meheiry

For Sale Supported Living or Housing Provider Bungalows (C2 Use Class)

Approximate boundaries for identification purposes only

Jane Homer

HICA Group appointed Carl Taylor as regional trainer. Taylor has experience in the care and education sector having previously worked for Kisimul Group which provides education and care for children and adults with autism, learning disabilities and complex needs.

Carl Taylor He was also a tutor at the Grimsby Institute, where he taught Level 3 psychology.

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Adult specialist care company Ivolve Care & Support appointed Helen Kings as chief operating officer. A chartered director, Kings has leadership and non-executive director experience. She was previously managing director at health and wellbeing company Touchstone.

192a and 193b Hob Moor Road, Small Heath, Birmingham B10 9JH • Freehold property • Opportunity to acquire two supported living or housing provider bungalows (C2 Use Class) • Total GIA circa 4,299 sq ft (399.35 sq m) • Unconditional or conditional bids invited with a strong preference for unconditional Please contact: rachel.hill@avisonyoung.com 0121 609 8004

| lucy.briggs@avisonyoung.com 0121 609 8075

08449 02 03 04 avisonyoung.co.uk

OCTOBER 2023 | 23

business | property & development

Property news Highlands operator Parklands Care Homes formally acquired two Moray care homes. Weston View in Keith and Wakefield House in Cullen were incorporated into the Parklands group, six months after their former owner Craigard Care went into administration.

Danforth Care revealed plans to roll out eight care homes in the next 18 months. Danforth Care has opened eight residential care homes in the past 12 months from Lancashire to Norwich, creating 260 jobs and 528 places to live for vulnerable people.

Danforth Care’s Broadlands care home in Norwich Weston View

Staff from Kingsley Healthcare poured beer on the roof of the organisation’s flagship care home as part of a traditional topping out ceremony.

Directors of Kingsley Healthcare and contractor R G Carter were joined by staff from both companies to mark the completion of the roof of King’s Court Nursing Home, which opens in January.

Ashley Care Group purchased Church Farm Residential Home in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, which provides residential and dementia care.

HC-One announced the closure of three embargoed care homes in Cambridgeshire. The Cambridge in Chesterton, The Gables in Whittlesey and The Red House in Ramsey were placed under an admissions embargo in July 2022 by Cambridgeshire County Council and NHS Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, following quality concerns.

Leeds-based care home operator

24 | OCTOBER 2023

Autonomy Care Group purchased a vacant care home, The Hollies in the Somerset town of Castle Cary, a converted and extended property that was previously registered to provide accommodation for up to 18 service users across 17 bedrooms. The vendor was Seaton, Devon-based M&J Care Homes.

The Hollies

Church Farm Residential Home

Kingsley Healthcare

CGI of Barchester's Billericay care home. Credit: Edmund Williams

Boutique Care Homes unveiled plans for a care home in the Reading suburb of Woodley Green, Berkshire. The care home will feature 68 bedrooms with en suite wet rooms, a bistro, beauty salon, cinema lounge, hobby craft room and landscaped gardens with a courtyard.

CGI of Boutique Care Homes’ Woodley Green

Barchester Healthcare acquired a freehold site with full planning consent granted for a 76-bedroom care home development in Billericay in Essex.

Frontier Estates, secured planning permission earlier in the year for a luxury care home scheme design including en suite wet rooms, lounge and dining spaces, a cinema, a hair salon, activity spaces, and exterior spaces including landscaped gardens and roof terrace.

Family-run business Jayan Care Homes acquired Wilbury Care Home in Hove in East Sussex, a converted Victorian town house, providing round-the-clock care for up to 19 elderly residents, specialising in dementia, Alzheimer’s and palliative care. All staff will be retained as part of the acquisition.

Wilbury Care Home

The Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Al Garthwaite, officially opened New Care’s second care home in Yorkshire.

Guiseley Manor, a £12 million care

Guiseley Manor

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property & development | business facility, offering residential, dementia and 24-hour nursing care services.

A Grade II listed former residential care home, Egerton Lodge in Melton Mowbray, was put up for sale. Built in 1829 for the Earl of Wilton, Egerton Lodge was turned into a residential care home with 44 en suite bedrooms in 1987. In June this year, the home went into administration and business operations were taken over by Leonard Curtis Business Solutions Group.

granted for a 72-bedroom care home in the Solihull suburb of Shirley. Vendor GNM Developments identified the 1.4-acre site as suitable for care use and designed a care home scheme inclusive of en suite bedrooms and luxury resident amenities, including a café, salon, cinema, gym, library, range of day spaces and landscaped gardens.

CGI of Macc Care Group's Solihull care home

Egerton Lodge

A West Yorkshire care group purchased Hazeldene House residential and dementia care home in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, a two-storey, 21-bedroom residential care home. The home has been owned by Pavanveer Singh Grewal for five years and was brought to market to allow him to pursue other business interests. Business property advisor Christie & Co facilitated the sale.

Later-living provider Anchor opened the doors of The Mill House care home in Skipton, North Yorkshire. Skipton mayor Sheila Bentley was given a tour of the home after cutting the ribbon to mark its official launch, alongside Anchor’s director of villages and care services, Maria Bamford.

Tees Grange care home

Exemplar Health Care began construction of a £6.6 million specialist care home in Ashton-under-Lyme, Greater Manchester. Acer Mews, which is being built by Yorkshire-based contractor Walter Thompson, will support adults living with acquired brain injuries, complex mental health needs, dementia and physical disabilities.

Acer Mews

A new £5.2 million, Exemplar Health Care care home in Potters Green, South Yorkshire supports adults living with dementia, acquired brain injuries, complex mental health conditions and physical health conditions and will create 80 jobs.

The Mill House care home

Hazeldene House

Wood Care Group purchased Chapel View and Field View care homes in Mapplewell, Barnsley, which occupy the same site providing care for 39 and 40 residents respectively. The homes have been operated by Panaceon Healthcare since they were acquired eight years ago.

Not-for-profit care home operator Anchor opened a purpose-built residential care home in Royal Wootton Basset, Wiltshire.

Marsh Farm Manor is one of 11 purposebuilt residential care homes acquired from Halcyon Homes in July last year and takes Anchor's portfolio to 121.

Marsh Farm Manor

Chapel View and Field View

MACC Care Group purchased a freehold site with full planning consent

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Exemplar Health Care marked the official opening of its £5.7 million, Tees Grange care home in Norton, Stockton-on-Tees. The home specialises in supporting adults living with complex mental health needs and neurodisabilities, including Huntington's disease and Parkinson's disease.

Potters Green care home

Exemplar Health Care officially opened its Wheldale Heights specialist care home in Castleford, West Yorkshire.

Mayor of Wakefield, Councillor Josie Pritchard cut the ribbon to open the £4.3 million home, which specialises in supporting adults living with complex mental health needs and neurodisabilities, including Huntington's disease and Parkinson's disease.

Wheldale Heights specialist care home

OCTOBER 2023 | 25

business | sustainability matters

Deliver green outcomes In our ongoing series, Aaron White, head of business services and sustainability at Oakland Care, outlines small but effective changes care homes can implement to promote sustainability, here focusing on procurement and deliveries.

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care home’s impact on the environment does not just come from its own activities. There is also an impact from activities that the care home does not control directly, but on which it has an indirect effect. These are part of your ‘Scope 3’ emissions.

You can’t control what other businesses do, but you can control what you buy, how much you buy and how often vans turn up at your care home.

When thinking about procurement and deliveries there are three things to consider: choosing sustainable products, ordering in an efficient way, and reducing deliveries.

Suppliers will have their own environmental policy so you can start by finding out what they do to promote sustainability and green practice. If you talk to suppliers, you will often find they can offer you products that are more sustainable.

Look at the key products you purchase and find out if there’s a more sustainable choice for the same amount you are currently paying – or cheaper.

At Oakland Care, we are looking to switch to bamboo or recycled toilet rolls and paper products that are made from recycled materials, and last year we changed our cleaning chemicals to use a product which has zero impact on the environment. Once you have made that change it seems obvious that it is incredibly wasteful to throw away plastic bottles every week when you could be refilling existing bottles. However, we might not have made those switches if we hadn’t asked suppliers what else they had to offer.

Online retailers such as Amazon and Lyreco often have a feature which will put sustainable choices at the top of suggested product lists. At Oakland Care, we have enabled that feature, so if someone is searching for a product, the first items shown will be more sustainable. They may be made of recyclable materials, or the supplier might be particularly committed to sustainability.

