The Carer Digital - Issue #281

Picture For Social Care Remains “Precarious’ Report Reveals

Welcome to the latest edition of The Carer Digital!

A SYSTEM AT THE CROSSROADS — A SURPRISE TO NO-ONE

There are moments in this job when the statistics stop being statistics and become people you know. This month has been one of those moments for me. Within the space of a few weeks, I have found myself watching two people quite close to me navigate the very system we write about every issue. One is now in residential care. The other remains in hospital — waiting.

Waiting for a care package to be arranged, waiting for the pieces to fall into place, caught in a system that is, frankly, struggling to cope. I suspect many of you reading this will recognise that experience, either professionally or personally.

My friend now in care, a former teacher was in hospital for 9 weeks before a suitable home was found for him. There are “complications which of course I cannot share but it really was an “eye-opener”, and for me gives a particular weight, to the King's Fund's latest Social Care 360 report, which lands this month with findings that will surprise no one in our sector — but should alarm everyone outside it.

Record numbers of people are now receiving publicly funded long-term care. Councils are spending more than ever. And yet the system remains, in the King's Fund's own words, "precarious."

Providers are struggling. Reserves are falling. Half of councils with social care responsibility believe they may need emergency government bailout agreements within three years. Half.

Throughout my editorship of The Carer, adult social care funding has been the eternal conundrum.

The demand is rising. The costs are rising. And the money — however you cut it — has not kept pace.

Social care now accounts for over 40% of all local authority service spending, which is why we are seeing libraries close, roads deteriorate and waste services

diminish.

Councils are robbing Peter to pay Paul, and Peter is running out of patience.

I have long believed — and I make no apology for saying so again — that the only credible long-term solution is some form of social insurance: a mandatory contribution scheme, along the lines of what Germany and Japan have implemented, where citizens contribute throughout their working lives into a dedicated fund.

Yes, it is a tax by another name. No, nobody wants to pay more.

But the alternative — the path we are currently on — is to hand an ever-growing financial and care burden to the next generation, compounding the crisis with every passing year.

I was not alone in this view. Former Prime Minister Theresa May inched towards it, and paid a political price for even raising the conversation. Baroness Casey's Commission on Adult Social Care is now tasked with finding a coherent answer, and her call last month for a "moment of reckoning" and radical honesty about the system's future was both brave and necessary.

The Commission's long-term recommendations won't arrive until 2028. The crisis, unfortunately, will not wait that long.

But I'd genuinely love to hear from you. What do you think the answer is? Write to us. This conversation belongs to everyone in this sector.

On a note that lifts the spirits considerably: please do get behind Skills for Care's #CelebratingSocialCare campaign, which dedicates the entire month of April 2026 to recognising and honouring the extraordinary work carried out by social care professionals across England.

It aims to amplify the voices of those working in social care — sharing good news stories, celebrating achievements, and shining a spotlight on the profound difference this sector makes to people's lives every single day.

We notice we have a little "competition" this month — but we say that entirely with tongue in cheek.

It is a wonderful initiative, and we intend to play our full part. If you have a story to share, a team to celebrate, or an achievement to shout about — please do include us.

Nobody shares it better than The Carer, and we mean that. I can always be contacted at editor@thecareruk.com

Editor Peter Adams

Picture For Social Care Remains “Precarious’

(CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER)

An additional 30,000 people received publicly funded long-term care in 2024/25 compared to the previous year, representing a 3% rise from 859,000 to 889,000. It has meant that total spending on social care by local authorities reached £34.5bn, a real terms increase of 4.1%.

INCREASED CHARGES

However, it has resulted in the rise of external debt and fall in usable reserves as councils attempt to cover these increased costs whilst meeting their statutory obligations. The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accounting (CIPFA) found that last year English councils external debt rose by 10% and their usable reserves fell by 4%.

Councils are also having to fund spending on social care through increases in charges on service users and cuts in other areas such as libraries, roads and waste disposal.

Even with these measures, half of councils with social care responsibility say they are likely to have to apply for emergency government bailout agreements within the next three years, according to a Local Government Association survey.

EMERGENCY BAILOUTS

Ther LGA survey released in February this year revealed that more than a third of councils – and almost half of social care councils - responding to a new Local Government Association survey said they are likely to have to apply for emergency government bailout agreements to set budgets in the next three years.

While funding levels have risen over the last few years and multi-year settlements provide much-needed certainty, costs and demand pressures continue to outstrip the overall amount of funding available to councils.

The consequences of under-funded local government are fewer neighbourhood services, reduced investment in prevention, growing pressure on those who rely most on local support and more communities feeling like they are not seeing an improvement in their local services.

SIGNIFICANT PRESSURE

Despite the increase in fees, and expanding the number of people receiving care, today’s Kings Fund report finds that social care providers are struggling to meet their rising costs and charging privately funded clients more to help make ends meet.

The report said that ‘The picture for social care remains precarious’ and that it would put 'significant pressure on the government to ensure stability in the sector in the medium term and on the Casey Commission to identify coherent proposals for funding and wider reform in the long-term'.

This is the eighth edition of the report published annually by The King’s Fund, tracking the state of the

social care sector each year.

MOMENT OF RECKONING

In March the chair of the Government's landmark review into adult social care issued a rallying cry for radical honesty about the future of the sector, warning that the current system leaves vulnerable people and their families gripped by anxiety.

Baroness Louise Casey, who is leading the independent Commission on Adult Social Care, made the remarks last month, urging what she described as a "moment of reckoning" for a system long seen as underfunded and overlooked.

The Commission was announced in early January 2025 and formally got underway the following April. A report on its first phase is anticipated later this year, though the second phase — which will set out longerterm recommendations for the sector — is not expected to conclude until 2028.

Baroness Casey stressed the need for an open and honest public conversation about what people actually want from both the NHS and the Government's promised national care service. Central to that discussion, she said, must be the thorny questions of who should bear the cost of care and where the boundaries of state responsibility should lie.

She said: “I think we need a mandate from the people who pay for health and social care through their taxes and national insurance, but might not even know what it is.

“It needs to be about more than just whether people should have to sell their home or not. It’s really tough questions like who should be able to draw from the system? Where do we draw the line?

“What should we expect from families? What lies with the state? What contribution should be made, when and how?

“We now need to work with the public to create a system fit for the nation that we are today.”

NATIONAL CONVERSATION

Simon Bottery, author of ‘Social Care 360’ and Senior Fellow for Social Care at The King’s Fund, said: ‘Local authorities have gone to great lengths over the past year to fulfil their statutory obligations. They have spent more money on social care, with that investment not just going towards the increase in provider fees but also expanding the number of people receiving care.

‘This will have improved the quality of life for the thousands of additional people now in receipt of care and given the challenging financial backdrop should be welcomed. However, it has come at great cost to local authority budgets and ultimately is not sustainable.

‘We are long overdue a national conversation about how to properly reform social care so that it provides the support people need is organised and is funded in a way that does not put at risk other local authority services and their overall financial health.’

TEC Only Works When People Feel Confident Using It: Why Workforce Empowerment Is Now Adult Social Care’s Biggest Opportunity

Technology Enabled Care (TEC) has secured its place in adult social care. Sector leaders now see it as central to prevention, independence, and everyday decision making. According to the latest TEC Outlook 2026 report from PA Consulting and TEC Services Association, 78% of senior adult social care leaders want to move further and faster with TEC, and 96% would rethink care delivery if it enabled earlier prevention.

Workforce confidence has not kept pace with leadership ambition. That confidence gap is a major barrier to improving outcomes in homecare and residential settings.

Only 19% of leaders say their workforce has a strong understanding of TEC; 39% report low understanding, and 55% say staff need more support to discuss TEC confidently with people who use care. Despite generating rich insight, 70% of leaders say practitioners still struggle to use TEC derived insight in daily decisions.

For councils, the challenge is building confidence in TEC. When awareness and confidence is low, even the best technology risks becoming an extra task rather than part of personalised, preventative care.

TEC CANNOT DELIVER WITHOUT PEOPLE WHO TRUST IT

The biggest enabler in the next 12 months of councils’ TEC ambition is people and practice, not the technology. Senior leadership commitment is also identified as being a key requirement for success, with nine in ten leaders naming visible senior level backing as critical to TEC powered transformation.

Leadership enthusiasm only matters if it shows up in practice – through regular conversations, practical coaching, and managers modelling TEC first thinking.

Councils such as Gateshead are demonstrating this by helping teams understand how TEC improves quality of life, reduces reliance on traditional packages, and supports people to stay at home for longer. By creating space for exploration, normalising TEC first conversations, and sharing human stories, they are building emotional connection as well as technical understanding. These stories resonate because they connect to the values at the heart of care.

In homecare, where practitioners often work alone, confidence is critical. Clear narratives about TEC’s purpose – how it supports independence, reassures families, and prevents avoidable crises – often determine whether technology is used meaningfully or ignored.

MAKING TEC PART OF PERSON CENTRED PRACTICE, NOT A BOLT ON

By Robert Turnbull, care technology expert, PA Consulting (www.paconsulting.com)

TEC delivers the greatest impact when embedded into everyday social care practice, not treated as an add on. That means introducing TEC from the first assessment, using insights to shape proportionate, personalised care plans, and ensuring reviews and multi disciplinary team discussions draw on TEC evidence so practitioners can make confident recommendations.

Leaders need to create psychologically safe spaces for staff to practise TEC related conversations. Practitioners don’t need to be technical experts; they need the confidence to explain, in human terms, how TEC can support someone’s goals.

Embedding TEC as core practice is key to improving outcomes for younger adults with learning disabilities and autism. Low awareness (68%) and safeguarding concerns (73%) are major barriers, but person centred, narrative led conversations – supported by simple demonstrations, clear expectations, and repeatable measures – can help overcome them.

USING TEC INSIGHT TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES - WITHOUT OVERWHELMING STAFF

The volume and quality of TEC derived insight and data have expanded significantly. 73% of leaders want to prioritise TEC-driven decision making for the year ahead, and more than half plan to increase use over the next year. But insight only improves outcomes when practitioners can integrate it within existing ways of working.

Staff don’t need complex dashboards or dense reports; they need clarity, confidence, and practical direction. Simple prompts and AI supported summaries highlight what matters, surfacing risks and patterns without overwhelming teams. Grounded in real examples, this narrative led support turns insight into action –enhancing judgement and embedding learning in everyday practice.

Councils like Kent are showing what this looks like, using ADL monitoring and AI enabled dashboards to create person specific insights and tailor care packages.

For homecare providers, this can free up time, making shifts calmer, more predictable, and more focused on meaningful care.

HUMAN IMPACT MATTERS AS MUCH AS FINANCIAL IMPACT

Leaders report that TEC delivers the greatest value when human outcomes are measured alongside financial benefits. Simple, repeatable measures, that capture both, build confidence across practice and finance teams, strengthen the case for sustainable investment, and give staff clear, tangible examples of how TEC improves lives.

THIS IS SOCIAL CARE’S MOMENT TO TURN BELIEF INTO PRACTICE

The TEC Outlook report is unequivocal: belief in TEC is strong, and the ambition to move faster is widespread. The challenge now is ensuring the workforce feels confident, capable and supported to use TEC as part of everyday practice.

For homecare providers, this is a defining opportunity. By focusing on workforce confidence, embedding TEC into person centred care, simplifying insight, and measuring human outcomes alongside cost, providers can unlock TEC’s full value for people, families, and practitioners.

The technology is ready. The belief is there. Confidence will turn potential into practice so TEC can genuinely transform lives.

• We specialise in the sale and purchase of quality used wheelchair accessible vehicles and ambulances.

• They can be bought as seen or refurbished and sign-written to your own requirements.

• Fully serviced, new mot & warranty

• Engineers inspection supplied if required.

• Free delivery service available

• All buses comply with new legislation

• Lease hire and purchase available

• Always large stock of accessible vehicles

New Data Shows Scale and Shifting Demand in England’s Adult Social Care System

The latest quarterly figures from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) provide a detailed snapshot of adult social care activity in England, highlighting sustained demand for services across community, residential and nursing settings.

The Adult Social Care Client Level Data (CLD) – quarterly update to December 2025 forms part of a developing national dataset designed to give deeper insight into how individuals interact with local authorityfunded care services.

The data shows that, as of late 2025, approximately 683,000 people were receiving long-term adult social care support arranged or provided by local authorities in England.

The majority of this support continues to be delivered in people’s own homes or community settings, accounting for around 490,000 individuals. However, care homes remain a critical part of the system: 138,000 people were supported in residential care homes

• 55,000 people were receiving care in nursing homes

For providers across the residential and nursing care sector, these figures underline the ongoing importance of bed-based care within the wider care ecosystem, particularly for individuals with more complex or higher acuity needs.

Alongside long-term support figures, the report highlights continued pressure on front-end services.

Between October 2024 and September 2025, around 609,000 people received an adult social care assessment without having accessed long-term support in the previous year.

This indicates a substantial flow of new individuals entering the system, reinforcing concerns about rising demand linked to demographic change, increased life expectancy, and more complex health conditions.

The Client Level Data collection represents a significant shift in how adult social care activity is measured. Unlike previous aggregate returns, CLD captures individual-level data on assessments, care provision and outcomes, offering a more granular understanding of service use.

The dataset covers adults supported by local authorities under the Care Act 2014, including both those receiving ongoing care and those who contact services for advice, assessment or short-term support.

For the care sector, this improved visibility is expected to support better planning, commissioning and policy development over time.

While community-based care continues to dominate in volume terms, the data reinforces the essential role of residential and nursing care settings in supporting tens of thousands of people nationwide.

At the same time, the steady inflow of new assessments suggests that demand for all forms of care—including complex nursing provision—may continue to rise.

For operators, workforce planners and commissioners, the emerging CLD dataset offers an increasingly important evidence base to understand:

• Changing patterns of need

The balance between community and bed-based care

Future pressures on capacity and staffing

DHSC has emphasised that the CLD publication is still classified as an “official statistic in development”, with ongoing improvements to data quality, coverage and consistency expected in future releases.

Quarterly updates are now scheduled on a regular cycle, signalling a move towards more timely and responsive reporting across the adult social care sector.

A Night to Remember at the Lincolnshire Care Awards 2025!

Broadcaster and presenter Melvyn Prior hosted the event on 26th March, which was organised by the Lincolnshire Care Association (LinCA), at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Lincoln.

Winners and highly commended nominees were announced across 13 categories, and there was also a LinCA Chair’s Special Recognition Award.

This year’s award was presented to Barry Earnshaw, the previous Chair of LinCA, and the award will be renamed in his honour from now on.

Nominations for all the other awards were open to care organisations, employers, colleagues, service users and friends and family. They were shortlisted before a judging panel decided the winners and

highly commended for each category.

“Thanks to everyone who nominated their Lincolnshire care heroes and to the fantastic behind-the-scenes team who put the event together in such seamless fashion,” said Melanie Weatherley MBE, Chair of the Lincolnshire Care Association.

“Thanks also to our sponsors, presenters and guest judges, without whom we simply wouldn’t be able to deliver such an amazing event. Your dedication, support and commitment make all the difference – so a heartfelt thank you from all of us.

“It was an honour to witness the outstanding work happening across Lincolnshire, much of which often goes unseen. We are truly inspired by the passion and care shown within our social care community!”

Resilience Is a Leadership Skill

By Roger Waluube, an Executive Performance Coach specialising

The social care sector is one of the most demanding environments in which to lead. Care home managers operate under relentless regulatory, financial and human pressures — and the majority of those managers are women. Yet resilience, one of the most critical capabilities for sustainable leadership, is rarely developed with the same rigour as operational or clinical competence. In exploring frameworks that might better support women in leadership, I was recently recommended to research the ResilienceBuilder Assessment Tool, developed by Steve Howe following decades of leadership research. Having looked into it, I am now actively exploring becoming a certified ResilienceBuilder coach — not because I am endorsing it above other approaches, but because its model resonates with what I observe in the women leaders I work with.

The ResilienceBuilder model identifies five core characteristics of highly resilient people: Mental Strength, Purpose, Physical Stamina, Emotional Intelligence and Social Support. For women leading in care, each of these speaks directly to the everyday realities of the role.

MENTAL STRENGTH

The capacity to stay positive and adaptable under pressure is tested daily in care settings, often compounded by the expectation that women leaders be simultaneously warm and decisive. Coaching that tar-

gets this helps women challenge unhelpful thought patterns and lead with both compassion and resolve.

PURPOSE

Purpose is what separates leaders who endure from those who burn out. Women who lead in care are rarely short of purpose — but reconnecting with it during periods of exhaustion or criticism is vital. A coaching conversation anchored in purpose can help a manager rediscover why she does what she does, particularly when it feels hardest.

PHYSICAL STAMINA

Physical stamina matters more than we tend to admit. Many women in care leadership deprioritise their own wellbeing while caring for others. The ResilienceBuilder model makes explicit what good leaders know but rarely act on: that looking after yourself is not indulgent — it is part of the job.

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

Emotional intelligence is frequently a strength for women in care leadership, but without firm boundaries it can become a source of depletion. Coaching in this area supports women to deploy their empathy as a deliberate leadership tool, rather than something given freely at personal cost.

SOCIAL SUPPORT

Trusted networks and peer relationships are perhaps the most underrated resilience factor. Many senior women in care feel isolated, particularly in smaller independent organisations. Deliberately investing in this pillar, with structured support, can be transformative.

I am keen to hear from women in the care sector who would be willing to share their experiences of how resilience — in whatever form — has shaped their personal and professional journeys. These conversations will directly inform my ongoing research in this area, and I welcome anyone with an interest in women’s leadership and resilience to get in touch.

MOD Armed Forces Badges Presented to Kirklees Care Home’s Veterans

A SPECIAL presentation took place at a Kirklees care home event to honour residents who served in the armed forces.

Ministry of Defence issued badges and certificates were presented to veterans living at Longroyds and Pilling House Care Home, in Skelmanthorpe, at their inaugural veterans’ coffee morning.

Veterans from the care home were joined by Rural Veterans Hubs Kirklees, a veteran led community initiative, and Kirklees Council Cllr Tim Bamford, as well as friends and family for the presentation.

The “HM Armed Forces – Veteran” lapel badges are issued to eligible veterans who have served in the armed forces, as well as war widows and widowers.

Among them was Neil Sykes, 90, who served at RAF Kirkham for two years, where he played cornet in the military band. The highlight of his service was playing the national anthem for Queen Elizabeth II at the inauguration of Scammonden Dam in October 1971.

Fellow resident Elizabeth Martin, 88, also received a veteran badge, as the spouse of Seargent Major Tommy Martin, who served in The Duke of Wellington’s Regiment of the British Army for many years. Elizabeth said: “We met at a dance when Tommy was stationed in Northern Ireland, near to where I lived. After we got married, we spent many years travelling the country while he served, living in the married quarters.”

Robert Guyan, 84, received a veterans badge for his service in the RAF as a senior aircraftsman for nine years.

He said: “A lot of things happened in the forces that were classified and we aren’t allowed to talk about

them, but I am very proud of my service and thankful for all the places I travelled to and have seen around the world.

“Receiving the veterans pin and certificate means a lot. I know my wife, who has passed away, would be very proud.”

The inaugural veterans coffee morning at Longroyds and Pilling House Care Home is the first of many regular events, where veterans can meet and share stories, memories, and chat over coffee, tea and cakes.

It is one of several initiatives that have helped the care home achieve Veteran Friendly Framework (VFF) status – a scheme from Armed Forces charities Royal Star & Garter and Royal British Legion, alongside NHS Veterans’ Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA), and with funding support from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust.

Tracey Keenan, home manager at Longroyds and Pilling House Care Home, said: “We’re all very proud to receive Veteran Friendly Framework status, as it’s an honour to care for those who have served and sacrificed for their country.

“The team has undertaken specialist training to enhance their awareness of the challenges faced by veterans, ensuring their experiences are recognised and honoured.

“We also held our first veterans coffee morning, when we were able to present our veterans with their HM Armed Forces Veteran pin and certificate, which was a really special occasion.

“The aim of the coffee morning events is to create a safe space where our veterans, friends and family can come together, share memories, chat together and feel part of a strong community.

“The event is open to any members of our veteran community and we hope to see as many as possible next time.”

How pobroll® Is Transforming Bed Bathing for Dementia Patients

In April 2025, the Supporting the Provider Market (STPM) team in County Durham published a new report evaluating the use of pobroll® — a waterproof bed-bathing wrap designed to improve dignity, comfort, and ease during personal care.

This evaluation was carried out across 10 care homes with high numbers of residents living with dementia. Each setting was given one or more pobroll® units and invited to share feedback through a structured survey. The findings reveal how even simple tools can make a significant difference in everyday care.

How was pobroll® used?

Most care homes used pobroll® daily or several times per week, showing it quickly became part of regular practice. Staff noted that one of the biggest challenges was not having enough units — all homes requested additional stock after the trial, highlighting a clear appetite for wider adoption.

What did care teams think?

Feedback from the care homes showed strong support for the tool:

Ease of use was rated highly, with an average score of 4.4 out of 5. Staff found pobroll® straightforward to incorporate

into care routines.

• Training was rated slightly lower, at 3.8 out of 5, suggesting that while the wrap is easy to use, additional training resources could improve onboarding for new users.

Resident response was positive. Three in ten care homes reported improved mood or behaviour during bed bathing for dementia patients.

• Key benefits included greater warmth, coverage, and dignity for residents, especially those who might find conventional methods distressing. Some teams also found it particularly useful for end-of-life care Would they recommend pobroll® for bed bathing for dementia patients?

Absolutely. Homes rated their likelihood to recommend pobroll® at 4.3 out of 5, with

Written by Pat O’Brien of pobroll

half of respondents giving it a full 5 out of 5. The overall feedback was clear: this is a valued, meaningful addition to personal care.

Would they recommend pobroll® for bed bathing for dementia patients?

The results of this trial reinforce what many professionals already believe — that small, thoughtful design changes can significantly improve care. For residents who are bedbound or living with dementia, personal care can often be a distressing experience. But with the right tools, it doesn’t have to be.

The pobroll® isn’t a complex device. It’s a simple, dual-layered cotton towelling wrap. But its thoughtful design — offering full coverage, comfort, and support — makes a real difference where it matters most.

If you’re part of a care home, hospice, or hospital and would like to explore how pobroll® could benefit your residents or service users, get in touch. We’re here to support compassionate, dignified care — one small change at a time.

See the advert on the facing page for details, or visit www.pobroll.co.uk

Skills for Care Dedicates April to #CelebratingSocialCare for Fifth Year

Skills for Care has launched the fifth annual

#CelebratingSocialCare campaign, dedicating the entire month of April 2026 to recognising and honouring the vital work carried out by social care professionals across England. Since its inception in 2022, the campaign has grown into one of the sector’s most eagerly anticipated annual celebrations, with care organisations, frontline workers, and those who draw on care and support all invited to participate throughout April.

The campaign, which runs across Skills for Care’s website, social media platforms and wider communications channels, aims to amplify the voices of those working in social care by sharing good news stories, celebrating individual and organisational achievements, and shining a spotlight on the profound difference the sector makes to people’s lives every day.

Professor Oonagh Smyth CBE, Chief Executive of Skills for Care, marked the campaign launch with a video message in which she underlined the significance of the initiative. “I’m so excited to say that we’re now in our fifth year of dedicating the whole month of April to #CelebratingSocialCare,” she said. “Social care has such a big impact on all our lives — from people working in social care to people drawing on care and support, to family, friends and our communities. We know that people who work in social care are really skilled and really passionate professionals, and this month is a dedicated opportunity to honour that work.” Care providers and staff are being encouraged to get involved on social media by sharing shoutouts to

colleagues and those they support, highlighting recent initiatives or organisational achievements, reporting on events and activities run within their teams, and celebrating their own professional accomplishments. Skills for Care is also encouraging workers to reflect on and share what they value most about their careers in social care.

