The Carer Digital - Issue #298

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Issue 298

“Come and See What Care Is Really Like” Care Leader's Plea to PM

A Social care campaigner and care homeowner has launched a direct video appeal and written to Prime Minister Andy Burnham, urging him to meet residents and care staff in Scarborough and see first-hand the reality of the UK’s ‘broken care system’, as the PM prepares to tour the North.

Mike Padgham, Honorary President of the Independent Care Group and owner of five care homes in Scarborough, has joined forces with two women

who have relatives in care, Caroline and Ann, to speak on behalf of families and care workers across the country who feel their experience has gone unheard for too long.

In a speech last month, Mr Burnham praised those caring for his father, who has Alzheimer's, and said he wanted to deliver changes to help "my dad and the millions like him".

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 3...)

PAGE 2 | ISSUE 298 | THE CARER DIGITAL

EDITOR'S VIEWPOINT

Welcome to the latest edition of The Carer Digital!

Bringing forward Baroness Casey's review is welcome. Cross-party talks on a National A HAND, NOT A Care Service are welcome. But nothing lands with families and staff quite like seeing a GRIEVANCE — NOW LET'S Prime Minister walk the corridors and hear the numbers explained by the people who live with them daily.

SEE THE PRIME MINISTER And those numbers, as our lead story sets out, are stark. Delayed discharges are now costing the taxpayer more than £2 billion a year, with around 12,000 hospital beds occuTAKE IT pied daily by patients who no longer need to be there, at a cost of £562 per bed per day, It is refreshing to report on sector leaders directly reaching out directly to the Prime Minister and seeking to build on the momentum created by Andy Burnham’s pledge to end decades of political drift on social care and fix a system that, Editor at its best, should give people dignity, security and support when they need it most.

This week's lead story — a sector leader inviting the Prime Minister to come and see the reality of care for himself — feels like something genuinely worth marking.

It builds on the momentum of Mr Burnham's own pledge to end decades of political drift on social care, and to fix a system so that it gives people dignity, security and support when they need it most. That is exactly the right ambition. The question, as ever, is whether it survives contact with the day job of government.

Rome wasn't built in a day, and this sector has heard fine words before — from prime ministers, cabinet ministers of every stripe, going back further than many readers of this publication will care to remember.

So we approached this story with the caution that decades of disappointment have earned us. But in taking time this week to speak to some of the sector observers who write for us regularly, what struck me was a genuine, if guarded, sense of optimism. That is worth noting in itself. It has been a long time since this sector felt able to say that out loud, and long may it continue.

At the centre of this week's story is Mike Padgham, Honorary President of the Independent Care Group and a Scarborough care home owner with more than 35 years of campaigning behind him. He has invited both the Prime Minister and the Health Secretary, Yvette Cooper, to come to Scarborough, meet residents and care staff, and see first-hand what a "broken care system" actually looks like from the inside.

It is a measured, constructive invitation, not a confrontation. As Mike puts it, this isn't about pointing fingers — it's about offering a hand. Given that no minister of any government has visited his homes since Ed Balls spent time living and working there for the BBC's Inside the Care Crisis documentary back in 2021, that hand has been waiting rather a long time to be taken.

I do hope the Prime Minister accepts. This is a once-in-a-premiership opportunity to back up a pledge with an action — and to do so cheaply, in political terms, at a moment when he has already staked some personal capital on the issue by speaking movingly about his own father's experience of dementia care.

Peter Adams

according to NHS England's own calculations. Self-funder care fees are rising by an average of 10%. The UK is projected to need an extra 144,000 care home beds over the next decade simply to keep pace with an ageing population. None of this, of course, will come as breaking news to anyone working in the sector. We have been saying it for years. What is different, perhaps, is that it is now being said directly to a Prime Minister who has promised to listen.

It would be remiss of an editorial on care funding not to widen the lens a little further, because the pressure is not confined to residential and nursing care. Hospices in England ended the last financial year with a collective deficit of more than £70 million — more than double the previous year's figure — according to Hospice UK. At least 33 hospices have already made significant cuts to services, and almost 60% are either changing or considering reducing what they offer because of the strain on their finances.

Every Prime Minister faces enormous demands on taxpayer money, and I do not envy Mr Burnham as he tries to navigate the long list of pressing issues on his desk. But it is plain to see that decades of underfunding and crisis management have brought us to where we now stand. And I would go further than underfunded. I would add undervalued. Governments, and perhaps the wider public too, have taken the hard work that is social care for granted for far too long — the staff who show up on low pay through winter storms and staffing crises, the families who quietly sell homes and drain life savings to pay for a parent's dignity, the providers who keep the lights on through sheer determination when the sums stop adding up.

That is precisely why this week's invitation from Mike Padgham, and from families like Caroline's and Ann's, matters so much. These are not people asking for sympathy. They are offering expertise, freely, to a government that has said it wants to get this right. Care to us, with our contributions, not care paid for by selling everything a lifetime of work has built — that is not a radical demand. It is a reasonable one, long overdue.

So, Prime Minister: come to North Yorkshire. Bring Ms Cooper. Bring your MP for Scarborough and Whitby, Alison Hume, who by all accounts is already doing excellent work on this. Sit in the residents' lounge, talk to the care staff between shifts, and let the sector show you — not tell you, show you — how this could be done better, and done quicker than Whitehall usually manages. The invitation has been made in good faith. The least it deserves is an answer, and a date in the diary. .I can always be contacted at editor@thecareruk.com

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 298 | PAGE 3

“Come and See What Care Is Really Like” (CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER)

Care Leader's Plea to PM

The Prime Minister said it was a "major dereliction of public duty" that successive governments had failed to address social care, adding there would be "difficult decisions" on funding but he was determined to "get it right".

He announced that a review of social care by Baroness Casey would be published next summer instead of 2028, and it would look at how to pay for social care reforms.

BBC DOCUMENTARY Mike, who has been campaigning for over 35 years, has also invited Health Secretary Yvette Cooper to join the visit. In 2021, Ed Balls, Yvette’s husband, joined Mike for a BBC documentary about social care, filmed at some of Mike’s care homes.

As part of the programme, he experienced life as both a staff member and a resident, including spending several weeks working and living in a care home to better understand the realities of care work.

The tone of the appeal is deliberately constructive. Mike says he is hopeful the new Prime Minister will follow through on his promises, but is wary too, given that promises have been made by successive governments for decades, yet “nothing has changed.”

“I hope the Prime Minister will act as he says he will,” Mike said. “But he has an enormous amount on his plate. So why not let the people who understand this sector, who live it every single day, help him get it right? This isn’t about pointing fingers. It’s about offering a hand and showing him the everyday reality.

People should not have to use up their life savings to fund their care. We need a National Care Service today.”

The BBC documentary ‘Inside the Care Crisis’ was filmed in 2021 at St Cecilia’s in Scarborough.

ED BALLS “GOT IT” Despite reaching a national audience, Mike says no minister of any government has visited since.

“Ed Balls came, and he got it,” Mike said.

“He saw the complexities that care staff deal with every day. But since then, in all this time, not one minister has walked through our doors. That’s why this invitation to the PM matters. Come and see it, Andy. The realities we face every day. The associated costs, the struggles to recruit and retain staff. Then let’s talk about how to fix it together. There are a lot of people out there in our sector with expertise to help you.”

In the online video, Mike says: “Andy, congratulations on becoming Prime Minister and I warmly welcome the words you’ve said about social care. The challenge is now to make that happen, of course. So I’d like to invite you over to Scarborough to see for yourself, delivering social care first hand.

“In all my years of campaigning, we’ve never had a senior politician, let alone the Prime Minister, visit us.

So, with Alison Hume, our MP, who does a fantastic job, come over with her, see what we’re doing. We will offer you some help to get social care changed. We’ve got some positive ideas. I’d just like five minutes of your time to explain how it could be done quicker. We want to help you and thank you for what you’ve said about social care so far. The government cannot do this all on its own.”

“SEE FIRSTHAND” Caroline May, 53, whose mother-in-law Wendy is in Mike’s care, said: “Wendy had to sell everything she’d worked really hard for over all these years, in order to fund her social care over the last 20 years, since she developed dementia”, and has called for care to be "free to us, with our contributions" and urged the Prime Minister to "take a trip up to the Yorkshire coast and see firsthand what's happening".

Ms May, 53, said families like hers faced a financial burden since social care was not funded in the same way as NHS treatment.

She said it was difficult enough seeing her mother-in-law move into a care home because of her dementia, without the added worry of how care would be paid for.

"When the NHS was set up so many years ago, people weren't living as long and the burden now on social care and the needs are so much higher, yet it's not funded in the same way," she added.

START DISCUSSION Ann, 75, whose relative, also called Wendy, is in a care home in Norfolk and paying £1,200 a week from her life savings, added: “My relative has been in a care home for ten years. We’re paying one thousand two hundred pounds a week for her keep. We really want to start a discussion to find out what is going to happen going forward. It can’t go on forever like this.”

The appeal lands at a critical moment for the sector. Delayed discharges are now costing the taxpayer more than £2 billion a year, with around 12,000 hospital beds occupied daily by patients who no longer need to be there, at a cost of £562 per bed per day, according to NHS England calculations. Self-funder care fees are rising by an average of 10%, and the UK is projected to need an extra 144,000 care home beds over the next decade simply to keep pace with an ageing population.

Mr Burnham has pledged to accelerate Baroness Louise Casey’s Independent Commission on social care, now due to report by summer 2027, and to hold cross-party talks on a National Care Service. Mike says the sector welcomes that ambition and wants to help deliver it.

“We’re not asking for sympathy,” Mike said. “We’re offering expertise. If the Prime Minister wants to fix this, and I believe he does, then come to North Yorkshire, meet the people who can help you do it properly.”

The Independent Care Group’s campaign aims to start the constructive conversations it believes are long overdue, around funding, workforce pay, delayed discharge and the future shape of care in the UK.

CONSTRUCTIVE & VALUABLE APPROACH Geoffrey Cox, transformational leader at Southern Healthcare said: “ This is an extremely constructive & valuable approach from Mike Padgham, a Care Provider with a massive depth of experience, both very hands on and in constructive engagement.

“I can’t believe it was 5 years ago, when Ed Balls took part in the BBC Care Crisis series and he himself delivered care first hand in Mike’s Homes.

“His own analysis was moving, and which he shared widely, with great humility - that rare, exceptional & powerful human quality, you will often find in the caring sector.

“Andy Burnham has many issues to address as well as social care. But he doesn’t want to neglect this.

“The sector wants to be constructive and offer workable solutions to help address the rising demand for care with a population that has long been growing, living longer and in many cases, living a life with quality, despite very complex conditions.

“That’s what we can and should do universally for each other in an advanced, civilised & humane society.

“However, as Governments have come and gone, each has pulled back from doing so and overall has left social care stagnant, in austerity and for reasons that are beyond me, undervalued. A reflection of the value some place (or perhaps not) on our fellow citizens with care and support needs.”

BROKEN SYSTEM A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "Caroline's experience reflects exactly why this government is taking action on social care.

"As the prime minister and the health and social care secretary have said, too many people are being let down by a broken system, which is why this government is creating a National Care Service with clear consistent standards of support for everyone who needs it, and we have brought forward the timeline of Baroness Casey's Independent Commission into adult social care.

"It is crucial we get this right and we have made over £4.6bn additional funding available for adult social care in 2028-29, we are establishing the first ever Fair Pay Agreement for care workers, and we have published a cross-government unpaid carers action plan to give them the support they need."

PAGE 4 | ISSUE 298 | THE CARER DIGITAL

Why Immigration Compliance Must Remain A Priority For Care Providers

By David Ritchie, Senior Associate in Lewis Silkin’s immigration team (www.lewissilkin.com) When the Skilled Worker visa route closed to new overseas recruitment of care workers and senior care workers in July 2025, care providers might have expected immigration to become less of a workforce concern.

The reality is very different.

The sector still employs thousands of sponsored workers, while the staffing pressures that drove care homes and domiciliary care providers to recruit internationally have not gone away. With the route closed, retaining the international workforce already in place has become even more important.

At the same time, Home Office scrutiny of sponsors has intensified considerably. According to Government figures, 1,948 sponsor licences were revoked between July 2024 and June 2025, more than double the 937 revoked during the previous 12 months. The care sector is under particular scrutiny, with around a third of sponsor licence revocations between the first quarter of 2022 and the first quarter of 2025 attributed to businesses in the “Human Health and Social Worker activities” industry (as reported by the Work Rights Centre).

For care providers, the focus has now shifted from overseas recruitment to retaining their existing sponsored workforce and ensuring they continue to meet their compliance obligations.

WHEN COMPLIANCE BECOMES AN OPERATIONAL PROBLEM For care providers, losing a sponsor licence can quickly become an operational issue. Revocation puts the position of sponsored workers at risk, with affected employees having to find alternative sponsorship or ultimately leave the UK. For a care home reliant on internationally recruited staff, this can mean losing experienced employees and creating significant workforce gaps.

That risk is magnified by existing staffing pressures. The latest Skills for Care report reveals that England's adult social care sector had around 111,000 vacant posts as of March 2025, equivalent to a vacancy rate of 7 per cent. Losing experienced staff due to compliance issues can put additional pressure on rotas and remaining employees, with potential consequences for service delivery and continuity of care.

WHERE PROVIDERS CAN GO WRONG For care providers managing a busy workforce, sponsor compliance can be complex, particularly as immigration requirements continue to evolve. Issues can arise through everyday processes, from record keeping and monitoring visa expiry dates and right-to-work requirements, to ensuring sponsored workers' roles and salaries remain consistent with the terms of their sponsorship.

This can become more challenging where responsibility is shared across different teams or individual care homes. Changes to an employee's role, pay or working arrangements may appear routine, but they can

have immigration implications and may need to be reported to the Home Office.

Getting these requirements wrong can put a provider's sponsor licence at risk, while failures to meet right-to-work requirements can carry separate consequences, including civil penalties of up to £60,000 per worker where someone is found to be working illegally.

A common issue we have been encountering recently is sponsors falling foul of Home Office delays in processing requests to increase allocations of Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS), which are necessary to facilitate in-country applications (including extensions for existing staff members). Failure to anticipate the time needed to secure the allocation, including routine Home Office “further information” requests, sufficiently far in advance, can have major knock-on effects in workforce planning, compliance and the potential for employment law implications.

Where a business has existing workers with forthcoming visa expiries but no CoS available to assign to facilitate an extension, they will face the stark choice of dismissing the worker due to the loss of right to work or making an extension application that is not supported by a CoS while waiting for the allocation to be processed. This is far from ideal from a sponsor compliance perspective.

MAKING COMPLIANCE A GOVERNANCE PRIORITY Sponsor licence compliance should be viewed as more than a back-office administrative task. It is a governance issue directly linked to a provider's ability to retain staff and maintain a stable workforce.

Care providers in England should already be familiar with CQC requirements around safe staffing and good governance. Immigration compliance should sit alongside these responsibilities, with senior leaders having appropriate oversight of the sponsor licence and clear responsibility for compliance.

This means taking a proactive approach. Regular internal audits can help identify potential issues early, with particular attention paid to whether HR and sponsorship records are up to date, right-to-work checks are being completed correctly, and sponsored workers' roles and salaries continue to reflect the terms of their sponsorship.

For groups operating across multiple homes, clear lines of communication are particularly important.

Managers should understand when changes affecting sponsored workers need to be escalated, so that any immigration implications can be addressed at the right time.

External specialist guidance can also help providers take a proactive approach to compliance. An independent compliance review will help identify gaps that may otherwise go unnoticed, while seeking advice early when a potential issue is identified gives providers more opportunity to address it before it develops into a more serious problem.

The immigration landscape for social care may have changed, but the need for careful workforce planning has not. With fewer options to recruit directly from overseas, retaining experienced sponsored staff takes on even greater importance.

Providers that embed immigration compliance into their wider governance and workforce planning will be better placed to navigate that transition and build greater resilience for the years ahead.

Paralympian and TV Presenter Drops In to Worthing Care Home An athlete-turned-TV presenter has visited a Worthing care home to see the great work it does.

Steve Brown, who captained the Team GB Wheelchair Rugby squad at the London 2012 Paralympics, praised Care for Veterans – a Royal Star & Garter Home, after visiting on Wednesday 5 August.

He was given a tour, spending time with residents and chatting to staff. He said their stories of resilience, hard work and rehabilitation resonated with the challenges he faced after his injury.

The charity provides long-term nursing, rehabilitation, respite and end-of-life care to veterans and their families who live with disabilities, including acquired brain injury and degenerative neurological conditions. It is now part of the Royal Star & Garter group, following a merger with the charity in April 2025.

Steve was left paralysed after he fell from a first-floor balcony, breaking his neck. He underwent years

of grueling recovery, and was introduced to Wheelchair Rugby at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

Since retiring from competitive sport, Steve has gone on to become a familiar face on TV, hosting Countryfile, Escape to the Country and The One Show.

During his tour of Care for Veterans, Steve saw the Home’s large gym, where a team of dedicated Physiotherapists provide residents with one-to-one and group exercises.

He sat down with a group of residents in the Wellbeing Hub, before meeting Army veteran and resident Steve Boylan. The pair chatted about their shared love of wildlife and Steve explained how he often feeds squirrels and birds outside his room at the Worthing Home.

The Paralympian later said: “It was an absolute pleasure to meet the team and residents, learn about their stories, and find so much of their experience resonating with my own. The team works really hard and value the residents, it was a joy to go and see them.”

Dishwashing Advice for Care Homes What are the biggest challenges in care homes when it comes to dishwashing? Infection control and compliance. But they’re not the only challenges. Winterhalter’s team of warewashing experts has put together a comprehensive advice guide for care home dishwashing.

From the five key considerations when specifying a dishwasher through handling chemicals safely to budgeting and running costs, it gives care homes and the companies that supply them the information they need to select the best warewashing solution, whatever the site’s requirements may be.

Care Homes: advice on dishwashing is available right now to download from the dedicated Care Home section at tinyurl.com/carehomedishwashing. It shows how to help care home staff get dishwashing right, focusing on areas such as simple operations and training. It considers how to protect the most vulnerable patients, for example by using features like Winterhalter’s Thermo option, which disinfects the ware being washed.

Ergonomics, workflows, managing critical hygiene risks, specifying for care homes with limited space – the Guide has it covered. And for care homes on limited budgets, there’s information on finance options.

“Care homes have very specific requirements from their warewashing systems,” says Paul Crowley, marketing development manager at Winterhalter UK. “This guide is designed to give users and specifiers the information they need to ensure they are operating as safely, efficiently and hygienically as possible.”

The guide is available as a free downloads from the Winterhalter UK website. Anyone interested in advice for other particular sectors can contact info@winterhalter.co.uk.

Winterhalter provides a total solution for dishwashing and glasswashing, from pre-sales advice to after-sales service, training and maintenance, with sustainability fitted as standard. Alongside its market-leading dish washers and glass washers, the company’s range includes utensil washers, advanced water treatment machines, and cleaning detergents and rinse aids.

For further details, call Winterhalter on 01908 359000, visit www.winterhalter.com/uk-en/ or email info@winterhalter.co.uk.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 298 | PAGE 5

Hospice Deficits Have More Than Doubled In A Year Hospices across England ended the last financial year with a collective deficit of more than £70 million – more than double the previous year* – as rising costs and stagnant funding force services to make difficult decisions about care.

Hospice UK analysis highlights ongoing financial pressures across the sector, with many hospices being pushed to reduce services despite increasing demand for end of life care.

According to Hospice UK, at least 33 hospices in England have already made significant cuts to services, with almost 60% of hospices either making changes or considering reductions as they struggle to balance their budgets. Specialist community hospice visits have fallen by 150,000 in a year, and there are now 380 hospice beds out of use across England.

Queenscourt Hospice in Southport is one of the services facing significant financial pressures. The hospice has described the current situation as the most challenging financial period in its 35-year history and has warned that, without urgent action to provide sustainable funding, it could be forced to close in the future.

The hospice is facing an estimated £2 million annual deficit, with spending of around £7.5 million and income of £5.5 million. NHS funding covers approximately 24% of its core costs, leaving it heavily reliant on fundraising, donations and grants.

To manage these pressures, Queenscourt has already taken difficult steps, including reducing inpatient beds from 10 to five, cutting some Queenscourt at Home shifts, reducing outpatient therapy services, scaling back housekeeping and catering services, and consulting on significant staff redundancies.

Toby Porter, CEO of Hospice UK said: “Hospices are facing immense pressure. Their costs are rising drastically while funding is not keeping pace. Their collective deficit has more than doubled in a year and nearly six in ten hospices have made or are considering cuts to frontline services. Already, nearly one in three people who need palliative care miss out on the support they need.

“We welcome the Prime Minister’s recognition that palliative care must be fixed as a priority so everyone can get the care they need. But that ambition must now be matched by a commitment to fair and sustainable funding, so hospices can provide their expert care to everyone who needs it, without the constant

worry of whether they can afford to keep services running.

“Hospices play a crucial role in supporting people in their homes and communities, as well as easing pressure on an already stretched NHS and social care system. When hospice services are reduced, it is hospitals, patients and families who pay the price.

“Without action, more hospices will face impossible choices about which services they can keep running. This cannot continue. Hospice UK is calling on the Government to commit to £112.5 million in recurring funding this year as part of our four-point plan to secure the future of hospice care.”

Louise Charnock, Executive Director of Nursing Services at Queenscourt Hospice said: “Like many hospices across England, we are facing unprecedented financial pressures. Despite delivering significant savings and making some incredibly difficult decisions, including reducing inpatient beds and making changes to some of our community services, we continue to face a substantial funding gap.

“Demand for hospice care continues to grow, while the cost of delivering that care continues to rise.

Hospices provide essential NHS services, yet we still rely heavily on charitable donations to fund the majority of our work.

“We know we are not alone. Hospices across the country are facing the same impossible choices, and without sustainable funding, more services will be forced to reduce the care they provide. We urgently need a funding model that reflects the vital role hospices play in supporting patients, families and the wider NHS.” Hospice UK has set out a four-point plan to secure the future of hospice care. This includes: • Full funding of specialist palliative care provided by hospices.