With many retailers offering free delivery, it is tempting to order items as and when you need them. Instead, try to have a ‘saved’ basket on the websites you order from, and check that basket out once a week. This will reduce the number of vans on the road, and also reduce noise pollution for local residents. Of course, buying locally is part of the whole ethos of sustainability, but sometimes buying in bulk from a central warehouse and getting it delivered all at once can have a lower carbon footprint than buying lots of small items locally.

When you change your suppliers or seek tenders for new ones, make sure you include a focus on sustainability in the tendering process, as well as the

Aaron White

basics of price and service. You might explain that you are looking for a supplier that can help you become more efficient in your ordering, or make more sustainable choices when it comes to key products. This makes it clear early in your relationship with suppliers that sustainability is a key focus, and they need to be on board to support your journey.

“Suppliers will have their own environmental policy so you can start by finding out what they do to promote sustainability and green practice."

26 | OCTOBER 2023

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sustainability matters | business

Spread the ripples of change Jonathan Freeman, group sustainability director at CareTech, discusses how to develop a sustainable procurement policy

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rom numerous discussions over the past few months, it is evident that interest in sustainability in the social care sector is growing. Support for the new Social Care Sustainability Alliance that I chair, engagement in Autumna’s Go Green initiative and the growing number of conference discussions, podcasts and media articles on sustainability all point to a sea change in the sector’s approach to facing up to its responsibilities for the environment, our communities and our people. This is really positive news, which we can all celebrate.

As providers make a start on their sustainability journeys, it is really important that we realise how success will best be achieved by engaging others involved in our organisations. In particular, our social care organisations sit within a complex web of supply chains that we can influence to help our own efforts and to multiply our impact more broadly on this agenda.

The first step to involving our supply chains is looking at our procurement approach. Most organisations will have a procurement policy that sets out the process and criteria that apply to all purchasing decisions. Traditionally, these policies focused on pricing and quality, which are obviously critical. Broadening out the criteria to include sustainabilityrelated issues can really help organisations address their own sustainability targets and affect wider change.

Beyond price and quality, there is a range of sustainability issues that a good procurement policy can cover: • Business ethics and compliance.

You would hope it wouldn’t need to be said, but just making clear you expect your suppliers to meet high ethical standards sends an important message. In particular, you can highlight that your suppliers should guarantee key basic standards including: compliance with law; fair competition and fair-trade practices; anti-corruption and anti-bribery; business integrity and transparency; and privacy and intellectual property rights.

• Environmental impacts. As you

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try to understand and reduce your own organisation’s impacts on the environment, can your suppliers demonstrate they understand the environmental impacts of their products and services? Better still, do they have a net zero carbon target in place and a plan as to how they will achieve this? And do they have carbon reporting systems in place to enable your organisation to report accurately on its Scope 3 carbon impacts?

• Staff welfare and respect. As a minimum, suppliers should confirm that they follow National Minimum Wage requirements and adhere to Fair Wage and Living Wage requirements and that they have procedures in place to comply with the Modern Slavery Act 2015. But do they also report publicly on their gender pay gap? Do they promote diversity, equity and inclusion within their workplaces?

What have they got in place to support the health, safety and wellbeing of their staff ? Do they promote professional skills development through employee training and promotion and offering employment opportunities to the local community?

• Supporting local communities. Can your suppliers demonstrate their own positive social impacts and responsible procurement practices, such as buying local, including a diverse supply chain and supporting community engagement? You might also prioritise local independent businesses and people in the localities in which you operate.

Setting out the above expectations is becoming increasingly important in organisations’ procurement approaches. As much as 60% of an organisation’s carbon footprint comes from its Scope 3 emissions, that is, by those that an organisation is indirectly responsible for up and down its supply chain, So ignoring this in your own strategy to reduce your carbon impact will significantly reduce your chances of success. That is why so many organisations now set out sustainability criteria in their procurement approaches. And this is only going to increase.

We only have to look to the NHS to see what’s likely to be coming to the social

care sector on this issue. The new NHS contractual requirements for healthcare providers now place very clear contractual obligations on providers around carbon reporting. Currently, all large NHS contracts require carbon reduction plans for suppliers’ emissions; next year this will apply to all procurements in the NHS. In 2027 all suppliers will be required publicly to report targets, emissions and publish a carbon reduction plan for global emissions aligned to the NHS net zero target, for all their Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions.

More broadly, sustainable procurement just makes good sense. Key benefits highlighted in research on sustainable procurement include: improved risk management; costs savings; promotion of innovation and differentiation; increased turnover; and improved talent acquisition and retention. Again, a sustainability approach is proven to be good business rather than an optional extra or a nice to have.

The thorny issue is just how to start on a new sustainable procurement approach.

You will have worked with most important suppliers for some years and developed a good relationship with them. You may be very reliant on a number of suppliers and they may be core to your business. Clearly, overnight change isn’t going to be possible in many circumstances.

As with so much of the sustainability agenda, making the start is the important thing. Any change, however small, is useful. So, perhaps just introduce your new approach to new suppliers and have a set of basic and preferred criteria? And allow for improvements over time, with an indication of a time frame by which you will increase expectations and applicability (as with the NHS’s approach above).

For me, this is another example of starting the conversation and broadening out the range of those working to tackle these vital challenges. As you start these conversations with your suppliers so they will start similar conversations with their other clients. And so the ripples of change spread. As the proverb has it: to go fast, go alone; to go far, go together.

OCTOBER 2023 | 27

business | legal & regulatory

Get ahead of the curve Amanda Narkiewicz, healthcare regulatory partner at Mills & Reeve, explains how regulated providers can prepare for the forthcoming Care Quality Commission monitoring and inspection changes due in the autumn

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he Care Quality Commission confirmed in its summer update how and when it would be introducing its new portal and regulatory approach. Registered providers operating in the South of England are the first cohort to be assessed under the new inspection framework.

From November, the CQC’s decision to assess providers using the Single Assessment Framework (SAF) will be based on the ‘level of risk’ and so not all providers will have an immediate assessment using the new framework.

However, providers operating outside the southern counties will be monitored, assessed and rated under the current system. The CQC will make announcements about other regions in due course but it is expected that by March next year the inspection regime will be fully rolled out across England.

Changing the mindset The SAF reflects a fundamental shift in how the CQC will inspect and assess the quality and performance of service providers, but it does also require a shift in a service provider’s approach to future inspections. Getting your approach right now will be hugely valuable for your staff and business.

We have been working with several providers to support them with getting ready for the new SAF as the CQC continues to update some of the "The CQC will make announcements about other regions in due course but it is expected that by March next year the inspection regime will be fully rolled out across England."

28 | OCTOBER 2023

evidence category descriptions and provide further information on how it will assess quality and performance, including the introduction of new rating limiters linked to scores for the quality statements under each question.

Providers will need to focus on all the quality statements to avoid the new rating limiters within each key question.

The regulator intends to use its ‘rules and limiters’ to “make sure that any areas of poor quality are not hidden”.

According to the CQC, if the key question score is within the: • Good range, but there is a score of one for one or more quality statement scores, the rating is limited to Requires Improvement • Outstanding range but there is a score of one or two for one or more quality statement scores, the rating is limited to Good.

Providers will therefore need to focus on all the quality statements to ensure they maximise their rating.

Getting ahead We have facilitated several workshops on SAF to support operational leads to understand what is expected under the new framework. Our approach has been to work through each of the five key questions (Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led) and for each question we have looked at the corresponding quality statements, also known as ‘we statements’ which describe what good care looks like (these each link to the current Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 and CQC guidance) and how to evidence. We also discuss the examples of policies and resources that help providers gather and document their evidence.

Our step-by-step approach has enabled providers to identify gaps and action points for operational leads to focus on. Each workshop is designed to ensure that for each quality statement, providers can assess their current level

Amanda Narkiewicz

"Our step-by-step approach has enabled providers to identify gaps and action points for operational leads to focus on."

of compliance, develop a continuous improvement action plan and above all, evidence it – and that includes those magic moments that demonstrate positive feedback. Each workshop would then be summarised in tabular format and updated as key actions are achieved.

As part of our new SAF preparation checklist, we also share worked examples of how a rating decision is reached and how this would look with the new rating limiters.

