The Carer Digital - Issue #33

T H E P U B L I C AT I O N F O R N U R S I N G A N D R E S I D E N T I A L C A R E H O M E S

W W W. T H E C A R E R U K . C O M

The Carer Digital

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THECARERUK

Issue 33

90-Year-Old Grandmother Becomes First in World to Receive COVID-19 Vaccination

The biggest vaccine campaign in NHS history began this week, as 90-year-old grandmother Margaret Keenan became the first person in the world to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 jab following its clinical approval.

At 6.31am on December 8th early riser Margaret, known to friends and family as Maggie, was given the life-saving jab by nurse May Parsons at her local hospital in Coventry.

Maggie, who turns 91 next week, is a former jewellery shop assistant who only retired four years ago. She has a daughter, a son and four grandchildren and is looking forward to being able to go out again once she receives the top up dose.

Margaret said: “I feel so privileged to be the first person vaccinated against COVID-19, it’s the best early birthday present I could wish for because it means I can finally look forward to spending time with my family and friends in the New Year after being on my own for most of the year.”

“I can’t thank May and the NHS staff enough who have looked after me tremendously, and my advice to anyone offered the vaccine is to take it – if I can have it at 90 then you can have it too!”

NHS England chief executive Sir Simon Stevens praised all those involved in delivering the new vaccine programme.

“Less than a year after the first case of this new disease was diagnosed, the NHS has now delivered the first clinically approved COVID-19 vaccination – that is a remarkable achievement,” Stevens said: “A heartfelt thank you goes to everyone who has made this a reality – the scientists and doctors who worked tirelessly, and the volunteers who selflessly took part in the trials. They have achieved in months what normally takes years."

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PAGE 2 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33

EDITOR'S VIEWPOINT Welcome to the latest edition of The Carer Digital!

“There are only four kinds of people in the world. Those who have been caregivers. Those who are currently caregivers. Those who will be caregivers, and those who will need a caregiver.”

ROSALYN CARTER Once again it is a pleasure to report some good news, even better to report it at this time of the year.

The approved and available Covid vaccine will be given to care staff and residents as a matter of top priority according to the government.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisations (JCVI) confirmed in its advice on priority groups for vaccination, that adult social care is in its top priority groups. Group 1 is ‘Residents in a care home for older adults and their carers’ and Group 2 includes ‘Frontline health and social care workers’.

To undertake a program such as this is a mammoth task not without its challenges, not without its risks, and will come with inevitable unforeseen issues and probable mistakes.

An unfortunate, but unavoidable, consequence. However even before the programme was on the way the naysayers were out in force!

I have observed many critics these past days and sometimes I am astounded that no one ever asks those who criticise the question. “What do you offer as a solution, and how should we do it”?

The vaccination programme has been very well received in feedback we have had and published, here are some quotes: “Having this vaccine available has really brought up spirits in the home – there’s a very positive feeling from all the team “We’re proud to be amongst the first in line for the vaccine. This is how we will defeat the virus and help protect our wonderful residents and colleagues.”

“Today is a great day as we witness the first people getting the vaccine.”

Feedback you will not see in mainstream media!

Another positive story of interest is how much public awareness for the work undertaken in social care has increased since the pandemic broke.

And rightly so! An underfunded sector with dedicated staff who have been taken for granted for too long.

81% in the study now have a greater appreciation for those working in frontline social care.

With the pandemic wreaking havoc in other sectors devastating jobs particularly in the

Editor

Peter Adams

hospitality sector, and as we all know the care sector suffering staff shortages daily, now is an ideal time to attract staff into the sector.

However, attracting staff is only part of the solution. Currently 1.5 million people are working in the social care sector in England, of which 82% are women. And the combination of an aging population and the associated increase in the number of people with disabilities means according to reports that within 5 years a further 1 million carers will be needed.

Staff retention has always been a problem, and this is an area which needs significant examination. Staff turnover within the social care sector is 27%, more than twice the average for other professions in England.

In the coming issues as we prepare for 2021, we will be calling some of the industry’s leading lights who will give not only their opinion but advice guidance and best practice on how we can reduce the level of turnover in the sector!

Once again, I would draw your attention to our Unsung Hero Award! (Page 17) We are getting some fantastic nominations coming in, a small gesture on our part to reward somebody within the residential and nursing care sector (and there are many) who has gone that extra mile and deserves that little bit of recognition!

We have been repeating our Unsung Hero Award and this time there is a festive theme - a luxury hamper will find its way to our “Christmas Unsung Hero” in time for Christmas day Closing date is December 16 so please get nominating!

I would also take this opportunity once again to remind you to send your stories, thoughts and views, we are always delighted to include some wonderfully uplifting stories from care homes throughout the country so please do keep them coming, I can always be contacted at editor@thecareruk.com

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33 | PAGE 3

90-Year-Old Grandmother Becomes First in World to Receive COVID-19 Vaccination (...CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER) “My colleagues across the health service are rightly proud of this historic moment as we lead in deploying the PfizerBioNTech vaccine.

“I also want to thank Margaret, our first patient to receive the vaccine on the NHS. “Today is just the first step in the largest vaccination programme this country has ever seen. It will take some months to complete the work as more vaccine supplies become available and until then we must not drop our guard. But if we all stay vigilant in the weeks and months ahead, we will be able to look back at this as a decisive turning point in the battle against the virus.”

Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who has dubbed Tuesday V-day, said this simple act of vaccination was "a tribute to scientific endeavour and human ingenuity and to the hard work of so many people.

"Today marks the start of the fightback against our common enemy, the coronavirus," he said.

Like many around the country, Maggie has been self-isolating for most of this year and is planning on having a very small family ‘bubble’ Christmas to keep safe.

Originally from Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, she has lived in Coventry for over sixty years. She will receive a booster jab in 21 days to ensure she has the best chance of being protected against the virus.

NHS nurse May Parsons said it was a “huge honour” to be the first in the country to deliver the vaccine to a patient.

Speaking at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, nurse May Parsons, said: “It’s a huge honour to be the first person in the country to deliver a COVID-19 jab to a patient, I’m just glad that I’m able to play a part in this historic day.

“The last few months have been tough for all of us working in the NHS, but now it feels like there is light at the end of the tunnel.”

May, originally from the Philippines has worked in the NHS for the last 24 years and been at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire since 2003.

The phased vaccination programme will see patients aged 80 and above who are already attending hospital as an outpatient, and those who are being discharged home after a hospital stay, among the first to receive the life-saving jab.

Care home providers are also being asked by the Department of Health and Social Care to begin booking staff in to vaccination clinics.

GPs are also expected to be able to begin vaccinating care home residents.

The vaccination program comes as the number of COVID-related deaths increased sharply in November to hit their highest levels since early June, according to the latest ONS data.In its latest weekly update, the ONS said there were 571 COVID-related care home deaths in the week ending 27 November, up by 104 deaths on the previous week.

Deaths involving COVID-19 in care home as a proportion of all deaths in care homes rose to 23.5%, the highest since the week ending 29 May.

Hebburn Care Home Overwhelmed By Christmas Donations Residents and Colleagues at HC-One’s Hebburn Court care home in Hebburn have been inundated with donations since reaching out to their local community for some help this Christmas.

Kirsty Rutter, the homes administrator and wellbeing coordinator Kerry Pringle reached out to their local community with one single message which has been shared over 800 times on Facebook and community groups.

“This is a post to our family, friends and local businesses around the Hebburn and Jarrow area. Hebburn Court is a care home based in Hebburn, Tyne and Wear, catering for Residents who suffer from dementia.”

“With current restrictions still being enforced and a lot of the Residents still shielding, we are trying to make their Christmas extra special and our best one yet!”

“If you could spare a small gift this year, or even donate a gift in memory of a loved one, or even send a Christmas card. We really need help!”

“Love, Hebburn Court Nursing Home.”

Since posting the message, Hebburn Court have received packages delivered from Amazon from their Wish List, afternoon tea deliveries, a £300 donation to their Residents fund, cookie deliveries, bath bombs,

Christmas decorations and much more.

Hebburn Helps, the local foodbank, are donating Christmas hampers for each of the homes Residents from members of the public. Residents also received some lovely Christmas cards, and presents such as pyjama’s, socks, slippers and some lovely gift sets.

But the most thoughtful of donations came from Lola Thompson, a wonderful little girl who has saved up her pocket money and has decided to spend it on two dementia dolls that are to be donated to Hebburn Court.

Dementia Dolls are really helpful for Residents living with Dementia as it is a way to put responsibility, caring and structure back into their lives, they also have therapeutic benefits such as relaxation and pleasure and are shown to reduce stress and anxiety.

Kirsty Rutter, Hebburn Court Home Administrator said: “We are astounded by the communities support as well as our friends and family for Hebburn Court.

“Every single person who has donated will make this the best Christmas under the circumstances for our ladies and gents. We can’t think you all enough, heroes don’t always wear capes.”

PAGE 4 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33

Care Home Infection- The Importance of a “Early Warning System”

By Hugo Spalding, Managing Director, Gather Care (www.gathercapture.com/gather-care) It is good news that care home residents may be allowed to spend Christmas with their families and a few may be able to visit family homes during the festive season.

Of course, this comes at a price with the risk of infections being brought back to care homes which is why the government is asking those care home residents who do visit family to only form a bubble of one rather than three.

2020 has been a challenging year for everyone, and in the care sector it is vital to allow families the chance to spend Christmas together if possible. However, infectious outbreaks of any kind, not just Covid, can cause a home to lockdown residents, or the whole home, causing huge disappointment.

The government has promised greater access to testing in care homes, but this can be effectively supple-

mented with an early warning system that highlights outbreaks. Tracking infection data helps a care home understand the probability of an outbreak through regular comparison of daily data inputs. By tracking certain symptom rates, you can start to predict whether your home may experience an outbreak.

This gives homes a much greater opportunity to respond accordingly to potential outbreaks, for example, seeing a rise in pyrexia and diarrhea may indicate a home is going to experience an outbreak of norovirus that needs intervention to prevent. This then means carers and care home managers know what they need to put certain process in place or order more PPE to fight infection.

This knowledge is a powerful tool in the hands of the carers as it gives them an early warning in the fight against illness. To be able to predict a potential issue and act on it appropriately before it has a chance to manifest not only saves time and resources but can save lives.

With the year it’s been everyone wants to have a break and see their families without thinking of the possible repercussions, but when working within the healthcare sector the wellbeing of residents has to take priority even if that means restrictions.

However, being able to allow some residents to see their families is an amazing opportunity that care homes should allow if proper precautions can be taken. Adopting a data focused culture within a home can be that precaution.

Veterans Commemorated in Online Christmas Starlight Service Royal Star & Garter’s annual Starlight service has taken place online this year. The service celebrates the lives of residents past and present during the Christmas season, and was held online on Sunday 6 December. The video will remain available to view on Royal Star & Garter’s website over the festive period.

Royal Star & Garter provides loving, compassionate care to veterans and their partners living with disability or dementia.

Residents and relatives from the charity’s Homes, who would usually attend Starlight services in person, took part in readings and carol singing.

Starlight traditionally takes place at churches close to each of Royal Star & Garter’s Homes in Solihull, Surbiton and High Wycombe. It is normally attended by residents, staff, volunteers and the relatives of those who have been cared for by the charity. One of the most cher-

ished highlights is the opportunity to hang star-shaped messages to loved ones on the Christmas tree.

The pre-recorded 22-minute service features residents from across the Homes reading poems and passages, and contributions from local community groups, including schools and churches.

A special message from Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra, who has been the charity’s President since 1964, acknowledges that this has been a year of many challenges, but it has also been a year that has shown us how much the country and our communities can achieve together.

The service can be viewed at www.starandgarter.org/starlight. A lyric sheet found on the page allows people to join in with hymns and carols, while a Starlight decoration can be printed off and personalised in special tribute to a loved one.

Gracewell of Church Crookham Resident Taken On Birthday ‘Life Tour’ Janie Street, a Gracewell of Church Crookham resident, has been taken on a ‘This is Your Life’ tour in celebration of her 80th birthday.

Janie, who was born in Farnborough, has spent most of her life in the local area.

Asked how she wanted to celebrate her milestone-birthday, Janie said she only wanted to see her son who had been unable to visit her due to ill health. In response to Janie’s request, Gracewell of Church Crookham worked closely with her son to devise a special plan which would take her on a tour of local places where she has fond memories, while adhering to social distancing guidelines.

The first stop in the Gracewell of Church Crookham minivan saw Janie visit the house where she was born in 1940 and lived until she was 14 years old. After then visiting the home she lived in until she married, Janie was taken to the church where she married her husband Peter.

The tour then moved on to her first marital

home which Janie and her husband named ‘Laerchenwald’ after their honeymoon resort in Austria, a name it continues to bear 60 years later.

While visiting this house, Janie recalled how she revisited the honeymoon resort with her husband to celebrate 25 years of marriage together.

The Gracewell of Church Crookham minivan then drove Janie past the school that her sons went to. Janie was pleased to learn that one of her fellow residents at Gracewell of Church Crookham used to teach at this school.

Janie was also taken to various other locations, including to her brother’s house, where friends waved as they passed by, followed by driving past the Pyestock area where she worked and met her husband.

The last leg of the trip took Janie to her previous home where she lived for 44 years before moving into Gracewell of Church Crookham. Here, Janie was delighted to be surprised by her son who had

also arranged for the neighbourhood to come out and sing Happy Birthday for her.

Returning to Gracewell of Church Crookham, Janie was treated to a surprise birthday party with residents and team members at the care home. Here, she was presented with a wonderful birthday cake, presents, drinks and a singalong to round off the most-memorable day.

After her celebrations came to an end, Janie remarked how she had “a wonderful day” that she’ll “never forget”.

Speaking of Janie’s ‘This is Your Life’ tour, Racquel Barretto, the General Manager of Gracewell of Church Crookham, said: “To celebrate Janie’s special birthday, the Gracewell of Church Crookham team were determined to organise an event which would match this momentous occasion. It was hugely enjoyable to work with Janie’s son to learn so much about her life and organise a fantastic tour around the local area.

“On the day, Janie had a brilliant time and all of those who accompanied her on the tour made special memories of their own which they will cherish in the years to come.”

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33 | PAGE 5

John’s Campaign Launches New Legal Challenge to Care Home Visitor Guidance Campaigners are challenging government guidance that puts a ‘blanket ban’ on trips out of care homes to visit friends and family for residents aged over 65, including over the Christmas period.

John’s Campaign, which was founded in 2014 and is a campaign for extended visiting rights for family carers of patients with dementia in hospitals in the United Kingdom, argues the guidance, and a lack of individualised risk assessment for every resident who wants to leave the home to visit loved ones at Christmas, are unlawful.

John’s Campaign recently withdrew an application for judicial review of guidance for family visiting to loved ones in care homes after the government changed its guidance to address key points raised by John’s Campaign at the start of November.

However, now the campaign, led by Julia Jones and Nicci Gerrard, has written to Secretary of State Matt Hancock again, this time to tell him that they are considering a challenge to the lawfulness of the latest guidance ‘Making a Christmas bubble with friends and family’ and ‘Visits out of care homes’, published 1 December, 2020.

Both pieces of guidance put a blanket ban on trips out of care homes to visit friends and family for residents aged over 65. Nicci and Julia say the blanket ban, and the failure to offer an individualised risk assessment for every resident who wants to leave the home to visit loved ones at Christmas, are unlawful. They say the guidance fails to accurately express the law and to advise care homes on their legal obligations to people aged over 65.

John’s Campaign says every care home resident, regardless of their age, has the right to an individualised risk assessment to decide whether they should be allowed to leave the care home between December 2327 to visit loved ones.

Represented by Leigh Day solicitors, John's Camnpaign makes its challenge on the following grounds: • The guidance misstates the law and breaches equality obligations, under Section 19 Equality Act 2010, which prohibits indirect indiscrimination, the Human Rights Act 1998, which states “like cases should be treated alike and different cases treated differently” and the Care Act 2014 which requires care providers to consider residents’ specific personal needs. Any blanket ban approach is in breach of the legal requirements for care homes to make differentiated decisions for individual residents.

• The guidance creates an unacceptable risk of illegality because it makes it likely that care home providers will breach their legal obligation to carry out individualised risk assessments when deciding if a visit out of the home is appropriate.

John’s Campaign has asked Matt Hancock: • To change the guidance to make it clear that there is a legal obligation for care home providers to make separate decisions about each individual resident, regardless of their age, based on individualised risk assessments.

• For clarification on the 14-day self-isolation rule for residents returning from a trip out.

Julia Jones and Nicci Gerrard said: “The government has been promising guidance on visits out of care homes since July – whether a trip to the family home, a walk by the river or a drive in the family car. This has not been forthcoming. People living in care homes have been effectively imprisoned and denied these simple pleasures with the sanction of two weeks in isolation should they step outside the gates.

“Now they are told that only those under 65 may be considered eligible for the freedoms enjoyed routinely by the rest of the population.

Stay Vigilant Whilst Vaccine Arrives Care providers have called for continued vigilance as they welcomed the news that the first people are being vaccinated against Covid-19.

The Independent Care Group (ICG) said today marked a vital step forward in the protection of older and vulnerable people looked after by social care.

But it also warned that the country had to stay on high alert after

new figures showed another increase in Covid-19 deaths in care and nursing homes.

ICG Chair Mike Padgham said: “Today is a great day as we witness the first people getting the vaccine.

“Credit to the Government, it is wonderful that people in the vulnerable category are getting the injections first – they cannot happen quickly enough, and we look forward to the moment where everyone

And if they do accept an invitation they must be confined to their rooms for 14 days on return! This is outrageous. Will care home staff who have enjoyed Christmas with their families be self-isolating for 14 days before they return to work?

“It’s time the government and other authorities began treating these most senior citizens and their families as adults able to make their own sensible and well-informed assessments of risk and benefit – and support them in so doing.”

John’s Campaign is supported in its action by the Relatives and Residents’ Association. Director, Helen Wildbore said: “The Relatives & Residents Association welcomes the action by John’s Campaign to challenge the legality of this guidance. The cut-off at working age is arbitrary and unfair. It has been a devastating blow to residents and relatives alike and our helpline is hearing about the heartache and frustration this is causing for families. The Government urgently needs to rethink this policy. Older people living in care have been at the sharp end of coronavirus restrictions, with dire and tragic consequences. They cannot be left behind in continued isolation. The Government must take action to ensure their human rights are respected.”

Leigh Day partner Tessa Gregory said: “John’s Campaign once again considers the Government has published care home guidance which unlawfully ignores the requirement for individual risk assessments and applies arbitrary restrictions, this time on visits out for residents. Our client hopes the Government will urgently amend the relevant guidance to take a more balanced, lawful and compassionate approach.” we care for and everyone who works in social care and for the NHS has been protected.

“In the meantime, however, we have to remain on high alert because Covid-19 hasn’t gone away and sadly people are still being taken from us.”

The figures show that 571 people died from Covid-19 in care and nursing homes in the week up to 27th November – up from 467 the previous week and 425 the week before that. Some 17,889 people died from Covid19 in care and nursing homes between 28th December and 27th November.

Mr Padgham added: “This is a milestone day but these figures show that we aren’t out of the woods yet.”

PAGE 6 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33

Visitors to Care Homes Over Christmas

By Mary - Teresa Deignan, barrister specialising in healthcare practising from Temple Garden Chambers (mtdeignan@tgchambers.com)

On 1 December 2020 the Department of Health and Social Care issued its most recent guidance on visitors to care homes during COVID-19. This guidance applies to England, is effective from 2 December 2020 and supersedes all previous guidance.

In England, the guidance aims to strike a balance between, on the one hand, the benefits of visiting in terms of wellbeing and quality of life, of both residents and their visitors, and on the other hand, the risk of residents, staff or visitors becoming infected with COVID-19.

The guidance refers to a number of pieces of legislation but not to that governing health and safety.

The main piece of health and safety legislation is the Heath and

Safety at Work Act 1974; this is supplemented with a number of regulations, some of which are activity specific e.g. the one well-known in the care home sector, the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, commonly known as COSHH. Breach of health and safety legislation may give rise to both criminal and civil liabilities.

For a criminal offence to be committed no one has to have been harmed, there only has to be a risk.

Under civil law, if someone has been injured or made ill through the negligence of an employer, there may be a claim against the employer for compensation. An employer may also be found liable if someone who works for them has negligently caused harm to someone else.

By carrying out their functions with the objective of ensuring, so far as reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of residents, staff and visitors, care home providers are likely to reduce their exposure to criminal prosecution and/or claims for compensation. To achieve this with visitors over Christmas providers will, in addition, seek to manage and control risks associated with visitors and COVID-19.

Measures identified in the guidance to challenge the risk of infection with COVID-19 include: • the use of lateral flow devices to test visitors on arrival - a nasal swab test that does not need to be sent to a laboratory and can give a result in less than an hour • robust infection prevention and control measures • limiting to 2 the number of named visitors who can visit each individual resident

• use of personal protection equipment • social distancing • hand hygiene The challenge faced by care home providers is, however, more complex than the above list. The ‘journey’ of each visitor to each resident will have to be considered to identify those parts of that ‘journey’ that present a foreseeable risk of harm and, if foreseeable harm is identified, providers will have to undertake a risk assessment to identify reasonably practicable measures to eliminate or reduce that risk.

Separate guidance has been provided by the Department of Health and Social Care for residents leaving care homes for visits. This will be covered in a further article.

The guidance can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visiting-care-homesduring-coronavirus/update-on-policies-for-visiting-in-care-homesarrangements The Welsh government has issued separate guidance; this can be found at: https://gov.wales/visits-care-homes-guidance-provider-htlm The Scottish government has also issued separate guidance; this can be found at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-adult-carehomes-visiting-guidance/ There is separate guidance for Northern Ireland which can be found at: https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/Covid-19-visiting-guidance

Ana Lazar, Deputy Manager, at Brendoncare Park Road is a Winner!