• Proper NHS contracts for hospices.

• Funding to cover the cost of NHS pay rises for hospice staff.

• National accountability for equitable provision of palliative care, wherever you live.

Hospice UK estimates that £112.5 million of Government funding would be the first step required to shore up the future of hospice care, as part of an estimated £450 million required to fully fund hospice-delivered specialist palliative care and ensure essential services can continue free from financial uncertainty.

Veteran Signs WWII Rifle at Care Home in Bognor Regis Residents and staff at Bradshaw Lodge care home in Bognor recently welcomed Jay Hawkins from Cambridgeshire to meet resident Harry Wilkes, aged 101, one of Britain’s remaining Second World War veterans.

Jay has been on a journey across the UK to meet surviving veterans of the Second World War. His mission is to ensure their stories are never forgotten by collecting signatures on a deactivated 1939 rifle, which will eventually be displayed in a museum alongside photographs gathered during his travels.

Harry was the 160th veteran to add his signature to the rifle.

At the age of 19 in 1943, Harry volunteered for service in The Navy on the HMS BRECON until the end of the war. Harry first shipped out

to Malta, where he was one of the first new radar operators.

Harry said, “It was good to talk with Jay about my time in The Navy, and to meet Jay himself.”

Teresa May, the General Manager at Bradshaw Lodge, added, “Welcoming Jay to our home was a fantastic opportunity to celebrate Harry and the extraordinary experiences he’s had. The visit created a real buzz throughout Bradshaw Lodge.

“Seeing residents’ histories documented in such a personal way reminds us of the importance of preserving these first-hand accounts for future generations. We are delighted to have supported the project and to have shared in such a special moment of recognition for Harry.”

PAGE 6 | ISSUE 298 | THE CARER DIGITAL

Reflections from Co-production Week (2026)

By Lisa Fletcher, Practice Development Consultant at the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) - www.scie.org.uk INTRODUCTION I'd like to take a few minutes to reflect on Co-production Week, which we celebrated earlier this summer.

This year's theme was "Care Equity: Is Care Fair?", which challenged all of us to think about whether people have fair access to opportunities, support, influence and decision-making, regardless of their circumstances or background. It encouraged us to consider who benefits from current systems, who may be excluded, and what more we can do to ensure everyone's voice is heard and valued.

Throughout the week, we heard inspiring examples of people working together to create change, but we also heard honest conversations about the barriers that still exist. Many of the reflections from the week connect directly to digital care and the importance of involving people with lived experience in shaping services, technology and data use.

TECHNOLOGY CAN SUPPORT EQUITY - BUT ONLY IF IT IS COPRODUCED During Co-production Week, we reflected on the fact that technology can feel daunting, but when introduced thoughtfully and inclusively, it can create positive change.

Digital tools have enormous potential to increase accessibility, support independence, improve communication and widen opportunities for participation. However, they can also unintentionally widen inequalities if the people affected by them are not involved in their design and implementation.

If people help shape digital solutions from the outset, we're much more likely to develop approaches that reflect real needs, build trust and support care equity.

RELATIONSHIPS ARE THE FOUNDATION FOR CARE EQUITY

One of the strongest messages from Co-production Week was that relationships come first.

Meaningful co-production and equitable care don't begin with policies, technology or processes, they begin with people. Strong relationships create trust, and trust creates the conditions for genuine partnership. Building relationships helps ensure that people feel ownership, influence and control over decisions that affect their lives.

If people don't trust the organisations introducing new digital approaches, they are unlikely to trust the technology itself. Digital transformation cannot simply happen to people; it needs to happen with people.

CARE EQUITY MEANS RECOGNISING LIVED EXPERIENCE AS EXPERTISE Another important reflection is that achieving care equity means valuing all forms of expertise equally, and that people with lived experience are experts from their own lives. People’s experiences of drawing on care and support, caring for others, navigating services and encountering barriers provide knowledge that professionals simply cannot gain in any other way.

Co-production Week highlighted that equity is not just about giving everyone a voice. It is about ensuring people have real influence and opportunities to shape decisions from the very beginning.

BE CURIOUS AND BE BRAVE A phrase that came through strongly during the week was the need to be curious and be brave.

Curiosity encourages us to question assumptions and ask whether systems are truly working for everyone. Being brave means being prepared to hear difficult truths and act on what we learn.

The theme “Is Care Fair?” invites exactly these kinds of conversations. It asks us to examine whether some groups face greater barriers than others, whether digital services are accessible to everyone, and whether our approaches genuinely reflect the diversity of people's experiences.

Sometimes co-production reveals that the solutions we thought were right may not meet people's actual needs. Being brave means being willing to adapt and improve.

RECOGNISING AND RESPONDING TO DIFFERENCES Co-production Week emphasised that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to care and co-production. Every person, community and organisation is different.

Care equity means recognising those differences rather than expecting everyone to fit into a single model.

It means providing different opportunities for engagement, using accessible communication, understanding individual circumstances and creating flexible ways for people to participate.

Fairness is not necessarily about treating everyone the same.

Sometimes it is about providing different levels of support, so everyone has an equal opportunity to contribute and benefit.

SMALL STEPS, BIG IMPACT One of my favourite reflections from the week was the reminder to start somewhere and celebrate the quick wins.

When we talk about care equity, the scale of the challenge can sometimes feel overwhelming.

But meaningful change often starts with simple actions: • Asking different questions.

• Inviting new voices into conversations.

• Making a meeting more accessible.

• Acting on someone's feedback.

• Being more transparent about decisions.

These may seem like small steps, but collectively they create big impact.

Every time someone feels genuinely listened to, every time lived experience influences a decision, and every time barriers are removed, we move a little closer to answering the question "Is Care Fair?" with confidence.

CLOSING REFLECTION The many participants in Co-production Week have challenged us to reflect on how we work together to tackle the challenges of care equity. These key messages include: • Care equity starts with relationships.

• People with lived experience are experts in their own lives.

• Be curious and be brave.

• Technology should enable inclusion, not create exclusion.

• There is no one-size-fits-all approach.

• Small steps can create big impact.

I would encourage anyone interested in these discussions to watch the recordings of SCIE’s Co-production Week sessions.

Ultimately, care is only truly fair when people have genuine opportunities to influence the decisions that affect them. That is what co-production is about!

Hartford Court Residents Enjoy Garden Makeover After Activity Coordinator Wins £1,500 Prize Residents at Hartford Court Care Home in Cramlington are enjoying a beautiful new garden space after Wellbeing Coordinator Ann Callan won the home a £1,500 garden makeover competition.

Ann, who is passionate about creating meaningful activities and experiences for residents, entered the competition with home furnishings retailer Dunelm, explaining how much the garden would mean to residents at Hartford Court – particularly those living on the home’s dementia floor.

Having previously helped raise funds alongside colleagues and residents for a summer house in the garden, Ann knew that new garden furniture would be the perfect finishing touch to the outdoor space.

Ann was delighted when she discovered that her entry had been selected as the winning submission, giving her the opportunity to choose £1,500 worth of garden furniture and accessories for the care home.

Once everything had been delivered, a team from Dunelm visited Hartford

Court to assemble the new garden items, transforming the outdoor area into a welcoming and comfortable space for residents to enjoy.

The Dunelm team also took the opportunity to meet some of the residents once the makeover was complete, making the occasion even more special.

Ann Callan, Wellbeing Coordinator at Hartford Court Care Home, said: “I was absolutely delighted to win the competition. Our garden is such an important space for our residents, especially those living with dementia, and we wanted to create somewhere that felt welcoming, comfortable and enjoyable for everyone.

“We had already worked hard to raise money for our summer house, so the new garden furniture really has finished the space off beautifully. It was fantastic to see the Dunelm team come along and put everything together for us, and our residents were thrilled to see the finished garden.”

Chestnut Lodge Nursing Home Strikes Gold Staff at Yeovil dementia nursing home Chestnut Lodge have been celebrating the news that the home has been awarded the Quality Hallmark Award for the Gold Standards Framework (GSF) accreditation.

Manager Graham Oakes said: “This is a significant achievement which highlights the high standards of person-centred care delivered by our team in the final stages of life.

“The GSF Quality Hallmark Award is a nationally respected kite-mark for excellence in care, recognised by leading care sector organisations, including Care England, the National Care Forum and the National Care Association and serves as an information source for the Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection process.

“Receiving the award signifies that we deliver proactive personalised and well-co-ordinated care, and the benefits to residents include reduced unplanned hospital admissions and deaths, enabling more people to live well before end of life and to die in the place and manner of their choosing.

“I could not be prouder of my team, who work incredibly hard every day to deliver outstanding care to our residents, and a particular thank you goes to those responsible for achieving GSF accreditation.”

The Chestnut Lodge GSF team was headed by their clinical lead, Gema Uncles, and comprised joint GSF

co-ordinators Jemma Turner (deputy manager), Graham Oakes (manager) and senior HCA Christine Mann; with nurse Jo Gregory acting as clinical educator, admin manager Lorna Hoaereu taking on communications, and Jane Davey, Joe Brewer, Chloe Anderson and Jithin Chacko, whose usual roles include activities, maintenance, senior HCA and chef, as additional GSF coordinators.

Paul Teasdale, director of Camelot Care Group of which Chestnut Lodge is part, said: “We warmly congratulate Graham and his team on this achievement.

“We know how much time and dedication is needed for the award of the GSF Quality Hallmark, and we really appreciate how hard they’ve all worked for this.

“Importantly, the award provides valuable reassurance for those families who entrust the team at Chestnut Lodge with the care of their loved ones that consistently excellent care will be provided right up to end of life.”

Martin Green, Chief Executive of Care England, said the GSF programme “… has been shown to be transformational, not only for staff but for relatives and residents.

“GSF helps demystify dying, and encourages everyone to play their part, so staff morale improves and turnover decreases.”

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 298 | PAGE 7

Record Number of Patients Wait on Trolleys in England’s A&E, Overcrowding Remains Widespread The latest Emergency Department (ED) performance figures from NHS England, covering July 2026, show that last month was the worst July on record for 12-hour waits, with over 150,000 patients waiting more than half a day in major (Type 1) EDs. It also shows that more than 47,000 patients who attended major EDs spent over 12 hours waiting on a trolley.

On average, around 2,300 patients received corridor care per day, and a new record of over 14,000 patients experienced a delay in leaving hospital, when they were ready to be discharged.

The summer period is where ED performance traditionally recovers slightly, but four-hour performance has decreased by 1.4 percentage points from last July.

Overcrowding is rife yet meaningful action to tackle it is nowhere to be seen – without urgent help, EDs will be at breaking point before the challenges of winter even begin, warns the Royal College of Emergency Medicine.

Dr Russell Duncan, Vice President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said: “Our ED teams continue to step up to every new challenge that’s thrown their way, and heatwaves are no exception.

“But as Emergency Departments work harder and patients needing urgent care still end up waiting longer, overcrowding is worsening and it is incredible that we still see little in the way of meaningful action to tackle it.

“A&E congestion is often caused by poor flow through the hospital and social care system resulting in shortages of available inpatient beds, rather than an increase in the number of people arriving at the front

door. So, while demand may be at a record high, attributing all of the problems we experience in our Emergency Departments to it is simply wrong. The sooner we improve patient flow through the hospital, the more capacity there will be to manage additional pressures, like this extreme weather.

“It’s positive to hear that NHS England have recognised corridor care as a patient safety priority and that the Health and Social Care Secretary aims to properly plan for summer demands, but everyone in our EDs is worried that the help isn’t coming soon enough.”

Responding to the report by the General Medical Council (GMC), also published today (Thursday 13 August), RCEM Vice President Russell Duncan, said: “It is completely unacceptable that system pressures are leaving four in ten doctors struggling to provide the level of care they are comfortable delivering and leaving them questioning their sense of purpose.

“It’s no surprise that an overwhelming demand in emergency care and the very real danger of corridor care becoming an accepted part of treatment are noted as contributing factors.

“Teams working across Emergency Medicine are continuing to deliver extraordinary care under extraordinary circumstances. They deserve recognition, support, and a system that works for everyone, patients, relatives and staff.

“Better systems and coordination between teams will always be a very welcome improvement but we can’t afford to wait for a step-by-step approach when we are seeing such detrimental impacts to our patients and our workforce.”

Astronomy Expert Brings Solar Eclipse to Life for Telford Hall Residents Residents at Telford Hall Care Home in Lawley Village had their own astronomy expert on hand to explain the science and spectacle of the solar eclipse.

Resident Tony Sizer, 80, has spent decades sharing his passion for science and astronomy with the public and was delighted to talk to fellow residents about the eclipse, explaining what happens when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun and why the phenomenon continues to capture people’s imagination.

Tony is a British chemist and science educator who studied chemistry at Pembroke College, Cambridge, before going on to develop a long association with astronomy and public science education.

He has been a long-standing planetarium lecturer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich and, over the years, has introduced countless people to the night sky through public lectures, telescope sessions and astronomy events.

Tony shared his knowledge with residents and staff at Telford Hall, part of Sandstone Care Group, talking about the science behind eclipses, their rarity and why they have fascinated people throughout histo-

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Tony said: “Astronomy has been a passion of mine for many years and an eclipse is always a particularly exciting event. There is something extraordinary about seeing the movements of the Sun, Moon and Earth come together in such a visible way.

“I really enjoyed being able to talk about it with everyone at Telford Hall and explain some of the science behind what was happening. One of the wonderful things about astronomy is that there is always something new to see, discuss and learn about.”

Maria Armstrong, Activities and Wellbeing Co-ordinator at Telford Hall Care Home, said: “Tony has an incredible depth of knowledge and his enthusiasm for astronomy is infectious. He was so excited about the eclipse and it was wonderful to see him sharing that passion with other residents.

“It sparked lots of questions and conversation and gave everyone a fascinating insight into an event that was capturing so much attention.”

PAGE 8 | ISSUE 298 | THE CARER DIGITAL

Care Expert Reveals The Simple Exercises You Should Be Doing Throughout Life To Stay Stronger As You Age and stand up without using your hands, if possible, then slowly sit back down. Perform 8–12 repetitions, one to two times a day, on alternate days. A higher seat makes it easier than a lower seat. Adjust the difficulty if needed.

2. HEEL-TO-TOE WALK "Heel-to-toe walk challenges balance and coordination, improves stability and helps reduce the risk of falls. You can further increase the difficulty by walking backwards or walking with your eyes closed.

"Perform the exercise by standing near a wall, kitchen bench or long handrail. Walk forward by placing the heel of one foot directly in front of the toes of the other foot. Take 10–20 slow, controlled steps.

Perform once or twice a day, three to four times a week.

3. HEEL TO TOE RAISES

Building strength isn't something we should only think about in later life. The habits we build throughout adulthood can help us stay mobile, independent and confident as we age.

To help people of all ages build healthy movement habits, Naomi D'Andrea, General Manager at Nodens Manor Care Home, part of Elmfield Care Group, has teamed up with physio Fikri Fikriev from Physiotherapy Matters to share simple exercises that can help support strength, improve balance and keep you active throughout life.

Three simple at home strength and balance exercises that help you stay independent longer. Fikri shares:

1. SIT TO STAND "This exercise will make the thighs, hips and core muscles stronger, which are needed for standing, walking and climbing stairs. Stronger legs will make daily movements much easier and reduce the risk of falls.

"Sit on a sturdy chair with feet flat on the floor, lean slightly forward

"These will help improve the strength of the calf muscles at the back of the shin, while the toe raises will target the muscle at the front of the shin. Together, these muscles are essential for standing, walking, running and lifting your ankle, especially when walking on uneven surfaces.

"Perform the exercise combination by standing with feet shoulderwidth apart, using support for safety. Slowly lift the heels up off the ground and hold for a few seconds, then slowly lower them back down.

Following that, lift the toes and the front of your feet off the ground, hold for a few seconds, then lower them back down. Alternate between heel and toe raises.

"Repeat back and forth for 8–12 repetitions, once or twice a day, 3–4 times a week."

WHY STRENGTH AND MOBILITY MATTER AS WE AGE Naomi shares : "The most important thing is to keep moving. Finding exercises you enjoy means you're much more likely to stick with them, and regular movement helps maintain strength, independence and confidence as you age.

"You don't need a gym to build strength. Just 15 minutes a few times

a week can help. Try five minutes of brisk walking, five minutes of gentle chair-based exercises, followed by five minutes of gentle balance exercises. Small, consistent movements like these can help improve strength, balance and confidence over time."

Fikri adds: "We naturally lose muscle mass, strength, balance and reaction time as we age. These changes can significantly affect daily life and activities such as getting out of a chair, getting in and out of a car, walking up and down the stairs, going to the supermarket and many more. Creating a weekly routine that includes strength and balance exercises will help significantly delay muscle loss, and may even reverse it to some degree.

"Older adults should aim to do strength and balance exercises a minimum of 2–3 times per week, alongside being active daily with activities like walking, gardening or swimming.

"Nutrition also plays a significant role in slowing down muscle loss as we age. Eating enough protein daily helps maintain and build muscle, especially in combination with strength training. On average, there should be about 20–30g of protein per meal to support healthy ageing.

"Having a weekly routine with regular strength and balance exercises is one of the best ways to stay independent and reduce the risk of falls.

Pairing exercise with adequate protein intake, and if appropriate creatine, can significantly help the muscles stay strong, adapt to load and activities, and recover faster.

"Families can make a big difference by encouraging their loved ones to stay active, sharing walks and exercises together, and supporting healthy eating habits.

"Small, consistent changes to physical activity, over time, can have a significant impact on confidence, independence and strength, and can reduce the risk of falls and injuries."

Three Decades of Care: Millfield Care Home Celebrates 30 Years in the Bolsover Community Millfield Care Home in Bolsover, Chesterfield, has marked 30 years at the heart of the community with a special summer event bringing residents, families, colleagues and friends together for an afternoon of music, dancing and memories, celebrating three decades of caring for local people, supporting families and creating a place where residents can feel at home.

The gardens and communal areas were transformed for the occasion, with games, stalls, a tombola, homemade cakes, refreshments and live entertainment giving residents and their loved ones plenty to enjoy.

Music was at the heart of the afternoon, with Alan Turner, who previously appeared on The X Factor and is a regular performer at Millfield, entertaining guests with a mix of much-loved favourites from The Beatles, John Denver, Cliff Richard and Motown.

It wasn’t long before residents, families and colleagues were singing along and dancing in the sunshine, while the Salvation Army Brass Band added to the atmosphere with a performance of their own.

The event brought several generations of families together, with residents joined by their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren for an afternoon spent together at the home.

For Karen Radford, Manager at Millfield, seeing residents enjoying themselves alongside the people they love was the highlight of the day. She said: ‘It makes everything we do worthwhile to see our residents enjoying themselves. The support from the community was amazing. Thanks to my amazing care

team for helping our residents make happy memories.’

Resident Marion Retallic said: ‘It was a lovely day – I enjoyed sitting outside chatting with friends and staff, watching the entertainment. It was great.’

Resident Hilary Wright praised the event for being accessible to everyone, saying: ‘It was well planned and laid out. The stalls were all arranged for easy access for wheelchairs so I could have a go on everything. My daughter and grandson had a wonderful time too. I like the Salvation Army brass band, but the singer was very good too. Lovely time outside chatting and singing with everyone.’

For Ian Taylor, whose wife is a resident at Millfield, the highlight was spending time with his family. He said: ‘It was a well-organised day, the staff were great and our family, grandkids and great-grandkids had a great day.’

The anniversary was also a personal milestone for Elaine Lenthall, a domestic colleague who has worked at Millfield for all 30 years of its history.

To recognise her dedication, the management team presented Elaine with a long-service award, gift voucher, flowers and a thank-you card signed by colleagues and residents.

From generations of families singing together to a colleague celebrating 30 years of service, the day captured what Millfield is all about: caring for people, supporting families and creating moments that matter.

Poole Care Home Resident’s Special Reunion with Hospital Colleagues A care home resident returned to her former workplace for an ‘emotional’ reunion with her colleagues at Poole Hospital.

Pam, who lives in Elizabeth House on Dolbery Road South in Poole revisited the cardiology department at Poole Hospital, where she worked for 13 years. She was joined by her husband, Ian, alongside the Elizabeth House team, to meet up with her colleagues, Athena and Karen, who donned the old uniform that Pam would have worn before retiring.

Pam joined the administration team at Poole Hospital in 2000, first in outpatients before moving to the cardio-respiratory department. After developing an interest in their work, she applied for an Assistant Technical Officer (ATO) role in 2003.

They looked around Pam’s former clinic room, where she carried out ECGs on thousands of patients during her 13 years at the hospital. She also worked on the wards, performing ECGs and fitting heart monitors for patients. During the reunion, Athena and Karen talked Pam through the procedure for setting up an ECG, bringing back memories of her time

working in the department.

Ian said: “It was very emotional seeing Athena and Karen again as they welcomed Pam back to the hospital. Pam started her role fairly late in life aged 49 and wished she had taken this step much sooner. It was a job she loved and her ability to put patients at ease was quickly recognised, as she would go out of her way to help patients and her colleagues.”

The special visit was arranged as part of Elizabeth House’s ‘Make a Wish’ initiative. It encourages residents to share hobbies and passions they once enjoyed but are now unable to pursue without the home’s support. The care home team then works to bring the special wish to life.

Donna Moss, Home Manager at Elizabeth House, said: “It was a pleasure to support Pam in returning to Poole Hospital to reunite with Athena and Karen, who were so pleased to see her. It was lovely to hear them sharing stories about her time there. At Elizabeth House, we love to fulfil the wishes of our residents, through the care we provide and by helping them to reconnect with the people and places that are important to them.”

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 298 | PAGE 9

New Explainer Shines Spotlight on Voluntary Sector’s Vital Role in Wales’ Health and Care System The Welsh NHS Confederation and WCVA have published a joint explainer examining the importance of the voluntary sector’s role in health and care in Wales.

The publication was launched at the National Eisteddfod of Wales 2026, earlier this month.

How the voluntary sector and volunteers support the health and care system in Wales examines the scale and impact of the sector, showing how organisations and volunteers support people and communities across Wales.