We believe that our approach supports the CQC shifting its focus to place a stronger emphasis on assessment over inspection and conduct more continuous assessments based on evidence.

Get in touch with Amanda Narkiewicz if you’d like to find out about Mills & Reeve’s compliance support services and how we can support your care provider transition to the new assessment framework.

Call 01223 222267.

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care

32 CT ON THE ROAD Oakland Care takes sustainability to next level with biodiversity garden

care contents 30 MANAGER'S GUIDE TO

38 CHEF OF THE MONTH

42 CREATIVE CARING

32 CT ON THE ROAD

39 10 QUESTIONS WITH

44 WELLBEING

34 MY LIFE IN CARE

40 CARE FOR TOMORROW

Barchester offers tips on promoting your service We take a look at Oakland Care's Maplewood Court wildlife garden We meet Laura Selby care branch manager at Audley Care

37 NORRMS' BLOG

The moving dementia diary of Norrms' McNamara

Caroline Lloyd head chef at Care UK’s Prince George House Dr Jane Pritchard, consultant admiral nurse at The Good Care Group Signature Senior Lifestyle announces CCTV partnership and Digitising Social Care on confronting your technophobia

Carers demonstrate their creativity through fun and engaging activities Zoe Fry talks mental health

46 HOUSEKEEPER OF THE MONTH Fe Harris, care housekeeper at Hallmark Homes’ Ty Enfys care home

47 WORKFORCE MATTERS

How volunteers can support the care workforce

care | registered managers

Manager’s guide to… promoting your service In today’s world of social media, the job of promoting a home in the local community is becoming a greater part of the manager’s role. Barchester customer relationship manager Mark Shelton shares some hints and tips

E

ven when managers are employed by a larger group, and can draw support from marketing and PR professionals, they are often still expected to provide their own stories for the local media. Building a good local reputation will boost both occupancy and recruitment.

1. There’s nothing like word of mouth.

Think about how to get local community members through the doors to see the home for themselves.

You could offer space to local clubs, provide free drinks and cakes for emergency workers, run coffee mornings, open houses and garden parties.

2. Stay on top of online reviews. When people staying with us for respite care are about to leave, we ask if they and their family would be happy to write a review. We give them a card with the website address and a little goody bag of cake, wine and little treats.

We also ask permanent residents once they’ve settled in, and we have a stand promoting reviews next to the signing-in book.

3. Think about how many customers a hairdresser, shopkeeper or taxi driver speaks to in the course of a day, and start making links with people and organisations that are in a good position to talk up the home.

4. Connect with charities and local organisations for events and promotions. Local media might be more likely to pick up a story if it comes from a charity and your stories will be amplified through the organisation’s own social media. We are very open when we approach charities, saying ‘we would like to do this event with you; it will be good PR for us but also good PR for you’.

5. Make friends with local media outlets, but don’t expect them to publish everything you send them – it may

30 | OCTOBER 2023

be seen as an attempt to get free advertising. I visit local papers in their offices. One paper was very good about publishing our stories, so I took them some wine and chocolates. They said no care home had ever come to see them before.

6. Feel-good stories really do work when it comes to building occupancy. I was doing a show round and the family stopped me and said ‘are you the idiot we saw dancing in a silly outfit in the newspaper?’ And because of that they took the home.

7. Check out the competition. With so many care homes vying for limited media space you have to do things better than the others. I looked at the competition’s press releases and I thought the pictures were not that great, so I’ve been working with our activities teams to take better standards of pictures.

8. Use social media wisely. Don’t just post stories on your own Facebook and Instagram accounts but be an active member of local Facebook community and business groups.

9. Photographs are all-important but

must be high-quality. Most media outlets prefer landscape rather than portrait shots. Don’t be afraid to stage a picture – sometimes it can be difficult to capture the perfect moment there and then. Check the background to make sure it looks its best. If there’s a big TV on the wall, have something relevant playing via YouTube. On Roald Dahl Day, we had Roald Dahl characters sliding past in the background, and it looked so much better in the pictures than a blank black screen.

10. If all else fails, turn to alpacas and children. For some reason the media loves the cuddly camelids, while intergenerational events almost always receive coverage. Barchester’s Thistle Hill Care Home managed to combine both last Christmas, inviting a local nursery and a mobile zoo. I wanted to get some reindeer in, but they were so expensive. Someone happened to say why don’t you look at alpacas? We got some lovely pictures of residents hugging the alpacas with their little fake antlers on, and it got picked up by loads of papers.

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OCTOBER 2023 | 31

care | ct on the road

Biodiverse garden is a ‘wild’ success Lee Peart finds out how Oakland Care’s innovative wildlife garden at Maplewood Court in Maidstone, Kent is proving to be a win-win for residents, staff, the local community and the environment

O

fficially launched by celebrity gardener Joe Swift in September, Maplewood Court wildlife garden was created from a bare piece of land at the back of the 72-bed luxury care home which opened in June last year. The biodiverse space was created with the help of Kent Wildlife Trust and grant funding from Low Carbon Kent.

“It’s a wild garden that’s been designed to encourage biodiversity and encourage wildlife,” head of marketing, Rachel Tiff, says as we wander along the garden’s winding, wheelchair friendly path.

The garden has a wide array of innovative elements designed to encourage local wildlife and biodiversity.

‘Hedgehog highways’ dot the base of the garden’s perimeter fence while log piles have been established in shady, damp areas to encourage other wildlife such as insects, toads and birds. Elsewhere simple bug hotels near wildflowers provide a perfect home for insects.

Flowering plants have been planted throughout the garden to attract a wide variety of insect, while fruit trees have been established to provide food for birds. Further sustainable innovations in the garden include composting bins and water butts to collect rainwater.

Next to the fruit trees a plot of ground has been set aside for an allotment for residents to grow vegetables in the spring. Residents will be able to sell their vegetables along with their home-made jams, mint sauce and chutneys they currently offer at the home’s ‘Made in Maplewood’ store. Proceeds from the store are reinvested in providing fun events and activities for residents.

The garden was created with the help of the home’s residents who submitted ideas for its design and contributed plants from their family gardens.

Christine Smith, 75, says she is looking forward to cuttings from her family’s garden taking root.

“I’ve contributed a cutting from a Japanese Maple that I’ve always loved,” she says. “It will be fantastic to see it every day and share it with friends here and the community.”

The planting of the Maple was one of the activities carried out by residents in the garden in September to mark the home's Green Week. During the celebration of the environment staff from the home also helped litter pick at a local festival.

As well as providing an uplifting environment and meaningful activities, Oakland hopes to welcome schoolchildren and other interested groups to the garden to help monitor the effect the development is having on biodiversity as the area develops over the next couple of years.

The wildlife garden is the latest innovation from Oakland Care which has become the care home sector's market leader in sustainability. The company proudly boasts the title of being the UK’s only certified carbon neutral care home group with Maplewood Court having an ‘excellent’ BREEAM rating, a scheme that assesses a building’s sustainability and environmental credentials.

Tiff says Oakland’s forthcoming

"Flowering plants have been planted throughout the garden to attract a wide variety of insect, while fruit trees have been established to provide food for birds.”

32 | OCTOBER 2023

Joe Swift launches the garden with head of business and sustainability Aaron White and chief executive Joanne Balmer

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ct on the road | care

Hedgehog Highways are among numerous features designed to encourage biodiversity

Harpenden care home will be the provider’s first net zero care home, while plans are already under way to roll out wildlife gardens in its eight other homes beginning with the recently launched Hyden Heights in Hildenborough, Kent.

Home manager Joanna Mazza says the

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wildlife garden is just one of a constantly evolving array of sustainable ideas thought up by staff at Maplewood. Staff hold a ‘green initiative’ meeting every day to come up with new ideas.

“Our staff are really engaged in our sustainable ethos,” Mazza says. “They pick

up ideas everywhere.”

Innovations around the home include a battery recycling box for the local community, electric car charging points, newspapers recycled for cat litter trays at a local shelter, coffee grounds recycling, a tin can crusher, a cycle to work scheme and upcycling toiletries donated by staff at Maplewood for a local women’s refuge, to name but a few. Innovations in the pipeline include a ‘utility tracker’ to monitor and help reduce energy consumption.

Mazza holds meetings with Oakland’s head of business and sustainability, Aaron White, to discuss the home’s initiatives.

“It’s about establishing a baseline for everybody in the business to work from,” Mazza says.