Winchester-based charity, The Brendoncare Foundation, is pleased to announce that Ana Lazar, Deputy Manager, at Brendoncare Park Road has won the Frontline Leader of the Year Award from the Hampshire Care Awards 2020.

The Hampshire Care Awards is an annual event organised by Hampshire Care Association and Hampshire Domiciliary Care Providers. It celebrates outstanding individuals and providers of adult social care across the county. This year the finalists attended a virtual ceremony on Saturday 5 December where the winners were presented with their awards. Fred Dinenage hosted the event.

Ana Lazar, Deputy Manager, at Brendoncare Park Road has been recognised for her caring and selfless nature with the residents. She is a positive role model and gives out a positive and upbeat energy that motivates her team and uplifts the resi-

dents she supports. She is a much respected and valuable member of the care team at Brendoncare Park Road.

She said, “It was such a big surprise to win this award; I am so excited. I am so lucky to work for Brendoncare who always puts residents’ best interests first. At Park Road, I feel very valued and very well supported by my manager and my team at all times. I feel like we are all a little family and we support each other, especially through this difficult time that we are now facing.”

Erin Langley, Home Manager at Brendoncare Park Road, said, “We are all absolutely thrilled that our lovely Ana Lazar has been awarded the winner in the Frontline Leader of the Year Award in the Hampshire Care Awards 2020. We are so proud of her and so happy that she has received this award! She is a truly deserving winner.”

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33 | PAGE 7

Pandemic Drives Understanding of Social Care & Spurs People to Reconsider Jobs While the pandemic has posed many challenges to the care home sector, it has driven public awareness of the work undertaken by those working in social care.

According to a new study, 81 per cent of people say they now have a greater appreciation for those working on the front line.

As such, care home workers rank in the top five careers that people consider to be making a positive difference to society, alongside doctors, non-aged care nurses, firefighters and teachers.

The research, released by Bupa Care Services, also looked at the impact of the pandemic on recruitment, finding that the half of adults now want a job which ‘gives something back’.

Melissa Moore, head of recruitment for Bupa Care Homes said: “This year has really made many think about their role in society and what impact they make on other people’s lives.

“At the same time, it’s shone a light on the people making a difference – especially on the frontlines of health and social care – so it’s no surprise to see people taking stock of their own careers.”

Over half of people have thought about a career change in order to do something more meaningful, with over a third saying they’ve considered it during the past year.

Those polled also revealed what traits their ideal

role would have – with a sense of fulfilment favoured by 54 per cent of people.

Elsewhere, 38 per cent wanted to make a difference to others, while 23 per cent agreed that the opportunity to meet new people was key.

Three quarters of people also placed a higher importance on job security as a result of the pandemic.

“While it’s great to see an increased awareness of the sector, it’s still really important that we demonstrate how rewarding careers in adult social care can be,” continued Melissia.

“We need people to know that, not only can they make a difference to people’s lives, but that they’ll have the support to progress their careers in the way that they want.

“Whether that’s through apprenticeships and training, or simply having the flexibility to find shifts that work around their life outside of work – as a sector we need to be shouting about these benefits.”

“Over the last year we’ve welcomed colleagues from all sorts of sectors, but particularly retail, leisure and tourism. From holiday entertainers to hairdressers, we’ve seen a diverse mix of new joiners.

“Their feedback has been brilliant too. People are realising that they can end the day with a smile – not just of their own – but on faces of residents too.”

Caister Comes Together to Create Winter Wonderland for Care Home Residents

Business owners, school children, organisations, health professionals, local providers, staff, family, friends and members of the public are rallying together to create a magical Christmas for the residents at Claremont House and Lodge nursing home in Caister-on Sea. Home manager Christine Morgan set out to find a way to make Christmas extra special for residents this year, as they continue to face restrictions relating to the pandemic. The solution that she is putting in to place is to create a Christmas wonderland in the grounds of the home, and has called on the local community to get involved and help make it a festive spectacle.

Christine posted in local social media groups to request donations of decorations or trees to help make the garden as spectacular as possible. She has since been inundated with trees, lights, decorations and ornaments, along with offers of help to come and decorate.

Over the coming days, the outside areas will be packed full of Christmas trees and decorations, ensuring that every resident on the ground floor has a Christmas tree outside their window. Christine is anticipating that they will have around 50 trees surrounding the home in total – and even a snow machine!

On Friday 4th December, children from North Denes Primary School’s nursery in Great Yarmouth brought along their own homemade decorations to adorn the trees. A small group of three year old children visited with their teachers to put their decorations up on the trees, which was greatly enjoyed by residents who delighted in watching them from

inside the home.

Staff from the Caister branch of Tesco will be visiting the home’s garden during the first week of December to start decorating, a former taxi driver, Jenny Oxborough, who used to transport residents from the home has kindly purchased a significant amount of decorations, while local businesses Thistles & Thorns, Narayan supermarket, Williams Garage and the post office in Filby have all made donations.

The Great Yarmouth B&Q have offered discounted items for those making contributions, Asda has provided some bunting and a local firm has kindly donated over 240 metres of lights.

Christine is creating plaques for each tree to celebrate those who have given their time and contributions. The home has set-up designated time slots for volunteers to visit the garden area, to ensure social distancing and tier restrictions are adhered to at all times.

Christine explains, “I am absolutely overwhelmed by the incredible response we’ve had to this idea.

Christmas is such a special time for us all, and our residents really enjoy the decorations, events and celebrations.

“Obviously this year will be different for us and so we wanted to find a way to make the season special whilst keeping our residents safe. By creating a festive wonderland in our garden, with the help of our residents’ relatives and so many people in our community, we’re hoping to achieve something really magical – it looks as though we may have around 50 Christmas trees altogether, which will just be magical for our residents.”

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PAGE 8 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33

The Future of Health and Social Care in a Post-Pandemic World

By Steve Morgan, Partnership Director, Agilisys (www.agilisys.co.uk)

Covid-19 has turned the daily rhythms and routines of everybody upside down, not least of which those within the nursing and residential care home sector. Health and social care, weakened by years of chronic underfunding and rising demand, was already staring into an abyss. Whilst the newly announced vaccine provides hope, there is still plenty that the sector needs to do to assure its future. What does the future look like for health and social care? How will the ways care is delivered change in 2021 and beyond? And, crucially, what impact will this have on patients?

THE CONTINUED DISPLACEMENT OF TECHNOLOGY By deploying technology across people's homes and linking it with the digitised front door, a large proportion of attended care at home can be displaced, making large savings and improving the quality of service delivered. For example, sensors like oximeters or door contact sensors that trigger an exception when dementia sufferers open doors at unexpected times, can reduce the number of home visits dramatically.

CREATING A CARE BUBBLE Vulnerable people are alone now more than ever, and health care teams are struggling to keep up with the demand. Technology can help to create and connect support teams whether that be family members, third sector organisations or charitable groups.

Technology can account for a patient’s routine, medication and needs. Plus, it can enable a community of volunteers, family members, friends and neighbours to help with day-to-day care. Therefore, creating a support bubble around at-risk individuals. This bubble could consist of 10,000 volunteers or organisations that bring different skills to the table, in addition to any formal care that would still be required.

SAFETY IN NUMBERS There needs to be additional targeted investment post-pandemic to finally integrate health and social care throughout the UK. It is a case of safety in numbers. However, there are still significant technology and data challenges to bringing residential and domiciliary care into the 21st century. And there remains basic technology issues that need urgent attention. As recently as last year, only 75% of residential care homes had an Internet connection.

CHANGING THE ROLE OF CONTACT CENTRES The wider changes to working habits will impact the delivery of social care. Due to contact centre headcounts being reduced as home working takes over, the focus will be on technology to virtually bring people together. If an issue needs to be raised that's associated with one part of provisioning or social care, workers need to be able to do so automatically and immediately.

Traditional contact centres who operate an ‘inbound’ contact model must now change to a proactive ‘outbound’ contact model; making video calls, verifying current situations and using the proactive support bubble to ensure closer integration with primary care.

TAKING A HOLISTIC VIEW We are already seeing increased interest in chatbots to manage inbound demand and expect this to accelerate further, supported by more complex Artificial Intelligence and Robotic Process Automation led solutions.

It is likely that there is a large amount of pent-up demand for care – people have battened down the hatches and held off making requests but as the world returns to normal, they will do so. Therefore, the opportunities to signpost and manage that demand by automation may be required.

What has been missing when looking at social care in the past is for somebody to sit back and take the holistic view; looking at how existing technologies come together to deliver the outcomes that we need. Get the technology angle right and you can deliver integrated care.

The pressures on the sector are severe – and have been seriously exacerbated by the pandemic – however the vaccine and the re-emergence of technology solution provides hope.

Brunelcare Care Home Staff Amongst First to Receive Covid Vaccine Colleagues from Brunelcare’s Deerhurst Care Home have become some of the first social care staff in the country to receive the Covid-19 vaccine.

The first of many colleagues from Brunelcare's care homes have today received their first dose at Bristol’s Southmead Hospital.

Care Home Manager, Lesley Hobbs, said: "We're proud to be amongst the first in line for the vaccine. This is how we will defeat the virus and help protect our wonderful residents and colleagues.”

Brunelcare employs over 1,000 staff and provides housing, care and support to over 2,000 people at any one time. With five care homes, Brunelcare’s staff have been on the front-line, caring for some of the most vulnerable people in

society since the start of the pandemic.

Oona Goldsworthy, CEO, said: “This really is the lifeline we’ve been waiting for in social care. We’re making it possible for all of our staff to receive the vaccine as soon as appointment slots are available.”

More staff are booked in for their vaccinations in the coming days.

Lesley continues: “The vaccine was quick and painless and I'd encourage anyone who has the opportunity to get the vaccine to take it."

Oona ends: “this is fantastic news, but it is just the first step. We now await details of how and when the vaccine will be made available to our residents in our care homes.”

RMBI Care Co. Homes Celebrate Elf Day for Alzheimer’s Society Residents and staff at RMBI Care Co. Homes across the UK celebrated Elf Day on Friday to raise funds and awareness for Alzheimer’s Society.

Staff at the Homes dressed up in elf costumes and organised lots of festive fun for residents to enjoy. Among the Christmas treats were Christmas movie showings with hot chocolate, seasonal quizzes and elfie selfie sessions.

Among the RMBI Care Co. Homes taking part was Cornwallis Court in Bury St Edmunds. Cornwallis Court Activities Coordinators, Emma

Gibson and Sam Wiseman, said: “We had a lot of fun celebrating Elf Day. Seeing our staff dressed as elves certainly put a smile on our residents’ faces and gave us all a good giggle. We see the effects of dementia every day at our Home, so we’re passionate about raising awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s Society.”

RMBI Care Co. is part of the Masonic Charitable Foundation. For more information, please visit: http://www.rmbi.org.uk/

Ex-PM Theresa May Pays Virtual Visit To Sunrise of Sonning Theresa May MP has paid a virtual visit to Sunrise of Sonning care home.

The former Prime Minister joined the care home via video call where she took questions from residents and team members. The Maidenhead and Sonning MP also spoke about what her life had been like since leaving Downing Street and how she has dealt with the current lockdown.

During the event, Theresa May praised Sunrise of Sonning for “leading the world” after being one of the first care homes to introduce enhanced visiting protocols. These protocols, known as ‘Safe Visits’, allow residents to safely have meaningful contact with their family members where there is a clinical need. Her recognition of Safe Visits was met with a roar of cheers from residents and team members who have all greatly benefitted from this innovative programme.

Theresa May had previously visited the care home on numerous occasions, but current social distancing guidelines meant that this visit was held virtually. Other care homes from across the Sunrise Senior Living UK and Gracewell Healthcare group also joined the call, which was chaired by the care home provider’s UK CEO, Dr Natalie-Jane Macdonald.

Her virtual visit comes as the care home gears up to celebrate Christmas against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of their infection control measures, team members and residents at Sunrise of Sonning will be creating their own festive decorations as the care home will be disposing of any ornaments after Christmas. The care home has also launched an appeal to local children for hand-made Christmas decorations to help personalise their Christmas tree.

Speaking of the event, Theresa May MP said: “It was a pleasure to speak to many residents and team members at

Sunrise of Sonning. Although social distancing guidelines meant that I was unable to visit the care home in person, it was wonderful to learn about the remarkable efforts of team members at Sunrise of Sonning to protect their residents during this difficult time.

“Sunrise of Sonning is leading the way in enabling meaningful contact between residents and their loved ones and I thank the care home for their unwavering commitment to protecting the safety of all. I look forward to visiting the care home in person once it is safe to do so.”

Carmela Magbitang, General Manager of Sunrise of Sonning, said: “She is as amazing as ever. She has visited us a few times in the past and it is great to see her again, albeit over video call. It is very easy to talk to her and I am very happy that our residents were able to have a very pleasant and warm conversation with her in such an informal manner.

“I know she is very busy, so we are very grateful for the opportunity. We hope she will be able to come and visit us again sometime soon.”

Rosemary Thorpe, an 88-year-old resident at the care home, said: “It was great meeting her and talking to her over video call. I am very glad that the stress and pressure of being a Prime Minister during a very difficult time has not changed her. She is still very empathetic, caring and very kind. She clearly cares for everyone in her constituency and we cannot wait to see her again.”

Doreen Maddock, an 85-year-old resident at Sunrise of Sonning, added: “It was great to see her. I have known her for many years as I used to live in Wargrave village, just down the road from Sunrise of Sonning. She is a lovely person, and it is great to see that she has not changed at all during these difficult times.”

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33 | PAGE 9

Care Minister Outlines Plans For Care Staff Vaccine Program The Minister for Care, Helen Whately, has written to care homes outlining plans for how the first COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer/BioNTech) will reach care home staff.

At the beginning of the month the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisations (JCVI) confirmed that adult social care is in its top priority groups for vaccination. Group 1 is ‘residents in a care home for older adults and their carers’ and Group 2 includes ‘frontline health and social care workers.’

The letter outlines Department of Health & Social care (DHSC) plans for getting the first vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech) to care home staff from the first day that vaccinations are available. It sets out the actions that local authorities and care providers should take in the coming days.

Getting the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to care home residents is, the letter states “ challenging because of the requirements for transporting it and the temperature at which it is stored”, and the focus, initially, is on vaccinating care home workers and the over 80s.

Vaccines will be available from Tuesday 8 December 2020, initially in up to 50 Hospital Hubs across England, and over the coming weeks, more Hospital Hubs and other vaccination locations will be operational.

The DHSC will be assisting our NHS colleagues by providing them with information on care homes, and are asking local authorities to work with NHS col-

leagues and local care homes to ensure that available vaccination slots are filled, including by assisting providers, where needed, with their transport plans.

In preparation care home managers should: •put together staff lists, including basic details (name, gender, date of birth, NHS number, GP details) for each staff member •be ready to provide each staff member with a letter confirming their employment in the care sector •keep staff records of vaccinations and report via the Capacity Tracker (as you do with flu vaccination) •consider the covid-secure logistics of releasing staff to receive their vaccine, while maintaining staffing levels within their home. Practical and implementable plans should be in place from early next week •take steps now to ensure that staff understand need for obtaining consent, so that they in turn can help residents and families to complete the necessary forms when a vaccine is ready to be delivered within a care home. Once issued, these forms will provide additional information about the vaccine they are receiving The DHSC are working on a standardised consent form which is needed to gain consent to vaccinate as and when the vaccine is available to care homes and is advising homes to start talking to residents and their families now about the vaccination.

Do You Know An Unsung Hero This Christmas?

Regular readers will know we here at the Carer have been awarding an Unsung Hero each Christmas since 2016!

In these unprecedented and testing times we are looking for care homes to nominate their Unsung Hero!

Somebody you think deserves recognition for going that “extra mile” during this challenging year.

How we wish we could reward everyone!

So we invite you once again to nominate a “Unsung Hero” They can be from any department from carers, to kitchen workers, from administration staff to maintenance staff. Somebody you feel has gone that extra mile, sometimes without

the recognition they deserve, and someone you think is a worthy nomination.

No complicated or glitzy awards ceremonies a simple no frills nominate your unsung hero in a short paragraph to nominate@thecareruk.com and we will pick a worthy winner. A luxury Christmas hamper overflowing with choice items will find its way to the lucky winner in time for Christmas!

So please send us a paragraph or two nominating your Unsung Hero and why you think he or she deserve recognition and we will do the rest.

Email nominate@thecareruk.com Entries close at 5pm on 16th December 2020.

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PAGE 10 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33

How Outsourcing HR Services Can Set A New Standard For Care

By Lucy Law, senior HR manager at Hugh Jones Solicitors (www.hughjonessolicitors.co.uk) The care sector has been at the epicentre of the Covid-19 pandemic – thrust under the spotlight of the world’s media as it tackled an evergrowing list of challenges; all the while, fighting to protect society’s already most vulnerable as their health and welfare became even more compromised.

Running in parallel to the clinical matters has been a whole host of new employment requirements and their related HR issues. From the sudden spike in demand for extra support workers, new policies to draft, procedures to follow and the constantly changing government guidance – the pandemic has rewritten the rulebook for HR professionals, case managers and support workers alike.

It has also provided a catalyst for change, enabling a more personcentred approach to care and reinforced the importance of strong, yet professional relationships between support workers, clients and their families. Here, Lucy Law, senior HR manager at Hugh Jones Solicitors – England’s largest independent Court of Protection firm – explains how outsourced HR services can help relieve some of the pressures of Covid-19 while building a strong foundation for quality care delivery post-pandemic.

“Direct employment – where the client is the employer and the HR team act on their behalf – is becoming more common and offers a progressive approach to working within the sector. However, there are no clear standards set out for directly employed staff at present, meaning employees may have no guidance or rules

to work to in terms of the care they provide.

“This can be troublesome, particularly given the amount of new guidance introduced since the pandemic.

Working without professional guidance can easily lead to difficulties when an employment issue arises and management can often be costly – especially when clients are faced with charges from case managers and HR specialists. Working collaboratively avoids the need to offer secondary advice and reduces the likelihood of misinterpretation.

“Just as a case manager is trained to identify requirements for support in a clinical setting, we are trained to spot and address employment issues. Early detection and resolving of HR issues has a direct correlation with retention of support workers and the quality of care delivered. It allows for clear boundary setting and the effective management of relationships between all parties – client, family and care giver. This is key to a support worker’s success and by entrusting a HR specialist to handle anything employment related, it frees up both support worker and case manager to focus on the client’s clinical needs.

“Direct employment also promotes consistency – something we all crave during times of unrest. While care plans are entirely bespoke for each client and their family, directly employed support workers work towards a common goal, with the same standard practice principles in place. They feel better supported, which leads to improved staff welfare, reduced absence and better retention. As well as improved care, clients also benefit from specialist input from HR and a clinical lead without additional cost.

“Ensuring vulnerable clients receive the highest level of quality care in a dignified and cost effective manner is our ultimate aim. And, as we emerge from Lockdown 2.0 and enter a new year, I’d encourage every support worker to consider how their professional lives may be improved. If there are gaps in service provision, difficult relationships or unknowns around their rights as an employee, outsourced HR support could be the answer – for all involved.”

Sunrise and Gracewell’s Anna Selby Wins Healthcare Hero Award Anna Selby, Regional Director of Operations and Head of the Covid-19 Task Force at Sunrise Senior Living UK and Gracewell Healthcare, has won a prestigious Knight Frank Healthcare Hero Award.

The awards, which launched this year, recognise outstanding people within the social care sector.

Anna won the award in recognition for being a highly personable and effective leader who inspires her teams to deliver industry leading care across all 46 Sunrise and Gracewell care homes.

Knight Frank were also impressed by her heroic actions during Covid-19 which not only helped to save lives, but also safeguarded the emotional wellbeing of her team members, residents and their family members.

As Head of Sunrise and Gracewell’s Covid-19 Task Force, Anna, along with other colleagues, led the organisation’s response to the pandemic in a highly effective, agile and rapid manner. Anna and other members of the team ensured all team members had adequate levels of PPE, she oversaw the operational management of residents who had tested positive for Covid-19 and altered how homes support their residents during this difficult time.

Anna has also spearheaded the introduction of enhanced visitor protocols for family members which have enabled meaningful contact during the pandemic. This enhanced visitor protocol identifies mechanisms that allow relatives to visit their loved one across all Sunrise and Gracewell care homes in a safe, con-

trolled, and managed way where there is a clinical need. These protocols have been immensely appreciated by residents and family members alike, with many who have received this status writing personal letters of thanks for the reassurance and positive benefits it has facilitated.

Speaking of winning the award, Anna Selby said: “I’m really proud to have won this award. These past nine months have been hugely challenging for the entire social care sector, but together with my colleagues across Sunrise and Gracewell, we’ve been able to implement an effective response to COVID-19.

“To be recognised for this work is a wonderful achievement. I look forward to building on the progress of the last few months to ensure that our residents continue to receive exceptional, industry-leading care.”

Speaking of her win, Dr Natalie-Jane Macdonald, CEO of Sunrise Senior Living UK and Gracewell Healthcare, said: “Anna has transformed the access of our family members to their loved ones who live with us. She has straddled the balance between keeping our residents and team members safe, while at the same time enabling everyone to have the best quality of life they can.”

“She is a people’s hero, and she has helped everyone to do their best.”

Julian Evans, Head of Healthcare at Knight Frank, commented: “We are thrilled to acknowledge the amazing people that work within the social care sector, this year more than ever. Care providers have managed the COVID-19 pandemic brilliantly, particularly given challenges including lack of testing and PPE, and we received many nominations on behalf of some truly outstanding people working within the sector.

“Our Healthcare Heroes Awards showcase those inspirational individuals who have been undertaking exemplary work in the most difficult of circumstances and have recognised some richly deserved winners.”

Care Group Hosts Festive Events Across its South East Homes to the Delight of its Hundreds of Residents

Festivities may be restricted this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the Christmas spirit is just as strong for residents at a care group in the South East - with the Yuletide celebrations in full swing.