There are more than 47,600 voluntary sector organisations in Wales, with over 10,000 providing early intervention and preventative services. More than 15,000 volunteers support registered health and care charities, offering practical help, emotional support and community-based services alongside NHS and social care provision.

The explainer highlights the voluntary sector’s contribution to health and care through commissioned services, community wellbeing initiatives, partnership working and initiatives that complement statutory provision. It also showcases examples from across Wales, including support for maternity services, cancer care, mental health and hospital-to-home programmes.

As health and care services face increasing demand, the publication argues that the voluntary sector’s close connections with communities, ability to reach underserved groups and flexible approach to meeting local needs make it a crucial partner in delivering more preventative, person-centred and integrated care. It

also underlines the importance of ensuring voluntary organisations are supported through sustainable funding arrangements and are fully involved in planning and delivering services.

Together, the Welsh NHS Confederation and WCVA are calling for continued collaboration between the NHS, social care, local government and the voluntary sector to improve outcomes for people and communities across Wales.

Director of the Welsh NHS Confederation, Darren Hughes, said: “Simply put, the NHS in Wales needs the voluntary sector and volunteers. It’s not a ‘nice to have’, but is essential, to the NHS, social care and communities across Wales. The sector plays a crucial role in preventing individuals coming into the health and care service in the first place, helping keep people stay well and independent. It therefore forms a critical part of the prevention and early intervention agenda, which is often so hard to quantify in terms of its contribution.

Thank you to all organisations and volunteers who give up their time to make Wales a better place to live.”

Chief executive of WCVA, Lindsay Cordery-Bruce, said: “We can’t underestimate the massive contribution of our voluntary organisations and volunteers to health and social care provision here in Wales. We know times are tough but voluntary organisations are out there in our communities doing some amazing things to help people in Wales. We are so proud of the unique role the voluntary sector plays, working together with the public sector to create a healthier Wales.”

St Christopher’s Hospice Welcomes the Deputy Civic Mayor of Croydon for Official Visit St Christopher’s Hospice, the home of the modern hospice movement, was pleased to welcome the Deputy Civic Mayor of Croydon, Councillor Scott Roche, to visit the hospice on Thursday 6 August.

The Deputy Civic Mayor met with the hospice’s Care Director, Amanda Mayo, Director of Inclusion and Social Innovation, Mary Hodgson, and other clinical and community staff as he was shown around the hospice.

During the visit, the Deputy Civic Mayor heard about St Christopher’s work across Croydon, including its Death Literacy Project facilitated by the Community Action team. The project helps local people feel more confident talking about death, dying and loss, and understand the support available to them and their families.

Through workshops, Compassionate Chats, hospice awareness sessions and visits to the hospice, Croydon residents can learn more about end-of-life care, ask questions in a safe and supportive space, and find out what help is available for them and their families.

Amanda Mayo, Care Director of St Christopher’s, says: “It was a pleasure to welcome the Deputy Civic Mayor to St Christopher’s and to showcase the important work our hospice carries out for the community.

“Community engagement is at the heart of everything we do. Through our work across southeast London, we aim to build strong relationships, raise awareness of the support available and ensure that people from all backgrounds feel informed, included and able to access the care they need.

Digital Care Hub Launches its First Photo Competition for Adult Social Care Digital Care Hub has launched its first photo competition, inviting people across adult social care to share images of digital care in action.

Entries close at 5pm on Friday 4 September.

Shortlisted photographs will be exhibited at Digital Care Summit London on 23 September, where the winners will be announced.

The competition is looking for images that show how technology supports people drawing on care, carers, care workers and care providers.

Michelle Corrigan, Chief Executive of Digital Care Hub, said: “Stories are at the heart of care.

A powerful image can capture warmth, dignity, innovation and human connection in a way that words sometimes cannot. This competition is about giving people a creative way to show the brilliant work happening every day.”

Who can enter Sponsored by digital care company, Nourish, the competition is open to people drawing on care, carers, care workers and care providers. Technology and digital suppliers cannot enter, but can encourage others to take part.

WHAT THE COMPETITION IS LOOKING FOR Entries could show technology supporting independence, safety, wellbeing, communication, staff confidence, new ways of working or safer use of data.

Everyone identifiable in a photograph must have given informed consent, and entrants must submit a completed consent form.

Entries will be judged by Digital Care Hub, sponsor Nourish, and media partner Care Management Matters.

PRIZES AND EXHIBITION Shortlisted photographs will be exhibited at the Summit. Winners will receive: • First prize: a half-day professional photo shoot and a print of your entry.

• Second prize: £150 in photography-related vouchers of your choice, and a print of your entry.

• Third prize: £75 in photography-related vouchers of your choice, and a print of your entry.

The exhibition will showcase creativity, compassion and innovation across adult social care.

HOW TO ENTER Entries must be submitted by 5pm on Friday 4 September. Full details are available at: Digital Care Photography Competition 2026.

“Visits such as this are an important opportunity to highlight the vital role hospices play in supporting patients, families and communities every day.”

The Deputy Civic Mayor also saw firsthand St Christopher’s Inpatient Unit, which recently underwent a £3.6 million upgrade, of which more than £2 million came from the government’s emergency funding for hospices, announced in December 2024.

The upgrades at St Christopher’s focused on improving the look and feel of the Inpatient Unit, making rooms bigger and more homely, and addressing essential infrastructure issues in a building that is almost 60 years old.

The work also included enhancing staff areas for dedicated teams and installing a hoist system so people can be moved more safely and comfortably, whilst also protecting staff.

The Deputy Civic Mayor, said: ” It was a privilege to visit St Christopher’s Hospice and I did not expect to have such a positive and memorable experience. I learnt about the incredible work delivered with kindness and dignity that makes a real difference and significant impact on family, friends and loved ones. The emotional and practical support offered and most notably bereavement support to those left behind was something that St Christopher’s does so well. They ensure that nobody should face these issues alone and the team of employees and volunteers offer compassion and commitment at times when people need it most. The impact of their work makes a difference to individuals, their loved ones and the wider communities here in Croydon.”

PAGE 10 | ISSUE 298 | THE CARER DIGITAL

Your Care Home Is Your Home - Until the Money Runs Out

By Kevin Hewlett MBE MSc, Executive Chairman, Hale Place Care Solutions (www.haleplace.co.uk) An uncomfortable reality faces families who have spent years privately funding residential care. A person may have lived happily in the same care home for years, spending hundreds of thousands of pounds of their savings while building friendships, routines and a sense of belonging. Then their savings fall below the £23,250 financial threshold, responsibility for funding shifts towards the local authority, and suddenly they may be told that staying in the place they regard as home will require a family top-up — or that they should move somewhere cheaper.

Imagine being told the same about your own home: leave behind the people you know, familiar surroundings and everyday relationships because somebody else has decided another address costs less. It matters for every person in residential care, whatever their age or disability, because a care home is not simply somewhere services are delivered. Over time, it becomes home.

For people with dementia, the consequences can be particularly profound. Familiar surroundings, routines, and trusted people can provide stability when memory, communication, and orientation become uncertain. Research into care-home moves describes the loss of home and established relationships as potentially deeply traumatic, while other evidence links relocation with worsening cognitive impairment and greater dependency. An unnecessary move should therefore be treated as a serious risk to wellbeing, not a routine financial transaction.

The Care Quality Commission has highlighted the value of people with dementia seeing the same staff where possible. For a person with advanced dementia, a familiar care worker is not interchangeable with another employee simply because both have the same job title. Over time, staff learn how someone communicates when words fail, what expressions may indicate pain, the routines that reduce anxiety, and the approach that brings reassurance. Much of that knowledge cannot simply be transferred in a care plan.

Family proximity matters too. In one case I have examined, an elderly woman with advanced dementia has lived in the same specialist care home for almost six years. Her son is her only regular family visitor, while staff and residents comprise most of the people she now knows. He was told that if he could not meet

a third-party top-up of more than £300 a week, his mother would need to consider moving, and the alternative homes the local authority initially presented were, on average, around 34 miles away. The question is therefore stark: should a funding decision expose somebody with advanced dementia to the loss of the people, place and relationships that structure daily life?

Local authorities must spend public money properly, and no provider is automatically entitled to whatever fee it chooses to charge. But something is deeply concerning when commissioning begins with a “usual price” rather than the individual.

In this case, the apparent level available without a family top-up initially stood at £1,175 a week. On a later shortlist, it became £1,200. What changed was not the woman’s assessed needs, but the fee charged by the lowest-cost care home with an available placement on that shortlist. That raises an obvious question about what a local authority’s “usual price” actually represents.

If a funding figure reflects the reasonable cost of meeting assessed needs, it should be possible to explain how it was calculated. If instead it moves according to the cheapest available suitable vacancy, families are entitled to ask whether the process is needs-led or market-led. National statutory guidance is clear that local authorities “should not automatically default to the cheapest rate or to any other arbitrary figure”.

The concern becomes greater when the consequence is a third-party top-up. A retired son or daughter may be told that their parent can remain in the home they have known for years only if the family finds hundreds of pounds every week. For many, that is no real choice. Yet the resident’s dementia has not improved because their capital has disappeared, and their relationships have not become less important because someone else now arranges the funding.

Previous local-authority guidance has recognised this problem, stating that where a practitioner concludes that moving a former self-funder would be detrimental, the person “will be remaining” in their existing placement and local-authority funding will commence. The same guidance defines “detrimental to move” as a move concluded, after risk assessment, to be “detrimental to a person’s wellbeing”.

Dementia takes things away: memories, independence, communication and sometimes the ability to explain what matters. Good care tries to preserve what remains — identity, connection, recognition, security and belonging. When a care home has become the centre of somebody’s world and a son or daughter is their only remaining family visitor, continuity and proximity cannot sensibly be treated as optional extras.

A person’s savings may run out. Their right to relationships, security and a sense of home should not run out with them.

Swindon Community Build Vibrant ‘Dementia Garden’ at Willowbrook View Care Home Willowbrook View care home in Swindon recently unveiled a vibrant new ‘dementia garden’ on its grounds created with the generous support of organisations, businesses and local volunteers from across the community.

Designed as a therapeutic outdoor space for residents living with dementia, the garden uses colour, scent and texture to provide gentle sensory stimulation.

Each plant has been carefully chosen to evoke familiar sensations and memories from the past, while raised planters also make them easier to see and engage with while moving through the garden. Bird-feeding stations have been placed throughout to help the space feel alive with movement and birdsong.

The garden also features a variety of familiar, nostalgic objects throughout, including a vintage bicycle, a wishing well and even a wheelbarrow. Aside from making the space more visually engaging, these features also make the garden easier to recognise for residents who would have had many similar objects in their own gardens earlier in life.

Many of these objects were donated or handcrafted by partners from the local community, who were eager to lend their support once they heard about the project.

Amy Loxton, Clerk at Stratton St Margaret Parish Council, said: “We were delighted to support

Willowbrook View care home with some gardening and outdoor improvement work. The home is also working with us to help develop our staff in becoming more dementia-friendly and exploring ways we can better support our older generation provision. It was a real pleasure to help brighten the outdoor space, creating a more welcoming environment for residents and visitors to enjoy.”

The garden was brought to life through a remarkable community effort involving the local council, nearby businesses and a neighbouring school.

Mathan Balasubramaniyan, General Manager at Willowbrook View, comments: “It was so wonderful watching the community rally and come together to create our dementia garden. Once we began discussing the project with local partners, we were overwhelmed by the enthusiasm and support everyone offered. At Willowbrook View, we have always believed that it takes a village to properly care for someone living with dementia. We therefore feel very fortunate to be based in such a warm and supportive community as Swindon, and we cannot thank everyone enough for their help.”

TauRx Welcomes Summit with UK’s Top Patient Advocacy Groups Leading Scottish life sciences firm TauRx Therapeutics Management Ltd. has hailed the influence of patient advocacy groups on the Alzheimer’s disease community after bringing together top organisations from across the UK and beyond at a summit in London.

The meeting, which outlined the impact TauRx’s potential oral treatment for Alzheimer’s disease could have, helped agree shared priorities for improving outcomes for those living with Alzheimer's, as well as patient access and the challenge of ensuring innovation reaches those who could benefit.

The Aberdeen-based company is currently awaiting the outcome of a marketing authorisation application to the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in relation to its lead drug, an oral tablet which could target early Alzheimer’s disease.

Senior figures from TauRx welcomed representatives from groups including Alzheimer Europe, Alzheimer Scotland and Alzheimer's Disease International to Scotland House in London to discuss the Alzheimer’s treatment landscape.

Professor Claude Wischik, TauRx Co-Founder and Chairman, said: “We are grateful for everyone sharing their time to discuss this important topic. The opportunity to gather leading patient advocacy groups in one place is rare, and it is an excellent illustration of the dedication that exists in trying to solve the global healthcare crisis that is Alzheimer’s disease.

“The conversation around our potential oral treatment was robust, as it should be, given the potential impact we believe it could have.

Everyone present is working towards fulfilling the hope of slowing the decline of those impacted by Alzheimer’s.”

The groups present at the event represent the interests of people

affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementias and serve as key bridge between patients, caregivers, healthcare providers, researchers, policymakers and industry.

Dr Glenn Corr, TauRx’s Chief Operations Officer and Chief Business Officer, added: “Improving outcomes for people living with Alzheimer's will require collaboration across all sectors. This excellent meeting was a real opportunity for us to do just that, and we are committed to continuing to work with all stakeholders.

“The importance of patient advocacy groups like those who joined us in London cannot be understated. For many people affected by dementia, these groups are the first place they turn to for guidance, and they do a wonderful and compassionate job assisting those who seek their help.

“We are committed to facilitating ongoing dialogue across the Alzheimer's community to help shape a future where scientific progress can be translated into real-world patient benefit.”

Peer-reviewed publications report that TauRx’s existing drug targeting the tau protein – a key hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease – halted progression of neurodegeneration, and that participants with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) who received 16 mg/day experienced statistically significant cognitive improvement over 18 months.

Participants also displayed no evidence of statistically significant cognitive or functional decline over a period of two years. Trials also confirmed the drug has a benign safety profile, with headache (1.5%) and diarrhoea (1.2%) reported as the most frequent adverse effects at the 16 mg/day dose.

A decision on the company’s MHRA application is expected this year.

For more information, visit www.taurx.com

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 298 | PAGE 11

Unprecedented Community Support Enables Prospect Hospice To Expand In-Patient Beds By 50% Thanks to exceptional and unprecedented support from the local community over the past year, Prospect Hospice, Swindon and North Wiltshire’s dedicated adult hospice providing end of life care, has announced plans to expand its Inpatient Unit (IPU) by 50% by January 2027.

The move will see a total of nine dedicated beds staffed by specialist end-of-life nurses. As a result, it is expected that around 90 more patients each year will be able to receive the personalised care and compassion that Prospect Hospice is renowned for, with their loved ones supported too, both emotionally and practically.

Earlier this year, the charity revealed it was turning away six patients a week due to a lack of funding – a stark example of the financial pressures facing hospices across the country. The need for change is now recognised nationally, with NHS England acknowledging that current hospice funding arrangements are not sustainable, and Prime Minister Andy Burnham putting reform of care funding high on the government’s agenda.

With just 16% of Prospect Hospice’s funding expected to come from government sources annually, the generosity of the local community is vital to ensure that the hospice can provide excellent care in both the hospice and in people’s homes. People support Prospect Hospice in many different ways – from donating and fundraising to shopping in its 17 shops, visiting the hospice café, taking part in events, volunteering their time and supporting through local businesses, corporate partnerships and more.

“It’s just brilliant that we are in the position to increase the number of beds on our IPU,” explained Chief Executive Jeremy Lune. “We’ve been fortunate to have had an unprecedented level of community support in our 46-year history and this is a huge step forward in providing choice and consistency in end-of-life care.

“Turning away dying people is a heartbreaking position to be in, but now, thanks to the positive power of our community, we will be able to give more people the choice they deserve at the end of their lives. We’re incredibly grateful to the people who have dug deep when everyone has been affected by the cost-of-living

crisis and not only enabled us to stabilise, but also to grow.

“With an ageing population, the need for specialist care is continually increasing and the NHS 10 year Health Plan rightly places more care into settings like the hospice. So, opening more beds in our IPU also means that our colleagues at Great Western Hospital can use their beds for the purposes they’re designed for, and more people will be able to receive the right care in the right place.

“Each year we care for around 180 people in our IPU, and so from January we expect to be able to accommodate an additional 90.

For these people and their families, this will mean an end to uncertainty and the opportunity to have their choice of care and support at the end of their lives. Despite this wonderful news, the hard work isn’t over, as care in our IPU costs over £1,000 a night per person, but we’re incredibly determined to maintain this momentum. That’s why it is so important that hospices are funded fairly. If this did happen, we would be able to open 12 beds, the number our community needs.”

Hospice UK, the organisation that represents the community of more than 200 hospices across the UK, shared Prospect Hospice’s celebration. Charlie King, Deputy Director of External Affairs, said: “It is brilliant news that the fantastic team at Prospect are going to be able to re-open three beds. This is a huge testament to the phenomenal support of the local community. From all of us at Hospice UK, thank you.

With six in ten hospices in England having either made, or are considering cuts to frontline services, Charlie continued: “Across the country hospices have been closing beds and reducing services at an alarming rate in recent years. Rapidly rising costs and insufficient government funding are putting huge pressure on hospice finances, and on their ability to reach more patients with the care they need.

“Time and again, communities step up to plug the gap. This is amazing – but, in the long run, we need government to do the same, to play its part in ensuring a long-term future in which hospice care is there for all who need it.”

Mossdale Residence Residents Go Behind the Scenes at Jorvik Radio Residents at Mossdale Residence in Burnholme, York, enjoyed a fascinating morning behind the scenes at Jorvik Radio, discovering how a live radio show is brought together.

The group were invited to visit the station where broadcaster Nick Love welcomed them and talked them through the different elements involved in producing and presenting a live programme.

Residents had the opportunity to listen to the show as it was broadcast live, including an interview and a fantastic selection of music. Nick explained what he was doing throughout the broadcast and gave residents an insight into how each show is pieced together.

Julie Infield, Wellbeing Coordinator at Mossdale Residence, said residents Pauline Townie and Mick Archer particularly enjoyed the experience and were fascinated to learn more about how the station operates.

She said: “It was wonderful to give our residents the opportunity to visit Jorvik Radio and see what happens behind the scenes. Pauline and Mick really enjoyed listening to the live show and finding out how each programme is put together.

“Nick was incredibly kind and took the time to explain everything to us and even gave the residents a few freebies, which was a lovely surprise. We’re very grateful for such a warm welcome and an enjoyable morning.”

PAGE 12 | ISSUE 298 | THE CARER DIGITAL

New Research Suggests Where Physical Activity Takes Place Could Influence Dementia Risk

Physical activity is widely recognised as an important component of healthy ageing, with previous research linking regular exercise with improved cardiovascular and brain health and a reduced risk of dementia.

However, new research suggests that the context in which physical activity takes place may be just as important as the amount of activity itself.

A systematic review and meta-analysis involving 74 studies and more than 4.2 million adults has found that physical activity undertaken during leisure time was associated with a lower risk of dementia, while high levels of physical activity performed as part of employment were associated with an increased risk.

The findings, published in The Lancet Public Health, indicate that considering all forms of physical activity as equivalent could overlook significant differences in their potential relationship with long-term cognitive health.

Overall, people undertaking high levels of physical activity had an approximately 20% lower risk of developing dementia from any cause. The analysis also found associations with a 21% lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease and a 29% lower risk of vascular dementia.

However, the picture changed when researchers examined the setting in which activity occurred.

High levels of physical activity during leisure time — including exercise and recreational sporting activities — were associated with a 24% lower risk of all-cause dementia.

Household physical activity was also associated with a lower risk, estimated at around 15%, although the researchers stressed that this particular finding was based on only one study and should therefore be interpreted cautiously.

By contrast, occupational physical activity was associated with an estimated 20% higher risk of dementia.

Active commuting was also associated with a 10% higher risk, although the evidence supporting both commuting and household activity was limited.

The researchers emphasised that the findings do not demonstrate that physically demanding work causes dementia.

Instead, they suggest that the relationship may reflect the wider circumstances often associated with physically demanding occupations.

People in physically strenuous jobs may experience greater levels of long-term stress, lower job autonomy, hazardous working conditions and exposure to air or noise pollution. Socioeconomic circumstances and other occupational factors could also influence brain health over the course of a lifetime.

The nature of some physically demanding occupations may also involve repetitive tasks with relatively limited opportunities for cognitive stimulation, potentially influencing the development of what researchers describe as cognitive reserve.

The researchers therefore caution against interpreting the results as evidence that physical activity at work is inherently harmful to brain health.

Rather, occupational physical activity may be acting partly as a marker for a combination of social, eco-

nomic, environmental and workplace factors that can accumulate over many years.

This distinction is particularly important when considering healthy ageing. Someone undertaking regular walking, swimming, gardening, dancing or recreational sport may experience very different physical and psychological circumstances from someone whose employment requires prolonged periods of strenuous manual labour.

The findings add to a growing body of research suggesting that the relationship between physical activity and dementia is more complex than simply measuring how many hours a person spends being physically active.

Previous research has similarly identified an association between sustained high levels of occupational physical activity and later-life cognitive impairment, while leisure-time activity has generally been associated with better cognitive outcomes.

The researchers also identified several important limitations in the evidence.

Most of the studies included in the analysis relied on participants reporting their own levels of physical activity, which can introduce inaccuracies. Furthermore, the certainty of evidence varied between the different activity categories and was generally rated as low or very low.

There was also a geographical limitation: approximately 93% of the studies were undertaken in highincome countries.

That is significant given that the global burden of dementia is expected to grow particularly rapidly in low- and middle-income countries, meaning that further research across a wider range of populations will be needed.

The findings should therefore be viewed as evidence of an association rather than proof that one particular type of physical activity directly causes or prevents dementia.

For care providers and those supporting older people, the research reinforces the importance of taking a broad view of physical activity.