With my garden tour over, I come away inspired by the Oakland team’s boundless creativity and passion for sustainability.

It’s something we could all learn from.

OCTOBER 2023 | 33

care | carers’ stories

My life in care Laura Selby, care branch manager at Audley Care talks about her background and explains what led her to pursue a career in care

M

y name is Laura Selby, I am a mother of two beautiful children and have worked in the care industry for 13 years. My passion for care started with looking after my younger brother who was born with cerebral palsy. He had a newspaper article written about him on how he beat the odds to walk and talk and live past his fifth birthday (he’s now 28).

The article I still have in my attic speaks about how he was able to say my name and how my older brother and I would pull him around so he could stand and be like us. I suppose my moving and handling techniques were not so apt back in 1994.

My mother also worked in care, and we got to experience her role, through emergency calls into work and she also worked in a corresponding department where my brother had respite, so when we dropped him there, we got to be within the environment which I thoroughly enjoyed. Due to my brother’s condition we were always in and out of appointments and seeing all the roles in health and social care in action, from doctors and nurses to physiotherapy and speech and language. I knew from a young age care was my passion.

I studied child development and completed my GCSEs. I then moved on to study for my BTEC Level 3 in health and social care. I completed work placements and was still unsure of the role I wanted to go into. I didn’t go to university, instead I found an article in the newspaper looking for care staff and decided to send them my CV. My first

role was with an agency. This helped me to develop my skills in a mixed range of social care settings from being a care assistant in domiciliary care and a health care assistant in care homes to a support worker in individual homes and children’s home settings. As I continued to work in a variety of environments, I realised that my calling was in domiciliary care with older adults.

For the last seven-and-a-half years I have worked at Audley Care in Birmingham, starting as a personal care assistant. I was shortlisted for ‘Carer of the Year’ in the National Care Awards, the same year I won ‘Care Star of the Year’ for Audley. Also within that year I was promoted to a senior care worker role. As I developed my skills and further roles became available, I was promoted to quality care supervisor where I got to learn more administration within my role and to support my care branch manager to ensure we were always ready for an inspection. With my care manager being promoted to general manager, I was given the opportunity to become a care manager and have officially been registered with Audley Care for the past four years.

The best thing about working in care is no day is ever the same. I can walk in and sit at my desk and continuously complete admin throughout my day, whereas on other days I can be dropping people to appointments, dealing with emergencies, supporting other managers

Laura Selby

and care team members, answering calls, responding to emails, calling GP surgeries, be having meetings and supporting hospital discharges. I never know what each day will bring. I can plan my day and something can be added or taken away from it in an instant, but the fast pace keeps me on my toes.

The biggest challenge of my role as a care manager is introducing new team members into an integrated retirement community, as it can be quite different to other settings that they have previously worked within. What’s fantastic about the challenge of working in an integrated retirement community is that we have so much more to offer than simply domiciliary care.

"As I continued to work in a variety of environments, I realised that my calling was in domiciliary care with older adults."

34 | OCTOBER 2023

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advertorial | care

Adapting to the new CQC framework: a Q&A with Acuity Law’s Jenny Wilde Acuity Law partner Jenny Wilde gives the lowdown about incoming changes to the Care Quality Commission regulatory regime coming in autumn 2023 What do the changes to the CQC regulatory regime mean for health and social care providers?

JW: The CQC is moving to a single assessment framework, which all types of health and social care provider that deliver regulated services will fall under.

Essentially, this is a digitalisation and streamlining of the existing system with some changes to how ratings are attributed. At the moment, the CQC visits services in person with some offsite review of documentation. With the new framework, we’ll see a rapid increase in general remote inspection, with the onus placed on providers to provide and upload evidence demonstrating compliance.

How will remote inspections be conducted?

JW: Inspections will rely on a portal through which providers will upload relevant documentation and information for the CQC to base their judgement on.

The CQC will also gather information from other stakeholders like local authorities (including safeguarding alerts), feedback from service-users and families, and complaints made about a service.

Bigger clients, who run multiple care services, may be more used to a digital way of delivering care and will likely find the new regime streamlines their inspection experience. However, smaller providers need to ensure they are using the portal optimally and don’t miss an opportunity to get information to the CQC. Equally, all providers need to be aware of what types of evidence the CQC will regard as sufficient proof of compliance.

What else will these changes mean for providers?

JW: There will be more real-time analysis of services, which is undoubtedly a positive (on the face of things). Right now, I’ve got clients waiting two years for an inspection, all the while stuck with a rating they are unhappy with.

Under the new framework, ratings could CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

change very quickly, multiple times a year, even. That’s a good thing – as long as those changing ratings are fair and true reflections.

My concern is about the nature of the real-time information being relied upon by the CQC. As mentioned above, feedback from safeguarding, families, service users and complaints is more likely to be negative in nature, which will naturally start an inspection off with an element of scepticism and potential prejudice. What is not yet clear is how providers will be able to upload positive experiences of care services to trigger a new inspection and demonstrate improvement. Right now, this still very much feels like a reactive and risk-based approach.

For example, if a safeguarding allegation is made within a residential care home, the CQC and local authority will get a formal notification and that could trigger an inspection. At that stage, we don’t yet know if the allegation has merit, is vexatious, or if it will be substantiated.

My worry is that it sets inspections off on the wrong footing because the inspection team will focus on information related to the allegation rather than go looking for positive information.

What are the key concerns around these changes?

JW: The hands-off nature of the new inspection approach will involve a new tier of CQC staff that operate in a centralised call centre. This team supports the inspectors and will triage information on providers and flag when they think an inspection should take place. We have had no information from the CQC about the expertise of those staff and what training they will receive.

Another new feature is a pointsbased rating system, which will allocate a grading to a provider. There will inevitably be questions about the validity of the points system and challenges when points are close between each rating band. The risk with a points-based system

is that the CQC will come back with a “computers-says-no” treatment.

My final concern is the lack of clarity on how the factual accuracy of draft inspection reports will be challenged.

Currently, providers have a 10-working day period to challenge anything they consider to be incorrect or a misrepresentation in the post-inspection draft report. We’re not yet sure what the challenge process will look like, but we do know that reports are going to be much shorter – down to a few pages of bullet points. The question is how can you challenge things within the new framework when you are not comfortable with the content of the draft?

What can providers do to prepare?

JW: I would implore providers to research the new framework properly – there are some helpful resources on the CQC website. In particular, providers need to be familiar with the new quality statements, which describe the CQC’s expectations in every area of inspection.

Think about how you can quantify positive experiences to prove how you are meeting each quality statement. You should identify your positive pieces of evidence, get templates together and prepare evidence files.

But it’s important to note that the law itself hasn’t changed. Always use the regulations as your basis and if you are criticised for not meeting one of the quality statements, ask yourself: did I meet this regulation?

For more information about the updated CQC framework, or to enquire about CQC regulatory framework training, contact: jenny.wilde@acuitylaw.com

OCTOBER 2023 | 35

care | promotion

Congratulations to our second runner-up Receptionist Joy Clark was chosen as one of this year’s runners-up in recognition of her extraordinary commitment and contribution to the wellbeing of residents at The Burlington by Boutique Care Homes in Shepperton, Surrey

I

n addition to her reception duties, Joy goes above and beyond to make the residents' day-to-day experiences more enjoyable. She hosts them in the café for coffee and cake, taking the time to chat and listen to their stories.

This simple act of kindness means the world to the residents, especially those who may not have family or friends nearby. Joy's warm and compassionate personality makes her a true friend to the residents and they all love her dearly.

Joy has also set up a music club for the residents, where she organises a 'music afternoon' in the bistro. She brings in her own soundbar from home and puts together a playlist of all the old songs that the residents enjoy. This has been a huge hit with the residents, and they all look forward to these music afternoons with Joy. She has also encouraged her family to get involved in donating items and supporting the residents, which has created a great sense of community in the care home.

Joy's commitment to outstanding care and compassion has been recognised several times by her colleagues and residents. She has been nominated multiple times for ‘Outstanding care and compassion’ and ‘Outstanding customer service’ awards. Her colleagues speak highly of her and admire her dedication to her work. Joy's contribution to the residents' wellbeing has been invaluable and she is a true hero in the eyes of the residents and their families.

Joy is an exceptional individual who has made a significant contribution to the wellbeing of the residents at The Burlington by Boutique Care Homes. Her selflessness, dedication and compassion make her richly deserving of recognition.