Voices from across the sector have spoken powerfully about why the campaign matters. One contributor noted that celebrating social care means “recognising the heart and soul that every staff member brings into the lives of the people we support,” adding that every small achievement — “a smile, a regained confidence, a moment of independence” — deserves to be honoured. “It reminds us all that social care is not just a service, but a relationship built on trust, respect, and compassion,” they said.

Others echoed this sentiment, with one respondent describing the campaign as being “about more than just recognition — it’s about valuing the incredible work staff do, boosting morale, and inspiring excellence,” while another emphasised that celebrating social care “makes staff feel valued, listened to and heard,” and equally empowers those who draw on support to feel more engaged in their own care.

To assist organisations and individuals in joining the celebrations, Skills for Care has produced a dedicated resource pack containing social media images, suggested posts, email banners, selfie cards, a blog template, and a range of ideas for April activities that can be run within teams or alongside the people they support.

Residential and nursing care providers wishing to take part and access the full suite of supporting materials are encouraged to visit: www.skillsforcare.org.uk/celebratingsocialcare

TLC Cooperscroft Care Home Hosts

Birds of Prey Event for the Community

In a celebration of International Birds Day, TLC Cooperscroft Care Home welcomed Falconry UK for a special event that brought residents and the wider community together in appreciation of nature’s magnificent birds of prey.

The event welcomed attendees of all ages, from our cherished residents to local children and their families. Guests had the unique opportunity to meet a captivating array of birds, including majestic falcons, gentle owls, a Kookaburra and even a dazzling kingfisher.

Special thanks are owed to Jason from Falconry UK, whose engaging presentation captivated a packed room. His expertise and ability to connect with the audience made the experience enjoyable for everyone. Additionally, we want to

recognise our own Business Development Manager, Dawn, for her incredible efforts in organising this fantastic event.

Amid the economic challenges many face, Cooperscroft is committed to providing free, family-friendly events. This initiative allows families to create lasting memories without financial burden.

One of the most unforgettable moments of the day was when resident Nancy displayed remarkable bravery as one of the largest owls gently perched on her head—a heartwarming and unique experience that showcased the joy of stepping into new adventures.

Universities Have A Big Part To Play In The NHS 10 Year Health Plan – Here’s Why

By Professor Deborah Lycett, Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor (Research) and Health and Community Wellbeing

The NHS undoubtedly delivers world-class care, but it is operating under pressures that risk perpetually trapping the system in a cycle of reactive treatment and limited capacity. Demand is rising year on year, with backlogs from COVID-19 straining services and 7.3 million people currently waiting for treatment.

Health inequalities remain entrenched throughout the UK, with hospital admissions for infectious diseases almost twice as high in the 20% most deprived areas, while the severe staffing crisis also persists.

Recognising that much must change, the NHS 10 Year Health Plan sets out a shift in how care is delivered by moving services closer to communities, focussing more on prevention and investing in the transition to digital and AI-enabled healthcare. Yet, delivering this depends on having enough health professionals with the right skills to provide care where and when it is needed. Alongside being a key health development partner in research, knowledge exchange and system design, the NHS relies on universities to educate and train the next generations of healthcare professionals to sustain the workforce.

CARE THAT MEETS COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY ARE

The move from hospitals to community care is one of the plan’s most visible ambitions, seen in the rollout of Community Diagnostic Centres and local partnerships, but it’s also among the most complex to implement, requiring not only the relocation or expansion of services but a thorough understanding of local populations and designing care to meet their specific needs.

As community-centred health initiatives are rolled out more widely, the benefits - which are already proving to be huge - will be more so, as patients face shorter journeys to access health and care and gain treatment earlier. Pressure on NHS services would also be eased, with health conditions identified and treated before they become more serious.

Universities’ research can help the NHS and local councils locate gaps in care and get greater insight into what people actually need. Through the Coventry Health Determinants Research Collaboration, we are supporting Coventry City Council to examine the wider factors that influence health outcomes - such as income, education, job security and housing – and using these insights to co-create earlier, preventative interventions. By training local residents and council officers to better understand community needs and evaluate local services, we are helping build local capability to act before health issues escalate, as prevention is a core principle of community-centred care.

Universities also understand the communities they serve and can help tailor health hubs and programmes to local needs, driving regional development in health services. Later this year, we will become the first higher education institution co-located within an NHS Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) in Coventry, which is expected to deliver thousands more diagnostic tests for local residents each year.

RETHINKING

HOW PEOPLE TRAIN FOR HEALTH CAREERS

Although healthcare remains one of the most popular degree choices for university students, the NHS still needs graduates faster than universities can supply. The traditional one-intake-per-year model creates an

imbalance as large groups of graduates arrive at the same time, leading to onboarding surges, while services can be short-staffed at other points of the year.

To provide a continuous, year-round supply of trained staff, we have moved all our postgraduate courses to six intakes per year, allowing students to start and finish at multiple times, with our undergraduate courses adopting the same structure later this year.

Our move to multiple intakes also brings university training and education more closely in line with how the NHS operates.

Workforce gaps that cannot be met by the traditional one-intake model are making the NHS increasingly reliant on apprenticeships, which are structured with flexible start and end points. To give aspiring healthcare professionals more options to study and train, while also recognising the growing popularity of apprenticeships across the UK, we are collaborating with regional colleges and the NHS to create more progression routes from Health T Levels into apprenticeships and degrees.

In addition, the NHS makes it clear that research should focus on gaps healthcare professionals see regularly in patient care, which is why more programmes are needed to allow healthcare staff to combine clinical work with research, explore problems they encounter day to day and implement improvements that could directly benefit patients. Our Research Centre for Care Excellence, delivered in partnership with University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire, is focused on increasing clinical-academic pathways to cultivate a research-active healthcare workforce that improves quality, safety and outcomes across health services.

ACCELERATING DIGITAL AND AI-POWERED HEALTHCARE

The push to accelerate AI-enabled and digital healthcare could alleviate pressures, as new technologies could diagnose conditions earlier as well as support people to manage long-term conditions safely at home with personalised treatment.

Our researchers are developing all kinds of technologies the NHS needs, such as wearable sensors that track blood pressure and respiratory health and an AI system that can analyse complex data to predict preterm birth, giving doctors the opportunity to intervene earlier and improve outcomes for both mother and baby. We’ve also developed a contactless heart sound detection system using radar technology that could help the early detection and ongoing monitoring of cardiovascular health conditions.

Alongside these diagnostic advances, we are working with digital health social enterprise, Hope4TheCommunity CIC, to co-design digital self-management programmes for people living with cancer, diabetes, muscular-skeletal problems and mental health conditions.

A SYSTEM THAT SUPPORTS GLOBAL HEALTHCARE

As universities underpin the move toward prevention, community-centred and digitally enabled care, they also shape how the NHS connects with health systems across the world. The education, research and innovations developed through university partnerships inform global health standards and workforce mobility, support multi-country clinical trials and the wider exchange of knowledge that improves public health internationally, as illustrated through our work in India and Ukraine to support physiotherapy and rehabilitation education.

By keeping universities close as partners and valuing the expertise they bring in turning this plan into reality, the NHS could not only meet the demands of the next decade; it could set the standard for how health systems adapt to global challenges going forward.

Find out more about Health and Community Wellbeing at Coventry University Group

Scottish Care Home Group Wins Hospitality Award

Scottish provider of older person and specialist care, Meallmore, has won a major industry award recognising employee engagement within its hospitality teams.

Meallmore took home the Employee Engagement and Retention Award at the Scottish Excellence Awards, held at the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa.

The prestigious event celebrates the highest achievers in Scottish hospitality and foodservice, with the judges “delighted to receive an entry from a sector not often represented”. Open to any business or organisation with an interest in the Scottish hospitality sector, the awards are judged by a panel of independent experts from across the industry.

Judges praised the team for their structured development and training programmes, as well as the peer mentoring and culinary excellence that was evident across the nominations in, what they described as, “a very challenging environment”. The judging panel said: “The business has a phenomenal staff retention rate and they actively promote roles internally, growing and developing their people and teams across all levels. As a company they are a real inspiration to others on how to attract and retain staff, and they were also a delight to meet during the judging process.”

Commenting on the award win, Jody Marshall, Group Hospitality Manager said: “We were absolutely blown away to win this award.

This a great testament of the team that is in place supporting our hospitality team. From recruitment and onboarding to day-to-day support, Meallmore processes and procedures are robust and supportive. I’m incredibly proud that we are showcasing the long-term career opportunities in hospitality within the care sector, and it’s an honour to be representing the care industry on this national stage.

“At Meallmore, we believe every mealtime should be an experience, and we are committed to raising standards, as well as recognising and developing the talent within our teams. In 2024, we launched our Academy of Kitchen Care Excellence – our award-winning kitchen training and development programme – and have followed with our successful Hospitality Academy for our Housekeeping teams, which offer structured training and development programmes. Ultimately, we’ve built a culture where people stay, develop and progress, and I’m thrilled that the judges recognised this.”

Cillian Hennessey, CEO of Meallmore, said: “We strongly believe in the power of investing in training, development and career progression for our colleagues across all roles. The result of this is lower colleague attrition and stronger retention, which is a real positive not just for our teams, but for our residents too.

The award recognised Meallmore’s approach to developing, engaging and retaining their people, particularly within hospitality and catering. Special recognition was given to their Academy of Catering in Care Excellence, which supports colleagues through dedicated training and development; as well as the annual ‘Meals Means More’ competition, which brings together some of their most talented chefs for a day of cooking, creativity and competition, with the core objective of making meals more meaningful in their care homes.

“The catering and hospitality teams are remarkable and fully deserve to be recognised among the best of foodservice and hospitality in Scotland. Food has a huge impact in the care sector – supporting physical health, emotional comfort, cultural identity and social connection – as well as bringing joy and celebration. We’re so proud to be showcasing this, along with the meaningful, long-term career opportunities in our industry.”

with colleagues, hearing from laundry and cleaning experts, or finding the solution to issues at your own establishment.

Care and nursing homes and specialist residential settings will find everything they need to make the most of their onsite laundries at the CleanEx 2026 exhibition on Monday, 26 and Sunday, 27 April. The popular and well-attended exhibition at Ascot Racecourse features the very latest washing machines, dryers, finishing equipment such as ironers, detergents and stain removers – and much more.

CleanEx is not to be missed. Those attending will discover how time and money can be saved courtesy of the most energy-efficient equipment. The newest technological advances in both machinery and consumables include sustainability features which not only save on electricity and water but improve the wellbeing of staff by making work life easier, more effective and efficient. All will be on show at CleanEx, which also provides other unmissable chances, whether that’s catching up

CleanEx is organised by exhibition experts MEG Events for our magazines Laundry & Cleaning Today and Housekeeping Today. Together they also oversee two major annual awards ceremonies for the industry – The LADAs (which reward excellence in the laundry and drycleaning industry) and The Triple HHH awards, which celebrate care home staff alongside hotel housekeeping teams.

CleanEx 2026 at Ascot

Care England Issues Caution As Council Care Spending Falls

Further Below The Cost Of Delivery, Despite Increased Funding

Care England, the leading voice of adult social care providers in England, has today responded to the King’s Fund’s Social Care 360 report by issuing a caution to government bodies that the social care system remains fragile as workforce cost pressures and demand continue to grow faster than real-terms increases in funding for councils have been able to keep up with.

While real-terms funding has increased by 4.1% in 2024/25, increases in the National Living Wage and the changes to employers’ National Insurance Contributions have meant that the cost of care for that year, and subsequent years thereafter, has vastly outpaced the money given to councils to address these unavoidable costs. This gap has grown significantly, with the report identifying that councils are paying nearly 50% less than what those funding their own care are paying. This is despite a smaller proportion of people meeting the eligibility criteria for public funding. This gap has had to be bridged by a number of different methods, which has reduced provider sustainability.

Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, said:

“Government continues to focus on the size of the funding increase, but the real test is what that funding delivers. Right now, the outcome is clear. Councils are being placed in an impossible position, with adult social care consuming the majority of their budgets while costs continue to rise faster

than funding. That forces difficult trade-offs with other local priorities, and those pressures only intensify as elections approach. If funding does not match the true cost of care, it does not deliver sustainability. Success should be judged on whether councils can meet their duties and whether providers can operate sustainably, not on the headline figure announced at the Budget. That is where the system is currently falling short.

The report also shows that fees for working-age adult services have increased at a slower rate than those for older people since 2015, despite the higher complexity and intensity of support required. At the same time, the Care Quality Commission has raised concerns about the financial viability of some specialist services operating within current commissioning arrangements. Together, this points to a growing structural risk in how care for working-age adults is funded and delivered.

Professor Martin Green continued:

“Support for working-age adults is often complex, specialist, and resource-intensive, yet funding trends suggest it is not being prioritised accordingly. That creates a clear risk to the stability of these services. This is not a marginal pressure. It goes to the heart of whether people with the most complex needs can access consistent, high-quality support, both now and in the future.”

Northwest’s Oldest Person Celebrates 112th Birthday in Formby

Officially the oldest person in the Northwest of England, and the fifth oldest person in the UK, Marjorie Hodnett Aylward, affectionately known as ‘Aunt Marj’ celebrated her 112th birthday yesterday (Wednesday 1 April 2026) at Formby Manor care home in Formby.

Still residing at Formby Manor on Liverpool Road in Formby, Merseyside, where she has been for the last six years, Aunt Marj is a much loved part of the resident family, and also the wider local community from, whom she has already received more than 200 birthday cards.

Her prestigious birthday card and message from The King was also received and displayed proudly alongside good wishes from people across the length and breadth of the UK.

Marjorie’s incredible milestone was celebrated in style with a small tea party filled with her favourite things and people; triangular cucumber sandwiches on brown bread with the crusts removed followed by Victoria Sponge cake, cups of tea and a small glass of sherry and accompanied by a short melody of her favourite songs sung by her relatives Maggie and Mandy.

Aunt Marj’s beautiful Madeira birthday cake was created in house by Formby Manor’s talented head chef and she enjoyed a slice before playing her favourite game ‘Who Am I?’ with the Lovett care team and other residents.

Aunt Marj has enjoyed a long and happy life. She was born in Harleston,

London, before moving to Wembley. She met her first husband Stanley in 1939 at the Fellowship of Reconciliation and they married in 1941, living initially in Wembley before moving to Harrow after the war. Sadly, Stanley passed away in 1955 after 14 years of marriage, and in the following year Aunty Marj married Hugh (Stanley’s brother) who passed away in 1958 leaving Aunty Marj widowed for the second time at the age of 45.

Just before Hugh passed away, the couple had moved to Sidbury in Devon in 1956 where Aunty Marj was the school teacher of a reception class for 23 years. Some of Aunt Marj’s earliest memories are of air raids during WWI and while she was in school. She can also remember singing at the 1948 Olympics ceremony in London.

Marjorie has remained very active continuing to read, write poetry and paint and continues to take an interest in news and politics with her overriding motto being “look forward with hope and not backward with regret.”

She is an avid rugby fan, supporting Exeter Chiefs, and lives by her own five ‘rules’ which are the secret to her long and happy life. Aunt Marj said: “I really did not expect to get to 112 but am delighted to be here and have so much to celebrate. Life is for living and it is up to you to make the most of it. I believe that you should do all the good that you can, by all the means that you can, in all the ways that you can, in all the places that you can, to all the people that you can, as long as ever you can. Good rules to live by that are in my mind every day and if you aim to follow them you can’t go too far wrong.”

Vaccine Roll-Out to Shield Care Home Residents & Older People from Serious Lung Infections

Millions of older people can now get protection against a virus which causes serious lung infections like bronchitis and pneumonia – preventing potentially thousands of hospital admissions a year.

All adults aged 80 and over, and people living in a care home for older adults, are now eligible for the NHS respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine, following the expansion of the vaccination programme to around 3 million more people.

RSV is a common virus that infects the lungs. While symptoms are mild for many people, the virus can be severe in older adults, causing pneumonia, bronchitis and flare-ups of existing lung disease and other long-term conditions. This can make it difficult to breathe and leave some older people requiring hospital treatment.

RSV causes around 9,000 hospitalisations in those aged over 75 in the UK each year, but a single dose of the vaccine provides protection for several years.

The vaccine can be booked via a GP practice, by speaking to staff in care homes and some community pharmacies in parts of England are also offering the RSV vaccine.

Before Wednesday (1 April 2026), the vaccine was only offered to adults turning 75 as well as those aged 75 to 79 years when the programme began in September 2024. Women are also offered the vaccine from 28 weeks of pregnancy to protect their babies from serious lung infections. These groups remain eligible for the vaccine if they have not had it.

Lidder

Michelle Kane, NHS Director of Vaccination and Screening Delivery, said: “RSV is not just a winter illness; it can occur all year round and can make older people seriously ill, so it is vital everyone eligible gets vaccinated.

“The vaccine has been proven to drastically reduce the chance of those aged 75 and over from ending up in hospital with an RSV infection, so if you’re seeing loved ones or family members who are eligible for a vaccine over the Easter break, please do remind them to come forward if invited.

“If you are newly eligible or are still yet to come forward, don’t delay and book your free NHS vaccination in with your GP or speak to a member of staff in your care home. It could prevent you developing a severe illness like pneumonia and even save your life”.

Conall Watson, Consultant Epidemiologist RSV Lead at the UK Health Security Agency, said: “RSV lung infection is less well known than COVID or flu but for older adults it can be particularly dangerous and puts thousands in hospital each year with a risk to life.

“New evidence from the UK public health agencies shows the vaccine cuts your risk of being hospitalised by around 75% – so it’s great news that the vaccine is now available to everyone aged 75 and over, including all those aged over 80. And we also know that the RSV vaccine for pregnant women is providing excellent protection to newborn babies. If you’re eligible, be sure to take up the offer and get the best protection possible against a nasty case of RSV pneumonia”.

Care Promotes from Within as

Newgate Lodge Expansion Moves Ahead

Lidder Care is proud to announce the promotion of two long-standing team members at Newgate Lodge Care Home in Mansfield, as strong community support helps drive major expansion plans at the home.

From March 2026, Lee Swinn will become Home Manager and Tanya Meason will take on the role of Deputy Manager. Both have progressed through the ranks at Newgate Lodge, underlining Lidder Care’s commitment to promoting from within.

Lee has worked at Newgate Lodge for the past 10 years as Deputy Manager and brings more than 20 years of experience in care. Tanya joined the home in 2014 and has held several roles including Senior Carer, Care Coordinator and Care Manager.

Lee Swinn said: “It is a privilege to take on the role of Home Manager at Newgate Lodge. I am proud to lead such a dedicated team and excited for the future as we continue to provide the highest standard of care for our residents.”

Manjas Lidder, Managing Director at Lidder Care, said: “We are incredibly proud to promote Lee and Tanya into these roles. They both have a deep understanding of the home, a strong commitment to residents and fully reflect our values as a family-run care group.”

He added: “The support we continue to receive from the local community has given us great confidence as we expand Newgate Lodge and invest further in care provision for the area.”

Why Cybersecurity Is Now a Safeguarding Priority in Care Homes

By Jennifer Williams, cybersecurity expert and Managing Director of

INTRODUCTION

Understanding why cybersecurity has become a safeguarding priority in care homes is becoming essential for anyone working in the care sector. As more care homes move to digital systems, from care planning to medication records, the risks have changed.

In 2025, one-third of UK care homes reported experiencing a cyber attack during 2023 to 2025.

Whilst this is lower than in other UK business sectors at 50%, experts expect it is due to inaccurate reporting, not fewer attacks. It is now more important than ever that care home employees receive sufficient training to identify these risks as they happen, accurately report them, and mitigate the same attack from happening again.

Cybersecurity is no longer just about protecting computers. It is about protecting people. If systems fail or sensitive information is exposed, it can directly affect care delivery and the safety of residents.

Put simply, safeguarding today includes digital protection. If a care home cannot protect its systems, it cannot fully protect the people in its care.

WHY CARE HOMES ARE BEING TARGETED

Care homes hold a large amount of sensitive data, including medical records, personal details, and financial information. This makes them a valuable target for cyber attacks.

At the same time, many care homes are busy environments where staff are focused on residents. That is exactly how cyber threats take advantage. A simple email that looks genuine can trick a staff member into clicking a link or entering login details, giving attackers access to systems or installing malicious software without anyone realising until it’s too late.

There is also a common belief that smaller providers are less likely to be targeted. In reality, the opposite is often true. 43% of all cyberat-

tacks target small businesses, as attackers seek organisations with fewer protections in place.

Another risk comes from external systems. Most care homes rely on a network of software providers, pharmacies, and external partners to deliver care. Each of these connections introduces a potential entry point. If one supplier is compromised, attackers can use that trusted relationship to access multiple organisations at once. This is known as a supply chain attack, and it is becoming increasingly common. A single weak link in the chain can expose resident data, disrupt care delivery, or lock staff out of critical systems.

HOW CYBER ATTACKS AFFECT SAFEGUARDING

When people hear “cyber attack”, they often think about data being stolen. In care homes, the impact goes much further.

If systems go down, staff may not be able to access medical records or care plans. That can delay treatment or lead to mistakes. Even a short disruption can affect resident safety.

A breach of sensitive information can also cause distress to residents and their families. Trust is a big part of care, and once it is lost, it can be hard to rebuild.

Across the care sector, cyber attacks are becoming more common. 41% of all health or care organisations reported a breach or attack in the last year. Many of the incidents start with simple phishing emails. This shows that the risk is not just technical. It is part of everyday working life, and colleague training is just as essential as technical protection.

WHY CYBER SECURITY IS EVERYONE’S RESPONSIBILITY

It is easy to think that cybersecurity is handled by an IT provider. In practice, most cyber incidents start with small, everyday actions.

Things like weak passwords, clicking unknown links, or sharing login details can all create risk because they give attackers a direct way into systems. A weak or reused password can be easily guessed or exposed in another breach, allowing unauthorised access. Clicking a malicious link can lead to fake login pages or installing harmful software without the user realising. Sharing login details removes accountability and makes it harder to detect suspicious activity.

Improving data security and protection means involving the whole team. Everyone needs to understand the basics and feel confident reporting anything unusual.

There is also a need to challenge assumptions. Many care homes

Join us at The Care Forum

The event follows our award-winning format, offering the opportunity to meet 1-2-1 with suppliers through a personalised itinerary of meetings in a relaxed and intimate setting. 8th & 9th June 2026

Radisson Hotel & Conference Centre, London Heathrow BUYERS TO THE INDUSTRY

Attendance is entirely free for buyers. Your pass includes a personalised itinerary of relaxed 1-2-1 meetings with budget-saving suppliers who match your needs, access to insightful and educational seminar sessions led by industry thought leaders, valuable networking opportunities, breakfast, lunch and refreshments throughout,

believe “it won’t happen to us”. Unfortunately, cyber threats do not work that way.

REGULATION AND GROWING EXPECTATIONS

Standards in adult social care are changing. Cybersecurity is now linked to how care homes are assessed and regulated.

The Data Security and Protection Toolkit helps providers understand their responsibilities around data security and protection. Programmes like Security Better Care are also encouraging better awareness across the sector.

However, completing a security and protection toolkit is only the starting point. Real cyber resilience comes from putting those standards into practice every day.

Care homes are now expected to treat cybersecurity as part of safeguarding, not just a technical task.

SIMPLE STEPS TO IMPROVE CYBER RESILIENCE

Improving cybersecurity does not need to be complicated. Small, practical steps can make a big difference:

• Use multi-factor authentication on key systems

• Keep passwords strong and avoid sharing them

• Train staff to recognise suspicious emails

• Have a clear incident response plan in place

• Regularly review your protection toolkit and update processes

It is also important to think about business continuity. Ask yourself what would happen if systems went down. Could your team still deliver safe care?