Encouraging residents to remain active through enjoyable, appropriately tailored activities can form an important part of promoting physical and mental wellbeing. Walking, gardening, gentle exercise classes, dancing and recreational activities can all provide opportunities for movement while also supporting social interaction and engagement.

The latest findings suggest, however, that quality, context and purpose may matter alongside quantity when considering physical activity and long-term brain health.

They also underline the need for further research to understand why different forms of activity appear to have contrasting associations with dementia risk, and how factors such as occupation, socioeconomic circumstances, stress, environmental exposures and cognitive stimulation interact over the life course.

The research does not change the established message that staying physically active is an important part of healthy ageing. Rather, it suggests that when considering dementia prevention, not all physical activity should necessarily be viewed through the same lens.

Eight Care Homes Across the South of England Sold to Holmwood Care Group Milkwood Care Ltd located across the South and South West of England has been sold to Holmwood Care Group.

Established in 1999, Milkwood Care Ltd comprises eight homes with a total of 237 registered places. The homes are located in two regional clusters, with three homes in Hampshire, one in Berkshire, two in Herefordshire, and two in Gloucestershire.

The business was founded when the current Directors, Janet Lloyd-Leech and Robin Cheesman, purchased Milkwood House as their first care home, marking the beginning of what would become a highly respected care group.

Milkwood Care Ltd will join Holmwood Care Group, a highly regarded, family-founded and owner-led UK care provider, taking the combined group to 25 services across England, spanning residential, nursing and dementia care for older people alongside specialist services for adults with learning disabilities, supported living and day opportunities.

Holmwood Care Group was founded by brothers Dr Asif Raja and Farooq Raja, the group’s co-directors and owners. During the past 40 years, each working in and around health and social care, the brothers brought together all their individual efforts to apply to one singular cause – to provide great care from caring staff in lovely homes.

Robin Cheesman and Janet Lloyd-Leech, Directors of seller Milkwood Care Ltd, comment, “Building Milkwood Care Ltd into the successful business it is today has been a very hard but extremely enjoyable experience. We have both brought something different to the company and are very happy to be handing over a business which we have put our heart and soul into and which is performing so well. We are going to miss being involved in the company but, having been in the sector for over 30 years, we feel it is time to retire. Following a careful and considered selection process, we have entrusted our legacy with full confi-

dence to people we have known for over a decade and trust to take forward and build upon what we have created. We believe the future of the Milkwood group is in safe and capable hands.”

Dr Asif Raja and Farooq Raja, Co-Directors and owners of Holmwood Care Group, comment, “The purchase of Milkwood Care supports our vision and our passion for providing the very best care homes for those who need them, and we are very grateful to Janet and Robin for entrusting us with the business they have built over 27 years. Milkwood has built lovely homes, committed teams and the trust of the families they serve, and our job is to protect that and build on it. We would especially like to thank Milkwood’s Directors, Managers and staff teams, whose dedication has earned the group its reputation, and we look forward to supporting them in the years ahead. Our multi-award-winning services adopt a ‘Caring with Compassion’ approach – always learning and improving, making thoughtful use of modern systems and technology, and building warm, proactive relationships with relatives and the wider community. Residents and families should expect the same familiar faces and the same high standard of care, with more behind them. It has been a pleasure working with Janet and Robin to ensure a smooth transition, and we are proud to welcome Milkwood’s residents and colleagues to the Holmwood Care Group family.”

Charles Phillips, Director – Care at Christie & Co, comments, “Having sold Milkwood House to Janet and Robin back in 1999, it was a pleasure to be asked to confidentially market Milkwood Care Ltd when they decided to retire. Following a confidential marketing campaign, which resulted in multiple offers, we were very pleased to agree a sale to Holmwood Care Group. With their in-depth knowledge of how to run successful care homes, we are very confident that the business will go from strength to strength.”

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 298 | PAGE 13

Care Homes and Sector Leaders Unite To Improve Support For Residents Living with Hearing Loss There is a resident in almost every care home in England who has quietly stopped joining in. They sit at the table at mealtimes but do not follow the conversation. They nod along in activities without quite catching what is being said. They have become, over months, a little more distant, a little more withdrawn, a little harder to reach. In many cases, the reason is hearing loss.

And in most cases, nobody has done anything about it.

This is not because care staff do not care, it is because nobody has ever shown them what to do.

Most frontline workers have never been taught how to clean a hearing aid, change a battery, recognise when a resident needs a referral or adapt the way they communicate. The environments residents live in are rarely assessed for background noise or lighting. And the systems needed to support hearing loss consistently, day after day, simply do not exist in most homes.

At least nine in ten care home residents live with some degree of hearing loss, yet fewer than a quarter of those who would benefit from hearing aids actually use them, and shockingly, only half of residents with dementia receive any help with their hearing at all.

To combat this, Engage, the leading experts in deaf awareness training and development, and Care England, the largest and most diverse representative body for adult social care in England, have today launched a nationwide campaign calling for greater awareness and practical support around hearing loss in care homes, following new evidence of its growing impact on residents’ wellbeing, communication and quality of life.

The campaign follows the publication of Engage’s White Paper in 2025, developed in partnership with Care England and Nightingale Hammerson, which called for greater sector-wide recognition of hearing loss in care homes.

Despite 90% of care home residents being affected by some form of hearing loss, including age-related hearing loss, deafness and tinnitus; hearing loss remains overlooked within everyday care, despite growing evidence linking poor communication to isolation, distress, reduced independence and poorer wellbeing.

The campaign follows concerns raised by frontline care staff; many of whom say they have never received practical guidance on supporting residents with hearing loss or managing hearing technology.

One nurse with more than 20 years’ experience said: “I don’t really know what to do with these hearing aids. How am I meant to clean them? What bits can I take apart? We don’t really ever get told any of these things.”

Another care worker shared: “We’re just winging it and hoping what we’re doing is the best; not that any professional has told us what’s going to help that person.”

For residents, the impact can be profound. James*, a resident in his 80s at Nightingale House, relies on hearing aids to communicate and stay connected. When his aids were sent away for repair, a Hearing Loss Champion – a care worker trained by Engage in practical hearing loss support – provided a personal amplifier to keep him engaged with life in the home.

“When I put the headphones on, I could hear clearly again straight away. It made an enormous difference.” – James* His daughter Lily* said the support prevented him from becoming isolated: “The training meant staff understood what he was going through and knew how to help him.”

Another resident, Alice*, became increasingly anxious and withdrawn after struggling to follow conversations in noisy communal environments. With the right support, the home carried out an environmental assessment and made practical changes including: • Staff becoming more aware of noise when serving food • Fitting pads to chair legs to reduce scraping noise • Increasing light levels to help residents lipread and follow facial expressions Her family described the difference: “Breakfast, lunch and dinner became times to dread for Alice. There was so much noise that she felt anxious and increasingly felt left out.” The changes transformed her daily experience.

Padraic Garrett, Head of Engage, said: “Hearing loss is one of the most widespread and overlooked challenges affecting people living in care homes. It is often misunderstood as simply part of getting older, rather than something that directly affects communication, relationships, wellbeing and inclusion. Through this campaign, we want to work alongside providers to help build confidence, improve communication and ensure residents remain connected to the people and world around them.”

Andrew Goodwin, Service Manager for Engage, said: “Frontline staff care deeply about the people they support. Often, small changes in communication, environment and awareness can make an enormous difference to a resident’s confidence and quality of life. This campaign is about collaboration, learning and ensuring hearing loss is recognised as an important part of everyday care.”

Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, said: “Putting the right support in place for residents with hearing loss can be transformative for their overall health and wellbeing. Care England’s members want their homes to be places where every resident enjoys life to the full, and nobody should withdraw or become isolated because of an unaddressed hearing issue.

This campaign drives rapid, practical improvements through a small number of everyday actions that any care team can embed into their practice. Get this right, and you improve communication, safety, wellbeing and quality of care for the people who need it most.”

The campaign will launch in August and build towards a major in-person event in London on 17 November 2026, bringing together national leaders from across the care sector. In the months leading up to the event, the campaign will offer a programme of practical resources, webinars, expert insight and supporting materials to help providers engage with the issues and take action within their organisations. The November event will bring this work together, creating an opportunity to share learning, hear from sector leaders and build momentum for the next phase of the campaign.

PAGE 14 | ISSUE 298 | THE CARER DIGITAL

From Elephant Rides in the 50’s Thailand to Dubai at Aged 95: Care Home Residents Share the Travel Memories They’ll Never Forget Care home residents across Crystal Care Collection are sharing the adventures and travel experiences that they’ll never forget as part of a new nostalgia campaign.

The Postcards from the Past campaign has uncovered remarkable stories spanning more than seven decades and six continents, from elephant rides in 1950s Thailand to jazz cruises in the Caribbean and unforgettable girls' trips across Europe.

AN RAF TRIP TO 1950’S THAILAND Among those taking part is 76-year-old Iris Johnson from Tealwood Grange in Lincoln, who fondly remembers travelling with the RAF to Thailand in 1959 with her late husband Mick. Iris said, “We visited Soiyok Elephant Park, and my husband actually fell off an elephant! It was about 50 feet tall, or at least it felt like it. Thankfully, he wasn’t hurt, but some Thai men had to help pick him up afterwards. One elephant nearly sat on me too – well, it certainly tried to!”

"It was such a happy time for us both. We made wonderful memories together and I still think about that holiday often."

DISCOVERING HANG GLIDING IN SWITZERLAND Around 15 years later in the 1970’s, Alexander Kirk Wilson (82), who now lives at Somer Valley House in Somerset travelled to St Luc in Switzerland with his wife and children and discovered a passion for hang gliding.

Alexander said, "I remember driving about 6,000 feet up into the mountains. The views were incredible and all the lovely little houses were made from wood. It felt like something from a storybook."

"I tried goulash for the first time while we were there, and I've never tasted anything quite as good since. We tried schnitzel and rösti, and the staff were dressed in traditional lederhosen. I even tried my first flaming beer."

"My favourite memory is definitely learning about hang gliding.

Taking to the skies above such a beautiful landscape was an incredible experience and a real privilege. It became something I continued to enjoy after I got home. It’s a memory I've never forgotten."

"I always tell people they should try it at least once in their lifetime. I was even telling that to people recently, although these days they might tell me I'm getting on a bit myself."

A BIDET MISHAP IN DUBAI AT 95-YEARS OLD For others, their fondest memories of travelling came much later in life, proving that adventure has no age limit. 98-year-old Ivy Ayres from Lake View Lodge in Kent, known as Jon, says her best holiday memories come from a trip to Dubai when she was 95. Jon said, "Flying with Emirates was out of this world. Their airport made Gatwick look like a garage. The flight itself was an experience. Emirates ended up giving us each a suite in a luxury hotel, which we couldn’t believe. It was just an amazing place to visit, everything felt so grand and impressive.

“In my bathroom, I noticed a little hose next to the toilet. I assumed it might be for washing hair. I thought, 'Oh, that's handy', but when I turned it on there was an almighty whoosh. Water went everywhere, all over the mirror, and knocked everything off the shelf."

Later that evening, Jon mentioned the powerful "shower hose" to her family over dinner.

"My granddaughter's husband just roared with laughter before explaining what it was actually for."

Crystal Care Collection’s Postcards from the Past campaign is designed to support residents and their families in preserving and celebrating their memories of travel and experiencing diverse cultures.

FOR ALL THE LATEST CARE SECTOR NEWS VISIT WWW.THECARERUK.COM

End of Life Care: Guidance for Supporting Someone to Die Well

By Hannah Kelly, Dom Care Specialist, QCS (www.qcs.co.uk) Supporting someone to die well is, for some of us working in the industry, a part of the work to which we must become well accustomed. Death is an expected, and at times, anticipated part of life. It is a sensitive topic and one that is not always easy to cope with.

The experiences that people have with death are completely individual, and coping strategies will present differently for everyone. Someone who is aware that they are dying is likely to experience various emotions and sometimes worries about the process.

As potential providers of support, there are ways that we can offer both physical and emotional support to the individual, their loved ones and our own staff.

At QCS we have compiled some guidance to support someone to die well and to also support the staff providing their care or support during this time.

TRAIN STAFF IN END OF LIFE CARE Providing staff with specific end of life care training will give them the knowledge and confidence to care for someone well at the end of their life. Check out your local hospice as sometimes they offer courses on the topic. An in-person training session in this area is far more valuable than e-learning (where this is possible).

Staff training goes beyond the classroom. Supporting staff by ensuring that they work alongside an experienced staff member in the area will build assurance and give them faith in their abilities.

• Sufficient pain relief • The correct number of staff and equipment for what is required • To ensure the person’s comfort and making sure they appear in a comfortable position • Regular turning to relieve areas of pressure • Signs that someone may no longer eat or drink • Oral care • Creating a soothing environment, soothing music, window ajar for example • Consider using calming scents; aromatherapy is known for its therapeutic qualities • The importance of collaborating effectively with other professionals to ensure well organised and efficient care and support • Some people may enjoy meditation and visualisation techniques

ADVANCE CARE PLANNING The importance of advance care planning, liaising, and coproducing with the service user and their family where desired to discuss these elements of care provision prior to the event are paramount.

Some aspects to be mindful of are: The individual may be reluctant to discuss an advance care plan; they may be experiencing overwhelming feelings relating to the situation that they need time to process.

These could include feelings of: • Shock • Worry • Guilt • Disbelief • Anxiety • Any financial burden they could leave behind

Good training for staff in end of life care should cover:

There are many thoughts and emotions that could be circling inside.

• Having a gentle touch • Being respectful • Continuing to explain to the person what is happening even if you do not receive a verbal response

• If this is the case, respect their wishes – it does not have to be completed today • If appropriate, you can gently explain that without the advance care plan they may not receive the support or care in their preferred way

and perhaps if they feel they wish to, they could reschedule More people are opting to use a Death Doula (someone who supports people at the end of their life), particularly those who wish to die in their own home. Consider if this is an option that you could highlight to the individual and their family that you are supporting.

Remember, advance care planning should include information that relates to what the person perceives as a good environment. Discuss music, aromatherapy, whether they like the feeling of breeze on their face. These are some of the elements that can contribute to a calm, relaxing space.

WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP Working as part of a multidisciplinary team is essential in providing high-quality, person-centred end of life care.

Above all, the most central factor to consider is good communication and especially listening. The ability to listen patiently, considerately and without judgement to the individual being supported is key.

Someone’s wishes, needs, and wants may completely change during the dying process and this is ok. Having a caring, supportive, respectful team listening to them is crucial to a positive dying experience.

As a provider, by following this guidance, you will save both time and effort, as guidance for staff will be clear and easy to follow.

PAGE 16 | ISSUE 298 | THE CARER DIGITAL

MiCode Launches Free Dementia Programme for Overlooked Local Organisations The health-tech company, MiCode, is giving 5,000 free emergency information codes to small dementia charities, care providers, and community organisations across the UK. One hundred organisations will each receive 50 MiCodes to distribute to people living with dementia and their families, together with posters and leaflets explaining how the system works.

The programme is deliberately focused on smaller, local organisations that are often overlooked. They know their communities, understand local needs and provide the everyday help that enables people to remain independent and connected.

Professor James Ohene-Djan, founder of MiCode, said: “Small local organisations often do extraordinary work with very limited resources.

They are frequently the first place families turn to, yet they can easily be missed when funding, new technology and national campaigns are distributed.

“We want this programme to recognise their importance and give them something practical to offer directly to their communities.”

The initiative builds on successful work with Dementia Jersey and trials involving NHS services, where accessible information proved valuable when people became confused, distressed or unwell.

WHAT IS MICODE? MiCode is a QR code carried on a keyring, wallet card, wristband, badge, pendant or sticker. It can be scanned using any ordinary smartphone, with no app to download and no special equipment required.

When scanned, the code opens an information page containing details selected by the person, their family or carer. This can include emergency contacts, medical conditions, allergies, medication, communication preferences and advice about how best to offer reassurance.

For someone living with dementia, the information might explain that they need more time to answer questions, become anxious in unfamiliar surroundings or respond well to a particular form of reassurance. It can also identify who should be contacted and help others understand the person’s needs.

“MiCode may reduce one fear,” Professor Ohene-Djan said: “that the person you care about will become lost, confused or unwell and nobody will know who they are, what they need or who should be called.”

WHY I CREATED MICODE

Information can be updated when circumstances change and displayed in different languages.

“MiCode is not designed to replace professional care or human judgement,” Professor Ohene-Djan said. “It is simply a way of making the right information available at the right time.”

MORE THAN EMERGENCY INFORMATION Each free MiCode will also be pre-loaded with useful advice about living with dementia and supporting someone with the condition. This may include guidance for families and carers, communication advice and links to relevant sources of help.

Participating organisations will be able to include details of their own services and other support available locally.

MiCode can therefore act not only as an emergency information tool, but also as a gateway to ongoing support. A person or family scanning the code may be directed towards a local dementia café, carers’ group, advice service, helpline or community organisation.

“People often do not know what support is available until they reach a crisis,” Professor Ohene-Djan said. “By including dementia advice and links to local services, MiCode can help people find support earlier.”

SUPPORTING FAMILIES AND CARERS Much of the knowledge needed to support a person living with dementia is held by those closest to them.

But carers cannot always be present. MiCode allows some of that knowledge to travel with the person.

The idea for MiCode grew from Professor Ohene-Djan’s experience of supporting his brother Anthony, who lived with multiple sclerosis.

“My brother was never simply an MS patient to me,” he said. “He was my brother, with his own personality, humour, frustrations and hopes.

But there was always a quiet worry about what might happen if he became unwell when we were not there.”

Professor Ohene-Djan’s own experience of cancer also shaped MiCode.

“When you are well, a medication list or emergency contact number can feel like paperwork,” he said. “When you are ill, those details become part of your safety.”

APPLYING FOR A FREE PACK Dementia charities, local community groups and care providers can now get in touch to receive 50 free MiCodes pre-loaded with dementia information and advice. With 100 local groups being supported across the UK, we are giving away 5,000 free codes in total, complete with printed posters and leaflets.

MiCode is particularly keen to hear from small and locally based organisations that are often overlooked by larger initiatives.

To apply, visit www.micode.uk/dementia or email dementia@micode.uk “This programme is about helping people living with dementia remain safer, better understood and more connected to the support around them,” Professor Ohene-Djan said. “It is also about recognising the small local organisations that quietly hold communities together and making sure they are not left behind.”

Professor James Ohene-Djan is Professor of Computer Science at Goldsmiths, University of London, and founder of MiCode.

Cambridge Manor Care Home Celebrates Outstanding Dementia Care Achievements Cambridge Manor Care Home is celebrating two outstanding achievements that recognise the dedication, compassion and commitment of the entire team: receiving Platinum Dementia Care Accreditation from NADCAS, the National Dementia Care Accreditation Scheme, alongside achieving an Excellent PAMMS rating.

The Platinum accreditation is a particularly significant milestone.

Cambridge Manor achieved an impressive 93.39%, one of the highest scores awarded to any provider. This places Cambridge Manor within the top 1% of dementia care providers in the country.

For Home Manager Shelly and the Cambridge Manor team, the achievement is a reflection of the hard work and dedication that goes into providing high-quality, person-centred dementia care every day.

Following the accreditation, Shelly and the team came together to reflect on what the achievement means to them. It was described as a proud and uplifting moment, filled with appreciation, encouragement and a strong sense of teamwork.

Shelly said: “This is a wonderful achievement for the whole Cambridge Manor team. The Platinum accreditation is recognition of the care, compassion and commitment that our team demonstrates every

day. We are incredibly proud of everyone and grateful for the dedication they show to the people living with us.”

The accreditation is particularly meaningful because it recognises more than policies and processes. It reflects the way dementia care is delivered in practice — supporting individuals with dignity, respect and understanding while creating an environment where people feel safe, valued and listened to.

Adding to this achievement, Cambridge Manor has also recently received an Excellent PAMMS score.

Together, the two results provide strong recognition of the quality of care being delivered at Cambridge Manor and demonstrate the team’s continued commitment to maintaining high standards.

While external accreditation and assessments are important, the team understands that the real measure of success is the experience of the people living at Cambridge Manor and their families.

The results are therefore being celebrated not simply as awards, but as recognition of the team’s ongoing work and a motivation to continue improving.

Care Resident Eleanor Celebrates Milestone 105th Birthday At Sanctuary Care’s Lake View Residential Care Home in Telford, resident Eleanor Devey celebrated the incredible milestone of her 105th birthday.

To mark the special occasion, Lake View’s Home Manager, Dannie Sheldon, launched a heartfelt appeal to Sanctuary Care homes across the country, as well as visiting family and friends, asking them to send birthday cards to Eleanor.

The response was overwhelming, with cards arriving from near and far, giving Eleanor a wonderful two-day celebration as she opened each one and read the many messages of love and congratulations. Among them was a special card from His Majesty, The King.

Born into a family of five children, Eleanor is now the last surviving sibling. After leaving school, she began working in domestic service in a private house before the outbreak of the Second World War. During the war, she played her part in supporting the country’s efforts, helping to manufacture bullets in Kidderminster before moving on to work in a factory.

Family has always been at the heart of Eleanor’s life. She met her late husband, Clarence, at a dance in

Ludlow, and together they built a loving family. Eleanor is the proud mother of one daughter, grandmother to two grandchildren and great-grandmother to three great-grandchildren. When asked about the most important thing in her life, the answer is simple: family means everything to Eleanor.

Speaking about the milestone, Eleanor’s daughter Barbara Johnson said: “This birthday is a wonderful and remarkable achievement, particularly after a period of ill health last year.

Reaching this milestone is a testament to her strength and resilience.

For her family, it is a special opportunity to celebrate a lifetime of memories and achievements, while for everyone at Lake View, it is a privilege to share in such a significant occasion. Her birthday brings together family, friends, residents and colleagues to honour an incredible woman and celebrate an exceptional life.”

To celebrate her special day, the Lake View team organised a memorable celebration, complete with cards, gifts and time spent with loved ones. The occasion brought together everyone who knows and cares for Eleanor, creating lasting memories and ensuring her remarkable 105th birthday was one to remember.