Congratulations Joy.

36 | OCTOBER 2023

2023

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norrms’ blog | care

The shadow man Our columnist Norrms McNamara reflects on what it’s like to live with dementia

“Y

ou can follow me about all day, but you can’t scare me – I’ve got kids!” I shouted.

Elaine came running in from the garden asking: “Who are you talking too?” “Nobody,” I answered, as I didn’t want to worry her, but she knew, oh yes she knew. She had that look on her face that said “Uh oh, he’s here again” – the Shadow Man as we call him, and he was.

I can never catch a look at him fully as he hides in the shadows and follows me around, all day sometimes. His real name of course is dementia, but because I know he`s there, watching, mocking, laughing at me I/we have given him this name to try (unsuccessfully I may add) to humanise him.

Elaine says I sit in my chair, my eyes darting from side to side, sometimes turning around quickly or jumping out of my skin. Sometimes he comes from absolutely nowhere and screams as if the devil himself is after him, or maybe he is the devil? Now there’s a thought.

Apparently, sometimes sitting at the dining table, I’ve been known to kick my legs as if someone or something is holding them, grabbing them, trying to drag me to the abyss which is dementia’s lair. How often does this happen? Only Elaine knows. It can happen on a daily or weekly basis. Nobody knows. Dementia doesn’t run in straight lines and each person is so different.

I am so often asked how I cope with this? I always say: “It’s Elaine you

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Norrms McNamara

should be asking”, but I do try my best to explain. The thing is I have always been, and will always be, a half full kind of guy and I am by nature an optimist.

Without going into detail, so much has happened in my past, before my illness, and I have had to overcome this, and I am proud to say I have done, that I see every day as a brand new challenge. I see hope everywhere I go. I have incredible kids and grandkids who have hope in their eyes every time I see them. I have seen and worked with teenagers who have been at rock bottom with the most horrific past life stories but they have overcome this and are now successful

upstanding citizens – we do have so much to be grateful for. This is not led by belief or religion but by belief in the human race itself and the belief that life will always find a way and so will we. A friend once told me you are who you are because when you wake up in the morning you put your boots on and not your slippers. There may well be some truth in that.

But the fact still remains I have dementia and I have bad days and good days, all well documented over the internet. Some days are wonderful, or what you call normal. But some days and nights are absolutely horrific and so hard to cope with, especially for my loving wife, who was a professional carer for 30 years before I was diagnosed, so even though I have dementia I still think myself as lucky. Some are not so lucky and have to face this all alone, and by sharing my experiences it’s those I hope to help, as well as all those affected by this awful disease, for as long as I can. As for the Shadow Man, he still comes and goes, and I still rebuke him at every turn up, but if you see someone jumping or shouting at someone you can’t see, please try to understand – it's so very real for them.

Till next time…

OCTOBER 2023 | 37

care | catering

Chef of the month Caroline Lloyd is head chef at Care UK’s Prince George House, and recently won the Unsung Hero award at the 2023 Public Sector Catering Awards Tell us about your background and how you joined Care UK? I joined Care UK in 2013, moving to Prince George House when it opened in 2015 as a kitchen assistant. I was then promoted to second chef and then head chef shortly after. I found my passion for cooking at a young age, but it became my whole life once I joined Care UK. What is special about working at Prince George House?

Prince George House is like one big, loving family, which is all the motivation I need to make every day special. I love interacting with the residents and seeing how much my cooking means to them.

How do you vary your menu to provide choice for residents?

I like to get daily feedback from residents, colleagues and relatives on how to make our menus better. The main goal is for all residents to enjoy their food, so if a resident fancies a certain meal, I will do my best to make it happen.

What does your typical weekly menu look like?

I make sure to have a variety of options in between our set meals. The popular set meals at Prince George House include traditional fish and chips every Friday and we also offer two roasts a week. Residents can choose from a starter, two mains and two desserts at lunch or dinner time, meaning they can build their own meals depending on their appetite that day.

"The main goal is for all residents to enjoy their food, so if a resident fancies a certain meal, I will do my best to make it happen."

38 | OCTOBER 2023

Caroline Lloyd

How do you meet residents’ nutritional and health needs?

I always follow the care plans, so it’s easy to cater around any allergens residents may have. Surprisingly many of them can’t have grapefruit, so we steer clear of that completely, but we always have fresh fruit baskets available and some residents enjoy having these in their rooms. Two options of vegetables are included with every meal, and I’ll always offer an alternative menu so there’s something suitable for additional dietary needs.

What is your most popular dish?

Fish and chip Fridays are a favourite throughout the home. All of the residents look forward to it so that is my favourite to make for them. I love seeing their excitement when they know it’s coming up.

How do you cater for residents with dementia?

We make sure we offer show plates – residents living with dementia don’t pre-order their food because they benefit from seeing the food in front of them before they decide. If they don’t have capacity for a big meal they can have something smaller, but it’s their choice.

For show plates, the food must look amazing, so I’ll use different methods of piping and let residents test and taste the food before deciding.

How do you make the dining experience special for residents and their families?

I always cater to the occasion. I’ll put together a candlelit dinner on Valentine’s Day, and for Christmas we’ll have crackers on the table. I encourage relatives to stay and enjoy lunch when visiting their loved ones as this really brightens up residents’ days. If a resident is on end-oflife care, we offer visiting relatives food as often as we would the resident, as we know eating is probably low on their list of priorities.

What is your own favourite dish?

My personal favourite is sweet and sour chicken – I love making this dish as much as I love eating it! It’s one of the dishes where I get to experiment with different ingredients to get the most authentic taste.

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registered managers | care

10 questions with…

Dr Jane Pritchard, consultant admiral nurse at The Good Care Group, shares why she loves working in care

“Skills and knowledge can be learned, it's values and attitude that really matter. If you get those right when you employ people, then the rest will follow.”

balance and make sure that I'm not overdoing things.

What advice would you give your younger self ?

I think go easy on yourself, you can't do it all and you can't be everything to everyone.

Dr Jane Pritchard

Why did you join the social care sector?

I wanted to make a positive difference to the lives of people with dementia and their families.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I enjoy being able to support people to continue to live in their own homes. It's where most people want to be, and it's full of memories and stories.

Who is your social care hero and why?

It's more like a collection of heroes as I don't want to single out anyone in particular, but the members of the Dementia Engagement and Empowerment Project network are hugely inspiring. They are a network of people with dementia who want to make a difference in the world and who generously share their experience of what it's like to live with the condition.

They are politically very active, I've seen them speak at a few conferences, and

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they have even created a media language, kick-starting the campaign to stop using the word dementia ‘sufferer’.

What is the one thing you would change about social care?

I would increase the profile of social care; it's a wonderful place to work, and so rewarding, it's a well-kept secret.

What, in your opinion, makes a great care worker?

Someone who is passionate about helping others and who radiates compassion and kindness. Skills and knowledge can be learned, it's values and attitude that really matter. If you get those right when you employ people, then the rest will follow.

What do you do when life all gets a bit too much?

I remind myself that everything is only temporary and that the bad times will pass. I try to focus on my work-life

Which three famous people would you have to dinner and why?

I think the Dalai Lama would be fascinating and I could learn so much from him about life and compassion. I have a great deal of respect for Buddhist teachings and they of course underpin a lot of cognitive behavioural therapy.

Secondly, if he were still alive then Nelson Mandela; he was proof of how one person can change the world and he fought injustice with dignity and inner strength and I really admire that. Finally Michelle Obama, she's a great role model for women, down to earth, and is said to have an amazing sense of humour, What three items would you bring with you on a desert island?

A fishing net to catch dinner, a blanket (I feel the cold) and a hammock to relax in and enjoy the view.

What is your secret talent?

Well anyone who has had their portrait painted by me may not agree that it's a talent (I'm really quite terrible at drawing people), but I like to paint, mainly landscapes and animals.

OCTOBER 2023 | 39

care | technology

Signature teams up with CCFTV Signature Senior Lifestyle has announced a new formal partnership with Care Campaign for the Vulnerable (CCFTV). The luxury care provider will sponsor CCFTV, which is led by founder Jayne Connery, for a year from this month, joining other sponsors, including Slater and Gordon UK, Winncare and Care Protect

T

he new partnership builds on a six-month joint project which has seen CCFTV and Signature work together to pilot safety monitoring technology in dementia residents’ bedrooms at Signature at Reigate Grange.