From German markets to Christmas grottos and winter wonderlands, residents are experiencing the magic of Christmas at Nellsar, a familyrun group of 13 Care Homes across Kent, Essex and Surrey.

After what has been an incredibly challenging year for the social care

sector, staff across Nellsar’s homes sprinkled Christmas cheer and rallied their teams to put on a Christmas extravaganza of events, all adhering to infection control protocols, to bring smiles, excitement and Christmas to life for its elderly residents.

Hengist Field Care Centre, in Kent, turned its courtyard into a beautiful winter wonderland, while another Kent home, Woodstock Residential Care Centre, got residents feeling festive whilst baking Christmassy treats such as pies and pastries. Loose Valley Care Centre, in Maidstone, set up a jolly German-style market, and Lukestone Care Centre, also in Maidstone, handed out gifts to surprised residents in its special handmade Christmas grotto.

Martin Barrett, Managing Director of Nellsar said: “Christmas is renowned as being the most wonderful time of the year, and 2020 should be no different. We’ve pulled out all the stops to ensure there’s a sense of normality, and excitement, for our residents this year. We want them to immerse themselves in the festivities and sing, laugh and dance – their mental health is so important, especially when they haven’t been able to enjoy regular visits from family and friends.

He continued: “Hopefully, the simple act of spreading Christmas cheer, whether it be through browsing festive market stalls, baking mince pies or singing carols with friends, will take their minds off what

has been a difficult year for all of us. Christmas is about spending quality time with friends and family and at Nellsar, you’re always amongst the two.”

Commenting on the festivities, one resident said: “Nellsar has worked so hard just so we can find happiness, fun and love.” While another said: “They’ve provided a bit of warmth in what’s been a cold year all round.”

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33 | PAGE 11

Stars Back Alzheimer’s Research UK’s Petition Calling On Government To Double Dementia Research Funding Dame Judi Dench, Stephen Fry, Brian Cox and Dame Harriet Walter are backing Alzheimer’s Research UK’s calls on government to deliver its election promise to double investment in dementia research – as the charity says the need to find lifechanging treatments has never been more urgent.

The award-winning actors have thrown their support behind the UK’s leading Photo by Caroline Bonarde Ucci dementia research charity , as it launches a petition holding the government to account on the commitment made over a year ago.

The government made an election promise to double its investment in dementia research to over £160 million a year, yet there have been no further commitments made publicly and no strategy outlined for investing the money. The launch of the petition comes after the government failed to acknowledge its pledge to support dementia research in last week’s Spending Review.

There are almost one million people in the UK living with dementia today. Despite this, there are currently no treatments to slow, stop or prevent the diseases, most commonly Alzheimer’s, that cause the condition.

While the government has rightly prioritised efforts to combat COVID-19, the charity says the pandemic has highlighted that greater investment in dementia research is needed now more than ever.

COVID-19 has had a disproportionate impact on people with dementia. A quarter of people who have died from COVID-19 in England and Wales also had dementia. The virus has also threatened progress in research, with studies delayed and more than a third (35%) of dementia researchers saying they could leave research altogether because of COVID-19. It’s feared that this could mean the loss of a generation of dementia researchers and years of progress, ultimately delaying desperately needed treatments.

Alzheimer’s Research UK’s mission is to bring about the first lifechanging dementia treatment by 2025. While the UK’s leading dementia research charity is facing a drop in income due to the pandemic, it is still investing over £42m into dementia research, across 168 projects. But in order to ensure these existing research commitments can continue, the

Photo by David Ho

Photo by Georgia Oetker

charity has had to delay awarding any funding for new research this financial year.

Golden Globe winner and Alzheimer’s Research UK Ambassador Brian Cox CBE said: “I was forced to witness dementia take hold of both my brother-inlaw and my own brother, while knowing nothing could be done to stop it. I don’t want other families to go through this heartbreak, so I’m passionate about doing all I can to help the search for life-changing treatments. But this is a gigantic challenge, and one we cannot conquer alone.

“The UK government has a huge role to play in advancing our research efforts in this critical area and the funding committed a year ago would help ensure we make that progress. But a year has passed, and we are still waiting to see this investment come to light. Sign Alzheimer’s Research UK’s petition today and tell this government we cannot wait any longer. Dementia is not slowing down, so we must speed up our efforts.”

Oscar winner and seven-time Academy Award nominee Dame Judi Dench said: “Having portrayed someone with Alzheimer’s in the film Iris and having seen the impact of dementia on people around me, I’m sadly all too aware of how painful, cruel and unforgiving this condition can be. Not only on the person affected, but their friends and family too, as dementia can turn the relationships we hold most dearly upside down. It is heartbreaking and we must take action.

“A promise was made by government to double its funding for dementia research, to help bring an end to the long and desperate wait for a new treatment. With that vow came hope for everyone affected by

dementia. But that hope is fading while government fails to deliver the funding so greatly needed. We cannot let this commitment be forgotten.

Please stand with us and hold government to account on its promise by signing Alzheimer’s Research UK’s petition today.”

Actor, broadcaster and author Stephen Fry said: “One in three people born today will develop dementia in their lifetime unless life-changPhoto by Alex Wallace Photography ing treatments are found.

Tragically, this puts into sharp focus the urgency to increase investment in dementia research today, so we can stop this frightening statistic from becoming tomorrow’s reality.

“We place such huge faith in scientists and research to achieve the impossible and transform our lives. On so many occasions, they have delivered, with astonishing success. With the right investment, scientists will make the breakthroughs we so desperately need for people with dementia. Government made a promise to accelerate these efforts when it pledged to double funding for dementia research. Now we need to ensure government delivers on this promise, so please sign Alzheimer’s Research UK’s petition.”

Dame Harriet Walter, star of Killing Eve and The Crown, said: “Both my parents had dementia and it was hard to believe that there were no treatments available then to stop, or at the very least slow down, what was happening to them. Years on, that’s tragically still the case for people with dementia today. As a society, we have a responsibility to change the outlook for people living with this condition and our government has an important role to play.

“The investment promised a year ago by government would go a long way in helping scientists to better understand dementia and, hopefully, find the answers we need to cure it. But worryingly, we now find ourselves in a position where there is even less funding for dementia research, and instead of capitalising on the progress that’s been made, we’re at risk of further delays. I do not want other families to go through what mine did, so please urge government to deliver on its election promise and sign Alzheimer’s Research UK’s petition.”

You can sign the petition here: www.alzres.uk/sign-our-petition

PAGE 12 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33

Embedding Music into Personalised Care Plans Music for Dementia has joined forces with the Office of the Chief Social Worker for Adults, DHSC to co-produce two guides for Social Workers on how to embed music into personalised care plans for people living with dementia.

The full-length guide covers the benefits of a musical approach for people living with dementia and how to include it in strengths-based assessments, including the role of link workers, family and friends in making this happen.

The one-page short guide is a colourful summary of the information, intended as a quick reference resource. Both guides are supported by the Dementia Choices Action Alliance (DCAN) and NHS England.

In the foreword, Fran Leddra, Chief Social Worker for England, says: “This guide will support professionals and families and individuals receiving care to think about music as a part of a therapeutic response to wellbeing. Care plans need to embrace what is important in someone’s life and not just describe the transactional care and support they need. When we include music in care plans, we immediately make them more personalised.”

The full guide includes how the music aligns with the ‘the wellbeing principle’ in The Care Act. The information is brought to life with case studies of how music has helped individuals and couples to enhance their quality of life in a variety of ways. It also includes a useful template of questions to ask during an assessment.

Some of the many benefits of music included in the guide are: Enabling people living with dementia to be ‘seen as the person they are’

beyond their condition; Engaging people positively across the spectrum of severity from diagnosis to end of life care; • Alleviating symptoms associated with dementia such as agitation, apathy and anxiety; • Re-energising people living with dementia as they experience and enjoy music from their past.

Grace Meadows, Programme Director of Music for Dementia said: “Music is the most wonderful enabler and we are delighted to have worked closely with the Office of the Chief Social Worker on these guides. They will give social workers the knowledge and tools to make music happen for people living with dementia who have a social care need.

“Having spoken with social workers at several events recently, I know there is a great deal of interest in the power of music and how it can be used as part of social care plans to enhance and enrich quality of life for people living with dementia and their carers.”

Both guides can be viewed and downloaded from the Music for Dementia website at www.musicfordementia.org.uk

Red-Carpet Xmas Gala Enables Care Home Residents to ‘Go to the Oscars’ A sparkling taste of Hollywood magic and fun has brought Christmas festivities to life for dozens of care home residents.

Complete with red carpet walkway, giant-sized Oscar images and glitzy tinsel, Colten Care’s art decostyle Poole home Bourne View staged a movie-themed seasonal gala.

Residents received star treatment with ‘paparazzi’ snapping them on arrival for pre-lunch drinks.

The buzz continued as they took their places in the hotel-style foyer and Audrey Hepburn dining room for a three-course lunch of smoked salmon cornet, roast beef and Black Forest chocolate roulade.

Eight dining tables named after icons such as Audrey, Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable and Elizabeth Taylor sported Christmas cards and gifts of picture frames to put the red-carpet shots in when ready.

A livestreamed piano show by entertainer Simon Woodley specially created for Bourne View featured jazz standards and songs from the musicals.

The fun was topped off with a film quiz and raffle in aid of the home’s two nominated charities, Poole Young Carers and Caring Canines.

Movie fans among the residents included Pat Tharme, Myrtle Smith and 100-year-old Magdalena Wilkins.

Pat said: “This was a lovely day for us all and such a lot of work has gone into making it happen.”

Magdalena said: “It has brought back treasured memories of films I first watched and enjoyed years ago such as Gone With The Wind.”

Myrtle, a former professional pianist and chamber musician, said: “Don’t believe what some people say about care homes. I am so happy because the care here is out of this world. And it’s not just the care itself. The team actually like taking care of you, so it’s the atmosphere as well that goes with that.”

All 21 Colten Care homes across the south are staging special Christmas gala lunches for residents.

Amberwood House in Ferndown opted for a candy cane-themed event with entertainment from Dorset-based singer Nicky Stevens.

She is a member of the pop group Brotherhood of Man, famous for winning the Eurovision Song Contest in 1976 with the international hit ‘Save Your Kisses for Me.’ Avon Cliff in Bournemouth will donate all proceeds from its gala to charity BCHA, the Bournemouth Churches Housing Association.

The Aldbury, a dedicated dementia care home in Poole, is holding a Nutcracker ballet-themed lunch.

Other Christmas celebrations at Colten Care homes include candlelit carol singing, religious services, Christmas lights switch-ons and community window displays.

At Castle View in Poundbury, staff and residents are decorating one of their lounges in the style of a 1950s Christmas complete with childhood memorabilia and copies of period newspapers.

At Whitecliffe House in Blandford, a traditional German-themed Christmas market features stalls, bratwurst sausages, hot chocolate and brandy, and an outdoor firepit for roasting chestnuts.

Newstone House in Sturminster Newton is inviting residents to a ‘Virtual Lapland’ experience with elves, snow machine and Santa’s grotto.

At Braemar Lodge in Salisbury, residents have been busy making lanterns for a forthcoming Christmas parade and carol singing tour of their garden.

A candlelit carol evening at Linden House, Colten’s Outstandingrated dementia care home in Lymington, will include the reading of a Christmas poem by members of the home’s creative writing group.

Karen Grant A’ Court, Companionship Team Leader at Bourne View, said: “It was so special to give everyone a taste of what it might be like to go to the Oscars for real.

“All our homes are getting into the festive spirit with imagination and energy. The Companionship Teams have been highly creative in coming up with wonderful experiences and events for our residents.

“We’re making sure that, despite social distancing, our homes remain happy places filled with laughter, companionship and fun.”

RLWC2021 & Community Integrated Care Launch Ground-Breaking Inclusive Volunteer Programme Rugby League World Cup 2021 (RLWC2021) has urthered its commitment to building a world-class social impact programme by teaming up with Community Integrated Care to create a ground-breaking inclusive volunteer programme for the biggest and best RLWC ever.

This world-first project, supported by Sport England’s Major Events Fund, will see the social care charity create a range of accessible and aspirational volunteering opportunities for people who have care and support needs.

The project will run throughout 2021 and continue in the months following the tournament to provide ongoing mentoring and support.

Early plans include media clubs, recruitment of experts by experience to advise tournament organisers, the creation of school assemblies to educate young people on inclusion, and opportunities to volunteer with the RLWC2021 team. This will include opportunities to assist with media days and community sports events.

Participants will also have the chance to apply their skills and experience in exciting, person-centred volunteering roles – joining the RLWC2021’s ‘Power Squad’ tournament-time volunteering team. With roles coordinated by Community Integrated Care, individuals will volunteer alongside their families or support workers which adds an exciting dimension to the RLWC2021’s focus on making the event the most inclusive Rugby League tournament ever.

Playing a key role in this partnership will be Oliver Thomason, who

has secured employment with Community Integrated Care as their Sports Inclusion Assistant. Oliver, who is a member of the Warrington Wolves Community Integrated Care Learning Disability Super League team, will help the charity to ensure that their sports partnerships are truly inclusive.

This is mirrored by Oliver also joining the RLWC2021 team as the

Official Inclusion Ambassador for the tournament. Having championed the sport of rugby league and social inclusion in many ways since making his debut for his beloved Warrington Wolves, Oliver will be joining the team to now champion social inclusion on a global stage.

More details on these programmes will be released in due course from Community Integrated Care, the Official Social Care Partner of RLWC2021, the Rugby Football League and Super League.

Tracy Power, RLWC2021 Social Impact Director said: “We are extremely thankful to our partners Community Integrated Care and Sport England for making this project possible.”

“RLWC2021 is a tournament with a purpose and we are committed to making tangible and positive social impact within our host communities and this is another brilliant way of engaging new people into Rugby League through the power of the World Cup.” “To have Oliver on board as an ambassador is extremely exciting, his powerful story perfectly epitomises the values of RLWC2021. His infectious energy and passion for the game will make Oliver a fantastic addition to the tournament’s unique inclusivity programme.”

Oliver Thomason said: “I am so proud to be working with the Rugby League World Cup 2021 and Community Integrated Care. These are dream jobs for me. I cannot wait to help people to be part of the World Cup and our brilliant projects. I am looking forward to making a difference and helping to promote this fantastic tournament.”

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33 | PAGE 13

Families Putting Off Conversations About Care Less than one in six adults (15 per cent) of people have spoken to older members of their family about their future care needs and know their exact wishes, according to research by care provider Helping Hands.

The study shows that an additional 28% have spoken about it casually with their older relatives, but well over half the population (57%) have not even broached the topic.

The research found that of those people whose parents subsequently needed care, only 38% say that they had conversations about the possibility of it at the right time. One in five people (21%) whose parents have needed care say they wish their mum or dad had received professional help sooner and 10% say that if they had a conversation about it earlier, it could have prevented accidents in the home.

Only a quarter (25%) of those whose mum or dad have needed care were the first to raise the issue with their parents, but even so, they are almost twice as likely to have initiated the conversation than their parents themselves – just one in seven (14%) people say their parents first brought the subject up. The most common person to raise the subject was their parents’ doctor or other health professional, the instigator of the issue in just over a third (34%) of cases.

The research reveals how sensitive a subject the need for care can be.

Of those people who have had an older relative needing care, only a third (34%) say they were happy to speak to them about it. A quarter (26%) say they were worried their relative would be uncomfortable having the conversation, and a similar number (24%) say they didn’t want their relative to think they were unwilling to help them. Nearly a quarter (23%) say they were worried about offending their relative while almost one in ten (9%) thought the conversation would lead to an argument.

Many people put off discussing the need for care with their relative because of concerns over how they themselves would react – 24% say they felt uncomfortable, while one in five (19%) say they were upset having the conversation.

Unfortunately, families not broaching the subject of care can not only

lead to delays in elder generations getting the support they need but can cause additional emotional turmoil for their offspring. Over a third (37%) of people say they have regrets about not talking to their loved ones about later life care at the right time.

While younger generations may feel that the onus of discussing the issue of future care falls on them, Helping Hands encourages older family members to be clear with their children and grandchildren about their wishes. Just one in ten (10%) people over 55 say they have spoken to their younger relatives to let them know exactly what their expectations are – while less than a quarter (23%) have spoken about it casually.

Andy Hogarth, CEO at Helping Hands, says: “The potential need for future care and support in the home is a conversation that many families find difficult to have and it’s unlikely to be a single discussion, but lots of conversations over a period of time. It’s important to have patience and be prepared to bring in support gradually – that way elderly relatives can get used to the idea without being overwhelmed by a sudden change in lifestyle. Having lots of conversations will also allow families to address the common obstacles we see in these situations one by one, rather than having to deal with all the challenges at the same time.”

The research found clear lessons from the experience of those people whose elder relatives have required care.

A relative needing care is undoubtedly a turbulent time for a family, so it is not surprising that there are some negative feelings about it. One in eight (12%) said they felt as though they had failed their relative, while others said it made them feel as though they couldn’t cope or as though they weren’t enough for their relative any more (both 6%).

However, once the subject had been broached and the relative is receiving care and support, it is clear that in the majority of cases, the whole family benefits. Half (51%) of people say they felt calmer knowing their relative was being professionally looked after, while a third (34%) were relieved to have help and a quarter (26%) relieved to have some pressure taken off.

Covid Vaccine-The Logistical Dilemma The National Care Forum (NCF) has responded to the news that the government have approved the Covid vaccine and will be prioritising care staff, and a statement they have said :“We are delighted to have the vaccine assured, it’s also good news that more are on the way. However, it is disappointing to have ended up in a situation where the people who are top of the list for vaccination are not able to get it immediately. Bottom line is that we need to get vaccines to the people who need it most, in care homes, as quickly as possible.

“The only viable solution for widescale vaccination of care home residents is to get vaccines over the threshold and have them delivered onsite in care homes. It is not tenable to suggest, or encourage very frail people to go to hospital, or even community based hubs. Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic care providers have worked hard to limit the risk of virus transmission in order to keep people safe, it is not sensible to change that now during what still is a national pandemic.

“Now is the time for the NHS to work very closely with GPs and pharmacies and care homes to help

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Georgetown Care Home Receives Tasty Donation From A Local Pub Residents and Colleagues at HC One’s The Daffodils care home were delighted to receive some takeaway afternoon teas as a donation.

The local pub The Drovers Arms in Cefn Coed donated some very nice afternoon tea boxes to residents and staff at the Georgetown care home.

Within the boxes, there were plenty of delicious sandwiches, scones and cakes. They were all very much enjoyed with a nice cup of tea.

One of the Residents said “you’ can’t beat a piece of cake and a cup of tea”, whilst another said “it is very nice of them to donate to us.”

The donation was greatly received and both staff and residents enjoyed a little pick me up in difficult times.

Everyone at The Daffodils would like to send a big ‘thank-you’ to the team at The Drovers Arm for their kind thought and donation during this difficult time.

mobilise a local vaccination service – we know that taking the vaccine to the people who need it the most is the most effective way to boost uptake rates and protect our care home communities.

“If it turns out that all avenues have been exhausted, and that there is no way for the Pfizer vaccine to be administered within care homes, then we need some urgent guarantees that the alternative vaccines will meet the criteria to be delivered on site and in care homes. The timescale for assurance of the alternative vaccines must be clearly laid out. It’s all very well to ask care homes to be ‘patient’, but having outlined just how life changing this could be, the patience of residents, relatives and providers shouldn’t be expected to stretch too far.

“Care home staff are also at the top of the priority list for getting vaccinated and of course a great way to strengthen the protection of residents is to vaccinate care staff. The practicalities of staff having to travel to sites for vaccination raises a raft of problems around travel, payment of staff while being vaccinated, distance of homes from sites and booking into sites. As we know, the existing allocation from the Infection Control Fund is already stretched to the limit in its commitments and so funding will need to be made available to make sure care homes are supported to making this a reality."

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33 | PAGE 15

Call to Reward Adult Social Care Workforce Care England has appealed for the Government to implement a comprehensive strategy for rewarding the adult social care workforce.

Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, says: “The Prime Minister and others in the Government have frequently paid tribute to care workers, who have been at the front line of the UK’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, this week, we wrote to the Secretary of State to urge him to engage with the important issue of rewarding the adult social care workforce.

This is interlinked with the need for the Government to fund the recent increases in the National Living Wage.”

This follows the Scottish Government’s recent announcement a one-off payment of £500 for Scotland’s health and care staff. Whilst the Welsh Government

previously pledged to pay care workers in July. In its letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Care England outlined that it was both willing and able to work with the Government to craft such solutions in the coming weeks and months.

Martin Green continues: “The need to reward social care workers is accentuated when we consider the Chancellor’s recent pledge to increase the pay of NHS nurses. A failure to reward the adult social care workforce will only further the perception that social care is the poor relation of the NHS. Whilst any such strategy should reward both care and auxiliary staff alike as both are fundamental to care services.

Study Identifies 10 Risk Factors For Alzheimer’s Disease Scientists led by a team in China have identified 10 risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease. The 10 factors are diabetes, poor BMI, reduced education, high blood pressure in midlife, low blood pressure, head trauma, high levels of homocysteine, less cognitive activity, stress, and depression. Researchers published the findings today (Monday 20 July) in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.

Dementia is caused by a number of physical brain diseases, the most common being Alzheimer’s disease. You can find out more reducing your of Alzheimer’s disease by visiting alzres.uk/risk-reduction Speaking about this study, Dr Rosa Sancho, Head of Research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “Diseases like Alzheimer’s are caused by a complex mix of age, genetics and lifestyle. In 2017 a landmark report found 9 modifiable risk factors for dementia and like that report, in this research, scientists reviewed findings from a large number of existing studies.

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“Intriguingly they found that head trauma and high levels of a compound called homocysteine were associated with the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Identifying risk factors like this is an important starting point for further research into ways to limit their impact and help people live for longer free from dementia.