PAGE 18 | ISSUE 298 | THE CARER DIGITAL

When Care Ratings Fall Behind Reality

By Kevin Groombridge – Chief Executive, Care Inspections UK (www.careinspections.co.uk) A credible regulator must identify poor care quickly and recognise improvement promptly.

When either function slows, the consequences extend beyond the regulatory process. They affect residents, families, staff, commissioners and the viability of care services.

The Care Quality Commission has acknowledged operational difficulties following changes to its assessment approach, technology and structure.

Its 2024/25 annual report records 3,825 published assessment reports, compared with 6,230 in 2023/24 and 10,356 in 2022/23. CQC attributed the reduction to technology problems, framework changes and restructuring.

These figures matter because a published rating has practical force.

Families use it when choosing a service. Commissioners consider it when making placements. Banks, investors, insurers and purchasers may rely on it when judging risk. Where a service has improved but has not been reassessed, the public record may no longer describe the care being delivered.

For a care home carrying a Requires Improvement or Inadequate rating, delayed reassessment can be damaging. Enquiries may fall, admissions may reduce, and occupancy may decline. Local authorities and Integrated Care Boards may restrict placements or require additional assurance. The provider can remain under pressure after corrective work.

HIGH FIXED COSTS Care homes have high fixed costs, including buildings, leadership, core staffing, insurance and clinical oversight. These do not fall in direct proportion to occupancy. Reduced income may constrain investment in staff, premises and equipment, weakening the resources needed to sustain improvement.

Staff can also be affected. Teams may have strengthened practice and completed a demanding improvement programme, yet the public

rating remains unchanged. This can damage morale, complicate recruitment and contribute to turnover. Managers may focus on historic failings rather than further development.

Most importantly, delay can affect residents. Slow regulatory responsiveness creates risk in two directions. Services that remain poor may not receive timely scrutiny, while services that have genuinely improved may continue to experience restrictions and financial pressure. Neither outcome supports safe, stable and person-centred care.

The answer is not to reduce regulatory expectations. Nor should independent assurance replace statutory regulation. CQC has unique legal powers, national oversight and responsibility for public ratings.

However, the current difficulties show that quality assurance cannot depend entirely on periodic regulatory inspection.

A stronger model begins with providers accepting direct responsibility for understanding and improving quality. This is not self-certification.

It requires boards and senior leaders to maintain reliable evidence, listen to residents and staff, monitor outcomes, test systems and commission independent challenge where appropriate.

INTERNATIONAL PRACTICE International practice illustrates this approach. In the Netherlands, care providers measure outcomes against agreed quality standards, with specified information made publicly transparent. The emphasis is on continuously understanding quality, involving people who use services, and using evidence to improve care.

Australia has similarly placed responsibility on providers and governing bodies. Its aged care quality framework expects leaders to monitor improvement using feedback, incident and complaint data, quality indicators and other performance information. Providers are expected to operate quality systems that support continuous improvement.

These systems differ from the English context. Their central principle is nevertheless valuable. Regulation works best when it sits above a mature provider-led assurance system, rather than attempting to function as the provider’s quality department.

PROVIDER-LED ASSURANCE Provider-led assurance can improve care by identifying risks closer to the point of delivery. Trends in falls, medication errors, pressure damage, infections, safeguarding, weight loss, complaints, staff turnover and hospital admissions can be reviewed as they emerge.

Resident and relative experience can be considered alongside operational and clinical evidence, allowing leaders to intervene before isolated concerns become established failures.

This approach also enables continuous performance management. A regulatory inspection provides an important external judgement, but it remains a snapshot. Boards need a moving picture. They must know whether improvements are sustained, whether a service is becoming

an outlier and whether actions have achieved the intended result.

There is also a direct relationship between quality assurance and commercial robustness. Reliable information supports better investment decisions, stronger workforce planning and earlier management of operational risk. It can provide credible assurance to commissioners, lenders and purchasers. Quality, reputation, occupancy and workforce stability are closely connected, so organisations that understand performance are generally more resilient.

Independent inspection can strengthen this provider-led model, provided it is rigorous. A useful inspection should examine care practice, medicines, safeguarding, staffing, governance, safety, infection prevention, resident experience and measurable outcomes. Evidence should be triangulated across observation, documentation, interviews and data. Conclusions should be explainable and defensible.

ACCREDITATION MATTERS Accreditation matters. Inspection bodies accredited to ISO/IEC 17020 are independently assessed for competence, impartiality, consistency and the operation of their inspection processes. Accreditation does not confer statutory powers or permit an organisation to alter a CQC rating.

It does provide external assurance absent from many unaccredited mock inspections. UKAS assesses and accredits organisations that provide inspection and other conformity assessment services.

Mock inspections are inconsistent; their methods and depth vary considerably. Some amount to a brief rehearsal of likely regulatory questions and depend heavily on the judgement of one consultant.

Where missed risk can lead to resident harm, placement restrictions, lost income or closure, providers need more than a prediction of how they might perform during a future visit.

ISO 25557:2026, the international standard on care quality for older persons at home and in care facilities, reinforces this direction. It brings individual needs, participation, safety, service quality and organisational responsibility within a coherent framework applicable across different care settings and funding models.

The future should combine effective statutory regulation with continuous provider governance, transparent quality data, commissioner oversight and competent independent inspection. Each has a role.

Together, they can provide a more current and reliable picture of quality than any single mechanism can achieve on its own.

The purpose of inspection is not simply to produce a rating. It is to protect people, identify risks, recognise opportunities for improvement and promote better care and care outcomes. When regulatory delays mean a rating no longer reflects reality, providers must demonstrate current performance with robust evidence. Residents deserve protection from poor care, but they also deserve stable, improving services whose progress can be recognised with confidence.

NACC National Awards 2026 Shortlist Announced The National Association of Care Catering (NACC) has revealed the shortlist for the NACC National Awards 2026, which this year include a new category – The Innovation Award.

Every year these coveted awards celebrate the skills, excellence and dedication the Association’s members demonstrate daily as they deliver exceptional nutrition and hydration to older and vulnerable people.

Across the care catering sector, teams and individuals have been nominated by their colleagues for the outstanding service they deliver, whether they work in residential care homes, Meals on Wheels services, lunch clubs and day centres, or in other supporting roles.

These nominations have been whittled down to a shortlist in each of seven categories, with the winners due to be revealed at a Gala Dinner on Thursday 15th October, as part of the NACC Training & Development Forum 2026.

The NACC National Awards 2026 finalists are:

Care Establishment of the Year Award, sponsored by allmanhall • AbleCare Kitchens / AbleCare Homes Hospitality & Catering Service • Branksome Heights Kingsley Healthcare • Care UK Hotel Services Team • Middleton Hall Retirement Village

Meals on Wheels Award, sponsored by apetito • AbleCare Kitchens • Fife Council Meals on Wheels • Health & Independent Living Support (HILS) • Woking Borough Council Community Meals Service

Catering Team of the Year Award, sponsored by Rational UK • Abbey Healthcare Catering Team • Bupa Care Services • Ladden View Catering Team, Care UK • Meallmore Catering Team • Middleton Hall Retirement Village • Signature Dining Catering Team

Catering Manager of the Year Award, sponsored by Unilever Food Solutions • Joanne Ankers, Group Catering Manager, Abbey Healthcare • Darren Klein, Head of Catering, PJ Care Specialist Services • Jody Marshall, Group Hospitality Manager, Meallmore

• Stuart Pelham, Hotel Services Manager, Care UK • Jennifer Rowe, Catering and Service Manager, British Home (White Oaks) • Mark Scott, Catering and Domestic Services Manager, Pendleside Hospice

Our Care Catering Hero Award, sponsored by Miele • Jimmy Morales, Sous Chef, Elmbrook Court – Oakland Care • Dona Moraliyage Muditha, Head Chef, Byron House Care Home • Jane Oliver, Senior Relief Chef, Cinnamon Care Collection • Stacie Petrillo, Hospitality Manager, AbleCare Group • Rebecca Stevens, Kitchen Supervisor, Tovil Green Court, Housing 21 (White Oaks)

The Bev Puxley Award*, sponsored by The Worshipful Company of Cooks London • Anas Al Saadi, Group Executive Head Chef, MACC Care • Tristan Hurford, Head Chef, AbleCare Group • Darren Neal, Head of Culinary, White Oaks

The Innovation Award, sponsored by Atosa Catering Equipment • AbleCare Kitchens – Central Production Kitchen Model • Academy of Care Kitchen Excellence • Anwar Kajee, Hospitality Director, Country Court • Pendleside Hospice’s Bereavement Cookery Course • Taste the Memories by Signature Dining The winners of the following awards will also be announced at the Gala Dinner:

NACC Region of the Year Award, sponsored by Meiko UK Pam Rhodes Outstanding Achievement Award, sponsored by Winterhalter National Chair’s Award Neel Radia, National Chair of the NACC, said: “Once again I have been blown away by the calibre of the nominees, which made selecting the shortlisted finalists very hard indeed.

“The amazing care catering professionals working in our sector deserve every inch of recognition and thanks we can give them, and I am sorry our annual awards can only represent the tip of the iceberg.

“Still, I look forward to celebrating with the winners, their colleagues and all our NACC family in October, when we can come together to show our appreciation to everyone who dedicates their lives to ensuring our elderly and vulnerable service users are well nourished, well hydrated and able to safely enjoy every meal.

“This year we also have the excitement of the new Innovation Award to look forward to, as we specially commend those members who are quietly pushing the boundaries of great nutritional support with cutting edge innovations.”

PAGE 20 | ISSUE 298 | THE CARER DIGITAL

30 Years Of Belonging: Local Man Celebrates An Extraordinary Milestone With Achieve Together Achieve together is proud to celebrate a truly extraordinary milestone as Ronnie Woodall marks 30 years of being supported by the organisation, representing three decades of connection, support and community.

Ronnie's journey reflects the significant changes that have taken place in social care over the past three decades. Having spent much of his early life in long-stay hospital settings, Ronnie moved to Manor Green Road in Epsom on 30 June 1996, becoming one of the first people to move into what was then Achieve together’s very first residential home.

Born in 1937, Ronnie lived with his family in East Sussex until he was eight years old. Due to the limited educational opportunities available to children with additional needs at the time, he moved into specialist education and support services. Over the years, he lived at St Ebba's Hospital in Epsom and Queen Elizabeth's Hospital in Banstead before making the transition into community-based living.

For more than 20 years, Ronnie lived at Manor Green Road before moving to Longdown Road in Epsom in March 2022, where he remains a much-loved member of the local community.

To celebrate his milestone, Ronnie spent the day enjoying his usual routine at the day service – something that is especially important to him. When he returned home, he was welcomed by his housemates and the team with a celebratory cake and card.

Kate Wilson, Registered Home Manager, Achieve together, said: “Since moving into his current home, Ronnie has become much more confident and has come out of his shell. He is comfortable expressing his personality, sharing his sense of humour and interacting positively with boththe staffand the people he lives with.

“Ronnie has built meaningful friendships in his own way, often checking if people are OK and looking out for their wellbeing.Ronnie is a much-valued part of the home and is well liked by both his housemates and the staff team. He is a pleasure to support and is very independent in many aspects of his daily life.As ateam wewill continue to support Ronnie in a person-centred way; promoting hisindependence,respecting his choices and ensuring his individual needs and preferences remain at the heart of the care he receives.”

Ronnie is a naturally quiet and private person, who doesn’t like much fuss in his life. His family have fond memories of a man who enjoys craftwork, shared holidays to see windmills, and treasured visits from loved ones over the years.

Ronnie's 30-year milestone highlights not only his personal journey, but also the progress made in supporting people to live fulfilling lives within their communities.

Achieve together is delighted to celebrate Ronnie, the relationships he has built, and the dedicated colleagues who continue to provide the person-centred support that helps him thrive every day.

Achieve together also celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.

The organisation’sevolutionstemmed from a shift in the provision of Adult Social Care in the UK, as long-stay hospitals were closed in favour of supported settings andlegislation, notably theCommunityCareAct1993andtheCareAct2014,enablingpeople with disabilities greater choice,independenceand control over their lives.

Achieve together continues to grow, providing sector-leading, complex, specialist support to people with learning disabilities, autistic people,people with profound and multiplelearning disabilities (PMLD),mental health needs,and those who are D/deaf, or have hearing loss.

Wolverhampton Care Home Resident Celebrates 100th Birthday with Garden Party Doreen, a resident at Engelberg Care Home in Wolverhampton, has celebrated her 100th birthday with a garden party surrounded by family and friends, marking a century of memories.

Born in Wolverhampton, Doreen grew up on Cannock Road, where she lived until she married. At just 14, she left school to join Barclays Bank in Queen Square, learning shorthand and typing, skills that shaped her working life. She went on to work as a touch typist at H. Villiers, the motorbike manufacturer, before becoming secretary to a manager at Goodyear. After raising her family, Doreen returned to work as a lunchtime supervisor at Elston Hall Primary School, where she stayed until retirement.

Outside of work, Doreen filled her days with knitting, sugar craft flowers, sewing soft toys and children's clothes, and gardening. Among her proudest memories are visiting Buckingham Palace when her daughter received a Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award, and watching her daughter graduate

with an arts degree from Cardiff University.

Asked what has kept her going for a hundred years, Doreen puts it down to clean living and laughter. Her daughter Sue describes her as a wise lady with a positive attitude, a strong Christian faith, and a gift for making every day count.

Doreen's own advice for younger generations is simple: "Treat each day as it comes."

Doreen has lived at Engelberg for nearly three years and says she has been happy from the moment she first walked through the home's stained-glass front door. "I feel looked after and loved here, and I'm never on my own," she says.

To mark her milestone birthday, Doreen's daughter Sue booked the garden summer house for a celebration with close friends from the home and around ten family members.

The afternoon included party games, homemade cakes and biscuits baked by Sue, quiet music, and bunting to mark the occasion. A card from the King also arrived in time for the big day.

OakNorth Provides £4.7m Loan to Strengthen Close Care Facilities at Lavender Fields Care Village OakNorth, the digital bank for entrepreneurs, by entrepreneurs, has provided a £4.7m loan to Spring House Farm Developments Ltd, to support the development of 19 new close care bungalows at Lavender Fields Care Village near Pocklington, East Yorkshire The homes will be purpose-built for people living with care needs due to age or incapacity, and will form the latest phase of Lavender Fields Care Village a 10-acre integrated retirement and care community created

by Chris Mitchell. The village already comprises a 72-bed specialist care home, 29 close care bungalows delivered across two earlier phases, together with a café, fully licensed pub, hydrotherapy suite, hair and beauty salon, village shop and consulting rooms for visiting healthcare professionals, all to enable sustainable living catering for every need within the site. Dementia Forward, Yorkshire’s largest dementia charity, whom Chris has worked with for over 10 years, have also based their East Riding of Yorkshire HQ on site at Lavender Fields.

Chris Mitchell has spent more than 30 years in the care sector and has developed Lavender Fields into one of the UK's most distinctive integrated retirement living and dementia care communities. Previous phases of the development sold well ahead of schedule, with strong demand continuing for the village's close care bungalows. The latest phase has already attracted significant early interest and will further expand the community's offering.

Chris Mitchell, Owner of Lavender Fields Care Village, commented on the transaction: "We're delighted to once again be working with OakNorth as we continue to grow Lavender Fields. The team has consistently demonstrated a deep understanding of both the real estate and healthcare sectors, which has been invaluable in supporting our vision. James Espley and the wider team have been particularly impressive - combining expertise with speed, clarity and transparency throughout the process.

We've now partnered with OakNorth on several projects because they understand what we're building here and consistently deliver. This latest phase will allow us to meet growing demand for high-quality close care housing while continuing to enhance the wider Lavender Fields community. A ‘one stop shop’ from the onset of care right through to the final days. A forever home!"

James Espley, Senior Director of Property Finance at OakNorth, added: “Chris has built something truly distinctive at Lavender Fields. Having supported multiple phases of the development over several years, we've seen first-hand the strength of demand for this integrated model of retirement living, close care and specialist dementia care. Earlier phases sold ahead of schedule and the wider village has continued to evolve into a genuine destination community. We're delighted to continue supporting Chris and the team as they deliver the next phase of a scheme that is helping meet growing demand for high-quality close care accommodation."

PAGE 22 | ISSUE 298 | THE CARER DIGITAL

From Istanbul to Frome: The Life of Robert Darley-Doran PUTTING DOWN ROOTS IN ENGLAND

Robert Darley-Doran's life has taken him from a house above Seneca Lake in Upstate New York to the streets of Istanbul, across Turkey and deep into the Middle East, shaped along the way by a one-way steamship ticket, a silver coin and a glass of ice-cold lager that led to sixty-six years of marriage. He is now a resident (fondly referred to as a family member), at Frome Nursing Home.

Here, a lifelong passion and unusual line of work still continues.

For decades, Robert built his life around the study of Islamic coins, travelling across Turkey and the Middle East with his wife, Liz. Together, they wrote and catalogued extensively, their most recent book focusing on Byzantine and early Islamic copper coins, completed just before Robert moved to Frome in Somerset. Even though sadly now he lives with a vascular dementia, his eye for a coin remains. He can still identify one at a glance and comment on it with the same knowledge and precision he always had.

At the start of 2026, he and Liz completed three more cataloguing jobs together and hope there is still more work ahead!

Robert and Liz eventually settled in England in 1980. They made their home in Avington, a small village near Winchester, within easy reach of London. In the mid-1990s, Robert became a British citizen at a small ceremony in Winchester, attended by the whole family. He and Liz then found themselves moving to Frome in 2023 to be closer to Kathy and her husband Jonny.

A LIFETIME'S WORK

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN Robert grew up in Geneva, Upstate New York, in a house overlooking Seneca Lake. A railway line ran beneath the garden, and Robert traces his lifelong love of trains back to the sound of them passing at night, which, depending on how often they passed, may or may not have helped him sleep!

After university he lived in Ankara, the capital of Turkey, for two years before returning to New York. Then, in 1965, the pull of Turkey became too strong to ignore. He bought a one-way ticket on a steamship to Liverpool and didn't look back. Much of the next fifteen years was spent abroad, mostly in Turkey.

A TIME OF NEW BEGINNINGS On the evening Robert arrived back in Istanbul in 1965, he got talking with a stranger in a restaurant who pointed out how happy he sounded to have returned to Turkey and kept his glass topped up with raki, the local spirit, aniseed-tasting, not unlike Greek ouzo. The next evening, still very much recovering from the raki, he and his travelling companion Min Vernon went to visit friends. Among these friends was Elisabeth Franks, Liz, as she was known. Liz sorted out Robert's raki hangover with a glass of ice-cold lager! and somewhere in the middle of all that, they realised they were made for each other! It is, by any measure, an unusual way to begin a sixty-six year marriage, but it worked!

Soon afterwards, Robert and Liz began building a life together with their children, Kathy and George. The family moved to Ankara, where they spent six years living and travelling whenever they had the chance. One of those trips took them by Wagons Lits train to Erzurum, a city in the east of Turkey, where Robert bought a silver coin the size of a British crown, covered in Arabic inscriptions.

After the 870 km return trip from Ankara to Erzurum, he showed it to an elderly friend. "I grew up with these," the friend said. The coin turned out to have been minted in Kostantiniyya, Constantinople (not Istanbul), bearing the insignia of the ruling Ottoman sultan on one side and the date of striking on the other.

At that moment Robert was hooked.

Robert’s first book recorded a collection of gold coins belonging to a Lebanese banker and was published in Switzerland in both English and Arabic. With Robert’s knowledge of coins and Liz’s experience as a writer and editor, they made a good team, and over the years their work took them well beyond England.

They prepared Islamic coin auction catalogues for Spink and Sotheby’s in London, before their work took them to the middle east. In Oman, they wrote a book on the country’s coinage and helped set up a coin and banknote museum for the Central Bank. Bahrain followed with another book and museum, then there was a cataloguing job in Kuwait where they were told they were working too slowly, despite, in their words, “working like demons”.

Not every trip went quite to plan. In Casablanca, they arrived to value a collection belonging to a man who had recently died, only to discover he had already sold everything of value and spent the money. His family weren’t particularly pleased, although the trip wasn’t a complete loss. His widow cooked them bistilla, a Moroccan dish that Robert and Liz remembered as one of the most delicious things they had ever eaten.

Their latest book, on Byzantine and early Islamic copper coins, was finished just before Robert moved to Frome Nursing Home in February 2025. The travelling may have changed, but the work hasn’t stopped!

A FAITH THAT HAS STAYED WITH HIM Running alongside all of it, quietly and consistently, was Robert's Christian faith. He served as churchwarden at Avington and went to Winchester Cathedral with Liz regularly. At Frome, the Rev. Seamus Hargrave, Vicar of St. John's Church, comes in once a month to lead a short service for any family member who wants to attend.

LIFE GOES ON AT FROME More than half a century on from that first coin in Turkey, the knowledge is still there. After a series of falls at home, Robert moved into Oakside Woodlands, one of the smaller households within Frome Nursing Home, only half a mile away from his home! Here he has a room with French windows, plenty of daylight, birds, and on the wall, a train calendar, a quiet nod to the railway line at the end of his childhood garden that started it all.

The team have noticed that Robert will sometimes speak Turkish during conversation, a thread that leads back to the years he and Liz spent living there. Kathy and Jonny visit regularly, while Liz continues to work alongside him on coin cataloguing. The work continues, the faith continues, and so does the life that brought him here.

Supporting Care Through Change: What to Expect at Care Show Birmingham 2026 The social care sector continues to navigate funding pressures, workforce shortages, evolving regulation and rapid advances in technology. That's why bringing the sector together has never been more important. On 7–8 October 2026, Care Show Birmingham returns to the NEC Birmingham, bringing together the people, insights and innovations helping to support care through change.

As the UK's leading event for the care community, Care Show Birmingham brings together practical learning, the latest innovations and thousands of care professionals. Whether you're an owner, director, registered manager or care professional, you'll leave with ideas, inspiration and valuable new connections.