Kay Cox, chief executive at Signature Senior Lifestyle, said: “Safety monitoring technology is an invaluable tool to support the development of caring and safe environments. Jayne’s campaign has “The new partnership builds on a six-month joint project which has seen CCFTV and Signature work together to pilot safety monitoring technology in dementia residents’ bedrooms at Signature at Reigate Grange.”

40 | OCTOBER 2023

helped us to develop a tailored safety monitoring pilot programme which has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from those living and working in the home. The safety monitoring technology has been game-changing in our ability to provide truly personalised care and employee coaching.

“We are proud to support Jayne’s campaign to make it mandatory that all care homes offer their residents the option to use safety monitoring technology, and we will be working with her to drive the campaign forward. We are also working to expand our safety monitoring pilot to encompass our other homes as we stive to provide exceptional care alongside an exceptional lifestyle offering.”

Jayne Connery, founder of CCFTV, said: “After a successful collaboration with CCFTV on the piloting of independently monitored cameras in the dementia community at Signature at Reigate Grange, we see this provider has ‘walked the walk’ in committing to keeping vulnerable residents safe by

adopting safety monitoring.

“CCFTV is therefore proud to be associated with and working in partnership with Signature Senior Lifestyle and we hope more care providers recognise the need for greater transparency in care homes and will follow their exemplary lead.”

Lynn Buckingham, relative of a resident at Reigate Grange, said: “The team at Reigate Grange are so passionate about the work they do and bring so much joy to the residents in the home. Knowing that my mother is now being supported by safety monitoring technology really reassured me that everything possible is being done to promote their safety, dignity and wellbeing. It’s just a little bit of extra reassurance and peace of mind that builds on top of the wonderful care that is already being provided. I would encourage more care homes to follow Signature’s example and explore the use of safety monitoring, and I’m so pleased that Signature is working to give more families the choice to access these services.”

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technology| care

Face that phobia Are you a self-confessed technophobe? Are members of your team apprehensive about making the move from paper-based record keeping to digital approaches? NHS England’s Digitising Social Care provides a few scenarios that you may encounter when considering a move to digital You may be worried about changing to digital systems – it is important that you and your team are involved in the transition, that they are briefed prior to any associated training, and that concerns are listened to and heard. Internal workshops may be a good idea to ensure good communication and engagement throughout.

You may be worried about data breaches – suppliers should be able to report any breaches to you. They can also give you control over which devices have access to records, giving you oversight and control over the use of your data.

You could lose your tech – ensuring devices are tracked can assist suppliers in tracking lost devices remotely and wiping them. Introducing secure charging stations in your workplace can ensure devices are kept in one place out-of-hours.

You may have concerns over the change from paper-based to digital records – record audits in a digital system operate in much the same way as a paper-based one. Some suppliers also provide additional functionality with digital audits.

“It is good practice to familiarise yourself with the terms and conditions around

Passwords may be forgotten – passwords should remain confidential, and accounts should be deactivated when a worker leaves your organisation. IT security should be promoted through internal training plans.

You may be worried tech is a barrier to engagement with people receiving support – it is good practice to record notes at the point of contact and be transparent with the person receiving support about what is being recorded. They should then have a better understanding of the process.

It may not be clear if information will be easily accessible by external stakeholders (family, GPs, providers) – most systems offer proxy access to personal data in a controlled manner.

Suppliers offer training to staff on functionality and security.

There may be confusion over tech supplier responsibility and your organisation’s responsibility – it is good practice to familiarise yourself with the terms and conditions around governance and security. It is worth noting your organisation has responsibilities as a data controller, and suppliers have responsibilities as a data processor.

There’s also lots of information to help you make the switch, from which supplier to use to where to find training for your staff, on the new digitisingsocialcare.co.uk website.

governance and security. It is worth noting your organisation has responsibilities as a data controller, and suppliers have responsibilities as a data processor.”

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Online webinars: On 8 November Skills for Care will be hosting a virtual webinar: ‘I’m a technophobe, get me out of here – taking the fear out of digital for social care managers’. The event will include a panel of registered managers who will discuss their experiences and share their top tips on: • why they made the change to digital • how they decided what to do in their organisation • what worked well and what they would have done differently • how they got their staff on board with digitalisation.

There will be two follow-up webinars on the same theme by Skills for Care in January and February next year.

You can join first webinar on 8 November by scanning the QR code.

OCTOBER 2023 | 41

care | creative caring

Creative Caring As always carers have been demonstrating their creativity through fun and innovative events for their residents The presenter and actor, who also starred in Doctor Who as the first Doctor’s companion Steven Taylor, cut the ribbon to open the new room officially.

The cinema launched with a showing of musical favourite Grease.

Morris masters Morris dance troop the New Forest Meddlars brought music, movement and merriment to residents at Woodpeckers care home in Hampshire. Accompanied

by Bumble, the mascot of young carers’ charity Honeypot, the dancers took part in a day of celebrations to mark the opening of the Colten Care home’s new greenhouse.

Medieval manners Residents at Care UK’s Montfort Manor in Kent were surprised to find a working medieval village in their garden, reenacted by local theatre group Re-Shake.

Residents enjoyed a spinning wool class, and a banquet in the dining room, which was adorned with lavish medieval decorations.

Movie magic Former Blue Peter presenter Peter Purves opened a cinema room at Healthcare Homes’ Foxearth Lodge.

42 | OCTOBER 2023

Fab four Residents from Ideal Carehomes’ Rivendell View created four groovy scarecrows as part of a local competition.

Rivendell View home manager Lisa Tungate said: “The residents chose The Beatles because our garden this year has a ‘flower power’ theme, which we’ve all been working on together for Ideal Carehomes’ Gardens in Bloom competition.”.

Fringe benefits Barchester’s Strachan House care home in Edinburgh was transformed into a ‘colourful castle of colour’ when it hosted a spectacular performance from Edinburgh Fringe performers Octovoce.

The event was part of Edinburgh Fringe Cares, which aims to show how the Edinburgh Fringe festival can be made accessible to everyone in care homes.

Staff and residents dressed up and chefs prepared a themed menu.

Apple juice With help from an apple press loaned by

the East of England Apples & Orchards Project, residents at Stow Healthcare’s Ford Place in Norfolk created their own apple juice using fruit from their garden.

Residents also made an apple pie with cooking apples, which they enjoyed for dessert.

Night at the opera Care home residents and staff from Quantum Care homes travelled by limousine to see the Connaught Opera perform a selection of operatic songs and musical pieces at Knebworth House. The annual event takes place courtesy of the Lytton Cobbold family who open up their home for the afternoon.

Flying visit The team at Care UK’s Foxbridge House in Orpington enabled retired RAF pilot Peter Lemon, aged 102, to see the plane he flew during World War II when he was aged 22. Peter visited Brooklands Museum in Weybridge to see the

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creative caring | care

plane, and met with a current pilot to discuss flying tips and tricks in a Vickers Wellington.

Picture this Brockington House in Hereford, part of Dormy Care Communities, teamed up with two local colleges to host a ‘Portrait artist of the year’ competition.

The home invited a dozen students from Hereford College of Arts and Hereford Sixth Form College to paint residents at the home. Brockington House plans to hold an exhibition of the portraits.

More than words Residents from charity Care South’s St Ives House welcomed visitors from sister home Alexandra House for an inter-home jumbo Scrabble competition.

The visit began with fish and chips for lunch before playing the word game on a jumbo-sized board, which was crafted by the St Ives House activities team.

Football fun Waving flags and tucking into Englandthemed cakes, staff and residents from CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

Orchard’s 23 care homes across the North and Midlands enjoyed the group’s Women’s World Cup Finals watch parties. Sharon Easterbrook-Smith, home manager at Archers Court, said: “Many of our residents were saying how much they enjoyed the women’s football, with some saying they wish they’d played a bit when they were young too.” caravan as a hub for residents to spend quality time with their loved ones. The Blackpool home was donated a caravan more than three years ago and after some much-needed TLC it was finally ready to be used. A seaside themed opening ceremony included live entertainment and sweet treats.

Hot stuff Stilt walker and fire breather Paul Flinders provided entertainment as part of a carnival-style day of outdoor fun and activities at Colten Care’s Newstone House in Sturminster Newton. The event, which included games such as hoopla, hover archery and splat the rat, raised more than £170 for the Friends of Stour Connect, a day centre in the town.