“There is still more to do when it comes to dementia prevention, with Alzheimer’s Research UK’s Dementia Attitudes Monitor showing just a third of people think it’s possible to reduce their dementia risk.

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PAGE 16 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33

Supporting Carers at Work: The Role of Employers Bernadette Mossman, Healthcare Director at specialist dementia care provider Vida Healthcare, discusses how social care providers can support carers through opportunities for career progression, mental health initiatives, and programmes to improve physical health, to engender loyalty and decrease turnover.

in what they’re doing.

Employers can also show their gratitude through initiatives such as awards where staff members are nominated, and events such as Christmas parties. This will highlight to carers that they’re valued, and also give them a chance to destress and socialise with their colleagues.

CAREER PROGRESSION

The pandemic has led to some of the biggest challenges ever seen by the social care sector, however its crucial role in caring for our vulnerable population has been highlighted and brought to the forefront of the public’s consciousness.

Recent research released earlier in the year1 found that since the start of the pandemic, almost two thirds (64%) of the public are more aware of the care industry, and 70 percent of people now value social care staff on a par with the NHS workforce.

Employers must encourage staff to consider social care as a career, rather than just a job, and drive their passion when it comes to caring for society’s most vulnerable.

Investment in career opportunities will inspire more people to become interested in a role within social care, and make current carers feel supported in their ambitions. Employers should show compassion and interest in the personal development of employees to create a positive workplace culture and working environment which retains existing staff and attracts new talent.

This has been particularly important during COVID-19, where increasing pressures have led to many carers feeling unable to cope and unsupported by their employer.

At Vida Healthcare, we’ve always invested in progression, but have made a concerted effort to offer career opportunities during the pandemic to engender loyalty within our staff.

Our most recent investment has been in the development of our training platform, Vida Academy. Launched in July 2020, the platform provides learning resources and career development tools for staff to deliver best practice and identify new skills.

MENTAL HEALTH

Photo credit: Iza Habur

This has led to more people considering a career in social care, however this can put pressure on employers when it comes to supporting carers at work.

While investment in career development and opportunities is important, employers need to consider the mental health of their carers.

A mental health crisis within a care setting can lead to ineffective care delivery, high staff turnover, and a place of work which doesn’t attract new talent.

Counselling services, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can give staff the confidential and private space they need to explore their experiences, improve their mental health, and give them a voice if they feel they aren’t being heard.

Connectivity with residents and their family members is also crucial.

Opportunities to develop personal relationships with residents is important to engender trust and reduce stress, while connectivity with family members enables carers to showcase the crucial work they’re doing.

Connections with family members is also likely to drive positive testimonials which will provide carers with a sense of achievement and purpose

PHYSICAL HEALTH Good physical health is crucial for carers to successfully carry out their role, and employers can invest in a number of initiatives to keep their workforce physically healthy.

Free flu jabs should be offered to every member of staff, particularly in the run up to winter. This will not only protect staff and their family members, but also reduce the risk of cross infection between carers and the people they care for.

Significant investment, particularly during the pandemic, must be made in PPE to keep both staff and residents protected and safe. This will secure greater physical health within staff, but also ensure greater positivity when it comes to attitudes towards their employer.

NEXT STEPS Previously, employers haven’t invested enough in supporting carers at work which has led to poor mental health, high staff turnover, and a sector which struggles to attract talent.

If employers consider numerous initiatives this will engender trust between staff and employers, create a positive workplace, and enable carers to deliver the level of support required by the vulnerable people they care for.

For more information about supporting carers at work and initiatives that can be put in place, please visit www.vidahealthcare.co.uk

Birmingham’s World-Renowned Dementia Specialist Wins Lifetime Achievement in Care Award Birmingham-based Professor Graham Stokes, Director of Memory Care Services at care provider HC-One, won the Lifetime Achievement in Care Award at the prestigious 22nd National Care Awards, on Wednesday 25th November 2020.

Professor Graham Stokes was nominated for the award following an impressive career spanning over 30 years in dementia care. Professor Stokes is a Clinical Psychologist and one of the most influential people working in dementia in the UK and has been instrumental in developing and shaping the concept of person-centred care.

Professor Graham Stokes, HC-One’s Director of Memory Care Services, stated: “Being chosen as the winner in this category is a deeply humbling experience, and I am honoured that my work has been recognised at such a prestigious ceremony.

“The greatest award for me in life has been to help people realise that living with dementia is more about the person and who they are and less about their dementia, thereby helping those with dementia to live more content and fulfilling lives.”

James Tugendhat, HC-One’s Chief Executive Officer, commented: “Congratulations to Graham - this is a tremendous achievement and we are incredibly proud of him!

“We were thrilled to have two winners and six finalists at the National Care Awards in total.

“Our success at this year’s National Care Awards is a testament to the dedication of my Colleagues, even in the most challenging of times. They have truly gone above and beyond to provide the kindest care to Residents living in our care homes, as we strive to be the first-choice care provider in each of the communities that we serve.”

The National Care Awards, organised by Caring Times is the longest established annual awards in the care industry, celebrating the finest talent in the care sector.

This year marked 22 years of celebrating the very best people working in the care sector and those who go above and beyond to provide consistent exceptional care.

Scottish Jazz Sensation Wows Care Home With Virtual Concert

RESIDENTS at a care home have been treated to an exclusive digital concert by one of Scotland’s most exciting jazz stars, Georgia Cécile.

Georgia, with her boyfriend and jazz pianist Fraser Urquhart, pre-recorded a 30 minute performance of her favourite songs specifically for customers of Blackwood’s Broom Court care home in Stirling.

The 31-year-old, who was named best vocalist at the Scottish Jazz Awards last year, was eager to get involved with the project when she heard about it through the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival.

She said: “It’s been a crazy year for musicians and performers across the world. I really miss performing live so I was thrilled when the opportunity came up to perform virtually for a new audience at Broom Court.

“Together, Fraser and I pulled together a set list of some of our favourite tunes and we self-recorded the event from our home.

The Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival and Blackwood were amazing in working out all of the IT requirements to make sure residents at Broom Court could enjoy the concert.”

The Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival worked with Georgia and Blackwood to record, create and stream the concert direct to Broom Court care home, which accommodates and cares for residents with a wide range of disabilities.

Agnese Daverio, programme and production manager with the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival, said: “Organising digital concerts has made us realise how many people might not be able to access concerts and live music – whether we’re in a pandemic or

not.

“It’s really important for us to reach out further and share this music with people who can’t get to venues, because they should be able to enjoy and get involved with jazz.

“We’re always looking to challenge any preconception that enjoying jazz might not be accessible, for whatever reason – whether that’s financial, physical, or even geographical limitations.

“Bringing jazz directly to the residents at Blackwood is really important and part of the overall work we’re trying to do – bringing jazz to audiences who might not have the chance to enjoy it live. We’re looking forward to organising future concerts with Blackwood.”

Broom Court is one of Blackwood’s three care homes, which are designed to provide integrated accommodation and care for customers with a range of physical disabilities. 24 hour care is also offered for customers with more complex disabilities who have higher support needs.

Flora Hay, Care Services Manager at Broom Court, said: “The jazz concert was fantastic and thoroughly enjoyed by our residents. Due to social distancing we had a small number of residents attend the concert, which was shown on a brand-new smart TV we had installed for the occasion.

“Our residents absolutely adored listening to Georgia and Fraser perform – one of our residents in particular was overjoyed and said she loved it. She has quite complex needs and really enjoys music, so it was a really lovely event to organise.”

DO YOU HAVE A CHRISTMAS UNSUNG HERO? Regular readers will know we here at the Carer have been awarding an Unsung Hero each Christmas since 2016!

In these unprecedented and testing times we are looking for care homes to nominate a Christmas Unsung Hero!

Somebody you think deserves recognition for going that “extra mile” during this challenging year.

A luxury Christmas hamper overflowing with choice items will find its way to the lucky winner in time for Christmas!

Say hello to some previous winners!

Care Home urst of Cloverfield Marion Brockleh

Home ktree Court Care Tracey James of Oa

Debbie Day of Cedars Care Home

Tina Higginson of Sam brook care home

A no-frills, no glitz or glamour competition - all we ask is for you to send us a paragraph or two nominating your Unsung Hero from any department with a brief description of how they've gone that extra mile and deserve to be recognised.

✓ Do you know our next Unsung Hero?

Email your nomination to us today at nominate@thecareruk.com ENTRIES CLOSE at 5PM on 16th DECEMBER 2020

PAGE 18 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33

A Vaxxing Question The fantastic news was recently announced that a COVID-19 vaccine has been authorised – with care home, frontline health, and social care workers among the first to get it. But can they be forced to take the vaccine? David Sheppard, an employment lawyer from Capital Law, answers.

Currently, nothing in the law give employers or governments the authority to force people to become vaccinated. In fact, the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 specifically states that members of the public should not be compelled to undergo any mandatory medical treatment, including vaccina-

tions.

In an employment context, even if a carer’s contract includes a clear medical examinations clause, freely given consent would still be required. Forcing employees to be vaccinated could give rise to numerous objections on the grounds of individual liberty and human rights, as Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights protects people from being interfered with physically or psychologically. There could also be criminal implications – as forcing anybody to receive a vaccine injection under duress could constitute an unlawful injury.

Additionally, someone’s anti-vaccination position could amount to a protected philosophical belief under the Equality Act 2010. If an antivaxxer could establish that their belief was genuinely held, then they may find success at a tribunal. There are also several religious issues at stake when it comes to vaccinations, like the fact that many vaccines use pig gelatine, which could cause problems for some faiths, and for vegans, all of whom are protected under the Equality Act. Employers may be tempted to take indirect measures to pressurise vaccination of their employees – such as refusing employees’ entry to certain parts of the workplace or front-line roles if they are not vaccinat-

ed, or issue disciplinary action if an employee refuses to be vaccinated.

But any such measures should be considered very carefully before being implemented, as the employee may be able to issue a direct or indirect discrimination claim; and claim constructive unfair dismissal if they resign.

In the care sector, it could be argued that requiring a care home employee to be vaccinated, and disciplining them if they refuse, is reasonable due to the high-risk nature of the work, ultimately justifying dismissal or other disciplinary action. It’s true that under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, employers may have a duty to ensure a safe working environment by enabling vaccination of their employees in circumstances where they will have close contact with the clinically vulnerable.

But it’s not quite that simple. Any employer mandating a vaccine would still need to balance out the interference with an employee’s individual liberty and human rights against the degree to which vaccination reduces risk for residents. Essentially – does the vaccine reduce transmission, or does it simply suppress symptoms in a carrier only? It’s this information that would inform an employment tribunal as to the reasonableness and proportionality of mandated vaccines in a high-risk workplaces, such as care homes.

Ultimately, the best thing employers can do is to inform their workers about vaccination by sharing impartial, factual, information about the vaccine, and win over their consent. www.capital-law.co.uk

New Research into Covid’s Impact on People with Learning Difficulties Released New research published reveals the extent of isolation experienced by people with learning disabilities and autism across the country due to the coronavirus pandemic, as they unite to call for more understanding, representation and opportunities across society, during and after the pandemic.The research from not-for-profit support provider Dimensions uncovers a collective sense of exclusion, with 93% feeling more isolated from society due to the pandemic and 97% calling for more to be done by government to address their specific needs.

Encouragingly, the hardships faced during this year have inspired people with learning disabilities to see a more positive future. Seeing this year as a catalyst for change, 67% are hopeful that more reasonable adjustments for people with learning disabilities and autism will be considered in the future, and 57% have been inspired to get more involved in politics and decision making.

The research has been published alongside the Dimensions Coronavirus Learning Disability and Autism Leaders’ List, launched in association with Learning Disability England and VODG. The List is a special edition of the UK’s first national list recognising people with learning disabilities and autism who are challenging stereotypes and entrenched social prejudices. This year’s List celebrates those who have made special efforts to make communities better for themselves and others during the pandemic – tackling entrenched social biases by helping others and overcoming challenges of their own.

Sarah Walters, Campaigns Manager at Dimensions, said: “It’s incredibly inspiring that, despite the challenges faced this year, so many people with learning disabilities and autism continue to achieve remarkable things and are more determined than ever to see a brighter, more inclusive future.

“Our research highlights just how isolating the pandemic has been for people with learning disabilities and autism, with many worried that in the future, they won’t have the same opportunities they had before.

Yet, many remain hopeful our society will evolve to be more inclusive.

We cannot let them down.

“Covid-19 can’t be an excuse to sit back and do nothing. Our research should be a wake-up call – the pandemic needs to be a catalyst for change for us to do more to listen to and understand the lives of people with learning disabilities and autism.

“We are so proud of, and inspired, by this year’s Leaders. Now, more than ever, we must stand with them to help tackle the inequalities they face every day.”

RAISING AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING The pandemic has been challenging for everyone but has created specific and significant issues for those with learning disabilities and autism, who have experienced disruptive changes to routines, shielding restrictions, and being unable to see their loved ones.

As a result, 97% think it is important that more people understand how coronavirus has affected people with learning disabilities and autism.

Max Green, who has autism, OCD and epilepsy, has gone above and beyond to change this. Alongside his full-time job in IT, Max is an active YouTube blogger and used his time in isolation to create videos informing and educating audiences on the impact of coronavirus on people with autism. He launched a 10-part series titled ‘The Autism Connections’ where he interviewed a variety of people with links to

Becki Parker, who has autism, was concerned by the slow pace at which easy-read versions of vital information on coronavirus were being produced. Taking matters into her own hands, she dedicated her time in lockdown to working with Inclusion North to produce daily videos and coronavirus bulletins, ensuring people with learning disabilities and autism were provided with the accessible, accurate updates they needed to stay safe.

Becki has also campaigned on the issue, creating and sharing a video addressed to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, calling for more accessible guidance regarding coronavirus to be made available.

Like Becki, 57% of people with learning disabilities and autism now want to be more involved in politics and decision making as a result of the pandemic.

ACHIEVEMENTS OVER LOCKDOWN Many people with learning disabilities and autism have overcome major hurdles during the pandemic and made progress in various autism about their knowledge and experiences.

Aaron Senior, who has autism and was born with a rare genetic disability called Kabuki Syndrome, works as a Lived Experience Advisor in NHS England and Improvement and is passionate about ensuring people like him are heard and understood. During lockdown, Aaron had to cope with self-isolation, being separated from friends and family. He took it in his stride and used his positivity to support the NHS autism team to understand the challenges faced by people who were shielding – leading to the development of accessible Covid-19 resources for people with autism and learning disability.

ISOLATION FROM SOCIETY With the experiences of people with autism and learning disabilities during the pandemic largely missing from public discourse, coupled with reduced community interaction, 88% feel that the pandemic has made it easier for society to forget about them.

To combat feelings of loneliness and social isolation, Molly Kirby set up the Friendship Group for people with learning disabilities or autism in Warrington. Molly has autism and wanted to help others who, like her, might struggle with feeling shy and anxious around other people.

During lockdown, Molly recognised that keeping connected was more important than ever and began to lead group meetings via Zoom.

Her sessions have helped to connect dozens of isolated people in the area and allowed them to bond over shared experiences in these challenging times.

Kumudu Perera, who was born with a learning disability, has a real passion for helping others. Before the pandemic, he volunteered for a number of different charities, helping with local community campaigns.

Lockdown brought an end to his in-person volunteering but didn’t stop him from wanting to help. He started volunteering as a Phone Buddy at My Life My Choice Project, which offers friendship and support to people with learning disabilities. Kumudu loves the chance he has to fill other people’s days with happiness and help take their mind off things that worry or upset them – making them feel they are not alone.

POLITICS AND THE PANDEMIC Only half (50%) of people with learning disabilities and autism feel that they have been listened to and respected by government in its response to the pandemic. As a result, 76% have been made to feel that compared to other people, they do not matter.

aspects of their lives. 70% feel proud that they have learnt to use online communication tools, stayed in touch with their families and friends, or helped others to feel better during lockdown.

One person who is particularly proud of their achievements is Victoria Elizabeth Smith. Victoria has a learning disability and, throughout her life, has struggled with a lack of confidence due to the way she’s been treated. To help others like her, she works as a Gig Buddies assistant for Stay Up Late, a project that pairs people with and without learning disabilities in Sussex to develop friendships and go to events together.

Victoria quickly adapted during lockdown and has been running virtual coffee mornings and socials for participants. She even starred in her own comedic one-woman show, as part of an online festival, attracting over 1,000 views. Over the course of the year, Victoria’s confidence has improved ten-fold and she has set herself a new goal of one day performing at the O2.

The Dimensions Coronavirus Learning Disability and Autism Leaders’ List will be announced on 3rd December and celebrated in the evening, at a virtual ceremony hosted by the winner of the Dimensions’ 2019 Leaders’ List, Murray Bruce, and his dad and BBC Radio 2 presenter Ken Bruce.

Liam Bairstow, the star of Coronation Street and the winner of Dimensions’ 2019 Leaders’ List, said: “The coronavirus pandemic has impacted the lives of everyone in ways that, only a few months ago, would be difficult to imagine. For many people with learning disabilities and autism, the pandemic has been a period of anxiety and uncertainty, as our daily routines changed beyond recognition.

“And yet, it has also been a time of people persevering, coming together and looking after each other. It’s wonderful that Dimensions’ special Coronavirus Learning Disability and Autism Leaders’ List celebrates those stories of everyday strength and resilience in this extraordinary time.

“I’ve been inspired by everyone who made it onto this historic List, and I look forward to following each person’s journey. I hope that very soon we will all be able to be in one place to celebrate their stories and achievements together.”

PAGE 22 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33 | PAGE 21

Britain Leads The Way With Over Half A Million People Taking Part In Pioneering Covid-19 Research 637,379 participants from across the UK have now taken part in public health research into the effects of, and treatment for Covid-19 in just over eight months.

The UK is on the front foot of its commitment to understand how this virus spreads, and find treatments and vaccines, with the total number of British people involved in Covid-19 urgent public health research soaring from 100,000 in June, to over half a million today.

Recruiting participants at unprecedented pace and scale has led to the development of life saving treatments for Covid-19 hospitalised patients, including the recently announced findings that arthritis drug tocilizumab can be effective in treating the sickest Covid-19 patients.

Vast numbers of participants has meant some of the world’s most promising vaccine candidates are being developed through UK-based studies, and has enabled initial results around vaccine effectiveness to be published at an unparalleled pace. It is due to rigorous clinical trials such as these that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), have been able to authorise the Pfizer/BioNTech’s vaccine use in the UK, making the UK becomes the first country in the western world to authorise a Covid-19 vaccine. Three large scale vaccine studies have been rolled out in the UK over recent months, while other promising new vaccines will be confirmed soon for delivery. Tens of thousands of people have already taken part in vaccine trials across the UK through these phase 3 trials.

Health Secretary, Matt Hancock said: “I want to thank every single person – from staff members to participants – who have taken part in this research. Everyone’s involvement has provided a vital link in the chain to help us better understand this virus and I am confident we will find a resolution through the ingenuity of science.

“The scale at which research into treatments for Covid-19 has taken place in the UK is unparalleled, and the determination for the country to come together to beat this virus is extraordinary.

“We understand this virus infinitely more than at the start of this pan-

demic and each of us must continue to look at what role we can take.

By coming together and using our scientific prowess, we will prevail.”

The dramatic rise in enrolment over recent months is testament to the world-leading research infrastructure in the UK, as well as the willingness of people to participate in vital Covid-19 studies. Dedicated hard work from the National Institute for Health Research, the NHS and the devolved nations has ensured as many UK patients as possible benefit from the latest innovations in science and medicine.

Since March, 73 urgent public health studies into Covid-19 have been set up to investigate a range of potential treatments, vaccines and observational studies to learn more about the disease, as well as research into new diagnostic technology. NHS hospitals have played a vital role in delivering studies at pace and scale, enabling hospitalised patients to benefit from the latest Covid-19 treatments, in addition to helping tens of thousands of people gain early access to vaccine candidates through trials running across the country.

Chief Medical Officer for England and co-lead of the National Institute for Health Research, Professor Chris Whitty said: “The willingness of the UK public to participate in Covid-19 research has been inspiring. Science is the only way out of this pandemic, it will find new ways to prevent and treat the virus and this will allow us to gradually return to normal life. This science cannot happen without those who volunteer to take part in research.

“The National Institute for Health Research, as part of the wider UK research infrastructure, has been key to the UK’s success in delivering research with actionable findings, which have had an impact on the treatment of Covid-19 patients in the UK and around the world.

Dr William van’t Hoff, Chief Executive of the NIHR Clinical Research Network, which has managed these studies for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “Building on the fantastic progress we have made so far, coupled with the early positive results from the vaccine trials, it is vital that people continue to take part in the wide range of research the NIHR is support-

ing. We need more effective treatments, vaccines and better diagnostic tests to help not only people affected by this, but critically, to also help the NHS manage this devastating infection. For that, we still need many thousands more participants to continue to volunteer for these vital studies. I encourage people to do this by visiting the Be Part of Research website or signing up to the NHS Covid vaccine register.”

Advancing the science around how the virus spreads across the population is vital to tackling the pandemic. Findings from observational studies, such as the ONS Covid-19 Infection Survey, provide important metrics on where infection rates are rising across the country and are shared with public health authorities and SAGE in real time to inform policy and decision making at the highest level.

Ensuring rapid, accurate and effective testing is widely available across the population is another key element in controlling the spread of the virus. Accurate diagnosis of infection, identification of immunity and monitoring the clinical progression of infection is of paramount importance. The Government is ensuring key research within this area through the Covid-19 National DiagnOstic Research and Evaluation Platform (CONDOR). There is a range of diagnostic and observational studies currently underway through this platform, which will pave the way to the development of advanced new testing technologies.

Sir Simon Stevens, Chief Executive of the NHS, said: “Helping so many participate in vital and urgent Covid-19 research is a phenomenal achievement by scientists and clinicians across the NHS. The speed and flexibility shown in these impressive studies now also should become the ‘new normal’ across the health service for wide ranging research on many other health conditions.”