When the exhibition closes on day one, the excitement continues with the return of Care Sector's Got Talent, hosted at the Care Show for the very first time. This much-loved evening event promises entertainment, networking and the chance to celebrate the incredible personalities that make the care sector so special.

DISCOVER THE LATEST INNOVATIONS Beyond the conference programme, visitors can explore more than 300 exhibitors showcasing the latest products, services and technologies supporting care providers.

From digital care planning and AI-powered solutions to recruitment, compliance, facilities management and resident wellbeing, the exhibition provides a unique opportunity to compare suppliers, experience live demonstrations and speak directly with the organisations driving innovation across the sector.

PRACTICAL LEARNING FOR TODAY'S CARE LEADERS With more than 200 expert speakers delivering an extensive CPDaccredited conference programme, Care Show Birmingham focuses on providing practical advice. Through keynote presentations, panel discussions and solution-focused sessions, delegates will hear directly from sector leaders, regulators and providers tackling the biggest issues affecting care today.

This year's programme centres around five key themes: • Future of care • Workforce sustainability • Funding pressures • Compliance and regulation • Technology and digital transformation The conference also welcomes an impressive line-up of speakers,

BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION

including Chris Badger, Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care and Integrated Care at CQC; Sarah McClinton, Chief Social Worker from the Department of Health and Social Care; Jeremy Richardson, CEO of Avery Healthcare; Raina Summerson, Group CEO of Agincare; Nitesh Somani, CEO of Kara Healthcare; Nye Brown, CEO of Hallmark Luxury Care Homes; Amrit Dhaliwal, CEO of Walfinch; and Baroness Glenys Thornton, Chair of the Social Care Institute of Excellence.

NEW FOR 2026 This year's event introduces several exciting new features designed specifically for senior leaders and business owners.

The brand-new Owners' & Directors' Forum has been created exclusively for strategic decision-makers. Dedicated to the realities of running a care business, the theatre explores everything from occupancy and commissioning to investment, business growth, funding challenges and long-term sustainability. It offers high-level content tailored specifically to those responsible for leading care organisations through change.

Alongside the forum, visitors can take advantage of the new Care Business Clinics. These informal drop-in sessions give care leaders the opportunity to speak directly with some of the sector's most experienced business experts, ask pressing questions and gain practical advice from professionals who have successfully built and grown care businesses themselves.

Care Show Birmingham brings together people from every corner of the sector because some of the best ideas don't come from presentations - they come from conversations. Whether that's with a speaker, another provider or an exhibitor, every discussion has the potential to spark something you can take back to your organisation.

Join us at the NEC Birmingham on 7–8 October 2026 and be part of the conversations shaping the future of care. Register for your free pass today: https://forms.reg.buzz/care-show-birmingham-2026/carer

PAGE 24 | ISSUE 298 | THE CARER DIGITAL

The Role of Colour and Finish in Creating Calmer Care Home Interiors

By Kathryn Lloyd, Colour Specialist, Crown Paints (www.crownpaintsprofessional.com ) corridors, lounges and dining spaces can support a clearer sense of place. Carefully chosen contrast can make key destinations easier to recognise.

This can be particularly valuable in dementia-friendly design, where residents may benefit from clear, consistent visual cues. Bedroom doors, bathroom entrances or dining room doorways can be picked out in a shade that contrasts with surrounding walls, helping residents identify the spaces they use most often. The key is to use colour with purpose: avoiding overly busy schemes but still providing familiar cues that support confidence and independence.

Bedrooms need particular care. These are personal spaces, so palettes should feel restful rather than overly stimulating, especially when paired with familiar furnishings and good natural light.

SUPPORTING STAFF AND VISITORS TOO

Care home design is about more than how a space looks. Interiors need to feel familiar for residents, reassuring for families and practical for the staff using them every day.

Colour plays a key role in setting that tone, helping spaces feel welcoming, homely and considered. In busy nursing and residential settings, the finish matters just as much. The right paint specification ensures carefully-chosen schemes can withstand daily use, regular cleaning and ongoing maintenance.

Moving away from clinical spaces Care homes are working environments, but they are also people’s homes. A considered colour scheme can soften spaces that might otherwise feel clinical or institutional.

Soft off-whites, gentle greens, muted blues and earthy shades can all bring a more domestic feel to bedrooms, lounges and communal dining areas. Crown Paints’ Victoria White, for example, offers a gentler alternative to stark white, and [insert warm, earthy shade] could add depth without making a space feel heavy.

The aim is not to make every room look the same. A successful scheme should feel connected, with enough variation to give each area its own purpose and identity.

DESIGNING WITH RESIDENTS IN MIND In care environments, colour choices should be shaped around the people using the space. Light, contrast and familiarity all influence how a room feels and how easily residents can navigate it.

Very bright whites can feel harsh, particularly under strong artificial lighting. Softer tinted whites and muted tones can still look clean and fresh but create a gentler backdrop for daily life.

Colour can also help define different areas. A shift in tone between

A well-designed care home must work for everyone. Staff spend long shifts in these environments, and families or visitors may arrive feeling anxious or emotional.

Reception areas, family rooms and quiet lounges can benefit from composed palettes that make the building feel approachable from the moment someone enters. Muted greens such as Crown Paints’ Glass Green can bring a grounded, restorative feel. A gentle yellow such as Narrative can create a more uplifting atmosphere in spaces that need a little warmth or energy.

Staff areas should not be overlooked. A well-finished break area can provide a welcome contrast to busy operational spaces, using warmer shades or deeper accents to create a clearer sense of separation from high-traffic areas.

BALANCING APPEARANCE WITH PERFORMANCE In care homes, a successful scheme is not just about choosing the right colours. It is about choosing products that can keep those spaces looking good.

Corridors, lounges, dining rooms and bedrooms all experience regular wear, from knocks and scuffs to frequent cleaning. Durable, washable finishes can help maintain a fresh appearance for longer and support the maintenance programme.

Crown Trade Clean Extreme Scrubbable Matt is designed for demanding interiors where walls need to withstand repeated cleaning and retain a high-quality matt finish. It is well suited to busy communal areas where durability and appearance both matters.

In bathrooms, ensuites, kitchens and laundry areas, moisture and humidity also need to be considered. Crown Trade Clean Extreme Mould Inhibiting Scrubbable Matt combines a durable, washable finish with mould-inhibiting properties, making it a practical option for these more challenging spaces.

Woodwork and trim are just as important. Door frames, skirting

boards, handrails and other high-contact surfaces need a finish that can cope with everyday use. Crown Trade Fastflow Quick Dry Satin and Crown Trade Fastflow Quick Dry Gloss provide durable options for interior woodwork. Their quick-drying formulations can also help reduce disruption during refurbishment works.

For areas where hygiene is a particular priority, such as treatment rooms or specialist spaces, Crown Trade Steracryl Anti-Bacterial Scrubbable Matt may also form part of the specification.

A CONSIDERED APPROACH The same principles apply across many care and healthcare environments: people respond better to spaces that feel human, considered and easy to spend time in. That does not mean making interiors overly decorative, but it does mean moving away from finishes and palettes that feel cold, clinical or impersonal.

Crown Trade’s work with Cygnet Kenney House in Oldham, a mental health hospital for women, reflects this approach. Colour was used as part of the wider design to create a more therapeutic, welcoming and non-clinical environment. The specification also needed to meet the practical demands of a busy healthcare setting.

For care homes, the lesson is clear. Colour, finish and durability should be considered together from the outset, so spaces not only look calmer and more inviting on day one but continue to feel well cared for over time.

When chosen carefully, tested in the space and paired with the right Crown Trade product specification, colour can help shape how a care home feels, functions and performs – supporting residents, reassuring visitors and making everyday maintenance easier for staff.

For more information about Crown Trade’s colour and specification support, visit: www.crownpaintsprofessional.com

Pioneering Heat Pump Installation Helps UK Hospice Cut Energy Costs by up to 40% and Carbon Emissions by 77% A large-scale renewable heating project at The Myton Hospices in Coventry is delivering significant benefits - and offering a replicable model for hospices across the UK. When The Myton Hospices began exploring ways to reduce their energy costs and carbon footprint, the scale of what needed to be achieved was immense. The result of that project is now being hailed as a UK first: a ten-unit air source heat pump cascade installation in an adult hospice setting, delivered by renewable heating specialists Go Geothermal in partnership with Neutral Hospice Network.

The project, completed in October 2025 at The Myton Hospice's distinctive triangular building in Coventry, has already produced results that exceed expectations. Since implementation, gas consumption has been reduced by 86%, carbon savings against the previous system stand at 77%, and target cost savings of 40% have been recorded. For a charity that receives less than 20% of its funding from the NHS and must raise more than £12 million each year through voluntary income, those figures are impressive and inspire hope for the sector.

THE CHALLENGE Built in 2009 Coventry Myton Hospice presented a complex brief.

With 190 rooms to heat and patients requiring uninterrupted comfort and tranquillity, any heating solution had to be robust, reliable and quiet in operation. At the same time, the organisation faced the financial pressures familiar to hospices nationwide: rising operational costs, increased demand for services and a funding model heavily dependent on charitable income.

Ruth Freeman, CEO of The Myton Hospices, explains the stakes clearly: "The reduction in our energy costs so far has been incredible. As a

charity, with less than 20% of our funding coming from the NHS, we rely heavily on the support of our local community to ensure people can access our specialist end of life care when they need it most. It costs more than £15 million each year to provide our services free of charge to patients and their families, and over £12 million of that must be raised through voluntary income.

We have a responsibility to make every pound count, and this project focuses on our long-term sustainability. At a time when many hospices are facing difficult decisions and having to reduce services and cut staff, this investment is helping us to protect patient care and ensure we can continue to be here for people living with life-limiting illnesses and their families now and in the future. We are incredibly proud to be the first hospice in the UK to implement this on such a scale."

THE TECHNOLOGY Neutral Hospice Network approached Go Geothermal in 2024 seeking expertise in large-scale renewable heating. Following detailed consultation and system design, the team specified ten CTC EcoAir 720m air source heat pumps operating in a cascade configuration: a system that intelligently distributes heating demand across multiple units, providing built-in redundancy, extended equipment lifespan and precise capacity matching to the building's requirements.

The CTC EcoAir 720m units, part of CTC's powerful 700 series, were selected for their high output capacity, low noise operation and advanced inverter technology, which maintains high coefficients of performance even in larger installations. Swedish-engineered and purpose-designed for multi-unit configurations, they proved well suited to the demanding requirements of a healthcare environment.

The installation, which also involved Hinckley Plumbing and Heating, Rob Berridge Heating Design Consultants and London Electrical, was completed with minimal disruption to hospice operations. The system now provides both heating and domestic hot water across the full 190-room building, maintaining average room temperatures of 23 degrees Celsius and delivering an average coefficient of performance of 4.86 against the 2022/23 baseline year.

SUPPORTING THE FUNDRAISING CASE Beyond the immediate operational savings, the project is also strengthening The Myton Hospices' position with trusts and grant funders. Across the sector, sustainability credentials are becoming an increasingly important factor in funding decisions, and the measurable performance data generated by the installation provides concrete evidence of responsible stewardship.

Jason Levy, Director of Fundraising and Supporter Development, The Myton Hospices, adds further insights: "We are increasingly seeing trusts and grant funders prioritise organisations that can demonstrate a genuine commitment to sustainability. Projects like this not only reduce our carbon footprint and operating costs, but also show funders that we are taking a proactive approach to securing Myton's future. As a result, trusts and grant funders may be more inclined to support Myton, knowing their investment will be used responsibly and deliver long-term benefits for both the charity and the communities we serve. By becoming more sustainable and efficient, we can focus even more on providing the best possible care for our patients and their families who rely on us."

A MODEL FOR THE SECTOR Go Geothermal, which has been working across commercial and domestic renewable heating installations for two decades, believes The Myton Hospices project establishes a new benchmark for the sector. The combination of a pioneering cascade configuration, measurable performance outcomes and the particular context of a hospice charity makes this installation a compelling case study for any similar organisation weighing up the transition to low-carbon heating.

Total energy consumption at the site has fallen by 50% compared to the 2022/23 baseline. As the system moves through its first full year of operation, ongoing performance monitoring will continue to build the evidence base for large-scale air source heat pump adoption in healthcare environments.

For more information about large-scale heat pump installations, contact Go Geothermal on 01388 720228 or sales@gogeothermal.co.uk

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 298 | PAGE 25

Inspiration, Innovation, Practical Learning and Leadership Take Centre Stage at the NACC Training & Development Forum 2026, 14th – 15th October As the countdown begins to the National Association of Care Catering A major keynote highlight of this year's event is sports psychologist (NACC) Training & Development Forum 2026, excitement is building Michael Caulfield, whose upbeat session is set to be one of the Forum's around a programme that promises to inform, inspire and equip care most anticipated presentations. Bringing his extensive experience and catering professionals with practical ideas they can put into action fresh perspective, Michael will challenge delegates to think differently, immediately. embrace innovation and lead positive change within their organisations.

Taking place across two days on 14th – 15th October in its new home For those unable to attend the full Forum, the NACC supplier exhibiof Hilton at St George's Park, Burton-upon-Trent, this year's Forum tion on Thursday 15th October offers a fantastic free opportunity for brings together an exceptional line-up of industry leaders, innovators health and social care catering professionals to discover the latest prodand specialists to explore the challenges and opportunities shaping the ucts, equipment and services, sample new food and drink innovations, future of care catering. Building on the success of previous years, the meet leading suppliers, network with peers and enjoy a programme of 2026 programme places an even greater emphasis on practical, handsinspiring live cookery demonstrations.* on learning through a series of interactive masterclasses alongside Whether you attend the full two-day Forum or visit the exhibition, the expert keynote presentations and invaluable networking opportunities.

NACC Training & Development Forum 2026 offers an unrivalled opporTogether, these sessions are designed to give delegates real-world tunity to gain fresh insights, experience practical learning first-hand, disskills, fresh inspiration and innovative ideas to enhance nutrition, wellbecover innovative solutions and leave inspired to raise standards across ing and the dining experience for those in their care. the care catering sector.

Complementing the educational programme will be a series of inspiring live cookery demonstrations Delegate places are still available. For further information visit showcasing creative techniques, innovative products and practical approaches to producing nutritious, https://www.nacctraininganddevelopmentforum.co.uk/ or scan the QR code appealing meals for those in care. Whether exploring texture-modified dining, presentation, menu inspiration *Exhibition-only registration provides access to the supplier exhibition and live cookery demonstrations or new ingredients, the demonstrations will provide valuable ideas that can be translated into everyday only. It does not include entry to the keynote presentations or interactive masterclasses, which are exclusive catering operations. to full Forum delegates.

International Dog Day: Care Home Staff Step In To Keep Army Veteran and His Faithful Friend Together Staff at a care home have stepped in to ensure a resident will not be separated from his adored dog.

Army veteran Mick Humphreys gave beloved Bo to his daughter when he moved into Royal Star & Garter in High Wycombe in January 2025. Since then, she has been able to bring the nine-year-old Welsh Border Collie cross to the Home while visiting her dad.

But changes in her circumstances meant she was unable to continue caring for the dog, prompting fears Bo would be rehoused and permanently separated from Mick. However, those concerns have been allayed thanks to staff at Royal Star & Garter.

Iuliana Hodson, Head of Dementia Services at the charity, heard of Mick's worries and stepped in to adopt Bo. It means she's able to bring the pooch to Mick whenever she's working at the High Wycombe Home.

Mick and Bo's friendship is being shared by Royal Star & Garter ahead of International Dog Day on 26 August, which celebrates dogs of all breeds and backgrounds.

It recognises the number of dogs that need to be rescued each year, and honours dogs that work selflessly to save lives, keep us safe and bring comfort.

Mick, who served in the 1st Battalion Royal Green Jackets between 1959and 1968, said: "I've had Bo since

he was a nine-week-old puppy, and he's a very easy-going, obedient dog. It was tough being separated from him when I came to Royal Star & Garter, but I knew he was being well looked after by my daughter, and that I'd still be able to see him. When I found out she could not care for him anymore, I was terrified I would never see him again. So I was incredibly relieved and at peace when Iuliana offered to have him."

Royal Star & Garter is a charity which provides loving, compassionate care and support to veterans and their families living with disability or dementia, from Homes in Solihull, Surbiton, High Wycombe and Worthing. It also runs services reaching out into the community including Day Care, Lunch Club and a national Telephone Friendship Service.

Iuliana said: "One of the charity's values is 'As a family', and Bo really is part of the family here. Every time I bring Bo in, he's so excited to see Mick. And the residents and relatives are excited to see him. They welcome him and give him treats, and they all know he's Mick's dog. The staff are also amazing and support me with anything he needs."

Bo's regular visits have also led to unexpected benefits for Mick. Iuliana explained: "It motivates Mick to walk more because we take Bo out in our gardens. The plan is to take Bo to a nearby park for a nice walk soon."

Residents Driving Positive Changes In Social Care Across Wokingham Borough Residents across Wokingham Borough are playing an active role in helping organisations identify barriers early and make practical improvements. shaping the future of adult social care, helping influence local serThe group aims to help create communities where everyone feels welcome vices, strengthen community connections and raise awareness of the and included. The group is made up of twelve residents and three local projects support available in their communities, according to an annual Social have already benefited from their input.

Care Future update.

Changes influenced by residents in previous years are also continuing to The update comes as the Independent Commission on Adult Social make a difference. Since improvements were made to disabled bus pass Care launches its Big Conversation on Care, a national engagement arrangements, approximately 61,000 additional journeys have been made, helpexercise gathering people’s views and experiences to help shape the ing people travel to work, attend appointments and stay connected to their future of care across England. communities.

The report highlights the difference resident involvement is already A major focus during the year has been helping people better understand making locally, from improving accessibility and strengthening comsocial care and the role it can play in helping people live the lives they want to munity support to helping shape services and the way adult social lead. This has included taking part in the national Gloriously Ordinary Language care is delivered across the borough. programme, which is helping make communications clearer, kinder and more Image credit: © Wokingham Borough Council Residents have worked alongside the council and partners to influhuman. The learning is already influencing support plans, recruitment materials, ence how services are designed, what they should achieve and who letters, forms and public communications. is best placed to deliver them. Their experiences, ideas and feedback are helping ensure local decisions Cllr David Hare, executive member for adult services and public health, said: “Social care affects all our reflect what matters most to people. lives, yet too often people only think about it when they, or someone they love, need support.

People who draw on care and support are also helping shape who works in Adult Social Care. Through “This update shows the difference that can be made when people use their personal experience of care interview panels and recruitment activities, residents have helped appoint 17 members of staff so far. and support to help shape what happens locally. Residents are helping improve accessibility, influence More than 30 residents have worked in paid roles on projects alongside the council and partner organisa- decisions, strengthen community support and make Wokingham Borough a more inclusive place to live. tions, helping redesign services, spaces and strategies across the system. Many more have helped shaped “We are proud that our commitment to working alongside residents was recognised by the Care Quality work by sharing their views in community conversations and surveys.

Commission through its Outstanding rating for partnerships and community collaboration.

Launched this year, the Inclusive Design Group brings local people together to help improve accessibility “There is still more to do, but the progress made over the past year demonstrates what can be achieved across Wokingham Borough. Members share their real-world experiences at the planning and design stage, when residents, communities, partners and the council work together to create positive change.”

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Waste Management Specialist Appointed To Help Care Homes Save Thousands Of Pounds A Year Anenta, the leading independent healthcare waste management specialist, has appointed waste expert Jonathan Sandford as Business Development Manager dedicated to the care home sector.

Brought on board to boost Anenta’s growing care home client base, Jonathan brings more than 35 years of waste industry experience – from running his own document shredding business to leading nationwide sales teams at a plc level. His appointment comes as Anenta accelerates its mission to help care homes eliminate unnecessary costs that can run into thousands of pounds a year.

In his new role, Jonathan will oversee the management of Anenta’s existing waste contracts, ensuring that care home waste logistics, service delivery, and waste disposal performance levels are industry leading. He will also be responsible for delivering bespoke, affordable and professional end-to-end waste management solutions to the care and nursing home sector.

Commenting on his new role, Jonathan said: “Our research shows that individual care homes are wasting up to £8,000 a year through poor waste management process and procurement. Across multiple sites, that adds up fast — and it's largely avoidable.

“My role is to help care homes put a stop to that by changing poor waste disposal habits and practices, so that we can deliver a better service that saves them time and money.

“I’ll be working with care homes to identify overbilling, reform waste disposal habits, deliver better staff training, and provide guidance on conducting complex pre-acceptance audits – all designed to take the

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.

CareZips® Classic have many benefits for the older and disabled users and their carers: • People dressing themselves enjoy the practical functionality and versatility of the CareZips® Classic, all day comfort and easy garment care.

administrative burden off care home teams so they can focus on what matters: resident care.”

Using Anenta's real-time smart technology, care homes, their waste collection providers, and other stakeholders are brought together onto a single, unified management platform that provides full transparency. This allows efficiencies to be identified, implemented and measured, delivering significant and meaningful cost savings year after year.

Commenting on Jonathan’s appointment, Graham Flynn, Managing Director of Anenta, said: "Jonathan has the perfect combination of sector knowledge, commercial expertise, and an unwavering commitment to delivering added value to our customers.

“Alongside his expertise in waste management, Jonathan is perfectly placed to help care homes streamline their processes saving time, hassle and money."

As part of its service, Anenta offers care homes a free healthcare waste audit designed to identify areas for improvement that could save care home groups many thousands of pounds a year. These can be booked by calling 0330 122 2143.

Anenta supports customers across more than 20,000 locations nationwide, including individual care homes and large care home groups. Over the past five years, the company has saved its clients more than £13 million through smarter, more efficient waste management.

For more information about Anenta, visit www.anentawaste.com or call 030 122 2143.

• 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 864866 www.win-health.com See the advert on page 3 for further information on Win Health’s product range.

Serve in Style with Euroservice Trolleys Watch your resident's eyes light up when the trolley arrives!

Euroservice trolleys can also be used as a vending trolley or to sell personal care products to residents. How about a delicious snack/pastry trolley or even a drinks trolley for that afternoon tipple?

Your lovely trolley could do so much for you and your residents!