Many care homes plan for staff shortages or emergencies. Planning for a cyber incident should be treated in the same way and all colleagues should be trained.

Conclusion

Cybersecurity is now embedded in everyday safeguarding practice within care homes. The risks extend beyond systems and directly impact resident safety, organisational trust, and continuity of care. Recognising cybersecurity as a safeguarding priority means treating data protection, staff awareness, and incident response with the same seriousness as physical care standards.

Care providers must take proportionate, proactive steps such as improving staff training and implementing basic technical controls to reduce exposure and strengthen resilience. By doing so, they not only meet regulatory expectations but also create a safer and more reliable environment for residents, families, and staff alike.

overnight accommodation at the venue, and attendance at our gala dinner with entertainment.

Confirmed speakers include Sultana Pasha, Quality & Compliance Director at KYN presenting “In My Experience: How to stay compliant with CQC” and Lauri SmithFounder & CEO at The Civility Gap presenting “Breaking silos between health, social care, community services”. Additional sessions will be announced soon.

Buyers can register via our booking form at https://thecareforum.co.uk/delegates-booking-form/ SUPPLIERS

The Forum connects you with healthcare professionals who have specifically requested to meet you and are actively seeking solutions. Benefits include a personalised meeting itinerary, access to senior decision makers, branding exposure, full catering, a pre-built meeting stand, overnight accommodation, and a gala dinner.

The Forum offers an unparalleled opportunity to promote your solutions to engaged decision-makers reviewing their suppliers. For more information, please contact j.healy@forumevents.co.uk

A New Reality in Care: Our VR Journey Begins

At Broomy Hill Nursing Home, innovation and compassion come together in the most inspiring way. Residents at the home are stepping into a whole new world with the introduction of virtual reality headsets. It is an exciting innovation with the power to create uplifting and meaningful moments for the residents under our care.

Virtual reality is becoming an exciting innovation in care homes and at Broomy Hill Nursing Home it is making a meaningful impact. VR is more than just a tool; it allows residents to relive cherished memories and experience activities they may no longer be physically able to do.

For residents with dementia or complex mental health needs, VR stimulates memories, sparks conversations, and provides relaxation through immersive experiences. Using headsets to create digital 3D environments, VR acts as a tool for cognitive stimulation, pain relief, and wellbeing, enabling individuals to safely revisit familiar places or explore new worlds.

We were thrilled at the opportunity to be a part of the Recreo VR experience. It was something new for the residents and us. However, it is not only something new; it is a learning experience for the entire staff at the home.

Our Wellbeing Lead, Lauren, is currently working on a list of available experiences that our residents can choose from to do something different each time they use the headset. This way, our residents will have something new to look forward to each time they use the headset, as new content is added every eight weeks.

One of the new experiences that our residents will enjoy in the near future is a seated safari, where they will have the opportunity to come face to face with a rhino from the comfort of their chair.

Recently, our residents travelled through time to the 1950s, where they had a virtual visit to a traditional house, cinema, and a high street. In the house, our residents travelled from room to room, exploring the food pantry and admiring the decorations of the house. In the cinema, our residents explored the ticket office, the reel room, and the cinema itself. In the high street, our residents visited an electronics shop, a record shop, and a toy shop, enjoying the experience of each of these different stores.

Many of our residents commented on how real the experience felt, almost like stepping into a memory. Some were actually looking at their hands to get used to the virtual world. As the shops, toys, and songs from the period were brought up, the experience naturally evolved into memories and stories. The dialogue was effortless as the resident's shared memories from their own lives to each other and staff. Virtual reality is more than just an activity at Broomy Hill. It is another meaningful way we promote wellbeing and engagement for our residents. By using Recreo VR, we encourage conversation and reflection, while continuing to look for ways to enhance quality of life within our home.

For further information visit www.recreovr.co.uk

New Guidelines Launched To Improve Wellbeing Of Healthcare Workforce

Universal, evidence-based guidelines for successfully implementing and sustaining staff wellbeing initiatives in healthcare have been released.

Developed by researchers from the University of Leicester, and funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) East Midlands, the new guidance was unveiled during an interactive webinar on Monday, March 23.

The online event discussed smart, practical, evidence-based strategies, designed to embed and sustain positive changes that enhance staff wellbeing and patient safety.

During the webinar, researchers also presented key findings from their global scoping review and qualitative study, highlighting their approaches to keeping workforce wellbeing at the forefront for lasting impact.

Previous evidence shows that poor psychological health among the global healthcare workforce has a measurable negative effect on patient safety.

Dr Grace Tidmarsh, Research Associate at the NIHR ARC East Midlands and the University of Leicester, and Dr Jennifer Creese, Lecturer at the NIHR ARC East Midlands and the University of Leicester, co-authored the guidelines.

Dr Tidmarsh said: “Looking after the wellbeing of healthcare staff is not just the

right thing to do, it is essential for delivering safe, high-quality care.

“These guidelines provide practical, evidence-based ways to make staff wellbeing a lasting part of everyday practice, supporting those whose work is both emotionally and physically demanding.”

Professor Kamlesh Khunti, Director of the NIHR ARC East Midlands and Professor of Primary Care, Diabetes and Vascular Medicine at the University of Leicester, said: “Healthcare is complex and challenging, and staff face enormous pressures every day.

“Poor psychological health among the workforce directly affects patient safety. This guidance moves beyond knowing what works, it shows how to embed effective wellbeing initiatives into the culture of NHS organisations for real, lasting impact.”

NIHR ARC East Midlands funds vital work to tackle the region’s health and care priorities by speeding up the adoption of research onto the frontline of health and social care. The organisation puts in place evidence-based innovations which seek to drive up standards of care and save time and money.

NIHR ARC East Midlands is hosted by the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust with the University of Leicester and the University of Nottingham, working in collaboration with Health Innovation East Midlands.

To access the new guidelines, click here

Ardtully Care Home in Ingatestone Recognised as One of the Top 20 Rated Care Homes in the East of England

Ardtully Care Home in Ingatestone,Essex part of Premium Care Group, has been recognised as one of the Top 20 Rated Care Homes in the East of England.

This accolade is based on independent reviews from residents and their families, reflecting the compassionate care, professionalism, and dedication.

In addition, Premium Care Group has also been awarded Top 20 Mid-size Care Home Groups 2026, recognising the Group’s overall excellence in delivering outstanding care across its portfolio of homes.

Robert Adams, Managing Director of Premium Care Group, said:

“We are a small Group of 10 luxury Boutique Care Homes. Our small homes enable us to focus on delivering Person Centered Care for our residents. Centered around principles of Love, Joy, Respect, Care, Dignity and relationship.

“No one does this better than Merjury Clavadetscher and her team at Ardtully Care Home.

Due to the incredible leadership of Merjury and the hard work of her team, Ardtully has become the home of choice for families in the surrounding areas. Ardtully is always full and has a long waiting list which speaks volumes. Well done Merjury and well done Team Ardtully.”

Unison Calls for Visa Reform and Social Care Investment

UNISON general secretary Andrea Egan hosted her first event in the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday 25 March alongside migrant worker members, calling for visa reform to prevent exploitation and proposing a sector-wide visa scheme to remove employers’ power to threaten deportation.

The event was attended by 36 MPs. Ms Egan championed UNISON’s calls to remove the retrospective application of a 15-year qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain, as well as to recognise the vital economic and social contribution of public service workers.

Ms Egan also urged MPs to invest in social care by proceeding with the Fair Pay Agreement as quickly as possible, while protecting the immigration status and workplace rights of existing international recruits and resolving salary threshold issues across public services. Opening the event, Ms Egan pushed MPs to reverse proposed changes to indefinite leave to remain rules that UNISON says will negatively affect migrant workers across the UK. She warned that migrant workers were facing increasing exploitation under the current visa system. “Migrant workers are going through an extraordinarily horrendous attack. This cannot go on any longer,” she said.

Photo Credit: Unison

“When I first heard the stories of abuse and exploitation facing those on visas, it shocked me to my core. These are conditions that I thought, in all my years in the trade union movement, were firmly in the past.”

Ms Egan explained that many migrant workers remain tied to problematic employers because of their visas, leaving them unable to leave even if they are underpaid or overworked. “If they speak out, they risk everything,” she said. “That is not justice. It’s exploitation by design.”

Addressing proposals to extend the time required to qualify for indefinite leave to remain, Ms Egan said the Labour government was “breaking the promise made to migrant workers before they came to this country”.

“We already have a struggling care sector, increasing waiting times across the NHS, and rising racism as the government feeds Reform rhetoric,” she said.

“This cannot be allowed to happen. Members won’t stop until this campaign is won, which is why we’re announcing a day of action on April 24.”

Addressing MPs directly, she added: “To those in power: we are not going away. we are not going away. We are organising, and we are growing.”

“Let’s be clear: there are 275,000 migrant workers in social care, and there are still over 100,000 vacancies. Removing these workers will only deepen the crisis.”

St Helens Hall Residents Enjoy Community Connection At Reminisce Café At Totally Wicked Stadium

Residents from St Helens Hall care home in Thatto Heath, part of Sandstone Care Group, have been strengthening their community links with a visit to the Reminisce Café, organised by Saints Community Development Foundation at the Totally Wicked Stadium.

The café, designed as a welcoming space for older people and those living with memory loss, provides a relaxed environment where attendees can share memories, enjoy conversation and build friendships. For residents of St Helens Hall, the visit was a meaningful opportunity to engage with the wider community in a setting closely connected to the town’s proud rugby heritage.

Held at the home of St Helens’ rugby league club, the Reminisce Café brings together sport, community and wellbeing under one roof.

The sessions are really relaxed and social and include quizzes, games, murder mystery games and general reminiscing, which gets people talking about the past and keeps them engaged.

It is led by Jamie Fozzard, who has been involved since he was 17. He spent some time in America teaching, Before coming back and taking over

Welcome to Blue Rain - our activity store is built on over 14 years experience supplying products that bring joy, inspire motivation, and enrich the lives of those who need a little extra support, or simply want to have fun, whatever the weather.

Come find your next reason to smile. Scan me

the running of the sessions as he wanted to do something meaningful. Jamie is really focused on making it enjoyable and getting people out and about.

Activity coordinator at St Helens Hall Vicki Molloy said: “I love these sessions. As a larger care home we can bring different people every time and the quizzes and activities really encourage lots of social interaction. It’s clear our residents get a lot out of attending.”

Feedback from residents is always really positive. Resident Sheila Gill mentioned she really enjoys getting out, and in general, all the residents love the chance to have a laugh and talk about the past together.

Maintaining strong links with local organisations is a key part of life at St Helens Hall. Regular outings and partnerships with community groups help residents remain active, visible and valued members of St Helens.

The connection with the Saints Community Development Foundation and the rugby club reflects the home’s commitment to embedding itself within the heart of the town. By attending initiatives such as the Reminisce Café, residents are able to enjoy the sense of belonging that comes from shared local identity and tradition.

Digital Progress Is Real, But The Gap Between Providers Is Becoming Too Big To Ignore

By Barry Price, Content Operations and Delivery Manager of QCS,

The latest government survey on technology in adult social care gives us a mixed picture. On the one hand, the sector has made huge strides in digitisation over the past few years. On the other, the divide between large and small providers is now so clear that it risks slowing the whole system down.

There is a lot to celebrate. There is also a lot to worry about.

A sector that is moving forward, but not at the same pace

The rise in Digital Social Care Records is impressive. In 2021, fewer than half of providers used them. By July 2025, that figure had reached 80 per cent. DSCRs are becoming the norm, and they are transforming how information is recorded and shared.

Other tools are also becoming part of everyday practice. Digital rostering, eMAR, video calls, accounting software and HR systems are all widely used. These are the sorts of tools that reduce paperwork and free up staff time, which is something every provider needs.

But the headline figures hide a serious imbalance. Large providers are adopting technology at a much faster rate than microproviders. The contrast is stark:

88 per cent of large providers use DSCRs, compared with 57 per cent of microproviders

• 40 per cent of microproviders use no care technology at all, compared with 11 per cent of large providers

This is not a small gap. It is a structural divide that will not close on its own. Care delivery technology is growing, but unevenly

Sensorbased monitoring is now the most common care delivery tech-

nology, used by 43 per cent of providers. These tools can make a real difference to safety and quality of life, especially in residential settings.

But again, size matters. Personal alarms are used by nearly two thirds of large providers, but fewer than one in five microproviders. Health and wellbeing apps are one of the few technologies with consistent uptake across the sector, but more advanced tools like virtual reality and smartwatches remain niche.

The pattern is clear. The more expensive or complex the technology, the more likely it is to be used by larger organisations.

Connectivity is becoming a major pressure point

Digital care relies on strong, reliable internet access. Yet a third of large residential providers say they do not have fullsite connectivity. That is a serious problem when so many digital tools depend on stable WiFi.

Broadband needs are rising quickly. Today, around a quarter of providers need superfast or ultrafast broadband. In three years, the number needing gigabitspeed connections is expected to quadruple.

Perhaps the most telling figure is that 44 per cent of providers are unsure what connectivity they will need in the future. That uncertainty alone is a barrier.

There is also an equity issue. Most residential providers include WiFi in the care plan, but in domiciliary care, most people pay for their own. That creates a risk that access to digital care becomes dependent on personal finances.

Funding is the biggest barrier by a long way

The survey confirms what the sector has been saying for years. The main obstacle to adopting technology is cost.

• 73 per cent cite setup costs

70 per cent cite ongoing licence fees

82 per cent want support with ongoing costs

67 per cent need help with upfront investment

These are not small numbers. They reflect a sector that is stretched

financially and cannot absorb additional costs without support. Other barriers add to the challenge. Staff training and turnover, cybersecurity costs, connectivity issues and reluctance from some service users all play a part. But none of these come close to the financial pressures providers face.

A clear message for the years ahead

The government wants every CQCregistered provider to be fully digitised by 2029. The progress so far shows that this is possible, but only if the smallest providers are supported properly.

If microproviders continue to fall behind, the sector will end up with a twotier digital landscape. That would undermine the benefits of digitisation and risk widening inequalities in care.

To avoid that, the sector needs:

Longterm funding for both setup and ongoing costs

Targeted support for microproviders

Clear guidance on future connectivity requirements

Investment in staff training and digital confidence

Practical reassurance about safety, data protection and the value of technology

Digitisation should help everyone, not just those who can afford it. The survey shows how far the sector has come, but it also shows where the focus needs to be if the next stage of progress is going to be fair and sustainable. How QCS supports providers on this journey

For providers trying to navigate this fastmoving landscape, QCS offers the practical support that makes digital change feel manageable rather than overwhelming. With uptodate guidance, easytouse tools and expert insight, QCS helps organisations of every size build confidence, strengthen compliance and make informed decisions about technology. Whether a provider is just starting out with digital records or looking to embed more advanced systems, QCS gives them the structure and reassurance they need to move forward with clarity.

One in Four Care Providers Still Operating Without Technology as Government Digitisation Drive Gains Momentum

A landmark government survey published this month reveals significant strides in the digitisation of adult social care in England — but exposes a stubborn divide between large and small providers, with funding barriers cited as the single greatest obstacle to further progress.

Source: Department of Health and Social Care

Published: 6 March 2026 Survey conducted: February–March 2025

More than a quarter of care providers in England — 27 per cent — are still delivering services without any form of care technology, according to findings from the government's 2025 Adult Social Care Provider Technology Survey, published by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) on 6 March 2026.

The survey, conducted among 1,085 CQC-registered providers in February and March 2025, offers the most detailed snapshot yet of where the sector stands on its digital journey — and reveals how much ground remains to be covered before the government's ambition of fully digitising all providers by the end of this Parliament in 2029 can be achieved. For care home managers and operators, the findings carry particular relevance. Residential providers account for one third (33 per cent) of survey respondents, and the data points to notable differences in technology uptake between residential and domiciliary settings — as well as stark disparities between large and small organisations.

34$(G(H6:E8;@:6:9$563789:6;$<3=$>;:$?$ .8E8@?A$-3C8?A$(?6:$,:C369$I>5$463B$JKL$ 8<$MNMKO

;?F$@D:F$<::9$E6:?@:6$4><98<E$ ;>5536@$436$3<E38<E$@:CD<3A3EF$ C3;@;

DIGITAL RECORDS: A TRANSFORMATION UNDER WAY

Perhaps the most striking headline from the survey is the near-doubling of Digital Social Care Record (DSCR) adoption since 2021. At the time of the survey in March 2025, 73 per cent of respondents were using a DSCR. By July 2025 — following continued support from the government's Digitising Social Care (DiSC) programme — that figure had risen further to 80 per cent of all CQC-registered providers, compared with just 41 per cent at the end of 2021.

DSCRs replace paper-based care records with digital solutions, enabling more secure and efficient sharing of up-to-date care information and reducing the administrative burden on frontline staff. The government defines a 'fully digitised' provider as one using an assured DSCR that meets the 'standards met' threshold on the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT).

Alongside DSCRs, digital rostering tools were the second most widely used business management technology, with 63 per cent of respondents making use of them. Electronic medicine administration records (e-MAR) and video conferencing were each used by 53 per cent of providers, followed closely by financial accounting software (52 per cent) and HR management tools (51 per cent).

SENSOR TECHNOLOGY LEADS ON THE CARE FLOOR

When it comes to care delivery technology — tools used directly in providing support to residents and service users — monitoring equipment with sensors was the most widely adopted, used by 43 per cent of all respondents. This category encompasses technologies such as fall prevention sensors and acoustic monitoring equipment, which have increasingly become part of the toolkit in residential and nursing care environments.

Video conferencing was used by 34 per cent of providers, while per-

sonal alarms were adopted by 35 per cent — though usage of alarms was notably higher among larger organisations, with 64 per cent of large providers deploying them compared with just 18 per cent of microproviders. Health and wellbeing apps were used by a quarter (25 per cent) of all respondents, and unusually, this was one of the few categories where uptake was broadly consistent across provider sizes. Audio assistants such as smart speakers were used by 14 per cent of respondents, while virtual reality (3 per cent) and smartwatches (6 per cent) remain relatively niche.

THE SIZE DIVIDE: MICRO-PROVIDERS LEFT BEHIND

The survey lays bare a significant disparity in technology adoption between large and small care organisations that will concern policymakers and sector leaders. While only 11 per cent of large providers reported using no care technology at all, that figure rises to 40 per cent among micro-providers — those supporting ten people or fewer.

The pattern repeats across almost every technology category. For DSCR adoption, 88 per cent of large providers were using a digital care record compared with 57 per cent of micro-providers. For digital rostering, the gap ran from 81 per cent (large) to 52 per cent (micro). And for financial accounting software, 90 per cent of large providers had adopted it, against just 34 per cent of micro-providers.

For residential care providers — who made up 33 per cent of survey respondents — there was also a connectivity concern. Whilst 70 per cent of residential care respondents said they had the appropriate internet infrastructure to support devices connecting from all areas of their care home, the picture was less encouraging for larger residential providers: a third of large residential care operators reported they lacked the infrastructure to support connectivity across all locations within their homes.

FUNDING IS THE BIGGEST BARRIER — BY FAR

The survey asked providers to identify barriers to further technology adoption over the next five years. The findings are unambiguous: cost dominates all other concerns. Set-up costs were cited by 73 per cent of respondents as a barrier, and ongoing licence costs by 70 per cent. When asked what support they would need to overcome these obstacles, 82 per cent called for funding support with ongoing costs and 67 per cent said they needed help with upfront investment.

Staff training costs and high staff turnover ranked third as a barrier, cited by 52 per cent of respondents — a figure that reflects the well-documented workforce challenges the sector faces. The cost of cyber and data security was cited by 41 per cent, followed by concerns about internet connectivity (40 per cent) and reluctance from service users to use technology (39 per cent).

Interestingly, staff reluctance to use technology was reported by 34 per cent of providers — a lower figure than service user reluctance — while concerns about technology replacing face-to-face care were cited by 30 per cent. These findings suggest that, while some cultural resistance remains, it is structural and financial barriers that most urgently need addressing.

Workforce upskilling was identified as the third most needed form of support (58 per cent), followed by assurance that care technology is safe (44 per cent) and improved information about what technologies are available and their benefits (41 per cent each).

CONNECTIVITY: AN INFRASTRUCTURE CHALLENGE ON THE HORIZON

The survey also examined providers' connectivity needs, with revealing results. At present, 26 per cent of respondents said they require

superfast broadband (30 Mbps), while 19 per cent said they need ultrafast (300 Mbps). Looking ahead three years, the picture shifts considerably: the proportion expecting to need ultrafast broadband rises to 26 per cent, and those anticipating a need for gigabit-speed connectivity (1 Gbps or faster) quadruples from 5 per cent to 18 per cent.

A third of respondents (33 per cent) believed they would need faster connectivity than they currently have, while 44 per cent said they were simply unsure what they would need — highlighting a knowledge gap that government guidance and support programmes may need to address.

For residential care providers, the question of who pays for wifi provision is settled in most cases: 77 per cent said wifi was included within the normal care plan. In domiciliary care, by contrast, 68 per cent of respondents said service users organised and paid for their own wifi — a finding that could have implications for equitable access to technology-enabled care for people supported at home.

GOVERNMENT SETS COURSE FOR FULL DIGITISATION BY 2029

The survey was conducted as part of the government's Digitising Social Care (DiSC) programme, a joint initiative between the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England. The programme's goal is that every CQC-registered provider in England will be fully digitised by the end of the current Parliament — a target that the DSCR adoption data suggests is well within reach for most, though the challenge of bringing micro and small providers up to speed remains considerable.

In January 2025, the government made formal commitments to join up health and care data and to set new national standards for care technologies. In September 2025, DHSC commissioned Softcat Plc to begin work on a Social Care Interoperability Platform — described as a digital 'bridge' allowing data to be shared between adult social care and NHS IT infrastructure, with an initial focus on provider data.

The survey is expected to run annually, with findings informing both policy development and the sector's own understanding of where it stands in its digital transformation.

KEY FINDINGS AT A GLANCE

• 27% of care providers use no care technology at all

• 43% use monitoring equipment with sensors — the most common care technology

• 73% of survey respondents use a Digital Social Care Record (DSCR)

DSCR adoption

73% cite set-up costs as a barrier to further adoption

• 33% of large residential providers lack full-site internet connectivity infrastructure

• 1,085 CQC-registered providers participated in the survey (Feb–March 2025)

Report Reveals How Families Experience Care

Today and What Providers Must Do Next

A new report has revealed that families want real-time updates on care, but many are still in the dark, the new UK research, and has called for greater investment in social care digitisation to improve trust, transparency and communication.

The research from care management software company Log my Care, in partnership with Care England, reveals a major shift in how UK families want to stay informed and involved in their loved one’s care, and the growing role that digital tools can play in strengthening trust, transparency and communication at a time when the adult social care sector is under unprecedented workforce and funding pressure.

The research, conducted by Sapio, surveyed 1,000 people responsible for arranging care for a family member. Among families whose providers offer a digital platform, 81% said it contributed positively to the quality of care their loved one received. The findings show expectations are rising, and families want reliable digital tools that provide real-time updates, two-way communication, and greater visibility throughout the care journey.

However, the research exposes a clear gap between what families want and what they currently receive. Sixty-two per cent said they would like to receive updates via a care app or digital portal, yet only 41% currently do. Almost a quarter (24%) report they have no access to any digital tools to manage or interact with service provision.

When platforms enable two-way communication, they become even more valuable. Eighty-seven per cent of families using digital tools say they can share updates with their care provider through the platform. However, reflecting the gap between expectation and experience, seven in ten families (70%) say they would like to receive updates once a day, compared to only around half (51%) who receive updates at that frequency.