Today’s milestone shows the remarkable national effort to tackle the pandemic. It is vital we maintain this speed of recruitment and the high uptake of participants to Covid-19 research to ensure ongoing and future studies are sufficiently powered to establish the very best vaccines that will work for as many people as possible, and to ensure we continue to find treatments for Covid-19 as quickly as possible.

Heanor Park Care Home - Winner of Client of the Year at the Lux Awards* 2020 some degree, by our internal body clock - the timing, intensity and colour of light are key factors in regulating our sleep and wake patterns. Disturbances in the circadian rhythm can have a physiological and mental impact, and often causes poor sleep patterns.

Many factors can influence our circadian rhythms, such as exercise/movement and food intake.

However, by combining them with new interactions with our non-image forming light receptors, we can achieve excellent results in the care home setting where residents tend to struggle to spend time outdoor where they can be exposed to the benefits of natural light.

The Circadian Plus solution includes bespoke lightSome of the main benefits of circadian lighting ing design, smart lighting software and spectrumare: controlled lights – creating a truly revolutionary • Improved sleep solution that has resident health and wellbeing at the • Improved mood forefront.

• Less risk of developing certain mental and physical The impact of the lighting at Heanor Park has sighealth conditions nificantly reduced resident falls, increased engage• Reduction in errors and accidents ment, and has improved sleep-wake cycles. Check • Faster cognitive processing out our case study video to understand more at • Increased alertness at the right times of day www.circadianplus.com/heanor-park-case-study • Can aid with the rehabilitation of certain medical The term Circadian Lighting is defined as lighting conditions e.g. brain injuries that replicates natural light (as closely as possible) to • Can be beneficial for elderly residents and people support human circadian rhythms, otherwise known with Alzheimer’s disease as our internal body clock. We are all governed, to To understand more about the importance of care

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home lighting visit www.circadianplus.com/news/care-home-lighting ‘We’re seeing a greater level of engagement from the residents during the day because the lighting is helping their body clock become alert and ready for the day…we’re not seeing people falling asleep in their chair or not wanting to engage in activities’.

- David Poxton, Managing Director of Heanor Park Care Home * The Lux Awards are designed to celebrate and reward both creativity and sustainability, recognising clients and end-users that have used lighting in exceptional ways to improve their lit environment, reduce energy and achieve business objectives.

PAGE 22 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33

The Gifts That Mean The Most This Christmas

By Louise Morse, Media and External Relations manager with the Pilgrims’ Friend Society (www.pilgrimsfriend.org.uk) When my granddaughter came home for the weekend from university with masses of laundry, we expected her to return, all washed and ironed, on Monday. Instead, she said she had signed herself out until the start of the new term in January. A few flats in the halls of residence were in lock-down, classes were all online, and some students were so afraid of catching Covid they were being tested for it every other week. It was depressing, she said, and she was glad to be home even though she had been so looking forward to going to university. She was cheered up by helping to decorate the family’s ancient Christmas tree. Our family will be celebrating Christmas together, including Grandma. Knowing this made me wonder, who will other Grandmas be spending Christmas with this year, complicated as it is by Covid?

Around 400,000 older people live in residential care homes. The good news for them is that now the restrictions have been relaxed, those who have families will be able to spend Christmas with them, as long as everyone in that household has tested negative.

It will be a relief for those who’ve been grieved that they haven’t been

able to touch or hug their loved ones for months because of the Covid restrictions. A handful of newspapers have published their stories and compared care homes to prisons exercising ‘punitive’ control, often distorting the facts. It simply isn’t true that after an outpatients’ appointment at a local hospital a resident would be put into the ‘solitary confinement’ of quarantine for two weeks, locked in her room, alone.

Residents are never locked in their rooms and left in ‘solitary confinement’. They are kept occupied with activities they enjoy, as ex-Butlins Redcoat Nina Ambrose found when she volunteered as Activities Coordinator in the care home where her father, with dementia, was living. After seeing the positive effect she had on her father and others she’s now considering a permanent shift to the care sector.

The National Care Federation estimates that it has cost care homes an average of £4,000 making adjustments to facilitate relatives’ visits.

And carers have worked hard during lock-down to keep residents contented, as well as safe. They’ve used Tablets and Smartphones to keep residents in touch with families and turned areas of the home into popup mini-markets and Ye Olde Inns, and more. They’ve been flown, via Google Earth, to destinations all over the world. Examples of their adventures can be seen at https://www.facebook.com/bethanycarehome/.

For those who belong to a bubble, Christmas will be joyful. But there are nearly 4 million individuals over the age of 65 who live alone, with just over half aged 75 and over. Experts note rising levels of anxiety and poor mental health amongst these, with feelings of loneliness increasing the risk of developing dementia. Deluged with warnings of Covid, many

are afraid to leave home, in fact, some say they don’t intend coming out when the pandemic has ended.

Last Christmas I wrote that the best gift of all is you – yourself. This year it’s even more important, as Covid rules have separated us from one another for months. Even now we’re asked to be public spirited and continue to obey the rules. But even if we have to do it at a distance, let’s share our time, our prayers and our thoughts in practical ways.

It’s been a gruelling year for carers and care homes. Many carers have sacrificed their personal time, working long hours to cover those who have had to self-isolate. Care homes that have links with churches have been blessed with and little gifts from them, and cards saying that their work is appreciated, and they are being prayed for. You could so the same for care homes and housing schemes in your area. Simply knowing that they are appreciated can lift their spirits.

For the elderly who live alone, there are brilliant little cards online that can be downloaded to put through letterboxes at https://www.countryliving.com/uk/news/a31654244/printable-postcard-self-isolation-coronavirus/. They could be accompanied by an invitation to your Christmas Service, now churches are allowed to open over the Festive Season.

About the author – Louise Morse is Media and External Relations manager with the Pilgrims’ Friend Society, a 213 Christian charity with retirement housing and care homes. It also supports older people in the community by training and informing faith groups and churches. Louise is also a cognitive behavioural therapist and author of six books (published by Lion Monarch and SPCK). www.pilgrimsfriend.org.uk

New Covid-19 App Enables Care Homes and Primary Care Providers Comply with Hazardous Waste Audit Requirements Remotely A new app, which gives Care Homes and primary care providers the ability to conduct compulsory clinical waste pre-acceptance and duty of care audits without the need for third-party on-site visits, has been launched by leading independent healthcare waste management company Anenta.

Designed to provide a Covid-19 compliant solution that ends the need for on-site reviews by external bodies, the app simplifies the process, saves time and dramatically cuts the cost of audits required by producers of healthcare waste in order to operate.

The app, which can be operated from a desktop as well as a range of mobile devices, takes the user through the audit process, covering duty of care and waste pre-acceptance in one go. Taking around 40 minutes to complete, the app streamlines a process that can take up to six days - including expensive on-site visits - consuming the valuable time of staff and management.

Costing just £200 per site, the Anenta audit app saves between £300 and £800 on physical audits. It identifies and records details of training undertaken linked to duty of care, keeping a record for compliance purposes. It also identifies if the correct waste management policies are in place and records details for assessment, including whether hazardous consignment notes are kept for three years – a compliance requirement - and in what format.

The app enables details of all internal waste containers to be recorded, including their location and content, and whether these are correctly labeled. Images are uploaded as a point of reference using mobile devices, enabling multiple site assessments to be undertaken; colleagues can be emailed with a link to the section of the waste man-

agement audit that they need to complete.

Once done, Anenta assesses the audit and provides a report with advisory notes and actions to be taken covering: missing policies, segregation requirements, and areas where action needs to be taken to comply with regulations; be that in terms of duty of care or the clinical waste pre-acceptance audit process. This enables clients to quickly and easily address aspects of the audit that will enable them to contin-

Graham Flynn, Managing Director of Anenta, commented on the app launch, saying: “Business operating in the healthcare sector have a duty of care to their staff within the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

“Those that fail to demonstrate proper measures face potential enforcement action by the Care Quality Commission. Those same organisations also have an obligation to complete clinical waste preacceptance audits, without which hazardous waste including healthcare items cannot legally be removed from site. Without this being in place, care homes could face the prospect of being temporarily closed until the audit is completed.”

“Understandably, many care home producers of clinical waste are looking to avoid third parties from coming on site during the current pandemic, yet they still have audit responsibilities. It is for this reason that we have developed the Anenta audit app, allowing healthcare settings to fulfill their duties faster and more cost-effectively than has previously been possible, so that they can continue operating unincumbered. We view this as a win, win solution for all concerned and a transformational development for the care home and healthcare sector.”

All audits undertaken using the Anenta app are stored electronically, are readily accessible by the user and can be used to track remediable actions providing a breadcrumb trail for compliance purposes and CQC checks. To gain access to the Audit app, healthcare settings need to set up an account with Anenta: visit www.anentawaste.com or call 03301222143.

ue operating.

Visiting Pod Ready Mass Vaccinations Start Across The Orders of St John Care Trust For Families!

After much hard work from their fantastic handymen, the Visiting Pod for Stocks Hall Burscough is ready for families to enjoy!

The protected area will allow loved ones to see each other, spend quality time in person together, whilst having those important chats. This purposebuilt pod, located in the activity cabin, allows families and their loved ones to get comfortable and cosy, just in time for the inclement weather that is setting in.

Sammi Molyneux, Manager of the Home says, “We are so happy, that a family member or a close friend will be able to meet up face to face with their loved one using this facility. We know it will bring happiness to so many. Thanks go to all who have helped in the design and construction of this lovely meeting area”

Frontline colleagues in The Orders of St John Care Trust (OSJCT) care homes across the country are booking in for COVID-19 vaccinations.

The vaccination became available to social care employees today (8 December). OSJCT homes in Lincolnshire lead the way with 36 from Beckside care home in Lincoln being vaccinated at Lincoln County Hospital. Ten more colleagues are booked in for tomorrow.

Colleagues in Oxford, Henley and Chipping Norton are also booking in for their vaccinations and Gloucestershire colleagues have bookings available at Redwood Education Centre at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital for all team members. OSJCT is working closely with local authorities and hospitals to ensure that colleagues in Wiltshire, Sussex and Suffolk have the same opportunity as soon as possible.

Details on how the vaccination will the rolled out to care home residents are expected shortly and OSJCT has pledged to mirror the swift and smooth roll out that we are seeing for employees.

Andrea Brooks, Home Manager at Beckside, had her vaccination this afternoon.

She said: “As soon as we were informed that the booking system

was live, we worked late last night to ensure that we could secure some slots. The response from my colleagues was great with so many willing to get the vaccination on days off or outside working hours because they know this is a great way to keep our residents as safe as possible.

“Having this vaccine available has really brought up spirits in the home – there’s a very positive feeling from all the team.”

Caroline Dunagan, OSJCT Regional Director for Lincolnshire, said: “Throughout the pandemic The Orders of St John Care Trust has taken a leading role in tackling this unprecedented challenge. We have taken part in pilot COVID-19 testing programmes and are now a key participant in the Vivaldi 2 study which seeks to determine how our antibodies react to the virus over time.

“Vaccination presents the best way forward to return to normality in our homes and we will continue to support all residents and colleagues in getting access to it.”

Patsy Just, OSJCT Regional Director for Oxfordshire, added: “It is excellent news that colleagues across the county are securing bookings so early in the process. Their commitment and skill have been inspiring for the past nine months.”

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33 | PAGE 23

CATERING FOR CARE

Addressing Challenges to Eating with Dementia By dietitian Jane Clarke BSc (Hons) SRD DSc, founder of Nourish by Jane Clarke (www.nourishbyjaneclarke.com) CHALLENGES TO EATING WITH DEMENTIA IN A CARE SETTING • Memory loss and confusion that mean some people don’t eat • The ability to judge temperature can disappear, so if food is served too hot it can burn the lips or throat • Physical skills such as keeping the mouth closed while food is inside, to help with chewing and swallowing, can become difficult • Depression, low mood and lack of energy • Constipation through lack of fluid and fibre, or as a side-effect of drug treatment, leading to discomfort and loss of appetite • Aggression and resistance to eating.

CALMING ROUTINES

I have supported many individuals living with dementia, their families and carers, in my work as a nutritionist running a clinical practice and working with care homes to advance the nourishment of their residents. But I also have personal experience of the eating, nutritional and emotional challenges this condition can bring, as my amazing dad has fronto-temporal lobe dementia and it affects how, when and what he wants to eat.

Dad’s lunch has to be at one o’clock; there is no flexibility, otherwise his anxiety levels and confusion rise. The clock dictates our lives to an obsessive degree, but it’s worth it for the comfort his routine provides him. My dad also needs to know before he starts eating that there will be some pudding to follow, otherwise he can get upset and confused. At the moment we are noticing that my dad’s sweet cravings are getting a lot stronger, which is so often the case with people living with this progressive disease.

Dementia can affect desire and ability to eat in many ways and not everyone experiences the same challenges. Use these simple strategies to help prompt a poor appetite and develop calming mealtime routines.

A regular routine is reassuring for someone living with dementia – eating 10 minutes later, sitting at a different table, or with fellow residents they don’t usually sit at the table with, can throw them. The need to work to a regular rhythm is one of the advantages of a care setting, but where possible, it’s important to flex to fit with the individual needs of those you look after. If mealtimes are challenging, are you able to offer two sittings or separate tables, so that those who need variety and diversity get to switch tables and companions, while those who need consistency have the familiarity of a regular routine?

MAKING FOOD THE FOCUS Mealtimes can be time-consuming and challenging – but they can also be highlights of the day that nourish with sociability and fun, as well as food. So, while you may have set up an efficient system of cooking, serving and clearing away dishes, don’t forget to focus on the important bit, eating together.

• Try to slow down. We juggle so many tasks when caring for someone that it can be tempting to hurry meals, which only increases the likelihood of upset and for very little food to get eaten.

• Minimise distractions. While the person is focusing on swallowing or getting the food from fork to mouth, it helps not to have the radio or the TV on to distract them.

• Take a timeout. If a meal is becoming challenging, it can help to step back for a minute and give both you and the person you are caring for a chance

Taking Combi Steamer Productivity To The Max One of the stars of Rational’s new iCombi Pro combi steamer is an advanced feature called iProductionManager which, the company says, not only increases productivity but also adds enormous flexibility to production schedules. At the same time it reduces running costs.

The option of cooking different products at the same time in a combi steamer isn’t new, but iProductionManager takes the whole concept to a higher level. As well as telling you what products can be cooked together, it allows chefs to select whether they want all the food to be ready at the same time, or if they want it all to be cooked as quickly as possible, or if they want it cooked as energy efficiently as possible.

Depending on the choice, iProductionManager then automatically prepares the optimum schedule. For example, suppose a full breakfast is being cooked where everything is wanted at the same

time. The system will inform the chef when to load the eggs, the bacon, the tomatoes, and so on, staggering the start times so that the hash browns are perfectly cooked at exactly the same moment as the mushrooms – and all the other breakfast components.

On the other hand, chefs may want each food cooked as quickly as possible. In this case, food is loaded onto the different shelves and iProductionManager simply lets staff know when each shelf’s load is ready.

As one shelf’s food is being taken out, iProductionManager automatically compensates for the loss of temperature due to the door opening, and recalculates the cooking times for food on all the other shelves.

Energy efficiency is increasingly important and iProductionManager can help here, too, by creating the most energy efficient schedule for multiple different foods.

The iCombi control panel makes every-

to calm down and regroup.

• Take off the pressure. If the person you’re looking after is getting frustrated at not being able to eat when the sole focus is on doing so, sitting in front of the TV with a plate of something easy to nibble, such as sandwiches or cutup soft fruits, could mean they eat while being distracted by the programme.

So, experiment with both scenarios.

• Wait for a better time. If they’re drowsy and not very responsive, feeding can cause choking – so try to leave a bit of time before you try again. And do seek medical advice if they’re overly drowsy, as it could be that a change in some of the medication they’re taking could give you a better window of opportunity for helping them to eat.

MANAGING CHANGES As dementia progresses it’s highly likely that appetite and ability to eat will change. These shifts are not always down to the disease itself – sometimes medication can put a person off their food, causing weight loss. Or a new drug may interfere with hunger messages in the brain, so they don’t register feeling full and stop eating. They may also forget that they have eaten and say they want more food when they don’t physically need it. Or they may crave sweet foods. Weight gain will cause physical challenges and additional health risks, so while occasional treats are fine, try to keep to the basic structure of an overall nourishing diet.

POOR APPETITE • Practical issues Do they have a sore mouth, badly fitted dentures, or is the effort of preparing food (if their dementia isn’t that advanced) or chewing and swallowing (if it’s more severe) preventing them from eating?

• Monitor their eating What we do know about a poor appetite is that the less we eat, often the less we fancy eating. Malnutrition can kick in, and problems such as pressure sores, poor wound healing and depression start occurring. If you suspect a resident isn’t eating enough, keep a diary of what they manage at mealtimes to help you create a care plan for them.

• Create a food mood board Often, memories are linked to foods we loved eating at a precise moment. A personal food mood board made out of photos of favourite dishes, people and places can be a great way to communicate and also stimulate a jaded appetite and it can be a lovely ‘memory activity’ for residents living with dementia. thing simple. Once the chefs have selected what type of schedule they want – synchronised, speedy or efficient – they simply drag the relevant icon, such as sausages, onto the appropriate shelf on the panel, so the system knows which food is where and can monitor it accordingly. With iProductionManager chefs can even split shelves, so that two different foods can be cooked on the same shelf, with the system monitoring each to ensure they are perfectly cooked.

“The new normal is already creating new challenges for chefs,” says Simon Lohse, managing director of Rational UK. “Consumers want more flexibility in terms of when they eat – all day eateries are going to be more common; many kitchens may have fewer staff; and every operator will have the overriding need to reduce running costs. More efficient management of the production process will provide solutions in all these areas – and iProductionManager delivers the most advanced, easy to use and practical technology available.” iProductionManager is one of a suite of new, advanced intelligent features on Rational’s iCombi Pro combi steamer.

RATIONAL is the leading provider in hot food preparation equipment and, with the iVario multifunctional cooking system and the iCombi Pro combi steamer, the company delivers all a commercial kitchen’s thermal cooking requirements. Together, the two appliances offer the best cooking solutions. For information and brochures, or to find out about free Rational Live online demonstrations and webinars, call +44 (0)1582 480388, freephone 0800 389 2944 or visit www.rational-online.com

EF Group Launches CaterCloud - The Secret Ingredient for Menu Management Success Manchester-based, EF Group has announced it is offering free for life access to its new cloud-based, menu management platform, CaterCloud, which launched this week.

The easy-to-use, next generation allergen, nutrition, menu planning and costing system offers a wealth of enhanced functionality to help caterers gain significant efficiencies in their operations, to control costs and increase profits.

CaterCloud helps businesses ensure food safety remains a key focus.

With food labelling regulations set to change in October 2021, as a result of Natasha’s Law, all England-based businesses working in the food industry will be required to clearly label all foods produced and packed on their premises with a full list of ingredients detailing the full allergen profile.

Designed to help businesses prepare for this upcoming regulation, CaterCloud provides sub-allergen information and tagging; QR Code scanning for live allergen and nutritional information, along with the ability to print Natasha’s Law compliant food labels. CaterCloud also offers customers access to a range of accredited training for allergen awareness and food safety.

CaterCloud’s innovative functionality also boasts many other benefits to enable simple menu management for caterers across the hospitality, healthcare, education and retail sectors. It offers effective menu planning with dish and menu costings; access to a nutritional database with 1,000s of ingredients and customisable dashboards to record KPIs. Users of CaterCloud can also join the e-foods’ Buyers’ Club and benefit from its substantial buying power. The Buyers’ Club is made up of a net-

work of trusted accredited suppliers across the UK. Users can purchase food and non-food goods from these suppliers with savings of between 5 to 10%.

Paul Mizen, Chief Executive, EF Group said: “The service industries are

moving at pace towards technology to help meet their stock ordering, menu planning and compliance challenges. Our experience shows that there is increasing demand for more advanced dish and menu costing tools, as well as detailed, easy to use product data.

“Catering managers require their menu management software to seamlessly integrate with their ordering systems and demand best value from their food suppliers. With CaterCloud, we will remain at the forefront of delivering the innovative features the industry needs.

“The entire catering industry has been heavily impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic and as businesses work hard to recover, we are providing CaterCloud for free to help maximise efficiencies and reduce costs.

This is our way of giving something back to the industry upon which our business is founded.”

CaterCloud is a web-based menu planning, nutrition, allergen and costing system which is part of the E-F Group. CaterCloud helps hundreds of hospitality businesses deliver performance and control costs while reducing food safety risks. CaterCloud is committed to innovation in food management, its leading-edge platform helps to manage food offerings from front desk to kitchens, with the aim of improving efficiency in catering operations. Live menu costings help businesses to see how their business is performing every day, enabling them to focus on producing quality food and increasing profitability. CaterCloud’s clients are mainly in the following sectors: healthcare, education, hospitality and retail.

For more information, see the advert on page 22 or visit www.CaterCloudCare.com

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PAGE 28 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33

DYSPHAGIA myAko Develops Dysphagia Online Courses For Carers Swallowing difficulties are common in people residing in care homes. Early identification, assessment and management by care home staff may result in a decrease in the incidence of pneumonia and death. Therefore, it is important for staff to be aware of the signs of dysphagia and what to do in order to prevent further deterioration in a resident’s condition.

Dr. Elizabeth Boaden is a fellow of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists and has spent over 30 years working to improve the quality of life of those living with dysphagia.

Dr. Boaden has created a set of courses on dysphagia.

These courses have been researched and developed for the benefit of all healthcare workers and nurses, and are due to be available on myAko.com.

WHAT IS DYSPHAGIA? Dysphagia is the term used to describe difficulties swallowing. Difficulties may range from a decrease in chewing ability to food and drinks going onto the lungs causing aspiration pneumonia and death.