Visit the website at www.euroservice-uk.com to see the full range.

See the advert on page 9 for further information.

Dinan Way - Professional Laundry and Linen Support for Care Homes and Local Businesses Laundry and linen management are essential parts of running a professional care setting or hospitality business. From fresh bed linen and towels to uniforms and regular textile care, standards must be maintained every day. Dinan Way offers a dependable laundry and linen service designed to support organisations that need consistency, quality and a practical approach.

Based in Exmouth, Dinan Way operates from a location that has been associated with laundry services for more than 20 years. This local background is matched by a service that continues to grow as more businesses look for reliable support with their laundry and linen needs.

The company provides commercial laundry services, linen care, towel laundry, uniform washing, textile support and linen rental. Its linen rental service is particularly useful for care homes, nursing homes, guest accommodation, serviced apartments, hotels, restaurants, cafés, salons and gyms, helping them accessfresh, well-presented linen without the need to purchase, store or manage large quanti-

ties themselves.

For nursing homes and care homes, reliable laundry support is especially important. Clean linen, fresh towels and well-maintained textiles help protect hygiene standards, support resident comfort and make day-to-day operations easier for staff. Dinan Way understands that these services are not just about presentation; they are part of the smooth running of a professional environment.

Collection and return are also available, making the process straightforward for organisations with regular requirements. By taking care of linen and laundry needs, Dinan Way helps businesses save time, reduce pressure on staff and maintain the standards their customers, residents and clients expect.

Although its main focus is commercial laundry and linen support, Dinan Way also assists private customers with household laundry, bedding, towels and everyday clothing.

More information can be found at www.dinanway.com See the advert on page 9.

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, built knowing the control of healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) are a priority for healthcare providers, and who are employing a combination of infection prevention and control strategies, including hand hygiene, cleaning, training and the adoption of new technologies, to tackle the problem.

As a result, a wide range of 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.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 298 | PAGE 27

HYDRATION AND NUTRITION

One Plate Fits All? Why Specialist Menus Are So Important In Care Settings

By Abi Brumpton, Nutritionist at AVE (www.a-v-e.com) Each meal time in a residential care setting, the catering team have around 30 people who require food preparing, cooking and serving for them. With an average of three staff members to do all of this, and three meals needed every single day, the simplest solution would be to offer a set menu for everyone.

But in reality, mealtimes are about so much more than putting something on a plate. Individualised diets are, in fact, so crucial to the health and wellbeing of those living in the setting that the additional time and effort should be factored in to ensure everyone has something to eat and drink which suits their exact requirements.

There are many reasons why – but let’s look at five key considerations:

1. TEXTURE REQUIREMENTS A review of research into the prevalence of dysphagia among the care home population in 2024 found approximately 60% of residents had some degree of difficulty swallowing. The IDSSI framework sets out eight texture stages for food and drink, meaning careful consideration – in partnership with nutritionists and speech and language therapists – must be given to each person’s needs, with ongoing reviews given the likelihood of changes over time.

People with a range of conditions from Parkinson’s to dementia, as well as those who have experienced a stroke, are most likely to be impacted; and the consequences if their food is not appropriately prepared can be severe: malnutrition, dehydration and weight loss can all occur if they are unable to ingest meals, while aspiration pneumonia (which has a mortality rate of up to 70%) can occur if food and drink enters the lungs.

2. ALLERGEN RISKS Around 6% of adults have a diagnosed food allergy, as reported by Anaphylaxis UK, with Imperial College London finding rates rose from a 0.4% prevalence to 1.1% in the decade between 2008 and 2018. This increase can be attributed to a number of factors, such as better diagnosis rates, as well as environmental factors, lifestyle and stress.

With catering teams likely therefore to have at least one resident in their care with an allergy – not forgetting those who have intolerances to certain ingredients – it is essential to personalise meals. Not only should staff ensure menus are tailored to avoid allergens, but cross contamination is also an important consideration. This is especially true in the case of severe allergies where anaphylaxis can be triggered through a very small amount being ingested, or where symptoms also occur through touching the allergen.

3. CULTURAL SENSITIVITY While not everyone strictly follows the dietary requirements associated with their religion, there are a significant proportion of people within the UK for whom avoiding certain foods is an integral part of their culture.

With 3.9 million people identifying as Muslim and one million as Hindu in the last Census, every care setting must take into consideration the religious rules that individuals follow – such as the halal diet of Muslims, who avoid pork and alcohol, and the avoidance of beef for Hindus, many of whom are vegetarians.

Even where faith is not a factor, there are other cultural considerations to bear in mind: those from different ethnic backgrounds may have grown up eating specific diets, so offering meals they are familiar helps encourage residents to eat enough. Particularly for those with dementia, serving favourite foods can help support their wellbeing by evoking happy memories of mealtimes from their past.

4. VEGANS AND VEGETARIANS The number of people who follow vegan or vegetarian diets has skyrocketed in recent years, meaning care home staff must be more cognisant of offering plant-based and meat-free alternatives than ever. The Vegetarian Society estimates there are now 3 million UK residents who follow either a meat-free or animalproduct free diet.

Others may choose to limit the amount of meat and animal produce they eat, meaning a selection of options should be available to cater for everyone’s preferences. With the market responding to the sharp rise in numbers, the variety of ingredients now on offer makes ensuring vegan and vegetarian diets are varied, appetising and high-quality easier than ever.

5. EMPOWERING CHOICE Particularly for care home residents who have previously lived independently, the move into a residential setting represents the stripping away of many of their choices. Becoming reliant on others around the clock and adapting to a new, unfamiliar routine can be unsettling –particularly for those with dementia, adding to the confusion they may feel about their surroundings and circumstances.

So, empowering individuals to choose their meals where feasible, or at least offering them food and drink which replicates what they would have chosen for themselves, is vital in many ways. Eating familiar foods or following ‘normal’ routines can support that transition into care home living, and mealtimes can be promoted as a time for socialising, reminiscing, and positivity – all of which not only boosts wellbeing, but helps encourage people to eat what’s on their plates.

Food heavily influences our health and wellbeing, meaning the link between individual meal plans and resident outcomes is undeniable in care settings. Offering familiar, culturally appropriate, allergen-free meals which align with the person’s preferences and health needs is truly a measure of a care home providing the very highest standards of support for its residents. It’s about seeing mealtimes as so much more than a simple ‘one plate fits all’ affair, instead as an opportunity to boost the quality of life for everyone in the setting.

A Tale From The Manor The beginnings of Tea From The Manor is a delightfully simple story. The proprietor, James Green was in the 3rd Royal Horse Artillery in the Army where he spent many years in active service.

Spending time in Northern Ireland, Cyprus and Hong Kong. It was while in Hong Kong, stationed with the Ghurkhas, he learnt all about tea. A passion that has stayed with him for many years.

James began Tea From The Manor in 2011 when, along with his daughter Charlotte, they took a few different flavoured teas to a farmer's market.

Over a decade later we have grown as a company, bringing you the finest full leaf teas from the best tea gardens around the world. We provide loose leaf, tea bags and tea envelopes along with accessories such as tea presentation boxes and tea pots.

We supply the finest restaurants, cafes, garden centres and care homes all across the UK. Recently Tea From The Manor was awarded the Best Initiative in Care Award at the 2025 Caring UK Awards for its development of tea specially created for people who have dysphagia.

Four different flavours have been produced to provide a wide range of flavours for residents with dysphagia. Green Tea and Mint, Red Berry, English Breakfast and Earl Grey are all on the menu, giving residents of care homes a diverse selection. With the herbal and fruit tea options being decaffeinated, this further adds to a varied choice for residents.

Although making a drink which would be safe and nutritious for residents with dysphagia was vital, making sure that it tasted nice and would be a drink that could be enjoyed was of equal importance.

With decades of experience in tasting and developing the finest teas, James was able to bring his knowledge and passion to the process.

"I was particularly excited by this project in terms of finding flavours that would work well with the thickening agents used in drinks. We tried a lot of combinations to get every blend just right. Residents each have their own taste memory so we wanted to make sure we could represent as many of them as we could."

We are a proud family run business that cares for our customers and our environment, all of our silky tea bags are biodegradable. We are Green by name and Green by nature.

Call 01477 771 811 or visit www.teafromthemanor.co.uk for more information.

Serve in Style with Euroservice Trolleys Watch your residents' eyes light up when the trolley arrives! Whether it's a freshly brewed cup of tea, an afternoon treat or a favourite drink, an attractive service trolley can transform everyday refreshments into a memorable part of the day. Euroservice's British-made trolleys combine style with practicality, offering a durable alternative to traditional metal trolleys while being suitable for cleaning with antibacterial sprays.

Beyond food and drink service, Euroservice trolleys provide care homes with a versatile solution that can enhance both resident wellbeing and operational efficiency.

When not being used for meal or beverage service, they can be quickly repurposed as mobile vending stations offering toiletries and personal care products, or as snack and pastry trolleys for residents and visitors. Their elegant appearance helps create a

more welcoming, homely environment while supporting person-centred care through flexible, accessible service.

With more than 40 years' experience manufacturing high-quality trolleys in the UK, Euroservice offers an extensive range for the care sector, including tea, drinks, dessert, chilled and clearing trolleys, alongside bespoke options tailored to individual care home requirements. Combining robust construction with attractive design, they are built to enhance daily service while complementing the surroundings of modern residential and nursing homes.

Visit the website at www.euroservice-uk.com to see the full range.

See the advert on page 9 for further information.

PAGE 28 | ISSUE 298 | THE CARER DIGITAL

NURSE CALL AND FALLS MONITORING From Analogue to Action: Rethinking Digital Nurse Call for Better Care

By Stuart Barclay, healthcare technology specialist at Syndora Alto (https://syndoraalto.com) The analogue-to-digital transition in health and social care is not simply a technology refresh. It is a chance to rethink how help is requested, how staff respond, and how care is coordinated across a home.

Too often, procurement still begins with a like-for-like mindset: replace the old panel, keep the old workflow, and hope for a better result. But digital nurse call should not be bought as a newer version of an old problem.

It should be purchased as part of a wider care model that improves visibility, response, accountability, and resident experience.

START WITH THE OUTCOME Before comparing systems, providers should define the problem they are trying to solve. Is the issue slow response times, poor escalation, noisy environments, duplicated paperwork, or a lack of oversight? The right solution should be judged against those outcomes, not against a checklist of features.

This matters because modern nurse call is no longer just about a resident pressing a button and a sounder going off. In better-designed systems, alerts can be routed directly to staff mobile devices, calls can be prioritised, and managers can see patterns in demand and response. That creates a more responsive and less fragmented way of working.

TEST IT IN REAL LIFE A presentation is not a demonstration. A brochure cannot show how a system behaves during a busy morning shift, when several alerts happen at once and staff are moving across different parts of the home.

That is why live testing in a real care environment is essential. Staff should be able to use the system, question it, and pressure-test it before any decision is made. If the workflow is clunky in practice, the promise of digital efficiency disappears very quickly.

INTEGRATION IS THE REAL VALUE One of the biggest mistakes in purchasing technology is treating integration as a nice-to-have. In reality, it is central to whether the system adds value.

When nurse call works alongside care records, mobility devices, alarm management, and internal communi-

cation tools, the result is less duplication and faster decision-making. When systems do not connect, staff are left repeating tasks, chasing information, and working around the technology rather than with it.

For care providers, that means the question should not be, “What does this system do on its own?” The better question is, “How well does it fit into everything else we already use?”

BUY SUPPORT, NOT JUST HARDWARE Digital systems do not end at installation. They begin there. Any provider selecting a nurse call platform should think carefully about what happens after go-live: training, maintenance, updates, fault resolution, and ongoing optimisation.

Care homes need suppliers who understand the realities of the sector, not just the technology. A strong supplier relationship should include responsive support, practical training, and a willingness to adapt as the home’s needs change. In digital care, support is not an extra service; it is part of the product.

CHOOSE FLEXIBILITY OVER LOCK-IN The biggest risk in this transition is buying something that cannot evolve. Care homes are operating in a fastchanging environment, and technology that cannot scale or adapt soon becomes a constraint rather than an asset.

Future-ready systems should be designed to expand, integrate, and respond to changing needs without requiring a complete replacement every few years. That flexibility is especially important in a sector facing pressure to modernise ahead of the 2027 digital switchover.

A BETTER QUESTION TO ASK The analogue era encouraged a narrow question: does the system work?

The digital era demands a better one: does the system help us deliver safer, smarter, more person-centred care?

That shift in mindset changes everything. It moves procurement away from hardware replacement and towards care improvement. It encourages providers to look for visibility, integration, responsiveness, and longterm support rather than simply ticking a technical box.

The homes that get this right will not just be compliant with the digital transition. They will be better equipped to use technology as part of everyday care, supporting staff and improving the experience of residents.

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

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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 Pager Floor sensor mat Wireless door/window exit alerts

TREADNOUGHT ®FLOOR SENSOR PAD The TreadNought® Floor Sensor Pad is built to last with a durable con-

struction that far out lasts the competition. Our anti-bacterial floor sensor pad is compatible with most nurse call systems or can be used with a portable pager to sound an alert when a person steps on to the sensor pad. Caregivers typically place the sensor pad at the bedside, in a doorway or other locations to monitor persons at risk for falls or wandering. An optional anti-slip mesh reduces the potential for slippage on hard surface floors.

FEATURES INCLUDE: Connects directly to most nurse call systems High Quality anti-bacterial Floor Sensor Pad Large Size Pad: Measures (L) 91cm x (H) 61cm Options (sold separately): Anti-slip mesh for hard surface floors See the advert on this page for further details or visit www.fallsavers.co.uk.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 298 | PAGE 29

NURSE CALL AND FALLS MONITORING

Courtney Thorne Leads the Way in Wireless Nurse Call Technology for UK Care Homes In today’s complex care environment, we understand that choosing the right technology is about far more than functionality alone. For care providers, reliability, sustainability, and supply chain resilience are critical factors—especially when it comes to nurse call systems that play such a vital role in resident safety and day-to-day operations.

At Courtney Thorne, we are proud to champion the “Made in Britain” mark. For us, this is not simply about where our systems are manufactured; it reflects our commitment to quality, accountability, and supporting the UK care sector. By designing and building our nurse call systems here in Britain, we can ensure they are developed with a deep understanding of the real challenges faced by care homes, resulting in solutions that are practical, reliable, and easy to use.

Manufacturing in the UK also allows us to maintain close control over our supply chain—something that has become increasingly important in recent years. Global disruptions have highlighted the risks of relying on complex, overseas supply networks. By keeping our production local, we are able to offer greater consistency, shorter lead times, and improved access to parts and upgrades. This means our customers can rely on continuity, even in uncertain times, with minimal risk of disruption to their services.

Sustainability is another area where we believe local manufacturing makes a meaningful difference. By reducing the need for long-distance transportation and focusing on robust, long-lasting system design, we help care providers lower their environmental impact. We are committed to creating solutions that not only meet today’s needs but are built to last—reducing waste and supporting more sustainable care environments over the long term.

Of course, delivering high-quality technology is only part of the picture.

We know that ongoing support is essential. That’s why our UK-based technical team is on hand to provide expert assistance, from installation and training through to maintenance and rapid response when it matters most. Our proximity allows us to respond quickly and effectively, giving our customers the confidence that support is always within reach.

At Courtney Thorne, we believe that care homes deserve technology they can depend on—both now and in the future. By combining British manufacturing, sustainable practices, a resilient supply chain, and dedicated local support, we are proud to deliver nurse call systems that underpin safe, effective, and reliable care every day.

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

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 2 for more information.

PAGE 30 | ISSUE 298 | THE CARER DIGITAL

TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE

The Changing Face of Telephony in the UK: A Survival Guide for Care Providers

By Eric Toll, MD, 123Telecom Limited (www.123telecom.co.uk)

Almost 10 years ago, Openreach announced a definitive shift: the UK telecoms industry would transition entirely to digital VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) telephony. This is not merely an upgrade; it is a total replacement of all traditional analogue and ISDN lines.

With the official "switch-off" of traditional telephony planned for January 2027, every business in the UK— especially those in the care sector—must now treat digital transformation as an immediate operational priority.

For care homes, this is not just about technology; it is about resilience, safety, and continuity.

daily investment to ensure your home remains connected.

3.Redundancy is Key: Avoid providers offering "dual FTTP" services, as they usually share the same fibre route back to the exchange. If that optic fails, both lines go down simultaneously. Instead, combine FTTP with a secondary technology, like a 4G/5G mobile SIM backup or StarLink satellite service.

4.Hardware Matters: Consider Resilience VoIP handsets with integral SIM cards. These devices can be switched to mobile data if the wired internet drops. Furthermore, install mini-UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) on all critical desk phones and Internet equipment to ensure your phones remain operational in the event of a power outage.

UNDERSTANDING VOIP: MORE THAN JUST INTERNET CALLS At its core, VoIP is simple: your voice is converted into digital data packets and sent across the internet to your provider, who then routes it to the receiver. It is efficient, cost-effective, and flexible. However, unlike traditional landlines that draw power from the exchange, VoIP relies entirely on your local internet connection. When you disconnect from the old copper network, you disconnect from the traditional safety net of "always-on" power. This is where resilience planning moves from an IT concern to a safeguarding necessity.

RESILIENCE PLANNING: SAFEGUARDING YOUR HOME Reliable communication is the heartbeat of a care home. If your internet fails, your phones should continue to work. When planning for this transition to VoIP, you must prepare for the unexpected: total loss of your main Internet connection, power outages and maybe even router or switch failures.

1. Prioritise Physical Stability: Avoid relying on Wi-Fi for your desk phones.

Wi-Fi can introduce unnecessary problems and failure points. Use physical Ethernet cabling to connect handsets directly to your network.

2.The Gold Standard of Internet Connectivity: Ideally, you should secure a dedicated "Leased Line" with auto failover to Fibre-To-The-Premises (FTTP) backup. While Leased Lines are a premium service, consider the cost against the daily operational risk—it often amounts to a modest

they are reachable whether they are at the nurses' station, in the garden, or on the move.

On-Premises systems can carry heavy upfront equipment and setup costs, ongoing support fees, and rigid licensing. Conversely, Cloud solutions operate on a simple "per-user" model, typically including unlimited calls, analytics, and CRM integration. Because the "system" lives in the cloud, it is inherently easier to update and maintain. Your telephony system should work wherever you have an internet connection, allowing you to manage communications across an entire care group from a single dashboard.

BUYER BEWARE: NAVIGATING THE MARKET As the 2027 deadline approaches, you may encounter aggressive sales tactics. Here are a few golden rules to protect your business: • Avoid Long Contracts: There is no industry justification for a five-year or seven-year contract. Two or three years is becoming the new standard. Be wary of providers using high-pressure tactics or offering "extra discounts" to sign immediately on the spot.

• Clarify Ownership: Ensure the contract explicitly states who owns the equipment. Avoid lease contracts if possible; if the suåpplier stops trading, the lease company will still expect payment in full. Ideally, buy the equipment outright or arrange credit terms with a defined ownership outcome.

• Look for All-In Packages: Avoid hidden management fees or extra costs for features like call recording or analytics, as many providers offer them included within a transparent, inclusive price.

• Do Your Due Diligence: Always check the provider’s reputation on independent sites like Google Reviews and consult the Ofcom website to ensure you are dealing with a regulated, reputable entity.

CONCLUSION CLOUD VS. ON-PREMISES: THE GREAT SHIFT The last decade has seen a seismic movement away from traditional On-Premises PABX systems. With industry giants like Panasonic, Samsung, and NEC exiting the marketplace, these outdated systems are becoming increasingly unsupported and difficult to maintain.

For the vast majority of care providers, Cloud Telephony is now regarded as the superior solution. It offers seamless integration across any number of locations—perfect for care groups managing several homes—and allows staff to use mobile Apps as extensions, ensuring

The transition to digital telephony is inevitable, but it does not have to be painful. By treating this transition as a strategic opportunity to build resilience and improve mobile working, care providers can ensure their homes are better connected and safer than ever before. Take the time to audit your infrastructure now, avoid long-term traps, and ensure that your care home remains the reliable, communicative environment your residents and their families depend on. Find a service provider who offers both phones and connectivity with an established reputation in the industry.

See the advert on page 11.

Smarter Workforce Management: Supporting Better Care Every Day Care providers across the UK and Ireland are facing increasing pressure.

Rising costs, recruitment challenges, changing workforce expectations and growing compliance requirements all make it harder to deliver high quality care while maintaining efficient day to day operations.

As these challenges continue, more organisations are investing in workforce management technology to reduce manual administration, improve workforce visibility and give managers the tools they need to make informed decisions.

Today’s workforce management solutions do far more than record hours worked. They help care providers simplify scheduling, manage absence, support compliance and improve communication across the organisation, freeing up valuable time for managers to focus on their people and residents.

SMARTER SCHEDULING Creating and maintaining rotas is one of the most time consuming responsibilities for care managers. Balancing staffing levels, employee availability, skills and compliance while responding to last minute changes can quickly become a daily challenge.

Modern workforce management systems simplify the process through intelligent scheduling, automated rostering and real time visibility of staffing levels. Employee self service also allows staff to view their schedules, request leave and swap shifts, reducing the administrative burden on managers while giving employees greater flexibility.

BETTER VISIBILITY OF YOUR WORKFORCE Managing absence is about more than filling shifts. Without clear insight into workforce trends, organisations often find themselves reacting to issues rather than preventing them.

With accurate workforce data and reporting, managers can monitor absence patterns, identify recurring issues and make better workforce planning decisions. This proactive approach helps reduce disruption, control costs and support continuity of care.

LESS ADMINISTRATION, MORE TIME FOR CARE Administrative tasks are an essential part of running a care organisation, but they shouldn’t take time away from supporting staff and residents.

By bringing time and attendance, scheduling, leave management and workforce reporting together in one system, providers can reduce manual processes, improve payroll accuracy and maintain the records needed for compliance with confidence.

The result is a more efficient operation where managers spend less time on paperwork and more time supporting their teams.

TECHNOLOGY THAT SUPPORTS PEOPLE Technology will never replace the people who deliver care. Its role is to remove unnecessary administration, provide better visibility and make everyday workforce management simpler.