The research also highlights challenges that providers must address to build confidence. One in five families (20%) find digital platforms difficult to use, while 17% say platforms do not provide the information they need. Training and onboarding remain key barriers, with 17% stating they lack adequate training or support from their care provider. Concerns about timely updates are also significant, with 24% of families saying information is not updated in real time.

You’ve

The findings underline the need for providers, commissioners and system leaders to treat digital communication as core care infrastructure, rather than an optional add-on. The report argues that closing the “expectation gap” between what families want and what services currently offer is central to rebuilding confidence in care, particularly in learning disability, mental health and older people’s services.

The findings suggest the debate has moved beyond whether digital tools belong in care, and instead centres on how they should be implemented to support families without undermining trust. Most families (82%) say they would be open to emerging technologies such as video updates, real-time dashboards, or AI powered care summaries, though 35% would need reassurance about data privacy and security.

Sam Hussain, CEO, Log my Care said: “Families are navigating an increasingly complex landscape long before they ever choose a provider, and too often they are doing so without clear, consistent signals of what good looks like. We produced this report to reflect families’ real experiences and to give providers practical, proportionate ways to strengthen confidence day to day. Social care has digitised quickly, but digital maturity is not about adding more tools. It is about using technology with intent: making good care more visible, keeping families informed and reassured, and doing it in a way that reduces reactive workload rather than adding to it.”

Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive, Care England said: “This research reflects what we hear consistently from families and providers alike: confidence in care is built through everyday communication, visibility and trust, not just through headline indicators of quality. Digital tools, when used well, can strengthen relationships between families and care services, reduce anxiety, and support more open, person-centred care.

“But technology is not a silver bullet. Investment in digital infrastructure must go hand in hand with investment in people, training and culture if we are to realise the full benefits for families and those drawing on care and support. At a time when the sector is under intense financial and workforce pressure, this research offers a practical reminder that improving communication and transparency is not just good practice, it is fundamental to sustaining confidence in the care system.”

Got To Be Yolk-ing! Care Home Residents Share Their Best Easter Gags To Mark National Humour

You’ve got to be yolk-ing! Care home residents share their best Easter gags to mark National Humour Month

Nearly 300 residents from a Nottinghamshire care group have come together to reveal their favourite Easterrelated gags ahead of National Humour Month (April) – with several of the residents delivering some of their favourites to local nursery children.

Care residents from Wren Hall, part of Church Farm Care group, teamed up with children from Little Wrens nursery in Selston for a cross-generational laughter session, which saw residents and children deliver one liners to one another.

The joke telling, which helped bridge the generational gap, came about following a poll amongst Church Farm Care, which saw the almost 300 residents who reside within the group put forward their favourite Easter-related gags. This revealed 10 favourites, which the representatives from Wren Hall then went on to deliver to the younger generation.

The jokes included:

“How does the Easter Bunny travel around? In a hare-plane!”

“What do you call a rabbit with fleas? Bugs Bunny!”

“What do you get if you pour hot water down a rabbit hole? Hot cross bunnies!”

“What do you call a rabbit who tells good jokes? Easter Funny!”

“What do you call a mischievous Easter egg? A practical yolker!”

“What kind of music does the Easter Bunny like? Hip-hop!”

“How does the Easter Bunny stay fit? Egg-sercise!”

“Why did the Easter egg go to school? To get egg-ucated!”

“What do you call a rabbit who works in a bakery? A bun-ny!”

“Why did the egg fall asleep? Because it was eggs-hausted!”

Alongside the comedy chatter, the children and residents also helped bake a batch of delicious Easter cakes to help enhance the session. Sheila Parker, an 87year-old resident, shared her enthusiasm, saying: "I always enjoy it when the children come round, we play all sorts of games, have snacks and make nice things. They bring so much joy to us all!"

Commenting on the joke-telling initiative, Lucy Atkinson, co-owner of Church Farm Care, said: “The family members who live in our homes are wonderful characters and our care team enjoys having fantastic laughs with them. So, with April marking National Humour Month, we thought we’d cement some of their funniest one liners and share them with the children from Little Wrens for some intergenerational laughter.”

She continued: “We love tying our activities to awareness days and creating themed sessions for those in our homes, and intergenerational activities are always a hit, so bringing the children in to celebrate both Easter and National Humour Month ticked all the boxes. They adored sharing jokes with each other and ranking their favourites!”

National Humour Month is celebrated throughout April to highlight the therapeutic benefits of laughter. Founded in 1976 by author and humorist Larry Wilde, the month aims to raise public awareness about how humour can improve health, boost morale, and relieve stress.

Church Farm Care places strong emphasis on intergenerational activity, with one home featuring an onsite nursery that enables daily interaction. Its other homes maintain close links with local nurseries, bringing generations together to share music, games, mealtimes and laughter.

Grand(E) Way To Help Address Barriers To Postural Care

Addressing postural care should be a pre-requisite of occupational therapy yet is a postcode lottery, says RCOT(1).

The problem is further complicated by lack of awareness among professionals, the breadth of issues posture management affects resulting in multiple disciplines being involved, and the diversity of equipment required to achieve round-the-clock support and correction and thus funding streams.

AAT is aiming to simplify the process.

Its Grande vacuum posture cushion delivers almost all sedentary and supine positioning support required day or night.

So just one health professional need prescribe.

Caregivers can precisely mould and fix the mattress-sized cushion to correctly support whether sitting or lying in the day or sleeping at night. Grande can be used as a mattress for resting, sleeping or physiotherapy, or folded to create a seat- stand-alone, on a chair, on a sofa.

Its construction also means it is tactile and easily transmits sound waves, so it can double as a conductor for sensory stimulation.

The technology Grande uses is based round the principles of a bean bag, giving the precise shaping inherent in the concept. The beans contour precisely to the required body shape. By

attaching a pump, the air between the beans is extracted, fixing that shape with the preferred degree of firmness.

The shaping can be as detailed as required, providing correct stabilisation with minimal pressure and even allowing for pommels, wedges, hollows for feeding tubes. There is no need for restraint, even during dystonic episodes or hyperactivity.

Frequent re-plumping/ positioning of conventional cushion-type posture systems becomes a thing of the past.

To re-shape, simply allow air back into the Grande and mould as necessary, be it a simple adjustment for body position and comfort or a complete reconfiguration.

“The role postural care plays in the health and wellbeing of disabled people and their carers is acknowledged, but the way our health service is structured, delivery is fragmented. Yet addressing it would have a huge impact not only on the people who need it, but on the demand for associated NHS services,” says Peter Wingrave, AAT Director.

“If just one healthcare professional thinks outside the box and looks at something like Grande, that answers the specific issue they have for a client but simultaneously could answer other issues for that client, surely it must be considered?”

More details about Grande and its role in 24-hour postural management can be found @ www.aatgb.com/grande/.

What Does It Feel Like To Deliver Care Today?

Neemat Sadiq, CEO of Langdale Care Homes, reflects on the tension between compassion and compliance, and how technology can restore time to care.

One of the greatest challenges in care today is not a lack of compassion. It is the constant tension between being present with people and being pulled into process.

I know this not as a CEO, but as someone who began as a carer.

I have walked those corridors. I have sat beside residents. I have felt the quiet conflict of wanting to give just a little more time, while knowing there is documentation waiting, charts to complete, records to update. That tension never really leaves you.

When I founded Langdale Care Homes, I believed I would be creating more space for care. In many ways I did, but like many business owners, I also found myself pulled further away from the very thing I loved most.

If you run a business, you will understand this. The work you once felt so connected to slowly becomes replaced with responsibility, compliance, and oversight.

In care, that shift comes at a cost.

For years, our teams were spending valuable time documenting care instead of delivering it. Not because they wanted to, but because they had to. Compliance demands it. Regulation requires it. And rightly so. But somewhere along the way, the balance tipped too far.

Care began to feel like it was being recorded more than it was being experienced.

“Care began to feel like it was being recorded more than it was being experienced.”

That never sat right with me.

For over two decades, I have listened to carers, nurses, and managers. I have seen the fatigue that does not come from caring, but from the weight of administration that surrounds it. That kind of exhaustion does not serve our staff, and it certainly does not serve our residents.

There had to be a better way.

Empathika was born from that belief.

Not as a system, but as a response.

A response to the frustration of paperwork.

A response to the risk of human error.

A response to the quiet reality that too much time was being taken away from people.

We wanted to create something that worked with carers, not against them. Something that allowed documentation to happen naturally, in real time, without breaking the flow of care.

Today, with Empathika, information is recorded as care happens. Medication is managed more safely.

Risks are identified earlier. And most importantly, our teams are given something incredibly valuable back. Time.

And with time comes presence. With presence comes connection. And with connection comes better care.

“Technology is not here to replace care. It is here to protect it.”

But we must be clear about something.

Technology is not here to replace care. It is here to protect it.

This will always be a people first industry. No system can replace a reassuring voice, a held hand, or a moment of understanding. No app can comfort a family or respond to a resident calling out in the night.

What technology can do is remove the noise.

It can take away the repetitive, the time consuming, the burdens that sit around care and quietly drain those delivering it.

And when that happens, something shifts.

We have seen it in our own homes. Staff are more present, more energised, and more connected to why they came into care in the first place.

And when our teams feel better, our residents feel it too.

For me as a provider, it has also transformed compliance. What once took hours now takes minutes. Information is no longer chased. It is already there. That sense of readiness brings calm, confidence, and clarity across the organisation.

“This is not a loud transformation. It is a quiet revolution.”

This is not a loud transformation. It is not disruptive in the way people often expect.

It is a quiet revolution.

One that restores balance.

To those working in care, I would simply say this.

If you are exploring technology, do it with intention.

Not to monitor more.

Not to control more.

But to give back more.

Give back time.

Give back energy.

Give back the ability to be fully present.

Because at its heart, care has never been about systems.

It has always been about people.

And it always will be.

www.empathika.com

Martello Manor Marks Hythe Opening with Mayor, Veterans Group and Dementia Leaders

Martello Manor, the newest care home by provider Boutique Care Homes, officially opened the doors to its Show Suite on, welcoming over 50 guests, in what proved to be a genuinely celebratory day for the town.

Martyn Murphy, Director of Operations of Boutique Care Homes, said: “Martello Manor is everything we set out to build, a place where care genuinely feels different from the moment you walk through the door. Saturday was a reminder of why the community piece matters so much to us. We didn’t want to open a care home in Hythe, we wanted to become part of Hythe. The response from the Mayor, from the Hythe Dementia Awareness Forum, from the Royal British Legion, it told us that people here feel that too. We’re incredibly proud of what Marlene and the team have already built, and we’re just getting started.”

The Right Worshipful Town Mayor of Hythe, Councillor Stephen Bailey, performed the official ribbon-cutting ceremony, joined by Royal British Legion Hythe and Saltwood branch, representatives from Folkestone College and members of the and the Hythe Dementia Awareness Forum. Guided tours ran throughout the day, giving visitors the opportunity to see first-hand the home’s beautifully designed ensuite rooms, intimate breakout spaces, activity and hobby rooms, and landscaped gardens.

Home Manager Marlene Abreu said, “Saturday was everything we hoped it would be, warm, welcoming, and full of the kind of energy that reminds you why this matters. Seeing so many people from across Hythe come together, from community leaders to local organisations, made it clear that Martello Manor is already becoming part of this community. We’ve been building relationships here long before the doors opened, and that felt very real on Saturday. We can’t wait to welcome our first residents and show them what life here truly feels like.”

The open day drew genuine enthusiasm from the community groups who attended. Dudley Shipton, former Chairman of the Hythe Dementia Awareness Forum, was among those who toured the home.

He said: “It was a great privilege to be with you and the team on Saturday at the opening by the Mayor of Hythe. The building is light, airy and welcoming. The superb decor is individually designed to meet the requirements of the future residents. Apart from the spacious client rooms with specially designed furniture and integral bathrooms, there are smaller breakout open areas for two or three people to sit together overlooking the garden. Altogether this is set to become an excellent care home providing a safe and nurturing environment for the residents in the local community. Your involvement with the Hythe Dementia Awareness Forum and connection with the local community in Hythe from the very start of this project has been very much appreciated.”

The Royal British Legion Hythe and Saltwood branch also attended, describing the visit as “productive and promising.” In a statement on social media following the event, the branch noted that the visit had “opened the door to some exciting possibilities,” including joint working opportunities and Martello Manor’s interest in coming on board as a Gold Sponsor for Armed Forces Day, a commitment the branch described as “a fantastic boost for the event and a great show of support for our local armed forces community.”

The Hythe Dementia Alliance shared a similar sentiment, sharing: “To say we were impressed would be an understatement. We’re really looking forward to continuing to build on the strong relationship we’ve established with Jude and Marlene, and to working together to further enhance the support services available in Hythe.”

Angloplas Dispensers Help Reduce the Risk of Cross Infection

Angloplas are a UK manufacturer who specialise in producing dispensers for the health and hygiene industry. Although these are designed to keep the workplace tidy and uncluttered they are, more importantly,

infection control products and technologies are emerging on the market, including antimicrobial technology. Angloplas’ range of dispensers are produced in the world’s first proven Antimicrobial PVC with silver ion technology and which is exclusive to Angloplas. This helps reduce the risk of cross infection by stopping the growth of bacteria and mould and works continuously for the lifetime of the product, reducing levels of bacteria such as MRSA, E Coli, Legionella, Salmonella and mould by up to 99.99%. For non-clinical environments Angloplas has recently launched its new Budget Range of products which are made to the same exacting standards as the antimicrobial protected ones but with lower price tags.

You can order Angloplas products directly from its website at www.angloplas.co.uk

See the advert on page 6.

Neemat Sadiq CEO, Langdale Care Homes Founder, Empathika

Activating Your Brain While Sitting Helps Reduce Dementia Risk Study Reveals

Care home activity coordinators and nursing staff may need to reconsider how they think about residents’ downtime, following the publication of compelling new research showing that the type of sitting a person does matters as much as how long they sit.

A major long-term study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, has concluded that older adults who spend significant time in mentally passive sedentary activities — most notably watching television — face a measurably higher risk of developing dementia. By contrast, those who regularly engage in mentally stimulating seated activities, such as reading, puzzles, or computer use, appear to benefit from a degree of protection against cognitive decline.

A LANDMARK STUDY SPANNING NEARLY TWO DECADES

The research, led by Dr Mats Hallgren of the Karolinska Institute in Sweden and Deakin University in Australia, tracked more than 20,000 adults between the ages of 35 and 64 over a period of 19 years, from 1997 to 2016. Participants were drawn from 3,600 towns and villages across Sweden, lending the findings considerable breadth. Dementia cases were identified by cross-referencing participant data with Sweden’s National Patient Register and Cause of Death Register. Using statistical modelling, the research team examined what happened when passive sitting time was effectively swapped, hour for hour, with mentally active sitting time. The results were striking: even without increasing physical activity levels, making that substitution was associated with a meaningful reduction in dementia risk.

WHY THIS MATTERS FOR CARE SETTINGS

cantly in the degree of mental engagement they demand. His team’s conclusion is that cognitive stimulation during seated activity may be a crucial factor in determining long-term brain health.

A PRACTICAL MESSAGE FOR ACTIVITIES TEAMS

For care home managers and activity coordinators, the practical takeaway is encouraging. Residents do not need to be on their feet to benefit cognitively — but passive screen time, if it dominates the day, may be doing them a quiet disservice.

Activities such as reading, board games, arts and crafts, reminiscence work, word puzzles, and even light computer use or video calling could all fall within the category of mentally active sitting.

The research suggests that prioritising these over passive television viewing may contribute positively to residents’ cognitive health over time.

This does not mean television should be eliminated from care home life — comfort, enjoyment, and emotional wellbeing all matter. However, the findings do support the case for structured, cognitively engaging programming throughout the day, rather than relying on television as a default filler between scheduled activities.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY STILL VITAL

The researchers were keen to stress that physical activity remains an essential component of healthy ageing, and the new findings should not be read as diminishing its importance. The message is additive: staying physically active matters, and staying mentally active — especially while seated — also matters.

Dementia is now the third leading cause of death among older adults worldwide and the seventh greatest source of disability in later life. With populations continuing to age, prevention and risk reduction are increasingly urgent priorities — and care homes sit at the frontline of that challenge.

Most adults spend somewhere between nine and ten hours each day seated. Previous studies have already linked prolonged sitting to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and depression. This new research adds an important nuance to that picture: it is not simply the act of sitting that poses a risk, but what the brain is doing during that time.

Dr Hallgren explained that while all forms of sitting involve minimal physical exertion, they differ signifi-

The study’s authors acknowledge that, as an observational study, it demonstrates association rather than direct causation, and that controlled trials will be needed to build on the findings. Nevertheless, given the scale and duration of the research, they believe the results are likely to hold relevance well beyond Sweden.

The research team hopes their work will feed into updated public health guidance on dementia prevention — guidance that could, in turn, shape best practice in residential and nursing care. For providers already striving to deliver enriching daily programmes for their residents, this study offers both scientific backing and fresh impetus to keep the mind as active as the body.

Care Inspections UK: Professional, Independent, and Evidence-Led

By Kevin Groombridge –

Inspection, as commonly practised, is often episodic and judgement-led. CIUK’s process takes a different approach. By integrating detailed, evidence-based inspection with targeted action planning and sustained implementation support, it reframes inspection as a continuous improvement system rather than a periodic verdict.

Supported by UKAS accreditation since 2016, the model is designed to produce findings that are not only credible but also operationally useful and capable of driving measurable change.

Health and social care providers operate under sustained scrutiny, yet the relationship between inspection and meaningful improvement remains inconsistent. Compliance is assessed and ratings are published, but whether inspections reliably drive safer care, better outcomes, or stronger organisations is open to question.

THE RISK OF JUDGEMENT-LED INSPECTION

Inspection systems in the UK remain heavily judgement-led. While professional judgement plays a role, over-reliance introduces variability, subjectivity, and inconsistent outcomes.

Providers frequently encounter divergent findings for similar levels of performance. This reflects a structural issue in which conclusions are shaped by individual perspective rather than a consistently applied evidence base.

The risk is twofold. First, organisations may be incorrectly assessed, undermining confidence in the system. Second, judgement-led inspection often fails to produce operationally useful insight. It describes performance but does not reliably explain causation or provide a clear route to improvement.

Inspection, in this form, risks becoming an exercise in classification rather than a tool for change.

ARE

REGULATORS EFFECTIVE INSPECTORS?

Regulators perform an essential role in setting standards and enforcing compliance. However, there is a legitimate question about whether they are structurally well-positioned to serve as high-quality inspectors.

Regulatory bodies are simultaneously rule-setters, assessors, and enforcers. This creates a model that can be reactive, episodic, and risk-averse, with inspection often focused on identifying failure rather than understanding system performance.

In practice, this can lead to inspections that are:

• Event-driven, triggered by concerns rather than embedded in continuous assurance

Compliance-focused, prioritising adherence over operational effectiveness

Inconsistent, due to reliance on individual judgement

This is not a criticism of intent, but of structure. Regulation and inspection are related functions, but they are not the same discipline.

A MORE FORENSIC MODEL

CIUK’s work is structured around three core components. First, a forensic, evidence-based inspection that examines not only compliance, but how care, governance, and operational systems function in practice. This is followed by a targeted action plan that translates findings into specific, prioritised interventions that address root causes rather than symptoms. Crucially, inspection is not treated as a standalone event. CIUK provides ongoing support, working alongside providers to implement changes, monitor progress, and stabilise performance over time.

This model incorporates:

Systematic risk analysis - identifying latent risks before they manifest

Operational diagnostics - examining how care, staffing, and governance function in practice

Commercial impact awareness - recognising the link between quality and sustainability

Inspection is therefore treated as a diagnostic process, focused on causation and designed to produce actionable findings.

INTERNATIONAL

PERSPECTIVES

Other countries have adopted models that place greater emphasis on independent, provider-engaged assurance.

In the Netherlands, inspection is complemented by strong provider accountability and transparency. In Australia, accreditation-based systems require providers to demonstrate ongoing compliance, supported by external verification. Similar approaches are evident in parts of Canada and the Nordic countries, where inspection is more clearly separated from enforcement.

These models are not without challenge, but they demonstrate a consistent principle: inspection is most effective when it is independent, evidence-driven, and embedded in continuous improvement, rather than positioned solely as a regulatory checkpoint.

FROM JUDGEMENT TO IMPROVEMENT

A persistent weakness in inspection systems is the prioritisation of judgement over utility. Ratings may signal performance, but they rarely enable change.

CIUK places greater emphasis on structured improvement pathways. Weaknesses are translated into specific actions, while strengths are used to stabilise and improve performance.

This reframes inspection as a forward-looking mechanism for risk reduction and quality improvement, rather than a retrospective assessment.

A MORE USEFUL FORM OF ASSURANCE

The sector does not lack inspection; it lacks inspection that is sufficiently consistent, evidence-led, and operationally useful to drive sustained improvement.

CIUK’s approach, underpinned by UKAS accreditation since 2016, does not replace regulation, but it challenges the assumption that regulatory inspection alone is sufficient.

If inspection is to have real value, it must move beyond periodic judgement and towards continuous, evidence-based assurance that organisations can act on with confidence.

Health Experts and Charities Call for NHS Trusts to #EndThePadGap

Health experts and charities are calling for NHS trusts to #EndThePadGap: a hidden crisis that leaves many of the 14m people in the UK with incontinence struggling with leaks, skin infections, and social isolation.

Groups including Prostate Cancer UK, The Urology Foundation, and Dementia Carers Count, warn that limiting the number and type of incontinence pads supplied to patients results in poorer health outcomes and undermines human dignity.

“The effective rationing of products means staff and patients both suffer,” said Professor Alison Leary, Deputy President of the Royal College of Nursing. “Patients don’t get dignified care, and nurses feel they are failing to meet fundamental human needs.”

Jamie Gane, the World #1 Adaptive Athlete for obstacle course racing, who has lived with incontinence for half his life, said: “The cost of not having the right amount or right products for me is a lack of dignity, a lack of independence and a huge financial cost to myself to fund the appropriate products for the support that I need.”

THE HUMAN IMPACT OF UNMET NEED

Research commissioned by health and hygiene company Essity, which is backing the campaign, suggests that healthcare workers expect to fit 4.6 pads per day for patients unable to manage their incontinence, a number that can be considerably higher in many cases.

However, Freedom of Information requests reveal that trusts often limit patients to between three and four pads a day. Millie Baker, Executive Director of Bladder Health UK, said the gap meant people with incontinence were forced to use their pension or Personal Independence Payment to buy pads, leaving them struggling to cover other basic costs.

“People are living with the shame of persistent body odour, anxiety about visible leaks or smells when leaving the house or socialising, and skin damage caused by the acidity of urine in contact with delicate areas. Some avoid relationships, limit clothing choices, or withdraw from everyday life out of fear and embarrassment. Others experience disturbed sleep due to pad leakage, emotional distress, or even infection. These are indignities that strip away a person’s confidence, autonomy and wellbeing.”

ENDING “ONE SIZE FITS ALL” APPROACH TO PAD PROVISION BENEFITS PATIENTS AND THE NHS

Almost two thirds of healthcare professionals caring for patients with incontinence say they have fitted unsuitable pads, with one in twenty saying they do it routinely.2 An independent pilot study at one NHS Trust found that switching to better-fitting incontinence products reduced the time staff spent on continence care by 47%; saved potentially £188,000 a year in costs; saw 42% of residents become more independent in managing their incontinence needs, and resulted in a 100% drop in leakages.

An end to the current generic approach to incontinence pad provision would also lighten the burden on carers.

“Over half of people with dementia develop incontinence,” said Helen Pyper, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Dementia Carers Count. “This adds hugely to the stress dementia carers already feel. Many carers tell us coping with incontinence issues was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Access to the right protective products helps carers keep caring for longer, knowing the person they care for is comfortable and living with dignity.”