Dysphagia is a common feature of many congenital and acquired structural and neurological difficulties. It is not possible to provide accurate figures regarding the prevalence of dysphagia, as it is often unrecognised and underdiagnosed. Dysphagia affects approximately 8% of the global population. Although swallowing difficulties are seen in the paediatric population, the greater incidence is in adult client group. The incidence of

commonly occuring elderly neurological diseases in the older population are stroke (45-78%), Parkinson’s disease (75-100%) and Alzeimer’s disease (90%).

Swallowing involves six cranial nerves and over 26 pairs of muscles, with the oesophagus opening within a fraction of a second of airway closure. It is therefore unsurprising that everyone has experienced at least one incident where just a slight incoordination of the swallow has caused coughing and choking as food and drink enter the airway. It is therefore to be expected that dysphagia occurs in approximately 35% of the normal aging elderly population owing to weakness in the muscles for swallowing. Furthermore, it has been reported that up to 74% of residents in care homes will present with swallowing difficulties of some description.

AWARENESS AND EDUCATION The training, available on myAko.com, helps healthcare workers to better understand the impact of dysphagia and how to help those in their care. The nurses training helps them support Speech and Language Therapists with remote dysphagia assessments, without the need for face-to-face visits. Utilising remote teleswallowing techniques helps to reduce current NHS waiting lists and nurses and carers are able to improve early diagnosis and treatment of dysphagia.

MOVING FORWARD It is imperative for care staff to be able to quickly and effectively screen for dysphagia, as a delay in doing so may have devastating effects. It is a care worker’s duty to ease the struggle presented by dysphagia; not only to avoid the possibility of death, but to simply ensure that a resident’s later life and emotional well-being is as comfortable and content as possible.

Visit www.myako.com, email help@myako.com or call 01202 283383 for further details.

Are You in Need of Dysphagia Training ? *

*This training is intended for healthcare professionals only.

Did you know that between 50-75% of nursing home residents suffer from dysphagia1? Nutricia has a training solution for you, a FREE e-learning covering the fundamentals of dysphagia management using Nutilis Clear.

The training is divided into 4 sections and has been specially designed for busy health and social care staff caring for people living with dysphagia. It takes 60 minutes in total to complete, however you can complete one section at a time.

How can this training help you?

• Easy & convenient online solution to dysphagia training • Visibility to track progress in your care home • Raise the quality standard of dysphagia care in a consistent way The quality standards aim is for all new health and social care staff members caring

for patients with Dysphagia to complete the modules as part of their induction programme. Existing health and social care staff members should also complete the learning to support their continuing professional development.

There is a certificate that can be downloaded once the training has been successfully completed.

Use the camera on your phone to scan the QR code to access the e-learning and get started!

For any questions contact your local Nutricia sales representative or our Resource Centre at resourcecentre@nutricia.com.

Nutilis Clear is a Food for Special Medical Purposes for the dietary management of dysphagia and must be used under medical supervision.

Reference: 1. O’Loughlin G, Shanley C. Swallowing problems in the nursing home: a novel training response. Dysphagia 1998; 13, 172-183.( https://www.rcslt.org/speech-and-language-therapy/clinical-information/dysphagia)

PAGE 30 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES Why Specify a Yeoman Shield Fire Rated Door Edge Protector?

When specifying for a structure, it’s important to be aware of the level of wear and tear a door can be exposed to in a public building.

Door edges, in particular, can be easily damaged or worn down by regular use – which can then render them non-compliant for fire safety regulations. To ensure that a project remains compliant, an architect can specify durable door edge protectors to add durability and longevity to doors.

Not only will specifying edge protectors increase the longevity of doors, they will enhance the cost efficiency of a project by reducing maintenance demands and the possibility of having to replace unsafe fire doors.

Yeoman Shield fire rated Door Edge Protectors are unique with a 2.0 mm Vinylac outer and a specially formulated 9mm PVCu reinforced core. They are FD30 (1/2 hour) and FD60 (1 hour) rated

with intumescent seals that are in accordance to the fire door’s specification. Fire rated Door Edge Protectors are suitable for commercial applications such as residential blocks, schools and hospitals etc.

Door Edge Protectors can also be specified with different fire seals, from a plain intumescent fire seal to a brush, fire and smoke variant.

Of course, for doors that are non-fire rated in an architect’s project Yeoman Shield also provide quality edge protectors without seals to enhance durability and reduce wear.

Source a full range of door protection panels and kick plates from a single supplier by choosing Yeoman Shield. Our door protection panels and kick plates offer the same lasting durability and quality as our door edge protectors.

See page 12 or visit www.yeomanshield.com for details.

Care sector employers looking to reward hard working staff for their efforts during lockdown have helped double new business at one of the UK’s leading gifting and engagement companies.

Appreciate Group saw the sharp rise in demand from new clients between April and August as firms looked to thank employee efforts during the pandemic.

The year-on-year increase was particularly high in the care sector – where many employees remained in the workplace throughout lockdown.

Appreciate Group’s business products include Love2shop gift cards, e-gift cards and vouchers all of which companies can use to reward their employees and customers. Love2shop can be redeemed with many of the nation’s leading retailers and leisure providers.

Frank Creighton, Director of Business Development at Appreciate Group said: “Employees up and down the country have needed to adapt to new and different ways of working during these challenging times, be

that working from home or abiding by social distancing rules in the workplace.

“These challenges have also led to an increasing number of employers finding new ways to say thank you to colleagues for their efforts during lockdown, including digital rewards.”

“Recognition gestures such as gift cards can go a long way in making staff feel that their employer values their commitment. Many companies will need these hard-working employees as they continue to deal with, and emerge from, the challenges of COVID-19.”

Employers are able to use the tax-free Trivial Benefits Allowance to reward staff with gift cards up to the value of £50.

For more information on tax-free gifting for employees, visit: www.appreciate.co.uk/tax-free-gifts-foremployees/ or email Alex Speed, Head of Business Development, at Appreciate Group alex.speed@appreciategroup.co.uk.

CareZips Dignity Trousers ™

CareZips™ preserve dignity and privacy of people receiving care during diaper changes.

CareZips™ make diaper changes easier and faster, reducing workload, saving efforts, and saving time!

CareZips™ help to deliver better standards of care!

Fitted with unique 3-zip fastening system, the CareZips™ make changing of incontinence diapers more dignified and comfortable for the patients and easier and faster for the carers.

CareZips™ feature 3 strategically positioned zips, 2 of which run from the waist to the knees on both sides of the body. The 3rd zip goes from the inside of one knee up to the crotch and down to the second knee on the inside of the other leg. This zip facilitates total opening of the trousers at the crotch during diaper changes. The 3-zip system ensures fast and easy access to the abdomen and crotch without having to undress the patients or pull their trousers down.

CareZips™ are suitable for men and women. They are available in 7 sizes for perfect fit. CareZips™ are soft and wrinkle resistant with stretch and give for extra comfort.

Practical, durable, washable and non-iron, the CareZips™ trousers are the perfect choice for daily use.

Contact Win Health Medical Ltd - 01835 864866 www.win-health.com or see the advert on page 3.

New Scale for Mobility-Impaired Residents Could Reduce ‘Risk of Injury to Staff and Demand From Care Sector Firms Rewarding Staff In Residents’ and ‘Costs to Healthcare’ Lockdown Drives Surge In Recognition Products

Euroservice Trolley Manufacturers celebrating 40 years of experience in the sale and manufacture of wooden trolleys for the catering trade, Euroservice trolley manufacturers have now acquired a worldwide reputation and still offer an extensive /comprehensive range of top quality wooden trolleys manufactured in the UK. Top quality is a priority in the production of all of our products and Euroservice are specialists in the manufacture of sturdy and beautiful looking trolleys which will grace any environment from the small privately owned restaurant to the splendid 3 to 5

star hotels, resorts and Residential homes.

Euroservice’s excellence in the manufacture of wooden trolleys is backed by a personal, efficient and friendly service second to none. We are always busy researching the needs of the market and launch new ranges according to market demands. Whatever your needs you can be assured that Euroservice can cater for them and we look forward to your call.

Freephone: 0800 917 7943 www.euroservice-uk.com sales@euroservice-uk.com

C & S Seating Postural Management C & S Seating has been providing postural control equipment to hospitals, nursing homes, hospices and medical equipment services nationwide since 1991.

With 9 different sizes of T-Rolls and Log Rolls in a removable and machine washable, waterproof Titex or Soft Knit material. These rolls are used to control posture and position of the body in either supine or side lying. Our Knee & Leg support wedges are available in 2 sizes.

C & S Seating is the sole manufacturer of the Alternative Positioning Support (APS) system. Ideal when more control of the abducted lower limb is required (See photo) which has

removable side cushions and middle pommel; this is available in small or large.

Our popular range of Soft Knit covers in a choice of 5 vibrant colours provide a softer alternative that fit easily over our standard waterproof rolls.

It is recommended you seek professional advice to select the correct product depending on your needs.

Contact us on 01424 853331 or visit us at www.cands-seating.co.uk to request or download a brochure, pricelist or order form, request an individualised quotation, speak to an advisor or to place an order.

See the advert on page 10.

A new chair scale with a lifting seat, believed to be the first of its kind, will ‘reduce risk of injury to residents’ and ‘support the musculoskeletal health of staff’ when weighing individuals with limited mobility.

By making the weighing process easier, the new device could also ‘reduce costs to healthcare’’ according to the manufacturer.

The M-250, available now from scale manufacturer Marsden, is a chair scale that features a seat that rises and lowers to help a resident get into, and out of, a sitting position. Marsden says it has been introduced in response to requests from customers for easier ways to weigh residents who cannot stand unaided.

The tilting seat base, operated by a handheld remote control, rises to the resident and then gently lowers them into the seat. Once weighing is complete, it rises slowly to assist them from sitting to a near-standing position.

The new weighing scale is Class III Approved, meaning it is legally suitable for weighing individuals for medical purposes. It provides an accurate weight reading to the nearest 100g, and has a capacity of 250kg.

The seat is slightly wider than standard chair scales, meaning it can accommodate larger residents.

Development of the new weighing scale began in 2017, with input provided by care homes, back care specialists and other industry experts, including medical device design house PD-M. The scale was developed alongside the Patient Transfer Scale, Marsden’s transfer board with built-in weighing scale that was launched in late 2018.

“The M-250 is designed to make weighing residents with limited mobility more comfortable, less stressful, and potentially even reduce the time and number of staff it typically takes to weigh these individuals,” said Dave Smith, Marketing Director at Marsden.

“We want to see it reducing costs to healthcare too, through quicker, easier weighing processes and less risk of injury to care staff.”

Mark Coates, Operations Director at Marsden, said: “The biggest challenge of weighing residents with limited mobility is the time it takes, the stress on the individual and the amount of effort required by staff.

“When developing the scale we had to consider the benefit to the resident and the member of staff. What’s safest and easiest for the healthcare professional without compromising comfort for the resident?

“Our finished product has been tested by individuals with varying levels of mobility, and with both one and two members of staff. Through this testing we found that effort required by staff to help the resident out of the seat was greatly reduced compared to a standard chair scale or wheelchair.

“Plus, we’ve focused on reducing risk of injury to residents as well as supporting the musculoskeletal health of healthcare staff when weighing those with limited mobility.”

“We’re looking forward to seeing the M-250 make a real difference in care homes in the UK, and around the world.”

The M-250 Chair Scale with Stand Assist is available to order now on the Marsden website. www.marsdenweighing.co.uk or email sales@marsdengroup.co.uk

NEW Adaptawear Clothing Website Helping Independent & Assisted Dressing Adaptawear has recently launched their NEW and improved website making it even easier for customers to browse, buy and shop online.

Benefits of New Website • New Adaptawear logo – easier and cleaner to read • Faster and simpler to buy online through your mobile, tablet or PC • Improved navigation to relevant collections & categories: ladies wear, menswear and lifestyle and comfort • Updated and enhanced product photography • Easier & additional payment opportunities: • Secure & reliable • Ability for customers to set up account online so you can track orders and make it easier for repeat or new orders • Improved order tracking functionality • Integrated customer reviews Adaptawear provides adaptive clothing that are specially designed to making dressing easier and the elderly and disabled; both for independent dressing and assisted dressing. Adaptawear clothes are ideal for arthritis, stroke, Parkinson, incontinence and dementia

sufferers as well as people of all ages who struggle with fastenings, buttons and zips.

If you are a healthcare or care home worker or Occupational Therapist and struggling to dress your patients during this Covid-19 pandemic; then take a look at our range of Adaptawear adapted clothing for both men and women CARER OFFER: SAVE 10% Do go and visit online at www.adaptawear.com to buy adapted clothing online. Carer readers please quote CR10 for 10% discount off your first order.

Antimicrobial Contract Fabrics for Added Reassurance Skopos has recently launched a new sub-brand, Skopos Pro-tect Plus, as a marker for all Skopos products offered with an antimicrobial finish. Skopos has been offering antimicrobial fabrics for over 15 years, however the new sub-brand helps to clearly identify this offer to our customers, at a time where extra reassurance within contract interiors has never been more relevant. Within Pro-tect Plus Skopos customers have a choice of fabrics for different end uses; Antimicrobial drapery fabrics, Antimicrobial woven upholstery fabrics, Antimicrobial faux leather and vinyls. The upholstery fabrics offer includes luxury velvet, printed fabrics, vinyls and a large range of woven collections, mostly waterproof, soil and stain resist, perfect for caring interiors.

Many of our drapery and bedding fabrics can be finished with an antimicrobial treatment, so

please ask. Choices include print basecloths, plain and woven designs. All antimicrobial fabrics are flame retardant and tested to the high standards required for contract interiors.

Skopos antimicrobial fabrics have bacteriostatic, viral-reducing and anti-fungal properties.

Fabrics are not seen as a beneficial host for Sars Cov-2 even without antimicrobial treatment, however including this extra benefit viruses and bacteria are greatly reduced.

Free samples of our fabrics are available online or via our customer services team: sales@skopos.co.uk. www.skoposfabrics.com

PAGE 32 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33

LAUNDRY SOLUTIONS JLA's Ozone Washing System Proven To Remove All Traces of Coronavirus in University Study of Infected Laundry

Treating coronavirus-infected laundry with a professional ozone washing system could have major implications for the future of infection control for the care sector, according to new research.

The in-depth study carried out at De Montfort University in Leicester found that the OTEX washing system, which uses ozone to kill bacteria even at low temperatures, completely removes all traces of coronavirus (OC43), a model virus for SARS-CoV-2.

The system, created by JLA (the UK’s leading supplier of commercial laundry equipment) was tested by a research team overseen by Dr Katie Laird, Reader in Microbiology and Head of the Infectious Disease Research Group, and expert virologist Dr Maitreyi Shivkumar, Lecturer in Molecular Biology. The research found that cleaning with the OTEX technology completely removed the coronavirus, even in large washing loads.

Additional testing also proved that the virus was not transferred to other textiles in the wash.

Believed to be one of the first studies of its kind, the research proves that coronavirus-infected laundry can be cleaned even at low temperatures, allowing heat sensitive items such as personal clothing, hospital mattress covers, emergency rescue wear and microfibre items to be cleaned effectively.

Dr Laird and her team are now completing the next stage of their research, looking at the rate at which the virus is inactivated in the cleaning process to give more data on the length of time and quantities of ozone required for the virus to be eliminated.

Dr Laird comments, “A key element of tackling the spread of COVID-19 is to understand how effective infec-

tion control can be implemented in real world settings.

There are a variety of situations in which textiles potentially carrying the virus need to be cleaned, such as care homes, hospitals and hotels.

“Until now we have had little data about how the virus responded to different types of cleaning. These initial results demonstrate that cleaning with ozone, as in the OTEX system, completely removes the model coronavirus.

“This held true even when treating larger loads of washing, as is likely to be the case in a real laundry setting. This result can give reassurance that such cleaning is effective .”

The implications of these findings are hugely significant for the healthcare sector in the fight against COVID19 and the protection of both service users and staff. The financial and environmental benefits are equally as impressive. Research shows that over the average sevenyear lifespan of a standard 30kg thermal disinfection cycle, using OTEX can reduce operating costs by over £130,000, whilst also reducing the businesses total carbon footprint by over 400 tonnes.

Helen Ashton, CEO from JLA commented “I am really excited about the results of these tests as here at JLA we play our part in eradicating this terrible virus. We have been developing and refining the OTEX laundry system for over fifteen years and its benefits to our customers are clear - full eradication of disease, including coronavirus, even at low temperatures and a significant reduction in operational cost coupled with a meaningful benefit to the environment.

“The system has been designed to be easy to use with real time verification of the disinfection process on every wash which provides a unique audit trail of full compliance to regulatory standards.”

This is the latest accolade for JLA’s innovative OTEX system, having been previously recognised by the NHS Rapid Review Panel in 2009 set up by the government to fast track new technology to address hospital acquired infections, achieving the highest grade (level 1) for infection control products. More recently, assessment of compliance with current Public Health England HTM01-04 guidelines for the decontamination of healthcare linen.

The OTEX ozone system is also fully supported in line with the EU Biocidal Products Regulation.

For more information about OTEX by JLA, please visit: https://jla.com/otex or see the advert on the facing page.

Forbes Professional Helps the Care Industry Adhere to Stringent Laundry Regulations For a care home, their laundry operation is always a central part of the infection control that has never been more pressing than today. The Department of Health’s CFPP 01-14 guidelines state that each wash cycle must provide the requisite disinfection.

Machines must be also approved to WRAS category 5 due to elevated risks of contamination. In order to meet stringent laundry hygiene standards, PPE is essential as are established processes to enable efficient transportation and procedural segregation of clean and soiled items. As standard, CFPP 01-04 requires that laundry is washed in a commercial washing machine at the highest possible temperature.

For enhanced hygiene requirements, all washing cycles must have a thermal disinfection cycle that reaches 71°C for at least three minutes, or 65°C for at least ten minutes.

Forbes is proud to be partnered with Miele which enables us to provide highly efficient commercial laundry solutions to care homes and the NHS. The new, highly programmable and user-friendly Little Giant range from Miele provides thermal disinfection at 85°C for 15 minutes to kill viruses and bacteria. It is

also WRAS approved to category 5 and delivers faster wash cycles and impressively low energy consumption, making it an ideal choice for any care environment. Our laundry solutions include a complementary site survey, free installation, commissioning and user training as well as a first-class service support, at no extra cost for the life of the contract.

Contact www.forbespro.co.uk, call 0345 070 2335 or see the advert on page 37.

5 Reasons Why You Should Choose LaundryTec Chester based LaundryTec since its foundation in early 2016 has become one of Alliance Internationals major UK distributers. Founded by Jeremy Hartigan, the team of industry professionals with the backing of the Alliance Lavamac brand and supported by its service partner PDS Laundry based in Nuneaton. They supply a significant number of the UK’s leading health care operators with equipment, installation and after sale support.

The LaundryTec designs offer not only washing, drying and ironing equipment but a full range of handling, distribution, folding and identification systems, to create a fully functioning laundry complete with all items necessary for efficient operation. Every LaundryTec machine includes full installation options, including the removal and disposal of an existing machine. A training program and a minimum of 24

0151 317 3127

www.laundrytec.com

months part and labour warranty.

The environment is at the forefront of every operator’s mind. Standard specification on a Lavamac machine includes functions that automatically weigh and control the energy input into the machine and store the data in the machines memory. Our LS range of electric heat pump dryers require no ventilation or gas services and operates at 3kw per hour.

5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD CHOOSE LAUNDRYTEC 1. Cost 2. Efficiency 3. Service 4. Design 5. Innovation Telephone 0151 317 3127 Web www..laundrytec.com

info@laundrytec.com

5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD CHOOSE LAUNDRYTEC 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Washer Extractors

Tumble Dryers

Cost Quality Service Design Innovation

Flatwork Ironers

Other Equipment

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HYGIENE & INFECTION CONTROL Portibac - Making The Places You Live and Work Safe PORTiBAC is the answer to the quick and effective sanitisation for care homes.

Choose the PORTiBAC system that fits your needs. All come with our unique sanitising solution produced in the UK. PORTiBAC 800ML SPRAY GUN The entry level member of the PORTiBAC family has a simple mission - to sanitise the spaces you care about within minutes making the environment safe for staff and residents.

Powered by a rechargeable battery and with its easy custom carry case, the PORTiBAC 800ML SPRAY GUN is ready to go anywhere.

What could be more satisfying than taking aim with this handy spray gun at the places you need to make safe?

Filled with exclusive PORTiBAC Tropical Citrus solution - certified to kill Covid-19 on surfaces – the fine mist produced by the gun gets the job done in minutes.

The PORTiBAC 800ML SPRAY GUN is available in, Metallic gold, Brushed silver & Brilliant white. Comes complete with 800ml of PORTiBAC Tropical Citrus solution all for just ÂŁ125 PORTiBAC - the essential tool in the fight against the spread of Covid19 15% discount to all care homes, please see www.Portibac.com or call 03330 442 442

Staysafe Visor - CE-Certified PPE Manufactured in the UK

Please Please mention mention THE THE CARER CARER when when responding responding to to advertising. advertising.

Staysafe Visor is a subsidiary of 1st Packaging Ltd, a leading specialist UK plastics manufacturer founded in 2002. Used in a wide range of health and commercial settings, our high-quality recyclable CE-certified face shields offer protection against liquid droplets, sprays and splashes. Our visors are comfortable to wear for extended periods of time, are anti-fog and easy to assemble.

As a long-established UK company, we have been able to step up our manufacture of PPE to meet high demand during the current unprecedented circumstances. Our facilities enable us to produce well in excess of

200,000 items per week.

At Staysafe Visor our experienced team takes very seriously its role in supporting the health of the community by helping to maintain a safer environment.