As the care sector continues to evolve, organisations need solutions that are flexible enough to adapt to changing demands while helping them maintain the highest standards of care.

For more than 35 years, Softworks has worked with organisations across the UK and Ireland to simplify workforce management, improve operational efficiency and support better outcomes for employees, managers and the people they care for.

To find out how Softworks can support your organisation, visit www.softworks.com, email hello@softworks.com or speak to our team on +44 (0)1527 888 060.

PAGE 32 | ISSUE 298 | THE CARER DIGITAL

TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL

Cyber Security In Social Care: Progress Is Real, But So Is The Threat

By Daniel O’Shaughnessy, Head of Programme Delivery, Digital Care Hub (www.digitalcarehub.co.uk)

REAL PROGRESS, RISING RISK

WHY THE SUPPLY CHAIN MATTERS

There is a positive story to tell about cyber security in adult social care. Across England, more providers than ever are engaging with data protection and cyber resilience. By the 30 June 2026 deadline, almost 76.5% of CQC-registered adult social care services had an up-to-date Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) in place. That includes 22,429 services, with almost 14,500 publishing for at least three years in a row.

At Digital Care Hub, we believe that record completion rate reflects genuine awareness and engagement. More providers are reviewing policies, training staff and improving systems. But the DSPT is a foundation, not a finish line. Cyber security depends on everyday habits: spotting suspicious emails, removing old accounts, installing updates, checking backups and reporting problems quickly.

Supply chain risk is particularly important in social care. Providers increasingly rely on digital care records, eMAR systems, rostering tools, finance platforms, NHSmail, shared care records and data sharing with NHS and local authority partners. These links support safer, faster and more joined-up care, but they also make providers part of a much larger digital network.

You may not be the target, but you may still be the victim. If a supplier, shared system or partner organisation is compromised, your service may be disrupted. Providers need to know who they rely on, what access those organisations have, what data they hold and how quickly they would notify you if something went wrong.

INCIDENTS ARE CHANGING The threat is changing too. Not every cyber incident is a deliberate attack. Many begin with an ordinary mistake, such as information being sent to the wrong person, a weak password, a lost device or access left open after someone changes role.

At the same time, criminal attacks are becoming more convincing. The UK Government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025/2026 found that 43% of UK businesses had experienced a cyber breach or attack in the previous 12 months, with phishing still the most common type. AI is accelerating the problem. Scam emails, fake invoices, cloned voices and impersonation attempts are becoming easier to produce and harder to spot.

We recently warned care providers about a fake Home Office email designed to steal login details for the UK Visas and Immigration Sponsor Management System. It looked official, used urgent compliance language and directed providers to log in. In some cases, a provider’s certificates were assigned to workers in return for large payments.

The consequences can be serious: disrupted care, exposed confidential information, financial loss, identity fraud and problems with staffing or sponsorship. A ransomware attack can also block access to care plans, medication records or rotas when staff need them most.

BUILD CYBER SECURITY INTO EVERYDAY CARE Good cyber security protects people’s privacy and dignity, supports safer care and reduces disruption. It also builds confidence with families, commissioners, regulators and NHS partners.

The basics need to become routine. Keep the DSPT up to date. Train staff regularly. Use strong passwords and multi-factor authentication. Remove access when people leave. Update devices and software.

Back up important information and test that it can be restored.

Access to digital data must also be part of every business continuity plan. If care planning, medication records, rotas, payroll, email or the internet went down, how would you continue safely? Where are emergency contacts kept? How would staff access the information they need?

Some risks are easy to overlook. Shared tablets, old accounts, personal devices, printer trays, paper files and supplier remote access can all create weaknesses. Managers do not need to become technical experts, but they do need to ask practical questions and make it easy for staff to report mistakes quickly.

FREE SUPPORT FOR PROVIDERS We are expanding our free support through Digital Health Checks, helping adult social care providers test whether their data protection and cyber security arrangements are working in practice. After a successful pilot in early 2026, the service is being rolled out across England through 32 local support organisations.

The checks are practical and judgement-free, with clear recommendations to help providers improve.

Record DSPT completion is a brilliant achievement, but the next step is turning those commitments into everyday practice. Cyber security is strongest when it becomes part of how care services work every day – protecting people, supporting staff and building trust.

The sector should be proud of its progress. The next challenge is consistency: making sure safe habits are built into every service, every supplier relationship and every continuity plan.

Visit www.digitalcarehub.co.uk/cybersecurity

Employment Law and Settling Disputes In The Care Sector

By Edward Pearce, Senior Associate at Markel Law LLP (https://uk.markel.com/law)

As a solicitor advising the care sector, I see every day the challenges employers have in managing their employment procedures. The main procedure which regulates conduct and performance is that related to disciplinary. The focus of any employer’s disciplinary procedure is to encourage improvement within a formal framework, but it can also be used to dismiss employees in serious cases.

Often the same tricky themes relating to the disciplinary procedure can arise: 1. Finding suitable staff can be challenging so applying the procedure pragmatically can help retain staff.

However, this approach risks inconsistency and the potential undermining of a zero-tolerance approach.

For example, the same accusation might be levelled at two employees, but you choose to keep one (because they do a good job will be difficult to replace) and dismiss the other another.

2. Demonstrating good care practice may involve staff accountability for mistakes but it is often hard to evidence what has happened and demonstrate that accountability. For example, if staff work overnight or at weekends there may not be a manager or other relevant witness present to evidence what went wrong. Without witness evidence it is difficult to conduct a fair disciplinary procedure, but even in this situation the gravity of the mistake may still demand accountability.

3. A manager or carer who is good at the day-to-day aspects of their work won’t necessarily be able to manage a robust disciplinary procedure. This means the procedure may be followed without the rigour required to make it strong and reliable.

4. The care environment is continuous. It involves many complex procedures such as safeguarding, hoisting residents, managing medication, private care needs and food safety. In such a procedure-driven environ-

ment, failures can often occur leading to serious issues that need to be managed.

5. In an environment where employees have to work together for long shifts, personality clashes or inappropriate comments between colleagues are common.

IMPACT OF THE EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS BILL The introduction of the Employment Rights Bill will make these issues more challenging. In particular from January 2027, employees will only need six months continuous employment service to claim unfair dismissal rights. This means dismissing employees with six months to two years continuous employment service will become more complicated as there will need to be a fair reason for any dismissal and a procedure will need to be followed.

HOW EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS INTERACT WITH THE DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURE If employees do not have a contract of employment, then common law duties will apply and regulate what happens. However, common law may make it harder for the employer because it doesn’t account for the complexities of the care sector.

Specific contracts of employment and procedures adapted for care sector work are therefore important. If a disciplinary procedure sets out that abuse of a resident is a zero-tolerance dismissal offence, then it will be easier to be robust on this issue. Additional contractual clauses such as not being allowed a mobile phone on shift or not leaving the shift until the handover employee arrives can also be useful in enforcing certain behaviours. Contract restrictions for senior employees can stop them leaving and going to a nearby establishment and potentially taking staff with them.

THE IMPORTANCE OF INDUCTIONS, PROBATIONARY PERIODS AND TRAINING Having a well organised induction, probationary period and training is essential for meeting health and safety requirements and encouraging a constructive employment experience. If employees feel safe and positive about the terms of their engagement and duties, it helps to create a settled environment and retention.

Giving staff training opportunities will provide extra skills. If the training is external and involves a fee, this can be reflected in an upfront training undertaking, such that they will need to pay back the cost of the training if they leave within, say, a 12-month period on the terms agreed. This encourages more skills and retention whilst reducing risk for the employer.

These are some of the ingredients needed to create stable employers in a volatile sector.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 298 | PAGE 33

TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL Why Care Home Training Needs to Move Beyond Tick-Box Learning Care home staff today face increasingly complex responsibilities. Supporting residents with dementia, autism, frailty, safeguarding concerns, and communication difficulties requires far more than theoretical knowledge. Staff need confidence, judgement, teamwork, and the ability to respond compassionately in challenging situations.

However, much care home training still relies heavily on passive e-learning and compliance-focused approaches. While online modules may meet mandatory requirements, they often do little to improve reflective practice, communication, or real-world decision-making. Care home managers are increasingly recognising the need for more engaging and practical approaches to workforce development.

Gamification, game-based learning, and facilitated group activities offer an important opportunity to improve staff learning and engagement. Instead of simply completing quizzes or reading policies, staff work together through realistic scenarios, discussion exercises, and collaborative problem-solving activities. This encourages active participation and helps teams apply learning directly to everyday care situations.

Research increasingly supports these methods. Studies examining simulation-based learning in nursing homes have shown improvements in staff confidence, communication skills, leadership, and reflective practice. Dementia care simulations, for example, have helped staff develop more person-centred approaches

and greater confidence in responding to distressed behaviours.

These approaches also strengthen teamwork and workplace culture. Much mandatory training is completed individually, often in isolation. Group-based learning encourages discussion, peer learning, and shared reflection, helping teams develop more consistent approaches to care. This aligns closely with the growing emphasis from the Care Quality Commission on learning cultures, staff understanding, and continuous improvement.

Importantly, game-based learning is not about replacing professional standards or mandatory training. It is about making learning more meaningful, memorable, and practical.

As pressures on the care sector continue to grow, providers need training approaches that build confidence, communication, and real-world capability — not simply certificate completion.

To explore practical, evidence-based training tools designed specifically for care teams, see the Focus Games advertisement on the front page of this issue, including a special reader discount offer for physical and digital team-learning resources that support communication, teamwork, decision-making, and improved CQC outcomes.

See the advert on the front cover or visit www.FocusGames.com

Coproducing Digital Change: Start With People, Not Products Transforming your care home’s digital technology? Before you choose a system, listen to the people who will live with it every day: residents, families and care workers.

Digital transformation can sound like it starts with a supplier demo, a new system or a cyber security policy. In reality, the most useful starting point is simpler: what are people trying to do, what gets in the way, and what would make life easier?

ASK BEFORE YOU BUY Before investing in a digital care record, monitoring technology or AI tool, ask what problem you are trying to solve. Are staff recording information twice? Are relatives unsure how updates are shared? Are residents worried about who can see their information?

The people who live and work in your service know where systems feel helpful, confusing or intrusive.

Care workers can spot what fits into a busy shift. Residents and families can explain what helps them feel informed and in control.

START WITH A BLANK PAGE Paula Sardinha, from the National Co-production Advisory Group, gave a simple starting point: “If you want to co-produce properly, then start with what is going to work for us, what is going to work for the individual. Start with that blank piece of paper.”

That means asking people what they need before choosing the product, process or supplier. Amanda Jayne, from the Care Workers’ Charity, made the same point from a frontline perspective: “Bringing frontline workers into the procedure before they start having short systems and also not being afraid to say, this one isn’t for us.”

MAKE INVOLVEMENT PRACTICAL

Co-production does not have to start with a large project. Try: • setting up a small working group with residents, relatives and staff • asking people to describe the problem before discussing products • inviting residents or care workers onto supplier panels • testing ideas during handover, resident meetings or family updates • showing people how digital tech will be used.

Jo-Anne Wilson, registered manager at Royal British Legion’s Galanos House, showed how residents can co-produce technology around their own interests. “A lot of our residents had lived abroad, they’d served abroad… and they started to think actually, the world is a much smaller place now. We’ve got all this technology. We can go and explore places.”

Residents used iPads, Google Earth and cycling technology to revisit places they had lived, worked or served, including virtual trips to battlefields in France. They also researched ideas for meetings and are moving resident-led dining audits from paper to tablets, using larger text, smiley-face feedback and simple graphs.

For care homes, the aim is better choices: fewer workarounds, clearer records, safer data practice, more confident staff and technology that genuinely supports care.

Find out more about Digital Care in Focus: https://www.digitalcarehub.co.uk/digital-care-in-focus/coproduction-data-and-digital-tech/

PAGE 34 | ISSUE 298 | THE CARER DIGITAL

TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL

Making A Difference Through Partnership, Not Provision The UK adult social care sector is facing a severe workforce development crisis driven by outdated, ‘transactional’ training models, a national sector specialist has warned.

Speaking at the Care Management Show in Birmingham, Lesley O’Connor, Head of Strategic Development for Health and Social Care at training provider Realise, said that treating staff development as an administrative, box-ticking exercise is directly damaging staff retention and leaving workers unprepared for increasingly complex care demands.

She said: “A lot of training is still transactional: standard programmes, short-term focus, and limited alignment to actual job roles. And despite completely different workforce demands, we’re still seeing exactly the same training delivered across residential care, domiciliary care, mental health services and community-based care.”

Lesley revealed that a demographic cliff-edge is compounding the problem, with 50% of adult social care registered managers now aged 50 or older.

With 31% to 32% of these leaders projected to retire within the next 10 to 15 years, she issued a stark warning that providers expose themselves to ‘massive succession risks’ unless standard, off-the-shelf training provision is abandoned in favour of deep, co-designed employer partnerships The major flaw in the current system, she pointed out, is the systemic failure to connect educational delivery with actual workplace performance.

She said: “Training is still treated as a process, something that is merely delivered and evidenced. But if that training doesn’t change outcomes in the workplace, then it doesn’t add any real value.

“Are we really developing the health and social care workforce of the future, or are we merely getting better at delivering training?”

While the industry frequently attributes its operational stress to external market pressures, the internal

strategy requires immediate scrutiny.

“We all recognise the pressures of hard to fill vacancies and staff retention, with the added factor of increasingly complex care needs,” Lesley added “But what we’re hearing from the employers we work with is that this isn’t just a recruitment crisis, it’s a workforce development crisis.”

To break the cycle of high turnover, Realise - which works nationally supporting workforce development across the adult social care sector - advocates for a structural pivot away from generic ‘programme delivery’ towards deep operational collaboration.

In practice, this means giving staff a visible, clear future which in turn can transform retention.

“Because,” says Lesley, “when care workers see an explicit pathway for career progression, their likelihood of remaining with an employer increases dramatically.”

The sector can no longer afford to rely on incremental changes.

“If we continue to treat training as provision, we will continue to see the exact same challenges,” said Lesley.

“But if we move to true partnership, where providers and employers work together to build workforces rather than just deliver programmes, we have an opportunity to significantly change the future approach to workforce. Not incrementally, but meaningfully.”

The Care Management Show, held at the NEC, is the largest event for care management and senior leadership and featured more than 60 sector experts including CEOs, directors and managers across residential care, home care and complex.

Realise is a leading national training provider in UK, delivering specialised workforce development, accredited diplomas and apprenticeships across the health and social care sectors.

For more information, visit www.realisetraining.com

Westgate Healthcare Qualified to Deliver Specialist Dementia Dining Training Westgate Healthcare has strengthened its dementia care training programme after becoming one of only three UK care providers authorised to deliver Dining Immersive Experiential Training (DIET) in-house.

The milestone follows the qualification of Westgate Healthcare’s Group Training Manager, Maria Fagen, as a facilitator for the DIET programme, developed by Training2Care.

The training helps care teams better understand the challenges people living with dementia can experience during mealtimes, including changes in perception, sensory processing, coordination and cognition.

Using specialist sensory equipment, colleagues are guided through a simulated dining experience to help them experience first-hand how eating and drinking can become confusing, frustrating or overwhelming for residents living with dementia.

Westgate Healthcare has now embedded DIET training into its threeday induction programme, alongside the Virtual Dementia Experience, another immersive Training2Care programme completed by Maria earlier

this year.

Maria said: “Delivering outstanding dementia care starts with understanding the person behind the diagnosis. By introducing this training into our programme, every colleague begins their journey with greater empathy, confidence and understanding.

“I’m incredibly proud that Westgate Healthcare is one of only three organisations able to deliver this training internally, allowing us to continually develop our teams and ultimately improve the lives of our residents.”

Maintaining good nutrition and hydration can be one of the greatest challenges for people living with dementia. Westgate Healthcare says the training is designed to help colleagues make meaningful changes to mealtime support, with the aim of improving residents’ nutritional intake, wellbeing and overall quality of care.

Tel: 0208 953 7600 Email: info@westgatehc.co.uk Website: www.westgatehealthcare.co.uk

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 • Practical advice on how to improve

• Evidence to support action plans and improvement journeys • Demonstration of good governance and continuous improvement — a key CQC focus • Reassurance for owners, directors, and managers HOW W&P CAN HELP 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 5.

PAGE 36 | ISSUE 298 | THE CARER DIGITAL

TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL

Advance Care Planning Advance Care Planning is a very simple process. However, the term Advance Care Planning itself can often be misunderstood. Recently, the phrase “What Matters to You?” has become more commonly used and is certainly the way we, at The Gold Standards Framework (GSF), encourage health and social care teams to open conversations about the future wishes and preferences of every individual they care for.

Truly getting to the heart of what is most important to people helps us deliver the best care possible. This ensures that when people reach the end of their own journey, their experience reflects what was important to them, and as care professionals, we get to experience what we term to be “a good death”. For us, a good death is a good outcome.

Starting the conversation and giving people the time and a safe space to explore what is important to them is the first step. For care staff, engaging in conversations about the future and the prospect of dying may seem a daunting undertaking. However, you may be surprised by the reception you receive.

It is important to recognise that some people will not want to discuss the future or openly talk about death, and this must be respected. Advance Care Planning is a voluntary process that we cannot impose upon people. However, we do need to initiate these difficult conversations and document that this has been done. It is then essential that we continue to seek opportunities for engagement so that everyone involved in supporting the individual’s care journey is aware of their wishes and can work towards ensuring their needs, preferences, and priorities are met. As health needs change, people often become more receptive to Advance Care Planning discussions, and care staff should seize any opportunity to encourage individuals to participate in these significant conversations.

There are others who will openly engage in the process and freely discuss their funeral plans, including their chosen funeral director, where important documents are kept, whether the funeral has been paid for in

advance, and whether they wish to be buried or cremated. The initial focus is often on care after death. The peace of mind that comes from knowing these arrangements have been made, and that they will not create a personal or financial burden for their family, enables many people to speak candidly about these aspects associated with their death.

However, the actual dying phase often gets overlooked, and that is what is most important. In the final weeks, days, and hours of our lives, individuals need to consider what matters most to them. They may have a fear of dying or of being alone at the time of death, and simple reassurance from care staff can help alleviate these fears and concerns. Some people have complex family dynamics and wish to reconnect with relatives they have not spoken to for many years. Others may simply want to be read to from a favourite book, spend time outdoors, listen to treasured pieces of music, or have a beloved pet by their side to provide a sense of peace and comfort.

Whatever the wishes of the individual, ensuring that these are documented in an Advance Care Plan helps make certain that their values, preferences, and priorities are understood and respected. This supports personalised, coordinated care and leads to better outcomes for the individual, their loved ones, and those providing their care.

SUPPORTING BETTER ADVANCE CARE PLANNING The Gold Standards Framework (GSF) offers a range of free Advance Care Planning resources to help health and social care providers build confidence in having meaningful conversations, support person-centred care, and improve the recording and sharing of people’s wishes and preferences. Explore the free resources and tools available to support your organisation and the people you care for: www.goldstandardsframework.org.uk/training-accreditation/free-resources-professionals/

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

PLEASE MENTION THE CARER WHEN RESPONDING TO ADVERTISING

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 298 | PAGE 37

TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL

How to Help Your Health and Care Business Grow in 2026

Health and care businesses are critical to support UK communities. They help provide a safe place for some of the most vulnerable people in society.

But this safety relies heavily on the cash in the bank, as without this, there would be no way to provide this vital support.

WHAT STEPS SHOULD HEALTH AND CARE BUSINESSES TAKE TO ENSURE THEIR BUSINESS GROWTH? Health and care businesses face constant cash flow pressures, whether it’s staffing requirements, rising costs or complying with regulatory requirements, they all put pressure on the books. But don’t worry, there are practical methods you can manage these risks, while building a stronger, more resilient business.

There are 5 key things you should identify and action to build a resilient health and care business: 1. Know where the growth will come from – look at your current operation and assess where investment or improvement will help increase profits 2.Strengthen cash flow before you need it – it’s a well-known fact that growth consumes cash, that’s why it’s important to have access to working capital or speedy funding so you can jump on these growth opportunities 3.Invest in areas that create competitive advantage – There are many ways to invest in a business, but the ones that make you stand out are where you should invest first 4.Build resilience into the business – the strongest businesses aren’t the ones with the highest growth, they’re the ones who can make it through tough economic climates 5.Make sure the funding supports the strategy – having a good strategy is key, but without the funding to support it, it’s useless

HOW CAN HEALTH AND CARE BUSINESSES IDENTIFY THE OPPORTUNITIES? The above information may be insightful to you, but without practical step-by-step advice , it’s hard to

take actionable steps to implement this into your business. That’s where Capify’s Health & Care Growth Blueprint 2026 comes in. It’s full of practical and actionable information and advice for small and medium health and care businesses across the UK. What’s even better is it’s completely free! All you need to do is pop in your email and a copy will be sent straight to your inbox. Download the Growth Blueprint.

HOW CAN HEALTH AND CARE BUSINESSES ACCESS THE FUNDING THEY NEED TO SUPPORT THEIR GROWTH? The most obvious and cost-effective way to access funding is by utilising the working capital you already have, but if you’re struggling with cash flow, this may no longer be possible.

The next best thing is looking for a business loan, but who do you choose as the provider? This depends on your personal circumstances; things such as speed, credit score, trading history, and turnover can all affect which provider will be best for you. If you have an immediate need for cash, or your credit score is less than perfect, then the traditional banking route may not be for you. But don’t worry, alternative finance providers such as Capify are here to provide funding at the speed the growth demands.

Since 2008, Capify has been supporting health and care businesses across the UK access the funding they need to grow. We understand the day-to-day pressures of running a business and know that a poor credit score does not mean you have a poor business. We are proud to have a human-led underwriting process, and we look at more than just the numbers to give you the funding that is best suited to your business needs.

If you would like to see if you could unlock up to £3M in funding, all you need to do is take 30 seconds out of your day to complete Capify’s Eligibility Check at https://tinyurl.com/navpx9mu or see the advert on the back cover.

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