A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY FOR REFORM

The #EndThePadGap campaign comes ahead of the Government’s June launch of Value Based Procurement (VBP) which mandates NHS procurement managers to look beyond price and consider products that improve patient outcomes and reduce total system costs.

“We support of the introduction of a Value Based Procurement system which would ensure patients’ needs are at the centre of the decision-making process,” said Siân Wicks, Chief Executive Officer at ERIC, The Children’s Bowel & Bladder Charity.

“We’re proud to have made progress in breaking the taboo around male incontinence with our Boys Need Bins campaign,” said Laura Kerby, chief executive of Prostate Cancer UK.

“However, system-wide change is still needed so that no man is left without essential support, whatever his income or background. That’s why we’re backing the campaign to ‘end the pad gap’ and ensure every man has access to the right products to stay dry.”

Tracy Whitehouse, a specialist nurse with Bladder & Bowel UK, said: “Continence pad provision is not a one-size-fits-all service. We receive countless calls on our helpline from desperate patients who are unable to obtain the products they need. At Bladder & bowel UK, we recognise the importance of VBP- it is long overdue.”

Behind Bars for Good! Overnight Lock-In Raises Money for Charities

A Care UK colleague has raised £500, donated across two crucial charities, after spending the night in a jail cell alongside nine other fundraisers.

Amy Thomas, a Senior Carer at Care UK’s Llys Cyncoed, is a self-proclaimed “goody two shoes”. Her sister shared the link to raise money for good causes through an overnight stay in jail, and Amy knew she had to take part. All funds raised were shared between two charities – the Forget-Me-Not Chorus and The Rescue Hotel for Dogs.

“I’ve always been a huge animal fan – I was a rescuer, and always bringing home injured wildlife,” Amy said, “My mum used to go nuts! And obviously working in the care home, I see a lot of residents living with dementia and how it affects everybody around them too – like family, friends and carers.” Amy was ‘arrested’ and handcuffed with the other fundraisers, then put into the police cell, using the old cells at Roath

Police station for her stay. During the evening, Rt Hon the Lord

of Cardiff

Adrian

and his wife,

visited the group and thanked them for their efforts. The two benefitting charities were the Mayor’s chosen charities for the year.

Amy said: “It’s two worthy causes. Dementia affects so many people and in lots of different ways. Whether it’s their memory, speech, behaviour; it impacts everybody differently. There’s no cure, so my job is about enabling residents to live fulfilling lives during their time at Llys Cyncoed.”

Amy’s initial fundraising efforts came to £250, which was then matched by Care UK to create a total donation of £500.

The Lord Mayor of Cardiff said: “The Lady Mayoress and I would like to thank Amy for being such a good sport and spending the night in prison. We are grateful to Care UK for match funding £250, which will really help my two nominated charities.”

Setting the Standard: Care Home Compliance Made Simple

The law is changing for care homes, but understanding your obligations has never been easier

Providing both comfort and dignity to those in your care is at the core of the Care homes profession, but when it comes to both residents and their families, one of the most important things you can offer is trust.

Moving to a care home can be an emotional time for some and transparency and fairness are key in reassuring prospective residents and their families that they will be cared for with compassion and respect - This, and compliance with the law.

Earlier this year we saw the introduction of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCCA) - a landmark piece of legislation that affects business and how they are required by law to safeguard their customer with fair trading practices. These changes may sound like legal jargon, but they directly impact how care homes operate, communicate, and contract with residents.

Compliance can be complex and that’s why the Business Companion Care Homes Guidance is essential reading for anyone working in the Care Homes sector. Written by legal experts this free and easy-to-read guide will walk you through all the steps to ensure you are safeguarding your customers and operating within the law.

WHAT’S CHANGED UNDER THE DMCCA?

The introduction of the DMCCA represents one of the biggest shifts in consumer law in over a decade. It replaces the old Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations and introduces stricter rules to protect consumers from misleading or unfair practices across almost

all sectors. For care homes, this means:

Clearer Pricing and Transparency: The Act bans “drip pricing” which is when unavoidable fees are hidden until late in the process. Care homes must now present the full cost of services upfront, including any mandatory charges.

• Fake Reviews and Misleading Endorsements: The DMCCA prohibits the use of fabricated or manipulated reviews. With care homes increasingly relying on their online reputation, ensuring authenticity is now a legal obligation.

Stronger Enforcement Powers: The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) can now impose fines of up to £300,000 - or 10% of global turnover - for breaches. Compliance isn’t optional; it’s critical. and much more!

These changes underline the importance of reviewing your policies, contracts, and marketing materials. The Care Homes Guidance on Business Companion provides practical steps to help you stay compliant and avoid costly mistakes.

KEEPING CONSUMER VULNERABILITY IN MIND

Vulnerability can arise from a number of different situations and factors throughout a person’s life, such as age, health, bereavement, or financial stress. As someone working in the Care homes sector, you’re

dealing with vulnerable individuals on a daily basis and recognising these factors isn’t just good practice; it’s a legal and ethical responsibility.

The Business Companion Consumer Vulnerability Guide offers checklists and practical advice to help you identify and support your residents who may be vulnerable when it comes to things like decision making and communication, ensuring your care home delivers not only compliance but compassion.

YOUR GO-TO RESOURCE FOR COMPLIANCE

Business Companion is more than just a care home resource - it’s a comprehensive hub for businesses across a broad range of sectors. From selling online to handling complaints, delivery charges, and even net zero strategies, the platform covers hundreds of topics delivered to you through clear, easy-to-read guidance. Backed by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute and the Department for Business & Trade, Business Companion is free, authoritative, and regularly updated by legal experts.

ACT NOW

The DMCCA is already in force, and enforcement powers are live. Don’t wait for a compliance issue to arise - visit Business Companion’s Care Homes Guidance today. Review your contracts, pricing structures, and communication strategies and explore the wider resources available to future-proof your business against legal pitfalls.

In a sector built on trust, staying informed isn’t just smart - it’s essential.

To find out more, visit: www.businesscompanion.info

Mayor

Councillor

Robson

Lady Mayoress Jayne Robson,

Care Homes Losing Up to £8,000 a Year Through Poor Waste Management

Poor waste management practices are costing care homes thousands of pounds every year -and the problem is more widespread than many operators realise.

Analysis by leading independent healthcare waste management company Anenta reveals that care homes are wasting an average of £8,000 annually as a direct result of inadequate waste segregation and management processes. The root cause is largely the same across the sector: waste is consistently being placed in the wrong channels, triggering unnecessarily high disposal costs.

Detailed compositional audits undertaken both by Anenta, and separately by the Environment Agency (EA) have found that 70% of care home waste ends up in the wrong waste stream. The figures are particularly stark for clinical waste, where 90% is incorrectly categorised, and for offensive waste, where 35% is regularly contaminated with recyclable materials. The financial impact is significant. Low-risk items that should be disposed of as offensive waste — at a cost of £300–£500 per tonne — are routinely being discarded as infectious waste, which costs upwards of £800 per tonne. For a care home producing moderate volumes of waste, these avoidable costs quickly accumulate.

THE ROOT CAUSE: A TRAINING GAP

alternative treatments or energy-from-waste processes."

E-LEARNING: AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE SOLUTION

A free e-learning module on healthcare waste - developed in association with Anenta by NHS England alongside IPC leads, Local Commissioners, and industry experts - is available through the Health Education England online portal and plays an important role in addressing these issues.

The 30–45 minute module - available here - outlines what waste should go into which stream, explains correct segregation practices, and provides practical guidance to help staff build better habits from the ground up. Crucially, it is free to access — removing the cost barrier that might otherwise prevent smaller care homes from investing in staff training.

Flynn added: "The adoption of the training and correct segregation is critical if the care home sector is to cut costs and achieve Net Zero targets. The course is accessible to all and includes a risk assessment that care homes can use to directly inform the way in which their waste is segregated.

COMPLIANCE RISKS ADDING FURTHER PRESSURE

Beyond the direct financial costs, poor waste management also exposes care homes to compliance risks that can have serious operational consequences.

Analysis of over 2,500 primary care Duty of Care audits by Anenta has revealed that 58% of healthcare professionals responsible for waste management are unfamiliar with the Healthcare Technical Memorandum — the key regulatory guidance governing healthcare waste, the latest iteration of which was published in March 2023.

This knowledge gap has led to inadequate training, weak waste management policies, and ingrained bad habits that are proving costly. Without a clear understanding of what goes where, incorrect disposal becomes the norm rather than the exception.

Graham Flynn, Director at Anenta, said: "On average, care homes are wasting £8,000 every year through poor waste management process and procurement. Changing waste disposal habits and practices prevents the unnecessary and expensive disposal of waste via inappropriate and environmentally damaging waste streams, such as incineration — instead ensuring that the majority of clinical waste is disposed of using either

Where waste contractors identify non-compliant waste streams, they are entitled to refuse collections entirely - a scenario that can put care services at significant risk of disruption. This risk is managed through the correct completion of a Pre-Acceptance Audit (PAA), which most care homes are required to undertake every five years, or annually where a site produces more than five tonnes of clinical waste per year.

The e-learning module supports care homes in preparing for and completing their PAA — a practical benefit that sits alongside the direct cost savings that come with better segregation.

Flynn said: "The training will play a big part in cutting costs by improving waste management among staff. Importantly, it will also help care homes with their PAA audit, without which their healthcare waste cannot be collected — potentially resulting in enforcement action by the Environment Agency."

For more information about Anenta and its care home audit app — which enables care homes to conduct compulsory clinical waste pre-acceptance and duty of care audits in just 40 minutes, without the need for third-party on-site visits — visit www.anentawaste.com or call 033 0122 214.

Leading Voices Confirmed as New Speakers Announced for Dementia Forward Conference

Following the recent announcement of the Dementia Forward Conference, taking place on Friday 22nd May at Scarborough Rugby Club, a distinguished line-up of speakers and sector leaders has now been confirmed.

The conference, in partnership with Saint Cecilia’s Care Group and titled The Future of Dementia Care in North Yorkshire, will bring together key partners from across the health and social care sector for a day of learning, collaboration and forward-looking discussion on the future of dementia support in the region.

Confirmed speakers at this year’s event include:

• Jeremy Isaacs, National Clinical Director for Dementia and Older People’s Mental Health at NHS England

• Andy Baker of Able Training, an author, speaker and behaviour specialist

• Kate Allanson, Head of Prevention and Principal Occupational Therapist at North Yorkshire Council

• Abigail Barron, Director for Health and Adult Services at North Yorkshire Council

• Louise Wallace, Director of Public Health at North Yorkshire Council.

The conference will also include contributions from North Yorkshire Sport, Dementia Forward, and voices from across the care sector, alongside speakers with lived experience of dementia. Topics throughout the day will include advances in technology, emerging research, community-based support, and approaches to complex dementia care – providing delegates with both strategic insight and practical takeaways.

Saint Cecilia’s Care Group, which provides specialist dementia care across Scarborough, Whitby and Ryedale, says it is proud to stand alongside partners who are committed to improving outcomes and quality of life for people living with dementia and their families.

Mike Padgham, Chairman of Saint Cecilia’s Care Group, said: “We are incredibly proud to support the Dementia Forward Conference. Dementia care is something very close to our hearts, and events like this are vital in bringing together expertise, lived experience and innovation. By working together as a sector, we can continue to improve standards of care and ensure people living with dementia across North Yorkshire receive the understanding, dignity and specialist support they deserve.”

The conference promises to be both exciting and informative, offering delegates the opportunity to connect with others passionate about dementia care while gaining practical insight into the challenges and opportunities facing the sector.

Debby Lennox, Dementia Forward, said:

“The future of dementia care lies in collaboration. Only by sharing knowledge, experience, resources and skills will we create consistent, high-quality care and support for people living with dementia, from the earliest signs through to end of life.

This conference is a chance to connect people together to learn and share and, as a North Yorkshire charity, we are proud to be hosting it in Scarborough, ensuring that the voices of our local communities are heard.”

Tackling Bed Bugs in Care Homes: Why Non-Toxic Solutions Are the Smart Choice

Bed bugs are one of the most disruptive challenges a care home can face. For managers responsible for the comfort, dignity, and wellbeing of vulnerable residents, even a single confirmed case can trigger anxiety among families, disrupt daily routines, and place enormous pressure on staff. Yet with the right approach, bed bug management doesn't have to mean toxic chemicals, lengthy room closures, or upheaval for the people in your care.

The Misconception Around Bed Bugs

It's important to understand that bed bugs are not a hygiene issue — they are a management issue. These insects are indiscriminate, equally at home in a five-star hotel as a care facility. They travel in luggage, clothing, and belongings, and can be introduced by visitors, new residents, or staff without anyone realising. The question isn't whether your home could be affected; it's whether you have the right systems in place to detect and respond quickly if it is.

The Power of Canine Detection

Early detection is everything. Bed bugs are expert hiders, concealing themselves behind skirting boards, within wall cavities, and deep beneath floorboards — places a visual inspection simply cannot reach. This is where bed bug detection dogs prove invaluable. With a sense of smell far beyond any technology currently available, trained canines can identify individual live bed bugs at the earliest possible stage, before a minor issue becomes a full-scale infestation.

Merlin Environmental's specialist canine detection teams work with care homes across the country, offering proactive screening programmes that allow managers to stay ahead of any potential problem. The non-

invasive nature of this approach is particularly important in a care setting — rooms can be assessed quickly and discreetly, with minimal disturbance to residents, preserving dignity and maintaining the calm environment your residents deserve.

Effective Treatment Without Compromise

When treatment is required, Merlin Environmental's heat treatment process offers a genuinely superior alternative to traditional chemical methods. By raising room temperatures to a lethal threshold, every bed bug — including eggs, which chemical treatments cannot penetrate — is eliminated in a single application. There are no pesticide residues, no chemical odours, and no risk to residents or staff.

Critically for care home operations, rooms are available for use again the same day, once cooled. No lengthy preparation, no multiple follow-up visits, and no disruption to the routines that matter so much to your residents.

A Proactive Partnership

Merlin Environmental works with care homes as a trusted long-term partner, combining expertise, accreditation, and a genuine commitment to the safety of those in your care — because your residents deserve nothing less.

To find out more about proactive bed bug screening and heat treatment for your care home, contact Merlin Environmental.

London Care Record Used Over 100 Million Times To Support Joined-Up Care

The London Care Record has now been used to support over 100 million ‘moments of care’ since it was introduced in 2020 (30 March 2026). Based on independent economic evaluation this has also saved health and care staff up to just over £190 million in time.

The London Care Record is a single, secure and up-to-date view of a person’s health and care information over time and across different parts of the NHS and social care in London and some neighbouring areas.

It includes details about any conditions which a person has, their test results, medicines, allergies, plans for their care and other useful information such as hospital discharge summaries.

This gives health and care staff the joined-up information they need to take informed decisions and provide the best possible joined-up care more quickly.

It is currently used around two and a half million times a month by well over 100,000 health and care staff across London and some neighbouring areas including Oxford and Milton Keynes. Only staff involved in a person’s care are allowed to access the information.

Work continues to further expand access to the London Care Record for frontline staff and to share more patient information through it across the Capital so it is an even richer tool for staff.

Luke Readman, Director of Digital Transformation at NHS England (London), said:

“I am proud to have been involved with the introduction of the London Care Record and to see it grow into an essential and must have tool for frontline staff. It is fantastic that it has now supported more than 100 million moments of care and saved frontline staff up to £190 million in time. Well done to everyone involved in

making this happen and the positive impact this has had on health and care across the Capital and beyond. I look forward to seeing this vital system develop further over the years ahead.”

Dr Emma Rowley-Conwy, south east London GP, said: “The London Care Record has completely changed how I work as a GP. It provides one version of the truth across London. So instead of chasing letters or duplicating referrals, I can see results, clinic letters and care plans and other essential information in real time and give patients clear answers there and then. It saves huge amounts of time and helps us deliver safer, joined up care.”

Mike Armstrong, Managing Director of Havering Care Homes, said: “The London Care Record is fantastic. It gives staff a much richer health and care history about our residents than we would get from hospital discharge summaries or GP records helping us plan and provide the best possible care. It is also vital in understanding a resident’s medications as well as any care plans they have in place, potentially preventing unnecessary hospital admissions. Put simply the London Care Record has been a real game-changer for care homes.”

Professor Elizabeth Sampson, Consultant Liaison Psychiatrist at Royal London Hospital for East London NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The patients that I see in A&E can be very unwell and distressed. For example they might have delirium, dementia or memory loss. In these situations I need to act quickly so the London Care Record is invaluable in these pressurised and difficult moments. It helps inform my clinical decisionmaking so we provide the right care as quickly as possible.”

Martello Manor Surprises Hythe Community Charity with Easter Craft Hampers

Martello Manor Care Home has donated two large Easter craft and art supply hampers to The Shed Hythe, a Hythe High Street charity supporting adults with learning difficulties and disabilities, as part of the home’s ongoing mission to contribute meaningfully to the wider community.

Home Manager Marlene Abreu and Admissions Manager Jude Coveney delivered the hampers unannounced to The Shed’s premises at on Hythe High Street ahead of Easter, arriving during one of the charity’s regular daytime sessions. Each hamper contained a selection of Easter crafts and art materials chosen to support the creative work The Shed’s members carry out throughout the year.

The timing proved particularly fitting. Members were in the middle of producing Easter bonnets for an upcoming parade, and the standard of work on display was striking, elaborate, individually designed creations decorated with feathers, flowers, ribbons, lace, and hand-painted detail, each one reflecting the personality and skill of its maker.

The Shed provides accredited skills training, practical workshops, and social activities for people with learning difficulties and disabilities from across the Folkestone and Hythe, Dover, and Ashford districts.

The donation follows an initial visit made by Jude Coveney in 2025, before Martello Manor had opened it’s show suite, when she first came across The Shed while introducing herself to local organisations on

Care Show London - Navigate

Care Show London 2026 running on 29-30 April at Excel London, will be opening its doors for the third consecutive year to the whole care community. Matthew Moore, Show Manager highlights what is on offer at Care Show London as well as key speakers and sessions to look out for.

KEY THEMES AND GOALS FOR CARE SHOW LONDON THIS YEAR

Care Show London is the meeting place for the social care community, united by a shared commitment to delivering the highest standards of care. The show provides a platform to learn best practice, explore innovative products and services, and develop practical skills to support day-to-day work.

The focus this year is on helping you confidently navigate the future of care. Through expert-led sessions and sector insight, you’ll gain the clarity, support, and direction needed to prepare for what’s next, with key themes including workforce, regulation, policy, AI and technology, business sustainability, palliative care, and more.

CONFERENCE PROGRAMME

Care Show London conference programme covers key challenges within the sector, matching these with established care professionals who are able to provide solutions to these. With over 180 experts in the sector speaking at the show, we'll cover everything from strategic business support to specialised dementia care, to sustainability wins and so much more!

With seven dedicated theatres hosting sessions across the two days and over 60 hours of world-class education, attending this event will provide you with the tools and solutions to improve the quality of care you provide.

Must see sessions:

• Keynote Theatre – CQC update: our journey, priorities, and what’s next for adult social care

People & Business Theatre - Winning self-funded clients through strategic marketing and sales

Technology Theatre - What's happening internationally? How social

Hythe High Street.

Jude Coveney, Admissions Manager at Martello Manor, said “I stumbled across The Shed before we’d opened and I was genuinely taken aback by what they were doing. The energy in there, the quality of the work, the way members supported each other, it stayed with me. When we came back with the hampers, seeing those bonnets laid out, each one so carefully made and so full of personality, it was a reminder of just how much creative talent is in that room.”

Marlene Abreu, Home Manager at Martello Manor, said, “The whole room lit up when we walked in. A cheer went up straight away, big smiles all round. You could see how much it meant to have their work valued. We feel very lucky to be part of this community.”

The donation forms part of a broader community programme Martello Manor has established since opening. The home runs Gift of a Wish, a monthly initiative providing respite and meaningful experiences for local unpaid carers, and is a sponsor of both the Hythe Venetian Fete and Armed Forces Day.

Ameet Kotecha, Founder and Managing Director of Boutique Care Homes, said, “A care home should be genuinely embedded in its community, not just operating within it. The Shed is doing something important for people across this area. We’re committed to supporting the organisations that make Hythe the community it is, and this is one of many ways we intend to do that.”

care across the globe is using technology to improve outcomes

Catering, Hydration and Nutrition Theatre - Cognition-supporting Vitamin B12 needs our attention: how to incorporate more into meals with ease

IHSCM Leadership in Tough Times Theatre - How to build an effective team

Care Providers’ Voice Masterclasses - What will the care workforce look like in 2030?

The Outstanding Society Learning Lounge - Safe medicines management: complex medication and reporting

Key speakers: Chris Badger, Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care & Integrated Care, CQC

Isaac Samuels OBE, Co-Chair, NCAG & TLAP

Fran Vandelli, Dementia Lead, Bupa Care UK

Aneurin Brown, CEO, Hallmark Luxury Care Homes

Emma Jane Tinkler, Programme Manager, HC-One

Kevin Humphrys, CEO, Oakland Care Group

• Michelle Corrigan, Programme Director, Digital Care Hub

Clare Jefferies, Business Director, Home Instead Wimbledon & Kingston

Giuseppe Di Martino, Learning Disability and Autism Commissioner, Slough Borough Council

Katy Hague, Chief of Staff, Crystal Care Homes

Lucy Campbell, CEO, Right at Home UK

Sarah Sabater, CEO, CareYourWay

Charles Taylor, Owner, Taylor & Taylor Care Group

Alyson Vale, Business & Operations Director, Abbotsford Care Ltd TOP SUPPLIERS

Alongside the dedicated conference programme, Care Show London hosts over 200 top suppliers from the sector, offering a wide range of products and solutions to help improve your business. From catering suppliers to software providers, you’re sure to find an exhibitor with what you’re looking for.

NETWORKING

With so much happening at the show, don’t forget to make time to connect with sector peers. With over 3,750 care professionals expected at Care Show London, it’s a great opportunity to meet like-minded professionals who understand your challenges and desire to build strong relationships.

Care Show London 2026 is your opportunity to confidently navigate the future of social care. With expert-led sessions, innovative suppliers, and thousands of professionals under one roof, the show provides the knowledge, connections, and tools you need to stay ahead and succeed in a changing landscape.

Register now to join your community for two days of learning, networking and inspiration. Visit the Care Show London website or click visit https://forms.reg.buzz/care-show-london-2026/carer To view the conference programme, visit: https://www.careshowlondon.co.uk/thecarer26

Ilona Tomza, Senior Head Chef, Porthaven Care Home (NACC Chef of the Year)

Teen Inspired by Grandfather’s Care Begins Career at Same Home

A Northumberland teenager has begun her first steps into a career in care at the very home where her late grandfather spent his final years. Sixteen-year-old Kaitlyn Rust has joined Craig Healthcare as an apprentice at Cramlington House, one of Craig Healthcare’s dementia specialist care homes, where her grandad, Don, lived for three years. Kaitlyn says her experience visiting her grandfather at the home left a lasting impression and ultimately inspired her to follow in the footsteps of those who cared for him.

After initially choosing a different college course, she realised her vocation was in the care industry.

“I saw first-hand the difference the staff made to my grandad’s life,” she said. “They were always so kind and patient with him, and that stayed with me. I wanted to be able to do that for other people’s loved ones.”

Now part of the team, Kaitlyn is already becoming a familiar and friendly face to residents.

Home Manager, Sarah Patterson, said: “Kaitlyn got to know the home well while visiting her grandfather, so joining us felt like a natural step. Since starting, her confidence has really grown. The residents love her

and she brings such warmth and fun to the home. Nothing is ever too much trouble.”