Availability and affordability are the cornerstones of our operation. Because we sell directly to

businesses, organisations and the general public, we are able to remove the need for intermediaries and keep costs low. We believe that we offer the most competitive rates on the market for this type of CE-certified PPE. Our high-quality products are helping to better protect employees in the NHS, care homes, education, transport, manufacturing and a host of other workplace settings. For further details about our range of visors please do not hesitate to contact our friendly expert team.

See page 4 for details or visit www.staysafevisor.co.uk

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33 | PAGE 35

HYGIENE & INFECTION CONTROL Greyland Spray and Wipe Ultra Disinfectant Has ‘Huge Impact on Cleaning Industry’ In this statement from Richard Dyson, MD of Greyland, “From not existing, the new Greyland Spray and Wipe Ultra Disinfectant has had huge impact on the Cleaning industry since its launch in early March 2020.

“Trading patterns are very hit and miss at the moment, with different pressures hitting UK Cleaning chemical manufacturers on a daily basis.

“One thing that has been consistent, is the weekly sales growth for the new Spray and Wipe Ultra Disinfectant, with just a 1 minute anti-coronavirus contact time, the product available in both 750ml ready to use Trigger Spray and top up refill 5L, has very quickly become Greyland’s number 1 best seller.”

Luckily, the Greyland factory in Manchester has been

purpose-built for both volume capacity and versatility, in order to quickly and readily switch production focus with minimum fuss. Expansion to capacity at any time has also been planned in from the start, with continual investment and upgrades to production equipment, and increased staff.

Richard Dyson continues: “After the initial March and April early reactions to the pandemic, we have coped with everything thrown at us, and right now in mid June our production flow and renowned industry order-to-delivery lead time is pretty much back to normal.”

Contact the company now: T. 0161 343 3830 E. sales@greyland.co.uk W. www.greyland.co.uk

New DePuro Pro Air Purifier In Use In Two NHS Hospitals The new DePuro Pro air purifier has been successfully installed in two NHS hospitals in Essex as part of their fight against the spread of Covid-19. The twelve units have been installed in three dental rooms and nine treatment rooms in a project to improve the air quality in the hospitals and increase patient turnaround in a clean and safe environment.

The DePuro Pro unit comes in two sizes, it is a plug and play set up and uses two HEPA 14 filters which retain up to 99.995% of particulates including virus, bacteria and droplets within the air.

Dean Hill and Mark Coutts from Essex based contractors TH Electrical said: “We worked alongside VORTICE to specify the DePuro Pro to effectively clean and purify the air in these hospitals. As we know from the science, good indoor air quality is vital to the fight against the spread of Covid19 and we’re delighted that these units are already starting to make a difference after only two weeks of being used.”

For more information about the DePuro Pro and other products from VORTICE visit www.vortice.ltd.uk

Please Please mention mention THE THE CARER CARER when when responding responding to to advertising. advertising.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33 | PAGE 37

HYGIENE & INFECTION CONTROL MAG Launches Ozone Generator Proven To Kill Covid–19

Are your rooms 100% free of germs and smells? Clean, fresh air has never been more important and ozone is being used in care homes across the UK as a new safety standard for infection control.

The MAG Ozone Generator emits ozone through the air to sanitise surfaces and kill bacteria and viruses including Covid–19. Proven to eliminate SARS coronavirus, norovirus, E.coli, salmonella and more than 99% of harmful bacteria and viruses, ozone is recognised as the strongest and fastest method of destroying microorganisms.

With cycle times as quick as 15 minutes the MAG Ozone Generator is the quick & easy way to sanitise any indoor environment including care homes,

pods, rooms, offices, toilets, canteens, storage areas and more. Ozone is also extremely effective at removing unwanted smells from rooms. Rather than masking unpleasant odours with air fresheners and chemicals you can permanently remove smells with the MAG Ozone Generator.

Available for less than £5.00 per day MAG Ozone Generators can be purchased outright or paid for monthly via lease or rental. Separate to ozone generators MAG Equipment Ltd also supply and service all leading brands of commercial washing machines, tumble dryers and ironers should you require any assistance.

To find our more visit www.maglaundryequipment.co.uk or telephone 01422 244733.

Clinical Waste Management Cromwell Polythene’s Sansafe® and clinical waste management ranges are designed to support the care sector in their infection prevention and control procedures, for washroom, sanitary and clinical waste.

Special consideration is needed when dealing with clinical waste, which requires different treatment and disposal methods appropriate to the hazard it may present. Our range includes refuse sacks, wheeled bin liners, tiger stripe sacks for deep landfill of offensive/hygiene waste, yellow sacks certified to UN standards for incineration of hazardous waste and orange UN standard sacks for alternative treatment of infectious and potentially infectious waste at a licensed or permitted facility The most recent addition to the Sansafe® range is tiger stripe sacks incorporating Biomaster silver antimicrobial technology, added during the film extrusion process. This inhibits the growth of harmful bac-

teria, including E. coli and Legionella. Pine Scentmaster® fragrance helps mask unpleasant odours.

These features eliminate the need to add separate antimicrobial products and intoxicating fragrances.

The tiger stripe sacks are designed for the collection and disposal of offensive/hygiene waste collection, which can be disposed of through Energy from Waste (EFW), incineration or deep landfill. Typical examples of this type of waste include non-infectious used gloves, masks, dressings, incontinence waste, and sanitary products.

Any liner used in a care setting – whether for hazardous, sanitary, or general waste – should have been independently tested to prove its effectiveness and safety. Check for recognised quality standards including the Cleaning and Hygiene Suppliers Association (CHSA) certification mark for refuse sacks and EN and ISO standards.

Visit www.cromwellpolythene.co.uk

Please Please mention mention THE THE CARER CARER when when responding responding to to advertising. advertising.

MAG OZONE GENERATOR Emits ozone through the air sanitising surfaces and killing bacteria, microorganisms and viruses including COVID-19 while eliminating unpleasant odours

GET IN TOUCH FOR YOUR FREE DEMO OR TRIAL

01451 604708

APPROVED PRODUCT

PAGE 38 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33

HYGIENE & INFECTION CONTROL CTU Services' Thermal Access System With the introduction of various measures to constrain and manage the emergency of COVID-19 in the UK, CTU Services Thermal Access System presents the ideal solution. To address the challenge of social distancing many public places are implementing restrictions on customer flow. This includes locations such as the hospitality industry and the retail sector.

CTU Services perfectly resolves the problem of "how to accurately and efficiently control customer flow in a premises" Their system detects how many people are present in the targeted area and display the figure in real-time. If the capacity is reached the system's display immediately indicates no more people should enter.

The two systems that CTU Services supply can be merged together to give you more security and social distancing. The Thermal camera can be wall mounted or comes on a sleek stand. It will also notify

any number of members of staff of any issues with potential clients entering the premisses via text or email.

• Facial recognition is fully integrated with body temperature monitoring. This means no additional staff are required.

• The solution is contactless, reducing the risk of cross infection.

• Extensive storage of facial images and temperature information enabling easy historical access.

• Fast facial recognition and temperature monitoring reducing access congestion. In Scotland will detect if you are or are not wearing a mask / face covering.

• Integration with third party products such as turnstiles and VMS. See a demonstration of the system at https://youtu.be/lcQllOytA7Y For further information, see the advert this page, call 01257 477060 or visit www.ctuservices.com

Sheffcare Teams Up with Haigh Sheffcare continue to stay at the forefront of resident health, safety, and care. With ten homes across the city of Sheffield, Sheffcare a leading care charity, serves the needs of more than 500 older people and is strongly committed to providing high quality, compassionate care which enhances quality of life.

Like a clean kitchen, often the most important aspects of infection prevention are out of sight. Best in class providers continue to invest in their facilities, ever-improving client health and experience. Most recently, Sheffcare has upgraded its waste management to Haigh's disposal units. These allow the hygienic disposal of disposable toileting items, simplifying and improving a challenging task for staff, reducing cross infection risks, and helping drive down long-term costs.

Sheffcare noted "Investments like this are taken only once we have strong evidence. We trialled the

Please Please mention mentionTHE THE CARER CARER when when responding responding to to advertising. advertising.

Haigh Quattro and Haigh Incomaster at several of our sites. The improvement was noticeable, improving resident experience and for our care staff."

Haigh has been designing bed pan disposers since the 1950s, supporting hospitals across the UK and worldwide, while investing in the UK economy.

For further information, visit www.haighmed.com

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33 | PAGE 39

HYGIENE & INFECTION CONTROL Sanozone. The Easy Way To Sanitise Your Indoor Spaces SANOZONE, which delivers the most efficient sanitisation performance in indoor spaces, is now available from Barbel.

Manufactured by Vitaeco S.r.l., the world famous manufacturer of the highly regarded HotmixPro thermal blender range, SANOZONE sanitises rooms of many sizes in enclosed HRC sites, hotels, restaurants, bars, conference rooms and similar establishments where totally reliable and regular sanitisation is needed.

SANOZONE is particularly suitable for hospitals and care home areas, where absolute cleanliness is mandatory, and in areas where it is difficult or impossible to deliver effective sanitisation throughout.

The SANOZONE range of machines use Ozone (O3) technolo-

gy, a gaseous form of Ozone that fills the room, reaching every corner of the space, santising surfaces and critical hard-to-reach corners homogenously, consistently and safely.

The SANOZONE range of sanitisation machines are all equipped with the latest technology and customised disinfection programmes to suit your specific requirements.

The running costs are considerably lower than any traditional disinfecting programmes and most importantly, there is no manual labour involved.

For further information about the SANOZONE range, please contact Barbel on 01629 705110, email info@barbel.net, or visit the website at www.barbel.net

OneSpray - Reduces the Spread of Harmful Bacteria and Viruses Throughout the course of the 2020 pandemic, the Care Home sector has undoubtedly endured a challenging period. With an increased risk to staff and residents, there has been a lack of fundamental government support at all levels, leaving owners and managers with increased challenges.

Infection control is naturally a top priority for Care Homes but never before has the risk been so acute.

With a lack of direction and support from government, the onus is left to the individual homes to determine the best course of action.

An obvious change has been to implement either significantly increased or continual cleaning procedures. However, as Channel 4’s Dispatches showed on 26 October 2020, whilst this can be effective if carried out perfectly, the results can be highly inconsistent in reality, as that policy is susceptible to human error. It also comes at a cost, in terms of both product and labour.

Dispatches looked at continual cleaning procedures undertaken in Tesco, Costa Coffee, hotels and public transport, using ATP testing in a number of sample areas to determine the presence

of organic material.

The results were very mixed with an unsettlingly high number of samples showing very high counts of bacteria, despite supposedly being clean. The conclusion was that whilst the process can work, it leaves open the risk of human error, whether that be missing an area or it simply not being feasible to continually clean every surface.

OneSpray offer a solution to help mitigate that risk, with innovative antimicrobial technology that is proven extensively to protect surfaces for up to 30 days from application. Groups of Care Homes are already using their solutions, alongside major transport networks, airlines and airports amongst others business worldwide, across multiple sectors.

Containing no alcohol or harmful chemicals, and proven against EN14476 and EN1500, the unique longevity of the products will help protect staff and residents alike.

For more information, contact info@onespray.com or 03300 577 148. Alternatively, you can visit their website at www.onespray.com See the advert on page 45.

Elgin Bay Offer The Mac500 Proven Solution to Combating Coronavirus invented a miracle cure for coronavirus that can stand alone, but we may have one of the weapons needed to reduce the infection”, explains Michael Kløcker, JIMCO A/S.

Elgin Bay are the UK suppliers of Jimco UVC and Ozone technology. The Mac500 is an air purifier developed and manufactured in Denmark by Jimco, that reduces viruses in the air. With the air purifier the reduction of viruses is both fast and significant, achieving 99.99% reduction within 3 hours.

A study from a technological institute in Denmark states that The MAC500 effectively reduces viruses from the air.

In rooms where the air purifier is in use, The study documents that the MAC500 reduces viruses in the air by 89 percent in one hour. After two hours, the virus is reduced by 99 percent, and after three hours, the reduction is 99.9 percent.

“We have tested the air purifier on a virus that is 7-10 times more resistant to UV light than coronavirus. The results of this study are very uplifting right now, because we are all trying our best to avoid infections”, says Michael Kløcker, business unit manager at JIMCO A/S. The MAC500 air purifier works partly by burning harmful particles such as viruses with the help of UV-C rays, and partly by letting out a small amount of ozone, which can destroy bacteria and viruses. The amount of ozone is equal to the amount occurring in nature by the Sun. “You can use the air purifier everywhere, and our greatest customer segments are businesses and industries where it is difficult to keep distance or where customers are at a greater risk”. “It is very common to use air purifiers in Care Homes, Hospitals, Dentists and in private homes where you feel extra exposed”. “The aim is to strengthen the indoor climate as well as limiting the spread of viruses through the air”, Matthew Cove, MD at Elgin Bay explains.

“We are very happy that we are able to offer a product that can help both companies and individuals in the fight against the spread of coronavirus. We have not

About MAC500: The MAC500 air purifier has been on the market for nearly 20 years and is already operating in many homes and workplaces around the world.

Other benefits include: • Reduction in Virus/Bacteria/Fungi • Reduction in Odour within the room • Reduces indoor air pollution and eliminates the sources of headaches, respiratory problems (COPD/Asthma) For further information, please contact Matthew Cove on 07920 254379 or matthewcove@elginbay.co.uk The report can be requested by contacting matthewcove@elginbay.co.uk or downloaded here: https://jimco.dk/CustomerData/Files/Folders/5ppdf/24 07_ms2-test.pdf

PAGE 40 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33

HYGIENE & INFECTION CONTROL Why Care Homes Need Change from Traditional Toxic Cleaning Products to a More Sustainable, Safe and Low-Cost Alternative

By Chris Speak, Managing Director, Purozo Limited (www.purozo.co.uk) If we took the time to analyse our present cleaning regimes, it would unearth some startling facts.

Firstly, the huge cost and quantity being spent in our homes on a range of cleaning and sanitising products is adding pressure to budgets which are already over stretched, as well as putting more strain on our wonderful

care staff. Secondly, the extra storage you need for multiple chemicals, the plastic waste they produce and the worry of running out of stock also presents additional challenges.

THE PROBLEM WITH CHEMICALS

Aside from all of the challenges listed above, there are unfortunately much more worrying aspects to a home full of chemical cleaning products that we need to consider - especially when it comes to the safety of our precious residents and dedicated staff.

In an enclosed environment within a care home, what effect can these toxic chemicals have on an already fragile community?

We already know that harmful side effects of chemicals can include aggravating chest conditions, skin issues, and allergies for both staff and residents. Although we try to eliminate these

possibilities with COSHH training, it still does not remove the danger.

In this new dawn of environmental awareness, we still continue to pump all these toxic chemicals down our drains and into our rivers, lakes and coastline, and for what reason?

THE SOLUTION

Can we do something about it? Of course we can. Joining many care homes from across the UK in switching from toxic chemicals to the chemical-free Tersnao Lotus Pro will create a more sustainable, toxin free home, which is safe for your residents and staff – and at a fraction of your current cost. There is also no requirement for COSHH training and you will be creating a fresh, clean and sanitised home. Why wouldn’t you want to change?

For more information please visit our website www.purozo.co.uk or contact us on 01594 546250 | Info@purozo.co.uk

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

Clean Air Solutions There are a lot of cost-effective equipment that could be put in place quickly and easily to actively assist in lowering or eliminating the virus contaminated particles of any room helping eliminate the spread of viruses.

Air and Surface Treatments are the most effective method for treating all manner of smells, viruses, volatile organic compounds and all other airborne and surface contaminants.

These type of unit utilise either O³ (Ozone) or OH (Hydroxyl) Ozone is created when the kind of oxygen we breathe O² is split apart into single oxygen atoms. Single oxygen atoms can re-join to make O², or they can join with O² molecules to make ozone (O³) when the energy is available to do so. Ozone breaks down when it reacts with other compounds, harmful viruses included.

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 by going to www.angloplas.co.uk and clicking Hospital, Health and Hygiene or by using the Quick Response code.

The machines that produce Ozone in higher effective concentrations must be used in unoccupied spaces, high concentrations of Ozone can cause issues with the respiratory system, with this said they are extremely effective at sanitising a space (airborne and surfaces) after a manual clean down.

Hydroxyl machines are by far the most user friendly, firstly because they’re more adaptable and easily integrate into our normal daily lives.

Much like the Ozone units, a volatile OH compound is produced which reacts with all airborne contaminants. The OH compound reacts by oxidizing and this cascade reaction will continue until the area is free of contaminants, the OH particles will then simply become H²O once there is nothing left to react with.

Hydroxyl units are safe for use in constantly occupied rooms and will provide the constant decontamination required in a busy office.

For more information please contact Axair Fans to discuss your requirements. www.axaironline.co.uk sales@axair-fans.co.uk 01782 349439

PAGE 42 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33

HYGIENE & INFECTION CONTROL

Antimicrobial Handle Helps Boost Care Homes’ Active Protection Methods Against Bacteria Care homes can now help to reduce the spread of bacteria using a maintenance-free, antimicrobial surface for door hardware.

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

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

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

This is particularly important in care homes where residents are much more vulnerable.”

The surface can be applied to a wide range of popular HOPPE

handle designs including the Amsterdam and Paris series, all available in aluminium silver and stainless steel. It is also covered

by HOPPE’s 10-year operational guarantee that applies to all HOPPE door and window handles.

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

Protecting Staff And Residents with Continual Airborne Sanitisation

The COVID-19 pandemic raises particular challenges for care home residents, their families and the staff that look after them. With no end in sight and millions of pounds being spent every day on cleaning and sanitisation methods that are costly and labour intensive. SOH Group has a revolutionary new product ‘SOH Pure’ that is already helping thousands of people and businesses by continuously sanitising their premises.

The SOH Pure systems work in a similar way to that of a fogger but is an ‘always on’ solution that continually sanitises an area of up to 80m2. Achieved by cold air diffusion technology liquid is turned into a vapour the is lighter than air.

This vapour cleans and sanitises the air whilst airborne and then sanitises all surfaces when it falls creating a unique dual action air and surface approach.

Using the SOH Pure system will help reduce the amount of time that is required cleaning and will help re continually sanitise high traffic areas, such as staff gathering hot spots building entrances , lobbies and delivery zones and more.

Let us help you today give your staff and residents that extra piece of mind!

Get in touch for more details and other environmentally friendly products 02037276400, info@sunglobalsupplies.com or www.sunglobalavf.com

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PAGE 44 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33

TECHNOLOGY & SOFTWARE CARE VISION Friends of the Elderly Selects Softworks Software

At Care Vision we believe care may never be the same again. Outstanding care truly is at the heart of everything we do, with a clear purpose of Less Admin, More Care.

Growing up and working in a family owned care home, Rishi Jawaheer saw at first hand the main needs in the care sector; to cut down on the burden of manual paperwork while maintaining good practice and to encourage people to become more involved in care.

Using his experience as a registered manager, with some of the smartest minds in tech, Rishi was driven to create Care Vision, an all in one cloudbased care management, system incorporating all your care and admin into one easy to use system.

Presently the care industry has our work cut out to keep in line with statutory and legislative compliance in addition to the essential everyday tasks of looking after our clients.

Care Vision acts as a bridge which uses technology that organises care work, ensures a safer, better and more intimate experience for every member of the community, from administration, the carer to family, friends and the people we care for.

Care Vision provides An easy to use system for carers, managers, relatives; bringing care and admin into one platform; to manage time, attendance, rota, HR, housekeeping, maintenance and much more An E-mar system, fully compliant with NICE, reducing medication errors and keeping people safe An intuative daily notes section that can be completed at the point of service quickly and accurately A pictorial food order system that allows the individual to choose from a menu even if they forgot what a meal looks like Daily reminders in the form of care routines which reminds staff of key aspects of care for the individual

Care Plans / Risk assessments/ Life stories which allows you to customise care plans to specifically suit the person’s needs. Reminding all about one’s history and who Is important in one’s life A family app that allows families to keep track of their loved one’s wellbeing through videos and pictures, which has been essential during the pandemic.

Care Vision gives you the freedom to access it using mobile, tablet, laptop, or pc in real time whilst safely securing and storing data. within the platform.

Built flexibly to adapt to services of any size, large or small, Care Vision’s structured, interactive features engage carers in sharing information with the end-user and their family.

Registered manager and director of Summerhayes Care says “The carers have taken to Care Vision like a duck to water and the information that we are gathering is streets ahead of the previous system we used we are very impressed. They make it easy to understand and nothing is any trouble.

I highly recommend taking a look at this system if you are wanting to meet your quality standards and CQC requirements”.

Nationally our data has shown that working with homes Care Vision can save 2-4 hours every week per carer by reducing tasks that could be better spent with the people we care for.

As both carers and developers, we are unique in our focus on developing software that benefits the care sector.

This allows us to continually develop and update software for our clients.

The Care Vision team would love to talk to you about what the system can do for you, come and join us, we believe the future of Social care is in good hands with “Care vision” Contact us at info@care-vision.co.uk or call 0208 768 9809

Friends of the Elderly has been supporting and caring for older people since 1905.Their Care Homes provide residential, dementia, nursing and respite care dedicated to providing quality care with dignity. The organisation is passionate about its work and strives to provide quality care while continually evolving. As part of this ethos the organisation went to market looking for a solution to help transform and improve Employee Time, Attendance, Rostering and Skills Management within their network of Care Homes and after an extensive selection process selected Softworks.

Commenting on the selection Sharon Nunn, Group Financial Controller of Friends of the Elderly said “Last Summer we identified that implementing a Workforce Management System to manage our employee Time, Attendance, Rostering and Skills would bring significant improvements to the everyday running of our Care Homes. We were using spreadsheets to manage key areas such as hours worked rosters, leave, absences, holiday requests and skills and this was becoming very

Care Control Systems Care Control Systems Ltd is proud to create the UK's best Care Management Software designed for use within all standard, niche and complex care settings. Care Control has been in constant development since 2010 and was made commercially available in 2016. Since then we have expanded across hundreds of providers within the UK and are well recognised as leaders in our field.