Wedding bells Catia and Marius, healthcare assistants at Mill Lane care home in Felixstowe, may have got married in Portugal – but that didn’t stop residents from getting involved in the UK. A pre-marriage ‘wedding’ took place at the home, complete with exchange of rings, a toast and the cutting of a special cake.

Residents made vases for flowers and knitted banners, as well as taking part in readings and singing, while home manager Suzanne Brindley acted as celebrant.

Caravan club MHA Pennystone Court unveiled a new

Musical moment Athena Care Homes’ Amberley Hall launched its first ‘Singing for the Brain’ session last month, an initiative from the Alzheimer’s Society to bring together local people affected by dementia. Local singers Your Choir came along to join in some of the singing and vocal exercises on the day.

One-stop shop Runwood Homes’ The Whitecroft care home has opened a boutique-style shop for residents. The Whitecroft Emporium, which opened with a celebratory champagne reception, allows residents to purchase a range of items including sweets, toiletries, books, cards and socks.

OCTOBER 2023 | 43

care | wellbeing

Let’s talk about mental health Zoe Fry, director at The Outstanding Society, who was recently awarded an OBE for services to social care and nursing, discusses her experiences with mental health and why it’s so important to talk about it

A

fter working in the social care sector for 35 years across a number of roles, including as a nurse, owning and operating a care home, and as a principal director of OBE medal, I’ve experienced first-hand the impact that mental health problems can have on your personal life and work.

My story Although I’ve always been an anxious person, I first started experiencing panic attacks and significant anxiety in 2015.

The Outstanding-rated care home that I operated, Valerie Manor, received a safeguarding allegation. Following an investigation by the police and Care Quality Commission, it was found that the allegation was malicious, however, the damage had already been done.

As an independent person and a successful leader, I found the panic attacks difficult to accept. It took my loved ones urging me to seek help to finally take the plunge and start taking medication and going to therapy, including cognitive behavioural therapy, psychotherapy, counselling and life coaching.

Despite seeking help and seeing an improvement, I found it was too much for me to learn how to cope while continuing to run Valerie Manor. I eventually made the extremely difficult decision to focus on my health and sell the care home, which completed in 2021.

"It took my loved ones urging me to seek help to finally take the plunge and start taking medication and going to therapy, including cognitive behavioural therapy, psychotherapy, counselling and life coaching."

44 | OCTOBER 2023

Zoe Fry

Although this wasn’t easy, it did lead me to having a very active role in The Outstanding Society which in turn led to my peers nominating me for an OBE medal.

Helping others Social care is by its very nature a caring profession. You meet people every day in all sorts of roles who take huge pride in caring for others. With my background in nursing and adult social care, this has always meant that I’ve been focused on prioritising the mental wellbeing of my team and colleagues. This was of course strengthened further after my own experiences.

As the operator of Valerie Manor, I invested in the mental wellbeing of my team both emotionally and financially, and did everything I could to make help and support as accessible as possible. For example, creating a culture of openness, funding therapy when it was required and taking team members to appointments.

In 2014, I contacted a counsellor to seek their support to work with staff on a one-to-one or group basis for reflective practice. This helped staff talk about their relationships in and outside the care home, and recognise how

personal problems can have an impact on someone’s day at work. We even had a relative attend one of these sessions as well.

Supporting my staff even saw me take one of my team members and their spouse to a hospital appointment after they’d been diagnosed with cancer. I think my background in nursing gives me a more detailed insight into experiences like this.

I’ve carried this belief through to my current role in The Outstanding Society.

Working with the other directors, the mental health of our members and their staff continues to be a significant priority and is embedded in everything we do.

This includes attending The Care Show in October and speaking on a panel about mental health, and launching The Outstanding Forum which focuses on equality, diversity and inclusion.

Although not directly linked to mental health, if staff feel included, accepted and supported in their workplace, they’re far less likely to experience mental health problems.

Looking to the future I’ve recently had a profound experience that has and will continue to have a

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wellbeing | care

"For anyone experiencing mental health problems, recognising your triggers can be incredibly important in learning how to live with your experiences, including helping you take action before it’s too late."

significant impact on my life. Being diagnosed with ADHD has been a huge light bulb moment in helping me to understand where my anxiety and panic attacks come from. Although it’s been a roller coaster of emotions, I’ve found a sense of relief in my diagnosis. I’m also trying not to look at this as a barrier, but as a reason for my success. I believe that my ADHD has helped to drive me forward, however, it’s now a case of learning how to approach things from a healthier perspective.

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This has of course made me reflect again on the importance of raising awareness of mental health. I will continue to talk at national and local events about my anxiety, ADHD and mental health in the hope that I inspire people in the sector to support each other.

When it comes to social care, it can often be a very isolating industry.

Although working in adult social care is extremely rewarding, it does bring unique challenges. The work can be isolating, particularly for professionals who work in the community and I therefore think it’s crucial that as an industry, we speak up so that we can secure the support we need.

For anyone experiencing mental health problems, recognising your triggers can be incredibly important in learning how to live with your experiences, including helping you take action before it’s too late.

As an industry we need to work together to create a culture of openness and honesty, where people aren’t afraid to speak up and reach out for support if they’re struggling. This can reduce the

stigma that still surrounds mental health, encourage open conversations, and also help everyone to better understand each other’s triggers.

By speaking out about my own experiences, I hope that I can show my peers that it’s okay not to be okay, and that no matter what you’re going through you’re not alone. I think it’s also important to try and flip the switch on mental health.

You can still achieve your dreams and aspirations, even if you’re experiencing things like anxiety and panic attacks.

The Outstanding Society was formed by a small group of providers that had at the time all recently achieved Outstanding ratings following the introduction of the CQC inspection standard ratings in 2014. There was a general consensus between these groups that it would be beneficial to the adult social care sector if services were able to share their expertise with other providers, and support the driving up of quality across the whole of England.

To find out more visit: https://theoutstandingsociety.co.uk/

OCTOBER 2023 | 45

care | support staff

Housekeeper of the month The housekeeper plays a vital role in maintaining the wellbeing of residents and staff. In the first instalment of a new column sponsored by WASHCO, Fe Harris, care housekeeper at Hallmark Homes’ Ty Enfys care home in Cardiff, shares how she goes the extra mile How did you get into care housekeeping?

I have been working at Ty Enfys for eight years. Before that I was working at New House Country Hotel as a housekeeper for nine years. A friend of mine suggested I apply for domestic care at Ty Enfys and I applied in 2015. I’m still here. I love it.

What is a typical day for you?

My normal day is cleaning and tidying every room in the ground floor community I look after, including reception, the cinema, lounge, garden room and the 21 bedrooms. I have very high standards and will always try to make each room look like new. I do a deep clean of every room every month. I also make sure the flowers and plants in the public areas and the community are nurtured, watered and ready to bloom.

While I am cleaning, I am talking to the residents – if I have time I take them outside. When members of the laundry team are on annual leave I sometimes help out there as well. Residents’ clothes are taken to the laundry daily, along with the bedding, linen and so on, and the team work 12-hour days to ensure everything is laundered and ready for the next day. All residents’ clothes are labelled and delivered washed and pressed by the team each day.

How do you meet the needs of residents?

I respect their choices and see them as individuals. I like to find out residents’

favourite plants and flowers and add them to their room. I often take part in activities especially if they involve singing and dancing, and I will also cook residents my famous noodle dish.

I sit and talk to residents each day, just finding out how they may be feeling, helping them or encouraging them if they aren’t having a good day.

What are the most challenging parts of being a care housekeeper?

Dealing with the sadness when the residents pass away. Another challenge is to work to a high standard consistently within the time constraints.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I like talking to the residents, taking them out into the garden and learning about their life and circumstances. I try to encourage them to maintain their confidence. One resident, for example, doesn’t like going out, but he likes walking in the corridor, so that’s what I do with him. I sing songs from the 1940s and 1950s. Residents like it when I sing the Dad’s Army theme tune!

What would surprise people about your job?

People think you come in, clean and go again, but it’s so much more than that.

It is about interacting with the residents and building relationships. I bump into

Fe Harris

families sometimes and they say thank you for doing such-and-such for my mum.

Is there a time when you feel you have made a real difference?

Every day! I make a difference every day.

On one occasion a resident wanted to go to lunch with her family. She was so excited to go, but her trousers were too long, and she said she wouldn’t go with trousers that didn’t fit. I said “no, you are going” and I altered her trousers to make them shorter. You could see on her face how happy she was.