For Kaitlyn, working at Cramlington House feels especially meaningful.

“It’s nice to be somewhere that means so much to me and my family,” she added. “I feel proud to be part of the team that cared for my grandad and lucky that I get to help other people’s family members with the same level of love and kindness as was shown to him.”

Managing Director Lucy Craig said the story highlights the important role care homes play in their local communities and is encouraging more young people into a career in care.

“Families place enormous trust in care homes, and it’s incredibly special to see that experience come full circle,” she said. “Kaitlyn’s journey shows how powerful those connections can be, and we’re delighted to support her as she starts her new career with us.”

Ms Craig hopes stories like Kaitlyn’s will encourage more young people across Northumberland to consider a future in care, helping to support local services while making a real difference to people’s lives.

Mayor Joins Shock Double Surprise As Care Home Boss Left “Dumbfounded” At Secret 70th Bash

A surprise 70th birthday party for a top care home manager – with the Mayor of Wrexham among the guests – stunned the woman at the centre of it all.

Ann Chapman was left “dumbfounded” after her colleagues secretly organised a lavish celebration at Pendine Park’s Bodlondeb dementia care centre on the outskirts of the city.

Ann had believed she was attending an event to honour adviser Sarah Longhurst who has provided specialist consultancy services to Pendine for many years.

But instead she walked into a colourful music and dancing jamboree complete with balloons, flowers, a buffet and two celebration cakes –one for Ann and the other for Sarah.

Ann said: “I had absolutely no idea about this. I thought it was a little strange when my family and friends told me to make sure I had my best bib and tucker on today, but I had no clue this was about to happen.”

Sarah Longhurst was also surprised to see her name on the party banner as she had been told the event was for Ann.

She laughed: “It was all so cleverly arranged. We were both invited here thinking we were about to celebrate the other.”

Deputy manager Arlene Elano and the whole Bodlondeb team had been planning the event for weeks in advance, including making a short video film in which friends, staff and Bodlondeb residents were featured delivering their personal happy birthday messages to Ann.

Arlene said: “It was hard work putting the afternoon’s programme together but in the end Ann and Sarah deserve it and it went as well as we could have wished for.

Among the guests were Pendine Park owners Mario and Gill Kreft, Wrexham Mayor Tina Mannering and Lady Consort Helen Briscoe, who is also head housekeeper at Pendine Park.

A new report has revealed a dramatic surge in egg imports often produced to significantly lower food safety and hen welfare standards, creating what industry leaders warn is an urgent and escalating risk for UK consumers, retailers, manufacturers, and foodservice operators.

The Shell Shocked report, which also highlights the lack of effective border control inspections to prevent inferior products from entering the UK, has prompted the British Egg Industry Council (BEIC) to urge the Government to take immediate action to stop these eggs flooding the British market.

According to the report, UK egg imports have risen 60% since 2021, increasing from approximately 1 billion to 1.6 billion eggs per year. Ukraine has emerged as a major source of this growth, with exports to the UK rising 65.6% in 2025 alone. These products, most of which are produced in conventional battery cages, illegal here since 2012, are increasingly competing with British eggs produced under the world-leading British Lion Code of Practice.

The mayor said she felt honoured to have been invited to the occasion. She said: “It is a privilege for me to be here among you all on such a special day for both Ann and Sarah.

“It is heart-warming to witness the loyalty, commitment and devotion of everyone here at Bodlondeb to each other and to those in their care.”

Pendine owner Mario Kreft MBE said: “This wonderful party is a credit to Ann and her leadership skills, but it also epitomises the whole ethos of Bodlondeb.

“Ann knows that an organisation like ours depends on the entire team being on the same page and what is clear to see here today is the way every member of staff works together always doing their utmost to ensure the wellbeing of our residents.

“Their hard work has made Bodlondeb so much more than a care home, it has become a caring family, a home from home for residents and also for those of dedicated staff who have travelled here from overseas.”

In 2013 Ann was recognised in the UK Over 50's Housing Awards as the Most Outstanding Manager in the UK.

As well as her work at Bodlondeb she has also worked on a number of research projects with leading higher education establishments, and her sterling support for a number of charitable causes is renowned.

In 2017 her contribution to Pendine Park was recognised when she won joint gold in the Commitment to Training and Workforce Development category at the annual Wales Care Awards.

Among the surprise celebratory activities were musical numbers by the Bodlondeb staff choir, which also included two singing residents Edwin Roberts and Jim Jarvis. Care practitioners Ma. Sheena and Udani Miranda performed a duet, and a number of carers also performed joyful dances, including a traditional Filipino national dance, and a fun routine to Abba’s hit Dancing Queen.

Shell Shocked also highlights how this surge has coincided with a series of egg-related food safety incidents across Europe. Recent examples include 123 confirmed illnesses in the UK in late 2025, traced to a single imported egg distributor (origin unconfirmed), banned antibiotic residues found in Ukrainian eggs entering European markets; ongoing Salmonella investigations in Sweden linked to Ukrainian imports; and more than 200 UK cases in 2024 associated with imported Polish eggs.

Nick Allen, Chief Executive of the BEIC, said: “This report highlights the real and urgent risks that inferior imports pose for consumers and the wider food industry.

“Any consumer would be appalled at what the Government is doing to undermine their safety. More than 90% of eggs produced in the UK are covered by the British Lion Code of Practice, one of the most comprehensive food safety schemes in the world. British farmers have invested hundreds of millions of pounds to

meet these standards, including vaccination against Salmonella and not using conventional battery cages.

“Allowing lowerstandard imports to undercut UK egg producers is not protectionism, it risks undermining consumer safety, public confidence in eggs and the resilience of our domestic food supply.

“It is time for the Government to act in the interests of consumers and ensure that any eggs and egg products entering the UK meet our standards, starting with stronger controls at the border.”

Food safety expert, Dr Lisa Ackerley, who reviewed import controls for the report, added:

“Most consignments are not physically inspected, testing is risktriggered rather than systematic, and sampling frequencies are not publicly disclosed. As a result, contamination or residues may only be identified once illness occurs or overseas alerts are issued, meaning product may already be in kitchens, factories or on shelves.

“It is also worth noting that British Lion eggs are Food Standards Agency approved for vulnerable groups to consume runny, while imports are not. That is a serious food safety risk for imports.”

The Shell Shocked report calls on retailers, manufacturers, and foodservice operators to urgently review their sourcing policies for eggs and egg ingredients, strengthen traceability requirements, and ensure they are not inadvertently compromising consumer safety.

It also calls on the Government to align import standards with UK food safety and hen welfare rules and introduce systematic testing and effective inspections at the border to ensure eggs entering the UK meet the same high standards required under the British Lion Code of Practice.

To view the full

The Hidden Frontline: How Continence Care Became Social Care's Most Neglected Crisis

Fourteen million people in the UK live with incontinence. For many in residential and nursing care, the consequences of inadequate support are severe — from infection and skin breakdown to isolation and loss of dignity. Yet as the Baroness Casey review gets under way, campaigners warn that continence care remains almost entirely absent from the national reform conversation.

Walk into almost any residential or nursing care home in England and you will find dedicated staff managing one of the most intimate — and most underfunded — aspects of personal care. Continence support, once dismissed as an awkward administrative footnote, is increasingly being recognised for what it truly is: a barometer of the entire social care system's commitment to dignity. The scale of the challenge is significant. Incontinence affects an estimated 14 million people across the UK, cutting across age, disability and long-term illness. As the population ages, demand for continence support is projected to rise sharply — placing further strain on a sector that is, by almost every measure, already struggling to keep pace.

A CRISIS IN PLAIN SIGHT

frontline of indignity" and called on the review to place dignity at its heart, with explicit recognition that access to proper assessment, specialist support and appropriate products should be determined by individual need — not by postcode.

"People should not have their independence determined by a postcode lottery. Too many are denied appropriate continence support because of arbitrary caps and under-resourced services."

— Nik Hartley, Chief Executive, Spinal Injuries Association RATIONING BY BUDGET, NOT BY NEED

For care home managers and nursing staff, the consequences of inadequate continence support are depressingly familiar. Poor care in this area can cause urinary tract infections, serious skin breakdown and pressure damage, and profound emotional distress. Residents who lack reliable access to appropriate products may withdraw from communal activities, refuse visitors, or experience significant deterioration in their mental wellbeing.

Earlier this year, a coalition of health and disability charities — led by the Spinal Injuries Association and supported by organisations including Bladder and Bowel UK, Dementia Carers Count, Disabled Living, The Neurological Alliance, Pain UK and Shine — wrote to Baroness Casey of Blackstock as she began her independent review of adult social care. Their message was stark.

Joined by senior parliamentarians Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, Mohammad Yasin MP, Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick and Baroness Grey-Thompson, the signatories argued that continence care remains one of the most neglected and taboo areas of adult social care — largely absent from national reform debates, despite its profound impact on health, independence and quality of life. They described it as a "hidden

A June 2025 survey of 500 healthcare professionals found that substandard incontinence products were actively delaying hospital discharges and contributing to avoidable admissions — a finding with direct implications for care homes managing complex transitions between hospital and residential settings.

An investigation by the i Paper further exposed the depth of the problem across NHS continuing care settings. Freedom of Information data revealed that more than half of the trusts questioned cap continence products at just three or four pads per day — regardless of individual clinical need. The investigation also found that nearly a third of trusts providing budget data had collectively overspent by more than £4 million, fuelling serious concern that financial pressure is driving rationing and leaving residents, families and care providers to absorb the shortfall themselves.

(CONTINUED ON FOLLOWING PAGE)

Levabo allDRY® Incontinence Underwear

Incontinence is common in care and nursing homes, but the impact on dignity, comfort and skin health is deeply personal.

Levabo’s allDRY® range of reusable incontinence underwear is a Class I Medical device, designed to support residents and caregivers alike by combining discreet protection with a comfortable, everyday feel that looks like normal underwear, not a clinical product. allDRY® underwear provides reliable protection for men and women experiencing bladder leakage.

Comfort, Dignity and Confidence for Every Day

Who are Levabo?

Levabo are a Danish medical device company specialising in innovative, user-friendly solutions for continence care and pressure ulcer prevention. Our focus is on practical products that support dignity, comfort and safety, while fitting seamlessly into the realities of care and nursing home practice.

Designed for dignity

allDRY® aims to remove the stigma often associated with incontinence products. The underwear is soft, discreet and modern in appearance, helping residents feel more like themselves and less like patients. The garments combine advanced absorbent technology with breathable materials to help keep skin dry and comfortable throughout the day.

For many people, that small shift can make a big difference to confidence, engagement in daily activities and overall wellbeing.

Key benefits for residents:

3 Soft, underwear-like fit for everyday comfort

3 Breathable, skin-friendly materials

3 Secure 6-layer absorbency for protection and confidence

3 Discreet profile under clothing to support dignity

3 Natural odour control

Practical support for busy care teams

Care and nursing home staff need products that are easy to use, reliable and support efficient routines. allDRY® has been developed

with frontline care in mind, from dressing and toileting to night-time protection and manual handling.

Key benefits for staff and services:

3 Clear sizing and fit to simplify product selection

3 Easy to apply and remove, helping with time-pressured care routines

3 Reliable protection to support continence care plans and reduce unplanned linen changes

3 A versatile solution suitable for residents with different levels of dependency

3 Machine washable at 60 degrees Celsius

3 Tumble dry safe

3 Comfort and dignity focused

Supporting skin health and overall care

Continence care is closely linked to skin integrity, comfort and quality of life.

Prolonged exposure to urine and faeces can lead to incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD), causing redness, pain, skin breakdown and an increased risk of infection. For residents, this can mean significant discomfort, distress and reduced mobility; for caregivers, it adds to workload, complexity of care and emotional strain when preventable skin damage occurs.

When protection is effective, secure and comfortable, there is less risk of leakage, moisture-related skin damage and associated distress for residents and carers. allDRY® is designed to:

3 Help keep skin drier for longer, supporting good skin care practices

3 Complement pressure area care and repositioning routines

3 Integrate smoothly into existing continence and care pathways

A flexible range for your residents

The allDRY® range offers options to suit different needs and levels of support, making it easier for homes to match the right product to the right person. This helps reduce waste, improve comfort and ensure residents receive care that feels truly individual. allDRY® is available in a range of briefs and boxers and different levels of absorbency. In addition to the underwear, there is an optional inlay which can be added to increase the absorbency by 50ml. This inlay is machine washable with the underwear.

To find out more about allDRY® incontinence underwear, or any of the Levabo product portfolio that could support your residents and care teams, request samples or discuss how the range could support your home:

Email: bm@levabo.com

Web: www.levabo.com

Levabo, supporting better days, every day, in UK care and nursing homes.

CONTINENCE CARE

The Hidden Frontline: How Continence Care Became Social Care's Most Neglected Crisis

(CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE)

THE FALSE ECONOMY OF CUTTING CORNERS

For care home operators under sustained financial pressure, there is a familiar temptation to manage continence care costs by selecting lower-cost products. Evidence increasingly suggests this approach is counterproductive. An NHS pilot scheme examining procurement decisions in formal care settings found that opting for cheaper continence products created a false economy: more frequent product changes increased demands on staff time, raised laundry and linen costs, and contributed to higher rates of skinrelated complications.

The pilot found that better-matched, higher-quality products significantly reduced leakage incidents, improved workflow efficiency for carers and ultimately lowered total care costs. It is a finding that should give pause to commissioners and care home owners alike: false savings in continence procurement can generate very real costs elsewhere in the care pathway. THE IMPACT ON FAMILIES — AND ON STAFF

Campaigners are also highlighting the ripple effects of inadequate continence provision on families. When formal care falls short, it is frequently relatives who step in — purchasing products out of their own pockets, making additional care visits, or taking on tasks that care home staff are unable to complete within existing resource constraints. This informal subsidy of an underfunded system rarely features in official cost assessments, but it is deeply felt by the thousands of families across the country navigating the care system.

For frontline care staff, the challenge is equally acute. Inadequate products mean more frequent changes, greater exposure to manual handling risks, increased time pressure and — critically — reduced capacity to deliver the person-centred care that good residential and nursing homes aspire to provide. Continence care is never a background task; it sits at the heart of the relationship between carer and resident.

"Continence care requires the recognition it deserves, which is long overdue. We need to drive evidencebased practice, putting the patient at the centre of their care."

— Tracy Whitehouse, Service Manager and Adult Specialist Nurse, Bladder and Bowel UK WHAT THE CASEY REVIEW MUST ADDRESS

The timing of the charities' intervention is significant. Baroness Casey's commission — commissioned by Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Health Secretary Wes Streeting — is expected to publish an initial report in 2026 setting out problems facing the sector and ideas for medium-term improvement, ahead of a final report in 2028. Critics, including Sir Andrew Dilnot who led a previous government review on care funding, have argued that waiting until 2028 for substantive recommendations is simply too long for people who need support now.

The coalition of charities has set out clear asks for the commission: explicit recognition of continence care as a core component of dignity in adult social care; recommendations that ensure consistent access to specialist assessment and support; and a commitment that product provision be determined by individual clinical need rather than local budget pressures or geographic lottery.

For care home providers, the message is both an external call to action and an internal prompt for reflection. Best practice in continence care is achievable — but it requires investment in training, in individualised assessment, and in product procurement that is driven by clinical outcome rather than unit cost. It also requires the sector to speak loudly and clearly to policymakers about the reality of what continence care involves and what it costs to get it right.

A MOMENT FOR CHANGE

Adult social care reform has been promised, delayed and deferred across numerous governments and countless reviews. Baroness Casey herself has acknowledged that the system relies on what she has described as cobbled-together, underfunded services — with low-paid care workers bearing an outsized share of the burden, and a deep and damaging divide between health and social care persisting for decades.

Those working in residential and nursing care know that continence care is not a peripheral issue. It is, in many ways, the most honest test of whether a care setting truly upholds dignity. Getting it right requires proper products, properly trained staff and properly resourced services. Getting it wrong — as too many people's experience attests — can strip away independence, confidence and quality of life with alarming speed.

As Baroness Casey's commission begins to take evidence and build its case for reform, the care sector would do well to ensure that continence care — for so long a "hidden frontline" — is finally brought into the light.

Powerful on Protection, Soft on Skin

Ontex Group a leading international developer and producer of personal care solutions, is launching a new adult incontinence range designed to deliver strong protection while caring for sensitive skin. The first products—Sensitive Pants, Sensitive Slip and Sensitive Form—will be introduced gradually to healthcare institutions across Europe.

New European research by Ontex, involving more than 2,500 people living with incontinence, shows that dermatitis and skin irritation remain common and have a real impact on daily life. Nearly half of respondents reported irritation in the intimate area. Yet “around 80%

of caregivers are not trained to recognize dermatitis. Education and better product design are key to preventing complications,” says Dr. Maria Panourgia, Geriatrician at Milton Keynes University Hospital (UK).

The Sensitive range was developed in direct response to these needs, combining trusted absorbency with dermatological care to help prevent irritation and support healthier skin.

To strengthen caregiver knowledge, the range is supported by expert guidance on recognizing, preventing and managing incontinence related dermatitis—available through Ontex’s nurse advisor

network and the online Ontex Academy.

Sensitive range: powerful protection that respects the skin

Sensitive Pants offer:

Topsheet enriched to help prevent irritation

• Hypoallergenic design for fragile skin

Odour control technology for lasting freshness and confidence

For more information please about ID please visit: www.id-direct.com/ukb2c/en/index.html

CATERING FOR CARE

Why Dignity Is The Secret Ingredient In Dementia Care

By Lisa Jones, Catering Manager at Park View Care Home, Gloucestershire

Imagine it is your 85th birthday. You are surrounded by family, the room is filled with song, and a cake is brought out. But because you live with dysphagia, a swallowing difficulty affecting individuals with moderate-to-severe dementia, your slice of cake arrives as a beige, featureless scoop of mush.

At Park View in Gloucester, we believe that a diagnosis of dementia should never mean the end of the joy of eating. As we mark Nutrition and Hydration Week, it is time for the care sector to move beyond the blender. Providing nutrition and hydration is a clinical necessity, but providing dignity is a culinary one.

My journey to the Park View kitchen wasn't a traditional path into care. I trained at Cheltenham Catering College and spent years in the high-pressure environments of pubs and restaurants across Wales, from Cardiff to Ross-on-Wye. Later, I spent 18 years at Unilever Foods as a Catering Manager, overseeing a 24/7 service for 1,500 staff, ranging from daily canteen service to high-end executive fine dining.

When I joined Park View in 2016, we had only a handful of residents. Today, we support a community of 90 residents and their families, and over 100 staff. My background taught me that whether you are cooking for a corporate executive or a resident with advanced dementia, the standard of presentation should not waver. In care, we aren't just feeding people; we are using our skills in food safety and texture science to protect their quality of life.

One of the greatest hurdles in dementia care is maintaining hydration. For someone with cognitive decline or reduced visual perception, a clear glass of water can appear "invisible" or confusing. Even orange squash can sometimes disappear into the background due to haze in a resident's vision.

We treat hydration as a fun, social activity rather than a medical box to tick. We set up hydration stations

Temporary Catering Facilities from MK

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

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

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

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

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

throughout the building, offering vibrant and unusual juices, cranberry, pineapple and grapefruit. The bright colours also make the drinks visually accessible.

We also lean into "drinking foods." For residents who struggle to sit and drink a full glass, we serve melon and jelly drops, foods with exceptionally high water content that act as finger-food hydration. By offering variety, like milkshakes or fortified juices, we also tap into the fact that milk hydrates more effectively than water because it digests more slowly. It’s about meeting the resident where they are, whether that’s at a 10am mocktail hour or a 2pm "hydration moment."

For the 20 or so residents at Park View who require bite-sized or modified diets, the presentation is where science meets art. The old-school approach to pureed food, indistinguishable scoops of brown and green, is a thing of the past.

We use specialised moulds to ensure that pureed chicken and peas look exactly like the original dish. If we are serving pizza, hot dogs, or even a birthday cake, we puree and reshape them so the person can recognise what they are eating. I personally taste-test these foods daily. If a texture is too sticky or too firm, it isn't just a culinary failure; it’s a safety risk.

When plating bite-sized meals, we use gravy to support swallowing and decorative swirls to maintain an attractive presentation. The goal is that a visitor walking into our dining room shouldn't be able to easily distinguish who is on a modified diet and who isn't.

As motor skills decline, the frustration of struggling with a knife and fork can lead to residents skipping meals entirely. Finger foods can be a vital tool for independence. Because hands often provide more precise coordination than utensils and because they fall more easily into a resident’s narrowing peripheral vision, finger foods allow people to feed themselves.

As a resident's internal dementia clock shifts, their nutritional needs don't stop at 5pm. We ensure that nutritious options, from healthy sandwiches to satsumas, are available 24 hours a day.

Leading a team of 15 at Park View, I’ve seen how transformative a thoughtful dining experience can be. We have moved away from the idea that care home food is institutional. Nutrition and hydration are the foundations of health, but the joy of a meal is the foundation of a life well-lived.

The standard specification of our smallest Production Kitchen unit includes a six burner oven range, salamander grill, twin basket fryer, upright fridge, hot cupboard, single bowl sink unit with integral hand wash basin, plus ample power points to plug in Microwaves, Food Processors, Toasters etc. Internal equipment can be interchanged and clients can effectively specify their preferred layout. We have many tried and tested design layouts and would be pleased to put forward our recommendations for your project.

So if you’re planning a refurbishment or need to cater for an event then why not give us a call and we’ll be happy to provide advice and put forward a competitive proposal.

For further information or to arrange a site visit, email: sales@mk-hire.co.uk or call us on

or visit our website: www.mk-hire.co.uk

Lakeland Dairies Launches New Report, The Care Kitchen Reset, Revealing Concerning Data on the Delivery of Nutrition in Care Homes

A new report from leading dairy co-operative Lakeland Dairies, supported by Consultant Dietitian Rachael Masters (MSc, BSc), reveals the care sector at a tipping point, with nearly three quarters (74%) of operators concerned about their ability to meet residents’ nutrition and hydration needs over the next five years. Care kitchens are under growing pressure as residents’ needs grow more complex, resources stay tight, and smaller portions mean every mouthful must be nutrient-dense.

The report, The Care Kitchen Reset: The Future of Care Catering, sets out a shift towards enriched cooking and stronger base ingredients that make everyday dishes work harder. It calls for care operators to protect quality nutrition under mounting pressure not by adding complexity, but by strengthening core ingredients from the outset to improve calorie and protein density without increasing portion size.

It launches as part of Nutrition & Hydration Week (16–22 March), which shines a spotlight on the UK care home sector and the critical role food and drink play in supporting resident health and wellbeing.

CARE SECTOR UNDER MOUNTING NUTRITIONAL PRESSURE

The findings reveal rising clinical complexity is a key driver, with almost half (43%) reporting an increase in nutritional needs over the past five years. At the same time, 71% say rising ingredient costs are making it harder to maintain food quality despite 90% refusing to compromise on standards. For operators, the stakes are both clinical and commercial. Nine in ten resident respondents (90%) cite food as a key factor when choosing a care home, while 87% of residents say mealtimes are the most important part of their day.

Dairy-based ingredients play a central role: over nine in ten operators say products such as cream and milk powder enhance food and drink experiences for residents with smaller appetites or specialist diets, while 88% believe they effectively support resident nutrition. This underlines the value of enriched cooking approaches that boost nutrition in the foods residents already enjoy, without relying on bigger portions.

INGREDIENT STRATEGY OFFERS PRACTICAL SOLUTION

Responding to these pressures, the report highlights that one of the most practical, operationally efficient levers is ingredient strategy. Rather than layering on additional processes, the report argues the solution lies not in short-term cost cutting alone but in strengthening menu foundations. By embedding fortified nutrition into everyday base ingredients, kitchens can improve calorie and protein density without increasing portion size, labour or waste – safeguarding the sector’s future.