Care Control is used by over 15,000 care professionals daily across the UK in multiple service types ensuring their services have live,

complex and labour intensive.”

“We knew streamlining and automating processes in these areas and removing time consuming paper-based admin would give both Managers and Healthcare Staff better oversight and more time to focus on the provision of excellent care within our Care Homes.”

“After meeting with a number of solution providers we chose Softworks because they really understood our requirements as a Care Home provider. They had a proven track record and were ready, willing and able to configure their system to our specific requirements rather than us needing to alter our work practices to fit in with their system.”

“Aside from this we were impressed by the extensive functionality offered by the Softworks Workforce Management Software such as the complete HR module, Skills, Training and Expense Management modules, Compliance, Employee Self-Service and Payroll Integration.”

See the advert on the facing page for details,

up-to-date essential information. Located in Tavistock, Devon our expert team is comprised of numerous industry specialists with many years of direct, hands-on care experience. This is one of our key USP’s.

Our Managing Director, Matt Luckham started the creation of the original Care Control Software in 2010 with the aim to provide essential, accurate information for Spring House Care House in Devon.

Matt had purchased Spring House in 2010. Matt developed the software and then spent 6 years proving its functionality within Spring House. It soon became apparent the software could add real value to other service providers and after numerous requests we

decided to commercialise the software.

In 2016 Care Control Systems Ltd was founded and since then has gone from strength-tostrength with exponential growth.

We now have an exceptional team of more than 20 staff who have over 70 years of direct hands-on care experience between them. On top of this our team of Software Developers are experts in their field and are constantly developing our products to ensure they offer everything our customers expect in what is a particularly complex sector.

2020 has been a record year for Care Control with record numbers of customers choosing us, office expansion, overseas sales and an ever growing team to name just a few things. We are so excited for the future!

Visit www.carecontrolsystems.co.uk or see the advert below for further details.

Reliable Technology Can Be the Difference Between Your Care Home Getting By or Excelling As a healthcare professional, your goal is to deliver the best care for your residents, but you can’t focus on them if you’re constantly struggling with unreliable, under-performing technology. Here at EC Computers we specialise in technology management for Care Home. We take care of all your IT, preventing technical issues from ever happening, and providing powerful solutions that help you streamline operations and improve staff and resident experiences.

Our OnePoint Solutions improve both staff and resident satisfaction for Care Homes, these

include:

Managed IT Services Office 365 Communications and Document storage Data Backup Solutions Virtualization for Groups requiring on premise servers VoIP Solutions to provide flexible working and cheaper calls

Desktop and Server Support Cybersecurity Solutions to keep you important data safe Data Cabling and Infrastructure planning Software applications - CRM - Database Custom apps Would your Care Home benefit from Managed IT Services?

We believe every Care Home can achieve more with help from a Managed Services

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33 | PAGE 47

TECHNOLOGY & SOFTWARE Workforce Scheduling Solutions Workforce Scheduling Solutions deliver Electronic Time & Attendance systems worldwide, using the latest Face Recognition technology.

Why should care homes move from paper to electronic time sheets The industry is under considerable financial pressures. An efficient electronic booking on/off system that will schedule, provide budgets, calculate hours worked, overtime and absence such as sickness and holiday entitlement will save Time and Money.

How is time and money saved by doing things electronically?

Collecting payroll information from paper timesheets can be slow, prone to errors, and very labour intensive.

Staff rosters can be produced as far in advance as practical and accurate within budgeted hours. Staff book on and off-duty electronically, thus eliminating any time errors.

Wage queries are virtually eliminated and immediate checks can be made without wading through reams of paper which invariably are inaccurate, misfiled or even 'lost".

There are many systems on the market - Why facial

recognition is important and how it works Some systems use tokens, which can be lost or left at home, requiring management involvement in the booking on/off procedure. Fingerprint systems can be beaten and Social media is awash with ways to copy fingerprints. Face recognition combined with a staff PIN is simple to use and manage using touch screen technology and web cams. Staff see their image displayed immediately when booking on or off and confirms their identity visually. It provides the best deterrent available as it builds a greater 'image knowledge’ of each employee, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Eliminates 'buddy punching' where employees can book colleagues on/off duty using someone’s tokens, swipe card or even fingerprint.

How is data protected?

With the correct security setup computer systems provide more data protection than paper-based records which can be easily removed or stolen. GDPR covers all data including paper records and therefore the chances of infringing the rules and incurring fines is greater with paper.

Visit www.wfsoftware.co.uk

Alpaka at Askham Village Askham Village Community is a group of specialist homes which provide professional nursing care to young adults and the elderly.

Growing organically over the last 30 years, means internal processes have evolved to keep pace with regulatory requirements and the needs of a growing organisation.

Paper-based reporting and recording systems were the norm for rotas, timesheets, annual leave and absence as well as training status and other personnel information.

Alpaka software adoption proceeded in four stages, paced to match the staff expectations and available time.

1. Software Champions: An introduction to Staff data & Rotas 2. Management Team: Parallel working with old process and Alpaka 3. Employees: Presence app for clocking in and out with paper timesheets for comparison 4. No more paper, the full digital experience.

Askham's 'challenge' is a common scenario in the care sector, mainly where businesses have grown and processes have remained manual and paper-based. It might seem a daunting task, but with the right technology, a digital transformation is possible and profitable.

The full case study is available to read on https://alpaka.io/case-studies/care Call Alpaka on 0203 286 6109 or email

PAGE 48 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33

NURSE CALL AND FALL PREVENTION

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

Call button Pager Floor sensor mat Wireless door/window exit alerts

Eliminate all cables with our new generation falls management solutions!

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

The TreadNought® Floor Sensor Pad is built to last with a durable construction 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.

Benefits include:

Features 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:

TREADNOUGHT ®FLOOR SENSOR PAD

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

Aid Call Nurse Call Systems Aid Call has been leading the way in wireless nurse-call systems for over 40 years. We offer a wide range of products and bespoke solutions.

All of our products have been developed following feedback from our customers who are the forefront of care delivery. We tailor our offering specifically to each individual customers require-

Please Please mention mention THE THE CARER CARER when when responding responding to to advertising. advertising.

life easier and more efficient for your staff and are simple for residents to use too. The combination of flexibility and functionality allows you to focus on the most effective care delivery, rather than being constrained by the limitations of technology.

Our nurse call systems are not only powerful, functional and reliable, but also robust enough to

ments to ensure you get the perfect system for

withstand the demands of a care or nursing home

your needs.

environment of any size or scale.

Aid Call wireless nurse call systems can make

See the advert on page 1 for further information.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33 | PAGE 49

NURSE CALL AND FALL PREVENTION A Digital Future of Care in a Post COVID-19 Era After 50 years being at the forefront of advances in Nurse Call solutions, Courtney Thorne continue to develop solutions which now seem more relevant and important than at any time before.

The introduction of digital care planning and medication solutions has enabled forward thinking care homeowners to go paperless, giving more accurate, timely and readily available information on those in their care. These same digital devices, tablets and smart mobiles can now be used to view calls and emergencies generated by a Courtney Thorne nurse call system. Both new installations and many existing Courtney Thorne systems can benefit with calls being delivered straight to the carer.

Monitoring of resident’s care planning and medications are just two areas that reduces the amount of paperwork and administration, freeing up carers to spend more time actually caring. The monitoring of the caring staff themselves can become arduous and time consuming for management, not with a Courtney Thorne nurse call solution.

The introduction of Staff ID tags of fobs is nothing new, there are so called systems on the market which use simple magnets which carers need to remember to press onto a room sensor when they attend, and again when they leave a resident’s room. With Courtney Thorne’s Altra Tag the process of logging who attended, what time they attended and how long they remained in the resident’s room is all logged automatically and seamlessly. No longer are there management and staff disputes about forgetting to “fob in/fob out”.

The volume and detail of the data captured automatically by a Courtney Thorne nurse call system is vast. All the data is available to management using the reporting function built into the main touch screen server. However, where visiting the home is difficult due to COVID-19 restrictions or time and distance problems,

TumbleCare from Easylink Medpage Limited T/A Easylink UK was established in 1984 after the invention of an alarm clock to wake deaf people. The “Shake Awake” set a new precedent in quality standards for products designed for sensory care, notoriously at the time – rubbish.

The company invented a new device for the detection of nocturnal epileptic seizures in 1994, which also set a new precedent for quality, especially after the company achieved certified medical accreditation. We could boast and say we have supplied more seizure detection monitors than any other company in UK. You could say we are innovators; we are and very proud of it. To constantly adapt to changes in demands for care technologies, remain competitive and continue to develop new care solutions it takes more than intelligence, it takes passion.

owners and managers may find retrieving data difficult, resulting in a lack of monitoring and possible reduction in quality of care delivered.

Courtney Thorne’s CT-Cloud service provides ready complied, detailed reports daily, coupled with a “live” view of all data contained in the server from any location with an internet connection.

Carrying out regular checks on sleeping residents is time consuming and often counter-productive as residents often wake, have poor sleep and can even fall after attempting to use the toilet once awake.

Acoustic monitoring means that only those who actually need assistance get it, those who are sound asleep do not get disturbed and carers can concentrate on more productive tasks.

So, in this new COVID-19 and Digital world what other new solutions are on the horizon? Nurse call devices around a care home become intelligent enough to identify a resident in need. Already we can measure changes in levels of noise, but monitoring light, temperature coupled with wearable devices monitoring vital signs, now a deterioration in a resident’s wellbeing can raise an alert or be recorded. A resident ‘connected’ with a wearable device can have their movement, location, heart rate, sleep, blood pressure etc., monitored automatically. Instead of intrusive, often unsocial physical monitoring, at-risk residents have vital signs checked and recorded continuously. If an emergency occurs, the nurse call system will still summon help, only now one of its key functions will be to record, store and make available critical data. Thereby reducing the touch points, minimising transmission of disease, freeing up carers time and providing a safer and healthier life for both residents and staff.

For further information visit www.nursecallsystems.co.uk or see the advert on this page.

Lotus Care Technology The NurseAlert pressure mat has been one of the most successful floor pressure mats due to it being non slip and carpeted which makes it feel very natural under a residents foot.

Lotus Care Technology Ltd have many other fall saving devices that can give you peace of mind whilst caring for this at risk of falls.

Having many years of experience in

fitting and maintaining Nurse Call Systems helps the guys at Lotus Care Technology understand that every home is different and has different needs. They can specify not only the best system for the environmental factors in the home but also take into consideration the best products that will make your carers and nurses jobs that little bit easier.

Visit lctuk.com for details.

Despite the COVID-19 lockdown, failing economy, factories closing and international shipping facing the worst crisis ever known, we have battled through. At the start of the lockdown we supplied the NHS and Local Authorities with over 2000 bed occupancy detection alarm systems, many of them used to enable long term patients to be discharged from hospital to free up beds for COVID victims. Independent living support was and is essential during this pandemic.

Now we launch our new brand. TumbleCare.

The TumbleCare brand is a range of fall detection and prevention products focussing on affordable quality and product performance. The products are tough, easy to set, use and provide carers with reliable advance warning notification of potential falls. Visit our website. Firstly, you’ll be amazed at the variety of care solutions we offer, then blown away by our realistically fair pricing.

Visit www.easylinkuk.co.uk or see the advert on page 45 for details.

www.nursecallsystems.co.uk

PAGE 50 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33

NURSE CALL AND FALL PREVENTION

NURSE CALL

IT’S NOT OBSOLETE UNTIL THE OPERA LADY SINGS

EDISON TELECOM LTD (IN BUSINESS SINCE 1984)

have spares, enhancements and expertise for wired and wireless systems abandoned by the original manufacturer, whoever they are.

Call us on 01252-330220 We can give most systems a new lease of life and maintain them into the future.

www.edisontelecom.co.uk Please Please mention mention THE THE CARER CARER when when responding responding to to advertising. advertising.

Wireless Fall Prevention

By Ben Kilbey – Business Development Manager, Spearhead Healthcare

The last thing any care home wants to have to deal with is an elderly resident falling in their home. However, with over 255,000 hospital admissions in England a year relating to the elderly suffering injury after a fall, being alert and aware as soon as a fall happens is critically important in the administration of aid; as well as helping reduce emotional distress.

For years, the care industry has used a tremendous range of call alert solutions to help care home staff respond to these falls quickly and easily. The most popular and regularly used of these are systems which plug in to nurse call systems.

Nonetheless, these come with their own issues and can often create their own risks in regard to falling; largely in the use of trailing cables that need to be plugged in to make them work. These potential trip hazards can cause the exact issues they are trying to prevent.

But with new innovations come new solutions, and we are increasingly seeing a range of wireless solutions that provide a variety of benefits. Below we list things to look out for when selecting these systems:

NO LOOSE WIRES

When looking at a wireless solution, make sure it truly is wireless and that any receivers, or sending features on the items are contained and are not left loose where someone can catch a foot on it, or accidently rip it out.

Edison Telecom

We here at Edison Telecom Ltd have been providing specialist solutions to your call system requirements tailor-made to each customers needs for over 25 years, says director Bob Johnson.

Is your current Nurse Call “legacy”, obsolete, so full of software bugs or commercially not viable for your current supplier/maintainer to maintain?

We may have just the part and expertise that you are looking for to give your nurse call a further exten-

WIRELESS CALL BUTTONS

Care home staff cannot be chained to their desk and need to be checking on residents and conducting all the duties that are required to create a smooth-running home, filled with happy residents. A wireless alert that can be carried in a pocket allows the user to respond as swiftly as possible to potential falls, helping homes provide the highest level of care.

A centralized alert system is an option that also presents many benefits, as homes can ensure that the right person in the right place is alerted in a timely manner. Making sure that a system works both centrally and on the move, giving you the best range of options to help provide a high level of care.

PLUGS

While this might very well be viewed as a smaller issue, nurse call systems come with a huge variety of plug types; and ensuring that your receivers have the correct plugs for your call system is key.

LOOK AND FEEL

Make sure the system you choose is as unobtrusive as possible. Often fall prevention equipment is designed to be as hidden as possible. Should the item be particularly obvious make sure you are happy it fits as well as possible into the decor of the room it sits in and think about choosing a floormat that corresponds with the flooring in the room e.g. wood effect vinyl or carpet.

Spearhead are proud to distribute the entire Alerta

sion to life, adds Bob, “Edison will treat your nurse call with the same compassion that you give to those in your care. There will come a time when your equipment is beyond repair but Edison are experts in extending the life of obsolete systems.” www.edisontelecom.co.uk

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33 | PAGE 51

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Engage With Your Residents - In-House Practical Training Workshop Scripts Bring About Happy Days Happy Days Dementia Activities & Design has created a new range of engagement training scripts for residential care and dementia homes. The workshops are designed to be presented in-house, saving time and costs.

Easy to follow training scripts are practical in nature and help care teams engage with elderly and people living with dementia. Through activity, discussions, roleplay and practise with nostalgic materials, carers can feel more equipped to engage and enrich social care.

Packages include demonstration materials to use during your workshop. Training Scripts and engagement materials can be created to suit your organisation, care team requirements and resident interests.

Ideal for home care services too - Help your carers engage

and create meaningful moments during visits.

With Covid19’s restrictions and safety procedures, it makes sense to train your care teams on site. ‘Bringing your care teams together can build carer confidence, boost morale and uplift mood. If a carer feels good, this will reflect on the the person being cared for’ says Gillian Hesketh, MD of Happy Days Dementia Activities & Design.

Passionate about helping people living with dementia to live well, Happy Days also supplies nostalgic displays, reminiscence baskets, conversation prompts and more - See The Carer front page or Shop Online: www.dementiaworkshop.co.uk We accept NHS purchase order numbers and care home accounts. Phone Gillian direct on: 07971-953620 or see the advert on page 1.

High Speed Training is proud to announce that we’re a Skills for Care endorsed training provider!

This means our online training courses make a significant difference, not only to the learner but also to the person accessing care and support.

Skills for Care Endorsed Provider What Does it Mean for High Speed Training Learners?

Our mission has always been to deliver training that helps people to be engaged, effective and safe in the career they’ve chosen. We work tirelessly to ensure all our online courses are relevant and meaningful to a variety of sectors and roles.

Skills for Care endorsement is a trusted quality mark only awarded to the best learning and development providers within the social care sector.

We welcome High Speed Training to Skills for Care

endorsement. They’ve demonstrated dedicated commitment to the core requirements, such as effective leadership and management, robust quality assurance, equal opportunities for staff development as well as keeping learners central to all learning and development. We look forward to working with High Speed Training in the future.

Receiving Skills for Care endorsement is highly significant for our learners who work in social care and demonstrates our commitment to constantly providing the best training and support we possibly can.

Businesses all over the world have been using their resources to help during the COVID-19 pandemic wherever they can.

We worked hard to develop a course that would inform people how to use PPE safely. This information was so important that we gave the course away for free to those who work in front line healthcare. To this date, we have trained over 6,000 people in safe PPE practices for free.

For more information and guidance related to COVID19, simply visit www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/ covid-19-courses-resources/

Care Certificate by Laser Learning During the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, many employees were furloughed, whilst others (such as those in Care Homes and the NHS) bravely worked on the frontline and continue to do so. Here at Laser Learning, we are proud to have supported both of these groups, in different ways. This was achieved through the Laser Care Certificate course and CPD short courses.

The Laser Care Certificate course provides knowledge to cover every standard included in the official Skills for Care specification. Every lesson includes bespoke video tutorials specifically for the Care Certificate course, as well as reading materials and good practice examples. Furthermore, a mandatory quiz at the end of each lesson (which requires a 100% pass mark) ensures both competence and confidence. Managers are able to create their own accounts to enrol staff on the course and track their progress. All of the content is accessible remotely via computer, smartphone or tablet, enabling

care professionals to make progress towards the certificate in a way that suits their circumstances.

Additionally, Laser delivers CPD short courses to help the ongoing development of skills and expertise of both furloughed staff, who had the silver lining of time on their side, as well as those working through the pandemic amidst concerns of job security. Two courses in particular – ‘Causes and Spread of Infection’ and ‘Infection Control and Prevention’ – were especially popular during this period. Unlimited use subscriptions are available at affordable rates, for organisations wishing to take advantage of a large number of short courses.

Whether you are an owner, manager or independent learner, please don't hesitate to get in touch for a free demo of the Care Certificate course platform, and/or the CPD short course offering. The Laser Learning team can be contacted on info@lasersys.co.uk or +44 (0)1753 584 112.

See the advert on this page for further details.

PAGE 52 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 33

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Are You and Your EU Citizen Workers Prepared for Brexit?

By Jane Biddlecombe, associate solicitor and immigration specialist at Paris Smith (www.parissmith.co.uk)

The Brexit transition period ends on 31 December 2020 and brings big changes for any EU citizen who wants to come and live and work in the UK. There are two key deadlines looming: 1. Any EU citizen who wants to live and work in the UK without restrictions post Brexit must be living in the UK by 31 December 2020 (and be able to prove it) 2. Any EU citizen who wants to continue to live and work in the UK must apply through the EU Settlement Scheme for either pre-settled status (if they have less than five years’ residence in the UK) or settled status (if they have five years’ residence or more in the UK) by 30 June 2021 If a EU citizen does not take these steps, as of 1 July 2021, they will no longer have the right to live and work in the UK and could be subject to immigration enforcement action.

What should employers do now regarding their EU citizen workers?

All employers should act now to: • Review their workforce • Identify those EU citizens who may be affected by these new rules • Inform them of the need to apply for pre-settled or settled status • Provide them with support to make sure they continue to have the right

to live and work in the UK after Brexit If EU citizens have not complied with these requirements by 30 June 2021, it will be illegal for any UK employer to employ them to work in the UK. They would not pass the right to work checks that all employers need to carry out - and the employer would be at risk of penalties and sanctions from the UK government.

Whilst an employer is likely to be able to follow a fair process to end an employment contract legally in this situation, this is obviously something employers want to avoid.

It’s therefore in everyone’s interests for employers to educate their employees and proactively manage this process over the coming months.

When should employers start this process and complete it by?

Although the deadline for EU citizens to obtain pre-settled or settled status is 30 June 2021, don’t leave this process until the last minute.

We strongly recommend you do as much as possible to try and secure your workforce’s future by December 2020 and work towards this date as far as possible. This will give time for any remaining issues to be dealt with in the grace period from January to June 2021.

What will the rules be for EU nationals who first come to the UK after 1 January 2021?

EU nationals who want to come to work in the UK from 1 January 2021 and who aren’t already based in the UK will need a skilled worker visa under the new points-based immigration system that will be in place from 1 January 2021.

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

NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE

A substantial Grade II Listed former manor house in grounds of over 5 acres. It has been used as a residential home in recent years and offers 36 single rooms, together with ancillary accommodation.

The property requires refurbishment and redecoration throughout.

Offers In Excess of £2,000,000.

Further details available

01782 713444 / 01785 850866 www.hinsonparry.co.uk

To employ these EU nationals you will need to be registered as a sponsor with a sponsor licence and be able to meet the requirements of the new points-based immigration system. Applying for a sponsor licence can currently take up to eight weeks, and it is anticipated that there will be a surge in demand at the end of the year so future applications may take longer. A priority option that takes only ten working days will be available, but such applications will require the payment of an additional fee of £500 and will be limited to ten applications per day, on a first come first served basis.

Hinson Parry Hinson Parry offers a multi disciplinary property service providing a wide and comprehensive range of services to business and individuals.

We are Chartered Surveyors, Auctioneers, Valuers, Compulsory Purchase and Compensation Consultants, Land and Estate Agents.

Based in Staffordshire, in the heart of the

Midlands, Hinson Parry has a wealth of expertise and experience encompassing local market knowledge as well as operating on a national basis.

Visit www.hinsonparry.co.uk

Without QCS we wouldn’t have been rated as an ‘outstanding service’ Rupert Stocks Registered Manager, Guyatt House

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