On another occasion one of the residents was on the floor waiting for an ambulance after an accident. He heard me singing in the corridor, so he asked me to come into his room and hold his hands and we sang together waiting for the ambulance.

What is special about the care home you work for?

The dedication and commitment of the staff and management to providing first class care to the residents.

What skills and talents do you need to be a great housekeeper?

You have to be caring, hard working, diligent, conscientious, and have high standards of cleanliness.

46 | OCTOBER 2023

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volunteers | care

Here to help Sam Ward, deputy chief executive of the Royal Voluntary Service, says volunteers can play a major role in supporting those working in care and those drawing on care services

A

t Royal Voluntary Service, we took our decades of experience with volunteering for the health sector and said ‘what about care?’

While volunteering in adult social care isn’t a new concept, we were asking how we can open the doors wider, so the sector can benefit further from the vital, responsive services that support the NHS. The pandemic and cost of living crisis have helped increase awareness of the issues facing the care sector. There is an urgent need for charities, like ourselves, to think about how we can better support those working in care and those drawing on care services.

The pandemic also reinforced the critical role played by volunteers in supporting the health and wellbeing of communities. The Volunteer Responders programme, originally created to support NHS colleagues and services in England during the pandemic, has responded to more than 2.5 million requests for help to support approximately 200,000 people.

Today, there’s a great opportunity to further tap into the immense potential of volunteers in the care sector. Volunteer Responders has expanded to social care. The free, flexible and easy-touse programme is making it easier for care professionals to request support, volunteers to provide support and for care recipients to receive volunteer support.

Of course, that’s not to say that Volunteer Responders are the answer to workforce shortages.

Research conducted by Royal Voluntary Service underscores the

far-reaching impact of volunteers in care settings and the value they add to the lives of those they serve. The evidence highlighted benefits for care recipients, including improved mood, enhanced cognitive functions and general improvements in care service quality.

Additionally, for care staff, there’s an increase in job satisfaction and reduced levels of work stress when working with volunteers.

Of staff currently working with volunteers, 98% stated they “enjoy working with volunteers” and 90% of staff not currently working with volunteers would like to see more volunteers in care.

Additionally, 82% agreed volunteers can play a vital role in supporting social care in the same way they support the NHS. Through the Volunteer Responders programme, care professionals can request support with a range of services such as short-term telephone support for people who need a friendly call and some encouragement to improve their wellbeing, regular telephone support for more vulnerable people, grocery and essential shopping delivery, and delivery of medical equipment.

These activities aim to extend care and practical aid to people in receipt of social care, enhancing their wellbeing and contributing to their improved quality of life. Volunteers will not be doing the work of care colleagues but will complement the existing workforce, allowing care and health colleagues to focus on providing

Sam Ward

quality care to those who need it most.

Volunteer Responders support is available seven days a week and comes with comprehensive support and assurance. There is a helpline, safeguarding team and problem-solving team available between 8am and 8pm every day. Regional relationship managers are available in each region to answer questions about the programme, the volunteer support available and how to make a referral.

We want more care providers to make full use of the programme. It’s incredibly straightforward to request the support of volunteers and I urge anyone interested in exploring this additional support to visit our nhscarevolunteerresponders.org or call our support team on 0808 196 3382 to find out more information or to make a referral.

"There is an urgent need for charities, like ourselves, to think about how we can better support those working in care and those drawing on care services."

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OCTOBER 2023 | 47

care | business & property Buckinghamshire Name of property sold:

Chiltern View, closed care home

Location:

Aylesbury

Registration:

Previously 9, learning disability

Purchaser:

Mr Leheup

Seller:

Voyage Care

Price:

£500,000

Business transfer agent:

Christie & Co

Contact person:

Jordan Oborne – 07736 615 870

Ceredigion Name of property sold:

Sir Ceredigion Cae'r Onnen Care Home

Location:

Llandysul

Registration:

6, residential

Purchaser:

Undisclosed

Seller:

Undisclosed

Price:

£300,000

Business transfer agent:

Christie & Co

Contact person:

Oliver McCarthy – 07702 809 198

Dorset Name of property sold:

The Pines

Location:

Bournemouth

Registration:

13

Purchaser:

Undisclosed

Seller:

Undisclosed

Price:

Undisclosed

Business transfer agent:

Christie & Co

Contact person:

Charles Phillips – 07764 241 346

IF YOU’RE THINKING OF SELLING YOUR CARE BUSINESS, SPEAK TO THE EXPERTS: Contact our award-winning team on: 0207 448 8826 | care@christie.com 48 | OCTOBER 2023

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business & property | care Gwent Name of property sold:

Crick House Nursing Home

Location:

Portskewett

Registration:

49, residential

Purchaser:

Undisclosed

Seller:

Undisclosed

Price:

£1,250,000

Business transfer agent:

Christie & Co

Contact person:

Oliver McCarthy – 07702 809 198

South Gloucestershire Name of property sold:

Ashbourne House

Location:

Bristol

Registration:

17, residential

Purchaser:

Undisclosed

Seller:

Undisclosed

Price:

£1,250,000

Business transfer agent:

Christie & Co

Contact person:

Oliver McCarthy – 07702 809 198

Dorset Name of property sold:

Montrose Care Home

Location:

Dorchester

Registration:

22

Purchaser:

Gingerbread Home

Seller:

D Mills and T Ringwood

Price:

Undisclosed

Business transfer agent:

Walton Healthcare Property Consultants – 07808 764748

Contact person:

ww w.wa lto n h p c.co m

CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

en g l a n d & wa l e s : Paul Burford paul.burford@waltonhpc.com 01926 760 116 | 07808 764 748

S COT l a n d : Gary Walton gary.walton@waltonhpc.com 0141 279 1111 | 07554 009 244

OCTOBER 2023 | 49

W H AT A R E THE B ENEF I T S OF U S I N G CHRI ST I E & CO? •

A successful track record of delivering transactions

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Tailored solutions based on industry knowledge and market analysis

Tried & tested, targeted and confidential marketing strategies highlighting your businesses unique strengths and potential

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Extensive network of buyers, sellers and industry professionals, honed over 30+ years of operating in the UK care market

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We have been selling businesses since 1935 and have the largest team of experienced healthcare advisors with a total collective experience of over 500 years

IN 2022...

Christie & Co sold over 60% of individually transacted care homes in the UK *According to data taken from carehome.co.uk

SINCE 2 0 15 . . .

Christie & Co have sold an average of 4 care homes per week

C hr ist ie & C o com plet ions from Januar y 2015 - A ugust 2023

Contact our award-winning team

0333 034 1750 | care@christie.com

FOR SALE

LOOKING TO SELL? TALK TO THE EXPERTS. We have a large pool of buyers ready to invest in the UK social care sector.

Highly Profitable Care Home, South West

Ashlea House, Perthshire

Freehold £2,900,000

Freehold £650,000

• Residential dementia client group

• Registered for 21

• Stunning period property with extensions

• Vacant possession as of June 2023

3470739 T: 07717 335 367

5274716 The Lawns, Devon

T: 07764 241 280

Freehold £595,000 • Learning disability care home • Registered for 12

Confidential Property

3270388 T: 07764 241 310

Stanway Close and Greenway Road, Somerset

Silvermead, Devon

Leasehold Annual Rent £142,884

Freehold £850,000

• Group of two closed former care homes

• Previously registered for 13

• Detached former care home

• Total of 10 bedrooms/ units

3270392

3270391

T: 07764 241 310

T: 07764 241 310

Nursing Home, West of Scotland Freehold £6,750,000 • Registration in excess of 110

Confidential Property

• Long-standing strong EBITDA

Confidential Property

6870567 Care Home, Devon

T: 07764 241 280

Nursing Home, Lanarkshire

Freehold £2,950,000

Virtual Freehold, Offers Invited

• Retirement Sale

• Registered for 90

• Registered for 37

• Purpose built

3270376 T: 07764 241 310

Confidential Property

If you’re thinking of selling your care business, speak to the experts:

6870572 T: 07764 241 280

care@christie.com 0333 034 1750

Finalists announced

24 November 2023 Platinum Suite, London We can’t wait to celebrate our silver anniversary event with all the gold star employees in the social care sector. Whether you’re new to the industry or have joined us before, secure your place at the prestigious and fun-filled National Care Awards.

Tickets on sale now.

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