Rachael Masters, Consultant Dietitian and contributor to the report said: “With an ageing population driv-

ing increased demand for care home places, and residents presenting with more complex health and nutritional needs, care catering teams are being asked to deliver not just meals, but meaningful nutritional support in increasingly complex environments.”

“The solution doesn’t lie in adding more processes, but in making smarter use of core ingredients to maximise nutritional value. By fortifying everyday dishes, kitchens can enhance protein, energy and key nutrients in ways that are practical, cost-aware and, most importantly, enjoyable for residents. Dairy-based ingredients offer a particularly effective and versatile way to achieve this.”

“This report explores these growing pressures and highlights practical, nutrition-led approaches that support both care teams and residents – helping deliver better operational efficiency while improving health, wellbeing and dining satisfaction.”

The research also highlights opportunities to refine delivery. While 90% of residents rate meals positively overall, 77% report struggling to finish meals due to taste or presentation challenges, and 38% say higher quality ingredients would improve their experience. This reinforces the case for ingredient optimisation over short-term cost cutting.

Paul Jennings, Head of Food UK & International at Lakeland Dairies, adds: “Care operators are under pressure to do more with less – more nutrition, more quality and more resilience – while also meeting rising expectations from residents around mealtimes. This creates a real tension in care kitchens, where teams are balancing increasingly complex needs with limited time, staff and budgets.

Ingredient strategy is a practical way forward. By using hard-working bases such as Millac Gold Double and Lakeland Dairies Skimmed Milk Powder, kitchens can build richness, consistency and added nutrition into everyday dishes without adding complexity.

In a sector balancing tight budgets and staffing pressures, this timely report explores immediate solutions to support care kitchens.”

The report draws on a survey of care operators, residents and their families, alongside insight from Consultant Dietitian Rachael Masters, founder of Focus on Undernutrition, which provides specialist special diet training to care homes.

Lakeland Dairies is committed to supporting the sector through menu guidance, product innovation and training designed to help kitchens build resilience through stronger foundations and long-term supplier partnerships.

The full report is available: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0sP61V0

CATERING FOR CARE

Harrison Carr - Accessible, User-Friendly Kitchens

Harrison Carr is a national provider of commercial catering equipment, design, installation, and fabrication services and HVAC. Based in the Midlands, we support care homes, local authorities, charities, and specialist care providers with both day-to-day operational requirements and larger project-based developments.

A key advantage of working with us is our independence. We are not tied to any single manufacturer, enabling us to source the most suitable, reliable, and cost-effective equipment for each care environment. This ensures solutions that prioritise safety, energy efficiency, long-term value, and consistent performance.

Our team includes experienced designers, project managers, ventilation specialists, installation engineers, and in-house fabrication experts all working under one roof. This ensures we can deliver a genuine end-to-end service: from concept and planning through to supply, installation, and ongoing support.

CATERING EQUIPMENT SUPPLY & TRAINING

• Access to all major catering equipment brands

• Energy-efficient, sustainability-focused solutions compliant with care-sector standards

• Fast delivery from our own on-site stock

• Competitive pricing and comparison quotes to support budget decisions FULL KITCHEN DESIGN & INSTALLATION

• Complete kitchen and servery redesigns

• Workflow optimisation to support safe, efficient meal production

• CAD layouts and 3D visuals

• Compliance-led ventilation and extraction solutions

BESPOKE FABRICATION

• Custom counters, serveries, prep areas, and storage

• Bespoke servery and hydration stations for care settings

REACTIVE & PLANNED SUPPORT

• 24/7 support with rapid turnaround for urgent equipment needs

• Standby and loan equipment for emergencies

• Assistance with refurbishments and operational upgrades

CAFÉ, SOCIAL & RESIDENT-FACING SPACES

• Coffee areas for staff and visitors

• Hydration and snack counters

• Modular and mobile units suitable for multi-use care environments

Our approach is always centred around understanding each site’s workflow, resident needs, staffing pressures, and long-term operational goals ensuring the solutions we deliver enhance quality of service, safety, and overall dining experience.

Visit our website www.harrison-carr.co.uk contact by phone on 0116 602222 or email at office@harrison-carr.co.uk

PLEASE MENTION THE CARER WHEN RESPONDING TO ADVERTISING

Care Catering Under Pressure: Managing Food Inflation Without Compromising Quality CATERING FOR CARE

Care providers are currently facing one of the most complex operating environments in recent memory. Rising labour costs, stricter compliance requirements, and ongoing food inflation are placing significant pressure on already stretched budgets across the care sector.

Food costs remain a major concern. While inflation has eased slightly from recent peaks, food prices are still rising faster than general inflation. In February 2026, food inflation stood at 3.6%, with forecasts suggesting an average of 3.8% across the year.

For care home operators managing tight margins, this means financial pressure will continue. Rather than a return to ‘normal’, the sector is entering a period of persistent underlying inflation where costs continue to rise gradually. Procurement specialists allmanhall are advising catering teams to budget for around 4% annual food inflation in the year ahead.

Structural cost increases across the supply chain are also feeding into food pricing. Higher National Living Wage levels, increased National Insurance contributions, and new employment obligations are pushing up costs for producers, manufacturers, and distributors - many of which are now being passed through to care and healthcare settings.

For care home groups already balancing staffing pressures and regulatory compliance, sustained food inflation adds another layer of financial strain. Catering teams must continue delivering nutritious, high-quality meals while managing special diets and strict nutritional standards.

Adding further uncertainty to the outlook is the geopolitical situation in the Middle East. Global food supply

chains are closely linked to energy markets, meaning instability in oil-producing regions can quickly impact food costs.

Recent tensions involving Iran, Israel, and the United States have already triggered volatility in global energy markets. Oil prices have exceeded $100 per barrel for the first time since the start of the Ukraine conflict, increasing fuel, transport, and logistics costs across the food supply chain.

In this challenging environment, specialist procurement support is becoming increasingly important. This is where food procurement experts allmanhall are helping care organisations regain control of their catering costs.

By combining collective buying power with deep market insight, allmanhall support care operators in managing food cost volatility while improving ingredient quality and strengthening supply chain resilience. Through detailed procurement reviews, benchmarking, and category insights, care groups gain greater visibility over spend and identify opportunities to protect budgets without compromising on quality.

Beyond procurement, allmanhall’s award-winning support team works closely with care clients to strengthen compliance, support nutritional standards, and provide practical menu guidance aligned with resident wellbeing.

At a time when care providers must balance cost control with quality and compliance, having the right procurement partner can make all the difference.

www.allmanhall.co.uk

A New Approach to Nutrition Support in NHS Care Homes

Disease-related malnutrition remains one of the most persistent challenges in UK residential and nursing care. It affects millions, increases vulnerability to illness, slows recovery, drives hospital admissions, and places strain on already stretched care teams. Yet despite the scale of the problem, the tools available to homes have not kept pace with the needs of increasingly complex residents.

Hiquid Food, a Norwegian medical nutrition company, is entering the UK market with a clear mission: to make effective nutritional support simpler, more acceptable for residents, and easier for staff to deliver.

Simple, seamless meal enrichment

Many residents struggle to consume enough calories and protein, even with carefully prepared meals. Hiquid Food’s freeze-dried powders, made from organic whole foods, allow caregivers to enrich everyday dishes like porridge, soups, puddings, purees, and drinks. This discreet approach reduces refusals and preserves dignity, helping residents receive the nutrition they need through meals they already enjoy.

ORAL NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS WITH HIGH ACCEPTANCE

For individuals at greater nutritional risk, Hiquid Food offers compact, nutrient-dense oral nutritional supple-

ments designed for those with low appetite or increased medical demands. They are easy to consume, well tolerated, and provide balanced support in small volumes.

WHOLE FOOD GASTROSTOMY NUTRITION

For residents requiring enteral feeding, Hiquid Food’s whole-food gastrostomy products offer a gentle, reliable option created with a focus on tolerance, safety, and long-term stability.

Better outcomes and operational efficiency

Care providers face rising acuity and workforce pressure. Hiquid Food products reduce complexity through easy mixing, no additives, and no large volumes while supporting improved resident strength, immunity, and recovery. Better nutritional status means improved wellbeing and lower overall care costs. With long shelflife, low weight, and high versatility, the products are also environmentally responsible and easily integrated into a wide variety of meals.

As Hiquid Food launches in the UK through Food Untethered, they look forward to working closely with care homes, clinicians, and NHS commissioners to strengthen nutritional care in a practical, resident-centred way. For more information: contact@fooduntethered.com or see the advert below.

NURSE CALL AND FALLS

Fall Savers - Affordable Fall Monitoring Solutions

Fall Savers®, are an experienced market leading healthcare provider of resident safety solutions for over 15 years.

FALL SAVERS ® WIRELESS MONITOR

Eliminate all cables with our new generation falls management solutions!

Upgrade your falls programme with the latest technology from Fall Savers®. The NEW Fall Savers® Wireless eliminates the cord between the monitor and sensor pad. This results in less work for nursing staff, improved safety for patients and reduced wear and tear on sensor pads. Wireless advantages include the ability to use one monitor with two sensor pads simultaneously and support for many new wireless devices.

BENEFITS INCLUDE:

Safer for patients; less work for staff Bed and chair pads available

One monitor works with two sensor pads

Integrates with most nurse call systems A variety of options, including: Call button

Comprehensive Solutions for All NurseCall Systems

Tailored Support for Your Unique Needs

NurseCall is definitely not a 'one size fits all' solution. If, like many Care Groups and Hospitals-both NHS and private-you utilise various NurseCall systems, you might find managing multiple systems a challenge. Many of our clients have voiced concerns about the increased time & costs associated with juggling different points of contact and contractors.

STREAMLINING MAINTENANCE FOR GREATER EFFICIENCY

Since our inception in 1984, we've committed to providing expert support across multiple NurseCall systems. Our engineers are thoroughly trained to handle diverse systems, ensuring you receive swift and comprehensive service, no matter the manufacturer.

EXTENSIVE INVENTORY AND INTEGRATION SOLUTIONS

We stock an extensive range of products from leading manufacturers and offer adaptable solutions

that integrate seamlessly with your existing frameworks. This approach not only simplifies maintenance but also enhances operational efficiency. YOUR PARTNER IN EFFECTIVE CARE

Your NurseCall system is vital, and we believe the challenges of maintaining it shouldn't hinder your operations. Our multi-manufacturer strategy streamlines complexities, benefiting both your team and the patients in your care.

Choose us to ensure smooth operations and peace of mind. Let's enhance the way you connect care with technology.

info@edisontelecom.co.uk www.edisontelecom.co.uk 01252 330220

NURSE CALL AND FALLS MONITORING

Courtney Thorne Leads the Way in Wireless Nurse Call Technology for UK Care Homes

Courtney Thorne, a long-standing innovator in healthcare communication systems, is setting new standards in the care home sector with its advanced wireless nurse call technology—designed to improve resident safety, enhance staff efficiency, and support a more responsive care environment.

With over 30 years of experience serving the UK healthcare market, Courtney Thorne’s systems are now trusted by thousands of care homes nationwide. Unlike traditional hardwired solutions, their wireless nurse call systems offer non-invasive installation, scalability, and smart analytics—making them ideal for both new builds and retrofit projects.

“At the heart of our technology is the belief that better communication leads to better care,” says Graham Vickrage, Managing Director at Courtney Thorne. “Our wireless systems not only reduce response times but also empower staff

with the tools they need to deliver safe, person-centred care.”

Care providers are increasingly choosing wireless systems for their flexibility, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. With a full suite of accessories—including neck pendants, door monitors, fall detection, and bed sensors—Courtney Thorne systems can be tailored to meet the specific needs of each home and resident.

In an industry where compliance, safety, and staff pressures are always front of mind, Courtney Thorne provides more than just products—they offer ongoing support, training, and a commitment to innovation that helps care homes futureproof their operations.

For more information or to book a free demo, visit www.c-t.co.uk or contact info@c-t.co.uk.

SyndoraAlto Sets a New Standard for Connected Care Technology

Care homes across the UK are transforming how they deliver care thanks to SyndoraAlto, the newly rebranded name behind CHARIS, the UK’s most advanced digital nurse call system.

Fully supplied, installed, and maintained from just £6.40 per bed, per month, CHARIS delivers smarter, safer, and more connected care through real-time alerts, mobile integration, and intuitive smart displays that help staff respond faster when residents need them most.

Every CHARIS system comes fully inclusive with 15” smart displays, help buttons, pull cords, guaranteed radio coverage, and 24/7 UK technical support, all backed by SyndoraAlto’s trusted installation and maintenance team. For care providers not yet ready to replace their existing nurse call system, AltoEnhance offers the perfect first step into digital care.

Available from just £129.00 per month, AltoEnhance seamlessly connects to your current nurse call system, bringing digital reporting, mobile alerts, and actionable insights without the need for a full system upgrade.

“Technology should make care easier, not harder,” says Louis Johnson, Managing Director. “CHARIS and AltoEnhance connect people, information, and action empowering care teams to deliver truly person-centred care.”

Meet the team & learn more at www.syndoraalto.com

See the advert on the front cover for more information.

Innovative Fall Prevention Solutions by Medpage: A Comprehensive Look

Falls are a significant concern for vulnerable individuals, especially seniors and patients at risk. Medpage, a leader in assistive technology, offers a range of cutting-edge products designed to enhance safety and provide peace of mind for caregivers and families. Here’s an in-depth look at some of their standout solutions: MPRCG1 (2023) BED LEAVING DETECTION ALARM WITH CAREGIVER RADIO PAGER

The MPRCG1 is a comprehensive system tailored for fall prevention in domestic, commercial, and NHS care settings. This all-inclusive kit includes a bed pressure mat sensor, a BTX21-MP alarm sensor transmitter, and an MP-PAG31 radio pager. The system is designed to alert caregivers when a patient leaves their bed, reducing the risk of falls. HDKMB2 HOSPITAL DISCHARGE KIT FOR FALLS RISK PATIENTS

The HDKMB2 is a thoughtfully curated kit aimed at supporting patients transitioning from hospital to home care. It includes essential tools to mitigate fall risks and promote recovery. This kit is ideal for caregivers seeking a comprehensive solution to enhance patient safety during the critical post-discharge period.

CMEX-21 MULTI-PORT WIRELESS SENSOR INPUT EXPANDER FOR NURSE CALL CONNECTION

The CMEX-21 is Medpage’s latest innovation, designed to integrate seamlessly with existing nurse call systems. This multi-port expander allows for the connection of multiple wireless sensors, enhancing the monitoring capabilities of healthcare facilities. Its versatility makes it a valuable addition to any care environment, ensuring timely responses to patient needs.

RON-WC2 WATERPROOF DISABLED PULL CORD ALARM TRANSMITTER WITH WIRELESS ALARM RECEIVER

The RON-WC2 is a robust solution for disabled individuals requiring immediate assistance. This waterproof pull cord alarm is ideal for use in bathrooms and other high-risk areas. Paired with a wireless alarm receiver, it ensures that help is just a pull away. For more information, visit Medpage’s official website or contact their team to explore these products further. Safety starts with the right tools, and Medpage delivers just that. www.easylinkuk.co.uk or T: 01536 264 869 See the advert on page 15 for more information.

From Queue to IQ: Can Care Intelligence Prevent NHS Waiting Lists Before They Begin?

By Ashleigh Dueker, Programme Director, Care Intelligence,

EASING NHS PRESSURE THROUGH PREVENTION

As we welcome longer days and the promise of spring, it’s tempting to assume that pressures on the NHS will naturally ease - that warmer weather, seasonal reprieve and the slow thaw after winter will allow waiting lists to shrink and give A&E services the opportunity to breathe again.

But the real challenge facing the NHS isn’t seasonal. It’s systemic. Every year, the health service finds itself managing queues: queues in A&E, queues for treatment, queues for beds. Much of the conversation quite rightly focuses on how to move people through the system fasterimproving discharge processes, increasing capacity or accelerating clinical decision-making.

But there is also a crucial opportunity further upstream. If we want to relieve pressure on the NHS in a lasting way, we need to look beyond how the system manages queues and start asking how those queues form in the first place. And often, the earliest chances to prevent pressure on hospitals lie within social care itself.

BUILDING A SYSTEM OF FORESIGHT: THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF CARE INTELLIGENCE

Too often, social care is on the back foot. Care homes and community services have historically recorded what happened rather than what might happen. Paper records, fragmented systems and siloed insight mean risks are spotted only after they materialise - a fall, an infection, a deterioration

in hydration or mobility. For older people, these events don’t just reduce quality of life - they are among the leading causes of emergency hospital admissions.

It doesn’t have to be this way. We are entering a new era in which intelligence - not just data - becomes the engine of care delivery. At Person Centred Software (PCS), our Connected Care ecosystem has long digitised core care workflows, from planning to medication management. Every one of these interactions feeds into a unified data layer. On its own, it’s a record. But when we harness that data into intelligence - especially predictive intelligence - it becomes forethought rather than hindsight.

Spring relief won’t fix the NHS queue - intelligence will

That’s the purpose of IQ, our care intelligence platform now available to care homes across the UK. With the largest structured social care dataset in the country, IQ doesn’t just show what has happened, it reveals what’s likely to happen next.

This isn’t futuristic conjecture. IQ already enables anonymised benchmarking, so managers can see how their home compares with similar services on key indicators such as falls, hydration, wounds, happiness levels and more. This sector-wide perspective moves homes from isolated decision-making to shared learning, and from reactive fixes to strategic improvement.

More importantly, the next stage of IQ is predictive: using patterns drawn from billions of data points to flag when risk is rising - often days or even weeks before an incident occurs. Whether it’s an unusual shift in weight, subtle changes in mobility or early markers of dehydration, predictive insight turns these signals into actionable alerts for care teams.

For the NHS, this approach matters. Predictive insight gives social care teams the tools to intervene early, reduce avoidable hospital admissions and also creates greater confidence in safe discharge pathways.

Evidence from pilot work across the health and care landscape shows that digital technology does indeed reduce unplanned acute care usage and costs when used effectively. Integrated data and communication between care homes and NHS community services contribute to earlier detection of deterioration, better joint decision-making and fewer emergency department attendances.

But this isn’t just about efficiency. It’s about dignity, safety and quality of life for older people and their families - the very outcomes at the heart of our healthcare and social care system.

A SEASONAL OPPORTUNITY - NOT A SEASONAL FIX

Spring should be more than a symbolic break in demand. It should be a catalyst for lasting change: an opportunity to invest in the intelligence that supports both social care and the NHS. We cannot afford to wait until next winter to ask the same questions and confront the same problems.

If we harness predictive insight now - to anticipate risk, prevent harm and reduce avoidable admissions - we not only ease seasonal pressures but transform the fabric of care delivery itself.

In the end, the real queue isn’t a list of people in beds. It’s the queue of untapped intelligence waiting to unlock a safer, smarter and more humane approach to care - one that works for receivers of care, care teams and for the NHS alike.

One Provider, Connected Solutions: Simplifying Technology and Compliance in Care Homes

Running a care home today means balancing highquality care with the smooth operation of a wide range of essential systems. From laundry and dishwashing to television services, WiFi and connectivity,

these functions play a critical role in compliance as well as resident wellbeing. They also underpin the day-to-day experience of both residents and staff.

In many homes, these systems are supplied and maintained by multiple providers. Whilst this is often the norm, it can create unnecessary complexity. When issues arise, dealing with different service teams, contracts and response times can slow resolution and increase pressure on staff.

Forbes Professional works with care homes to simplify this.

By delivering commercial laundry, dishwashing, IPTV, healthcare TV and networking infrastructure as a single, connected solution, providers benefit from one point of contact, streamlined servicing and clear accountability. This reduces operational friction and allows teams to focus on delivering care rather than managing suppliers.

In any care environment, reliability is critical. Equipment must support strict hygiene and safety standards, with oversight from the Care Quality Commission and requirements such as WRAS. Professionally specified and maintained systems help ensure consistent infection control processes and minimise the risk of downtime.

At the same time, expectations around technology continue to grow. Residents increasingly value the ability to stay connected, access information and

enjoy entertainment through modern TV systems, signage solutions and reliable WiFi. For staff, dependable infrastructure supports smoother day-to-day operations.

Bringing these systems together creates a more stable, efficient environment. Instead of managing multiple suppliers, care homes can take a more integrated approach; improving performance, maintaining compliance and enhancing the overall experience.

Forbes Professional provides a practical, joined-up solution for care homes looking to simplify operations without compromising on quality.

Visit www.forbespro.co.uk or see the advert on page 11.

Hospitable Automation

TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE

Cloda is the AI Assistant Supporting Care Teams

In Delivering Safe, Compliant Care

Care staff often need the right guidance immediately. Whether responding to a safeguarding concern, managing a medication issue, or dealing with a clinical incident, the ability to access the correct procedure quickly can be critical to both resident safety and staff confidence.

Cloda is an AI assistant providing care staff with the answers they need from their organisation’s policies and procedures. Staff simply ask a question — for example, “There has been a safeguarding concern, what should I do?” — and Cloda immediately provides the relevant guidance from the organisation’s own approved policies.

By making procedures accessible in seconds, Cloda helps ensure that policies are not simply documents stored on a system, but practical guidance that staff can use in real situations. This supports organisations in

embedding policies into everyday practice while strengthening compliance with Care Quality Commission (CQC) standards.

CQC inspections increasingly focus not only on whether policies exist, but whether staff understand them and apply them consistently in practice. Providing staff with immediate access to the correct guidance helps reinforce safe decision-making and supports organisations in demonstrating that policies are actively used across the service.

One of the most notable insights from Cloda deployments across social care services is the level of engagement from frontline staff. In many services, user adoption exceeds 80%, reflecting the fact that staff find the system simple and genuinely helpful in their day-to-day work. Cloda is like an additional team member, a reliable source of guidance that is always up to date, and available at the point of care.

Soon, Cloda will expand into a fully AI-enhanced Quality Management System with functionality for training, incident management, risk management, internal audit and compliance insights. By bringing these functions together in one system — and enhancing them with AI — providers can streamline quality management processes while improving visibility across their services.

The platform has been developed by HCI, an organisation with more

than 20 years’ experience supporting international health and social care providers with quality, governance and compliance solutions. Over the past two decades, HCI has worked with healthcare organisations across multiple jurisdictions to strengthen regulatory readiness and improve the management of quality and safety processes.

This experience has shaped the design of Cloda and its wider quality management framework, ensuring that the technology supports the realities of frontline care while also providing the governance tools organisations need to maintain compliance.

As care providers continue to face increasing regulatory expectations, workforce pressures and rising complexity in care delivery, digital tools that support both frontline staff and organisational governance are becoming increasingly important.

By combining instant access to guidance for staff with AI-enhanced quality management tools for organisations, Cloda helps care providers embed policies into practice, strengthen CQC compliance and ultimately support safer, more consistent care.

Cloda will be exhibiting at Care Show London — visit us at Stand H47 to see how Cloda works in practice. Learn more about Cloda at www.cloda.ai or contact info@cloda.ai.

Technology In Care Homes: Getting Consent Right And Keeping Care Human

Technology is becoming a routine part of residential care.

From sensors and monitoring systems to digital care records, these tools can support safer and more responsive care. At the same time, they raise questions about consent, privacy and how care is experienced by both residents and staff.

These themes were reflected in recent discussions hosted by the Digital Care Hub, which explored how technology is being used in practice across the sector.

Understanding and explaining technology

One of the challenges raised was how well people understand the technology around them. In some cases, particularly for people living with dementia or cognitive impairment, this understanding may be limited.

As one frontline care worker described, a person drawing on care believed systems were there so others could “spy on him”.

This highlights the importance of how technology is introduced and discussed. Understanding may change over time, and people’s responses are not always predictable.

Consent, not duress

Consent was a central theme. The discussions pointed to the importance of consent, not duress, particularly in a system under pressure. As one speaker highlighted: “Choice is meaningful only if a person can say no without losing their right to basic care.”

This raises questions about how real choice is experienced in practice. Where options are limited, or technology becomes part of a default offer, consent may be more complex than it first appears.

Impact on staff and culture

The use of monitoring also has implications for staff. In residential settings, oversight is familiar, but increased monitoring can change how care workers experience their role.

Some described feeling observed or questioned on small aspects of their work, particularly where families can see detailed records. This can influence how care is recorded and how relationships develop between staff, families and residents.

Supporting independence without replacing care

Technology was also discussed as a way of supporting independence. In some situations, monitoring can reduce the need for constant supervision and allow people more flexibility.

At the same time, there were concerns about how technology is used in a stretched system. One speaker highlighted the risk of pressure to “put more tech in to replace the shortage of carers”.

Robots vs Carers

Digital Care Hub’s next webinar is on Robots Vs Carers: are we really replacing care workers? 31 March 2026

Find out more at www.digitalcarehub.co.uk/digital-care-in-focus/ difficult-conversations-about-data-and-tech/

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Care Is Hard Enough. Activities Shouldn’t Be

Ready-to-use activity products designed to support meaningful engagement in everyday life.

Everything you need to inspire connection, stimulation and wellbeing

CREATIVE & SENSORY ACTIVITIES

Art, craft and sensory products designed to engage, calm and inspire. COGNITIVE & REMINISCENCE

Memory-based activities and conversation starters that encourage connection. GAMES & GROUP ACTIVITIES

Inclusive games and group activities suitable for a wide range of abilities. ONE-TO-ONE & MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT

Personalised activity products that support wellbeing and individual needs. Thoughtfully selected to be accessible, inclusive and easy to use in busy care environments.

Explore our full activity range -

CareZips® Classic Adaptive Pants

CareZips® Classic are patented, easy dressing unisex adaptive pants designed for older and disabled people suffering with problems associated with continence, mobility, mental function and cognition. Suitable for persons living in care institutions, receiving care at home or living independently at home, CareZips® Classic enable people to dress themselves or with assistance from carers.

CareZips® Classic feature patented 3-zipper system, which opens the front of the pants from the waist to the knees for quicker access during toileting, continence pads changes and personal hygiene. The forward positioning of the two side zippers lessens pressure on sensitive hip areas, helping to eliminate discomfort. The third zipper facilitates simple full frontal opening for faster more dignified diaper changes, catheter adjustments, personal cleansing and hygiene routines.

cal functionality and versatility of the CareZips® Classic, all day comfort and easy garment care.

• People dependent on assisted dressing appreciate quick easy dressing process with less stress, embarrassment and greater dignity offered by CareZips® Classic.

• CareZips® Classic offer practical gains to the carers, helping them to provide better care, whilst reducing physical efforts and saving valuable time.

CareZips® Classic are unisex, available in 6 sizes and 3 practical colours (i.e. black, charcoal and navy). Tapered fit at the ankles gives a tidy appearance. Made from breathable moisture-wicking 4-way stretchy crease-free and easy-care durable fabric, CareZips® Classic are comfortable, practical and conveniently functional.

For more information, contact Win Health Medical Ltd - 01835 864866www.win-health.com

CareZips® Classic have many benefits for the older and disabled users and their carers:

• People dressing themselves enjoy the practi-

See the advert on page 3 for further information on Win Health’s product range.

Serve in Style with Euroservice Trolleys

Maintenance

Free Makes for Cost Effective Wall and Door Protection

the well-being of patients and

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

EDGE Services - One of the Leading Providers of People Handling Training in the UK

EDGE Services is one of the leading providers of people handling training in the UK today.

EDGE will train you to deliver moving and handling, dementia care, and challenging behaviour courses to your colleagues, providing you with the resources, techniques, and skills to make a real difference to the health and safety of both your colleagues and your clients. Our courses:

People Handling and Risk Assessment Key Trainer's certificate (4 consecutive days, includes a written assignment)

Children Handling and Risk Assessment Key Trainer's certificate (4 consecutive days, includes a written assignment)

People Handling and Risk Assessment Key Trainer's certificate Refresher/Update (2 consecutive days)

• Children Handling and Risk Assessment Key Trainer's certificate Refresher/Update (2 consecutive days) Understanding and Managing Behaviour that Challenges Key Trainer's certificate (2 consecutive days)

Dementia Care Key Trainer's certificate (2 consecutive days)

Our Key Trainer's certificate lasts for 2 years. Delegates are then given a 3-month grace period to renew their training though we don’t recommend they deliver any training during this interim period.

EDGE understands that the continued success of the company is down to us consistently providing highquality training that is received well by those attending the event and by those procuring it. We are committed to ensuring this success continues.

There’s a lot that makes EDGE different from your average training provider:

Healthcare Professionals: All EDGE trainers are nurses, occupational therapists or physiotherapists with over ten years’ clinical experience.

Fully Accredited: All our’ People/Children Handling and Risk Assessment Key Trainer’s Certificate’ courses are accredited by RoSPA Qualifications to Level 4 or Advanced Level 4. They are recognised for providing continuous professional development by the CPD Certification Service.

Compliance with Professional Training Standards: All EDGE Manual Handling ‘Key Trainer’ events comply with the National Back Exchange Training Standards (2010); The All Wales NHS Manual Handling Training Passport and Information Scheme (2010); and The Scottish Manual Handling Passport Scheme (2014).

• Invaluable Training Resources: All delegates are given a fully illustrated and comprehensive textbook; professionally printed and produced by EDGE. Plus, proposed documents to assist and support in onward training delivery. These include course agendas, hand-outs, Power-Point slides, filmed practical techniques and tips for staff training and assessing.

Online Resources Library and E-Learning: Our Manual Handling ‘Key Trainer’ training is supported by an extensive, informative online resources library offering use of an exclusive e-learning module plus additional training tips and tools to develop and enhance onward training.

EDGE offers both public courses and in-house courses, the dates for which can be found on our website: https://edgeservices.co.uk

Alternatively, call: 01904 677853 or e-mail: enquiries@edgeservices.co.uk to see how EDGE Services can help you.

Transforming Care Home Training with Serious Games

Care homes today face increasing pressure to deliver high-quality, safe and effective care—while managing limited time, budgets and workforce capacity. Traditional training methods often struggle to engage staff or translate learning into everyday practice.

Serious games are changing that.

By combining evidence-based learning with interactive, scenario-driven gameplay, serious games enable staff to learn by doing. Teams work together to solve realistic challenges, strengthening communication, decision-making and confidence in a safe environment. This directly supports key CQC priorities across Safe, Effective and Well-led domains.

Research shows that simulation and game-based learning improves knowledge retention, teamwork and patient safety outcomes (Aggarwal et al., 2010; Health Education England, 2016). Crucially, it also promotes peer learning and reflection—helping teams share experiences and embed best practice across the service.

Focus Games has been at the forefront of this approach, offering a wide range of care home–focused

board games, card games and digital learning via the ZeST platform. Covering topics such as infection prevention, nutrition, safeguarding and communication, these resources are designed specifically for health and social care settings.

✔ Engage staff through interactive, team-based learning

✔ Reinforce real-world skills through practical scenarios

✔ Deliver cost-effective training at scale

✔ Support inspection readiness and continuous improvement

Flexible and easy to facilitate, Focus Games’ resources can be used across induction, mandatory training and ongoing CPD, either face-to-face or digitally. At a time when care providers must do more with less, serious games offer a proven, practical and engaging solution—turning training into meaningful improvements in care delivery.

Ready to get started? Take the first step with

External Compliance Audits – Are They Worth It?

Working in social care is demanding. It is one of the most heavily regulated yet underfunded sectors, with providers expected to comply with regulations, meet Quality Statements, follow good practice guidance, respond to local authority monitoring, and operate under constant scrutiny.

Regulation itself isn’t the problem — it protects people and improves standards. The challenge is capacity. Larger organisations may have in-house quality assurance teams, but smaller providers rarely have the time or budget to review compliance in depth. Many owners and managers tell us they feel overwhelmed and unsure how well their service is really performing, especially since the introduction of the Single Assessment Framework.

For many, confidence in compliance is the number one concern — not because standards are poor, but because there simply isn’t time to step back and take a full, objective view.

CAN AN EXTERNAL AUDIT HELP?

In short, yes — when it’s done properly. A high-quality external audit provides:

• A clear snapshot of current performance

• Identification of good practice and priority risks

Transform care, empower your team, and achieve GSF Accreditation.

• Evidence to support action plans and improvement journeys

• Demonstration of good governance and continuous improvement — a key CQC

W&P have supported health and social care providers for nearly 25 years, completing hundreds of audits across a wide range of services. This experience gives us deep insight into what regulators look for — and what genuinely improves outcomes. Our audits are supportive, non-judgmental, and practical. They typically include around six hours on-site, followed by a detailed report that links evidence to regulations and Quality Statements. Reports also include clear guidance, tips, and sources to help you respond confidently.

Every audit is tailored to your needs — whether that’s safeguarding, medication management, or overall governance — ensuring it is truly fit for purpose. If you would like to know more, then please contact us on audits@wandptrainng.co.uk or call 01305 767104 for a no-obligation chat on how our audits can help you. See the advert on page 2 for details.

Realise Strengthens Healthcare Training Offering with Acquisition of Tidal Training

Trusted, CQC-recognised training that truly makes a difference.

Specialist healthcare training provider Tidal Training has been acquired by Realise Training Group in a deal that will strengthen both organisations and improve the services they offer to tens of thousands of learners.

Book Now for 2026

Fast-growing training provider Realise completed the purchase on Friday (March 13) for an undisclosed sum. The business will continue to trade as Tidal Training, and all employees and associate trainers will remain in place.

Launched by Colin Frensham in 2012, Tidal Training has grown to become one of the largest healthcare training providers in the country, last year helping 18,000 learners develop new skills.

The Cheltenham-based provider delivers medical and clinical, bespoke mental health, learning disabilities, health and social care, and childcare training - as well as regulated first aid training.

Tidal Training has a broad client portfolio supporting NHS hospitals, local authorities, mental health providers, children’s services, schools, HM Prison Service, the Probation Service, social housing providers, private hospitals, addiction and rehabilitation establishments, and complex care providers.

Improve End of Life Care in your Care Home

Founder Director, Colin Frensham, said: “I am excited and proud that Tidal is joining the Realise Training Group. By utilising Realise’s strong infrastructure and sharing opportunities, Tidal will be able to grow at a faster pace while continuing to deliver the excellent specialist training we are renowned for.

“We have grown the Tidal business from a standing start to a highly trusted organisation with 162 courses and 18,000 learners a year. Tidal has been putting people before profit since 2012. We are more than a training provider, Tidal is our legacy to benefit and support others.

“I'm delighted that Clare Seed, who became a director at Tidal in 2017, will remain in post as we expand the business together under the Realise Training Group.

“This acquisition is the start of the next exciting chapter for everyone involved, for our learners, employees, trainers and suppliers, and it’s very much business as usual.”

Tidal Training currently has 35 associate trainers and six head office-based staff, delivering more than 130 days of training each month.

Part of the AQA Group since October last year, Realise also supports more than 18,000 learners a year across apprenticeships and adult skills programmes.

Gregg Scott, CEO at Realise Training Group, said the purchase of Tidal Training was a strategic step in the business’ continued growth across multiple sectors.

He said: “We are delighted to have completed this significant acquisition of a successful and highly respected training provider. Tidal will continue to operate as before, delivering excellent training across the country, but it will now have the additional support of the Realise Training Group and our strong infrastructure.

“We are committed to providing first-class training in key sectors and this will help us further our expertise in the healthcare sector, while adding new courses to our portfolio.

“Realise continues to go from strength to strength and we look forward to working with everyone at Tidal Training.”

With more than 500 employees nationwide, Realise offers apprenticeships in sectors including early years, health and social care, business services and transport.

The training provider also delivers adult skills programmes in West Yorkshire, Liverpool City Region and a host of other locations including West Midlands, Greater Manchester and Lincolnshire.

Tidal Training was advised by Dow Schofield Watts Corporate Finance (Paul Herriott and Harry Martin) and WSP Solicitors (Peter Mardon). Realise Training Group was advised by Womble Bond Dickinson (James Cook and Alex Dolling) and Tax Advisory Partnership (Russ Cahill).

For more information, visit www.realisetraining.com

From left, Gregg Scott (CEO at Realise Training Group) and Colin Frensham (Founder Director at Tidal Training)

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

What Your Risk Register Reveals About Your Care Business (And What It Is Missing)

By Martin Lowthian, Risk, Quality and

Ask most care providers what their risk register is for, and the answer will be some version of the same thing: staying compliant, preparing for inspection, avoiding regulatory action. Those are all valid reasons. But if that is all your risk register is doing, you are leaving significant value on the table.

Good risk management is not a defensive exercise. Done properly, it is one of the most powerful tools a care business has for sustainable growth. Providers who understand this are not just better protected, they are better positioned to win contracts, scale their services, and attract staff.

Operational risk gets most of the attention. Safe recruitment, medication management, care delivery and safeguarding are all are critical areas, and they absolutely belong in your register. But there is another category that rarely gets the same rigour: opportunity risk.

Consider how many providers miss a tender because their evidence is not in order. Enquiries that are not converted, clients who choose a competitor, care workers with specialist skills you cannot recruit because your onboarding process is not fit for purpose. Each of these is a risk with a measurable impact on your business. Your risk register should capture all of it.

One of the most common patterns in care organisations is a business that has grown quickly but has not

grown its infrastructure at the same pace. Ask yourself: if you disappeared for two weeks, what would happen? If the answer involves significant disruption, that is a risk worth documenting and addressing now.

Many providers manage their risk registers in spreadsheets, but as organisations grow, paper-based processes create real problems. Controls that were accurate six months ago are presented as current assurance. Actions that were never completed sit on the register without anyone being held to account. This is not risk management; it is risk documentation.

Digital tools designed specifically for care governance, such as Access Care Compliance, allow providers to track risks, controls, and actions in one place, map them against regulatory frameworks, and evidence progress in real time.

There is also a direct commercial argument. Insurers respond well to providers who can demonstrate a structured, evidenced risk management framework, and in my experience, it can reduce your premiums. Commissioners are increasingly sophisticated in evaluating tender responses. A provider who can point to documented controls and clear accountability stands out.

Honest risk management requires a particular mindset. Approach your register as if you are looking for problems, not confirming that everything is fine. Providers who get the most value from their risk registers use them as a genuine growth tool, asking uncomfortable questions about where the gaps are.

Risk management, done properly, is not an add-on. It is how well-run, high-quality care businesses grow and thrive.

For more information about risk management or Access Care Compliance, please contact Martin at martin.lowthian@theaccessgroup.com

Eden Alternative - It’s Time to Change the Way We Care

23 years, operating 4 Devon Nursing homes, has been pretty tough, as anyone in social care, knows, only too well. And if it was hard already, after 2024 budget, it's just got harder.

Anyway, at heart, I am just customer of Eden Alternative, and it was a stroke of luck to come across this whilst on holiday in New Zealand in 2009. It started in USA in 1994 and now runs in 22 countries.

The fact that I am now involved with this not-for-profit organisation (in the UK area) came about when one of the 2 main UK directors died suddenly just before Covid. But it's something I have run with for 11 years to help make 'vision' a reality, not a struggle. So, being both a customer and helping the admin seems quite natural.

It is a modern philosophy of care, but moreover, it's a programme that is straight forward, tried and tested for 30 years and really works. Its member care organisations generally become trainers for their own teams, and run it themselves.

The programme is run in person over 2-3 days or online 1 hr a wk

for 7 weeks. You choose.

It addresses loneliness, helplessness and boredom and operates through 10 principles to underpin 7 critical domains of wellbeing. Moreover, it's effective, transformational and really works. As residents, and team members wellbeing, matter so much , it's a must, in my opinion.

Geoffrey Cox Southernhealthcare.co.uk eden-alternative.co.uk

Sponsor Licence Revocations In The Care Sector: What The Home Office’s Increased Scrutiny Means

By Sara-Michelle Colvin, Senior Associate

The UK care sector is currently facing one of the toughest periods of immigration related enforcement it has ever experienced. Recent Home Office figures reveal the scale of the shift: from July 2024 to June 2025, 1,948 sponsor licences were revoked – more than double the 937 revoked the year before, and dramatically higher than the 261 and 247 revocations issued in 2021–22 and 2022–23.

The Home Office continues to identify recurring weaknesses across parts of the sector, including:

• underpayment of sponsored workers mismatches between the job roles listed on Certificates of Sponsorship and the duties carried out attempts to use sponsorship as a means of bypassing immigration controls roles that do not constitute genuine vacancies the increased vulnerability of migrant workers who are tied to their sponsoring employer.

Given the sector’s reliance on overseas recruitment and long standing staffing challenges, adult social care remains a central focus for enforcement activity.

A move toward digital, intelligence led monitoring

As part of this intensified scrutiny, the Home Office has largely replaced onsite compliance visits with a more sophisticated, data driven approach. Increasing integration of HMRC/PAYE information, Sponsorship Management System activity and other government intelligence allows caseworkers to highlight concerns quickly and with

greater accuracy.

This desk based model is supported by enhanced analytical tools –including AI – which provide faster processing and more reliable detection of anomalies or patterns of non compliance.

A TOUGHER STANCE ON EVEN MINOR BREACHES

The government has also adopted a far more uncompromising approach to compliance failings. Issues previously regarded as technical or low level – late sponsor notifications, incomplete HR files, inconsistent Right to Work checks, or weak absence management – can now lead to immediate suspension or even revocation.

These stricter consequences sit alongside wider efforts to combat illegal working. Civil penalties now reach £45,000 for a first breach and £60,000 for subsequent breaches, and enforcement activity increased sharply in 2025 thanks to expanded capacity and automated systems.

HOW THE ENFORCEMENT PROCESS UNFOLDS

In recent months, many care providers have been contacted unexpectedly by the Home Office seeking additional information, typically regarding pay. This stems from increased data sharing between HMRC and the Home Office, which is surfacing discrepancies that may point to reporting failures.

REQUESTS

FOR INFORMATION

When the Home Office issues a Request for Information, sponsors usually have 10 working days to respond. The volume of evidence required can be substantial, often needing input from multiple departments. A long standing concern among organisations is the need to send sensitive employee information without encryption, as the Home Office’s current systems are limited to email attachments and do not support secure alternatives.

SUSPENSION AND REVOCATION

Where the Home Office identifies breaches, it may take one of the following actions:

SUSPENSION

The licence may be suspended and the sponsor placed on an Action Plan.

A fee must be paid within 10 working days to accept the Action Plan.

• The Action Plan can run for up to three months, during which the sponsor must demonstrate significant improvement to regain full compliance.

• Failure to meet the required standard typically results in revocation. REVOCATION

In serious cases, the Home Office may bypass suspension and move directly to revocation – something officials have indicated is increasingly common.

• Before revoking, the Home Office issues a notice of intention, giving the sponsor 20 working days to make representations. Although the Home Office is expected to respond within a further 20 working days, delays are frequent.

In most cases, the outcome is ultimately revocation.

If revocation occurs, sponsored employees may continue working for 60 days from the date of their cancellation letter (or until their visa expiry date, if earlier). During this period, they must find a new sponsor or switch to another immigration route to remain lawfully in the UK. Revocation takes effect immediately for the organisation: it loses the ability to sponsor workers or assign Certificates of Sponsorship and cannot apply for a new licence for at least 12 months, a period that can be extended where civil penalties or criminal matters are involved. Legal challenges within the sector have centred on arguments relating to:

• risks to continuity of care for service users the impact on a business’s ability to operate and the effect on its domestic workforce the Home Office’s alleged failure to apply discretion or consider lesser sanctions.

STRENGTHENING COMPLIANCE IN A HIGH RISK ENVIRONMENT

In this climate, it is vital for care sector sponsors to adopt a proactive and rigorous compliance strategy. The rise in licence revocations, coupled with more sophisticated data monitoring and severe penalties for even minor breaches, demonstrates the Home Office’s determination to drive structural reform.

Organisations relying on sponsored workers must therefore ensure their HR systems, reporting procedures and governance arrangements are robust, transparent and consistently applied. Some groups are also exploring multi licence structures to spread risk across subsidiaries. Although revocation does not stop a business from trading, the operational disruption, staffing challenges and 12 month bar on reapplying can be highly damaging. Strong compliance is no longer a matter of good practice – it is essential for ensuring continuity of care, protecting vulnerable workers, and maintaining future access to skilled international labour.

Care Home Finance from Global Business Finance

Global assists clients throughout the U.K. who specialise in the healthcare sector to achieve their objectives of purchase, development and refinance.

We have organised over £1.8bn for clients in the past 30 years, providing clients with competitively priced funding to refinance existing debt, ease cashflow and develop businesses further.

From helping clients make their first purchase through to allowing groups to grow significantly in size

we assist at every stage of your business expansion. Every proposal is individual and deserves to be treated that way, so we hope you will allow us to be of assistance to you and call us to chat through your plans and requirements, I am sure we will be able to tailor a facility to your requirements. Call us on 01242 227172 or e-mail us at enquiries@globalbusinessfinance.net

Lost Time and Costs Start with Your Rotas

By Becky Mundie, RotaCloud (https://rotacloud.com)

How much time do you spend on admin?

How long are you locked away in your office to make the rota, only having to go back again and again for amends? How often have you realised you’re understaffed, resulting in overspending on agency staff? How frequently do payroll errors, messy audit trails, and chasing staff who missed a shift update occur?

It’s constant, the stress of it all. It’s enough to carry the care of your service users on your shoulders without being overwhelmed every day by repetitive admin and errors. You never thought you’d be spending more time amending schedules, chasing for cover, and correcting issues than your actual job.

But those inefficiencies — staff shortages, payroll errors, missed shift updates, and multiple spreadsheets you juggle — cost you money, time, staff retention, and, in some cases, compliance.

It’s easy to suggest investing in budgeting tools or certain tech to help you understand spending before it happens and to automate certain processes. Budgets are tight in care, after all. But there are simple fixes to cut your operating costs without cutting back on care if you can’t yet turn to digital systems.

Cutting costs doesn’t just mean spending less. It’s about making smarter decisions – reacting to and fixing the cause of the problem, not the effect. And it all starts with your rota.

There are ways to take better care of your rota, which will, in turn, improve efficiency and staff morale. One main way: putting your staff first.

First, give your team more say in when they work by allowing them to submit their availability. Try making a rolling rota with a mix of most and least preferred shifts so everyone gets a fair share of them. It means far less admin for you when the rota repeats, far fewer last-minute amends, a more accurate payroll, an easier audit trail, and no more miscommunications on when everyone’s working.

Second. Share rotas at least two weeks in advance. Doing so allows enough time to make amends and for everyone affected to be updated. Sticking to this process is more efficient, which means less admin – which means more time to focus on service users.

Third. Put in a more seamless process for holiday requests. Whether a submitted form or limiting to one means of messaging, sticking to one process means fewer lost or forgotten requests and much less paperwork. Plus, allow staff to arrange shift swaps themselves, leaving managers to simply approve or deny. Again, less time on admin means more time for service users.

All in all, your saviour is flexibility. Flexibility in rotas means less admin for managers, more efficient teams and safe staffing levels, happier staff (and higher retention rates), and, in return, happier service users – all saving costs in the process. After all, when you aren’t making last-minute changes or relying on agency staff to cover no-shows, you stick to the staffing levels and labour budgets you’ve forecast. So long, overspending, lost time, and inefficient processes.

See the back cover of this issue for more information on Rotacloud.