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
THECARERUK
THECARERUK
Issue 73
Acute Staff Shortages Limiting Amount of Support Providers Can Offer
Managers of community care services supporting over 15,000 people in England, say acute staff shortages are forcing them to turn down new clients. The National Care Forum (NCF) says care providers are having to make tough decisions about who they can help. The NCF together with The Outstanding Managers Network surveyed registered managers of care services to ascertain the full extent of the challenges faced by care providers and registered managers on the ground in the wake of the significant staff shortages experienced in the sector. 340 registered managers running services that employed 21,314 staff and sup-
ported 15,450 people across a broad range of care services completed the survey. Of those who responded 76% ran services for older people – the majority being care homes without nursing, and 24% ran domiciliary care services.
VACANCY RATES Managers responding to the survey report an average staff vacancy rate of 17%. This is leading to a significant reduction in the amount of care available because there are not enough staff to run services at the level that people, hospitals and communities desperately need.
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EDITOR'S VIEWPOINT Welcome to the latest edition of The Carer Digital! “The straw that breaks the camel’s back”. That is how Professor Martin Green describes approaching deadline for mandatory vaccinations edition of employment for care staff working in the care sector. These dire warnings are not new. Last month UNISON called on ministers to stop "sleepwalking into a disaster" and end the 'no jab, no job' rule for those in the care industry, adding that repealing the mandatory jab directives for care home workers is the only way to avert a staffing crisis that threatens to engulf the sector. Our front-page story reveals that staff shortages are already impacting the sector. A survey that care providers are facing acute problems in recruiting and retaining frontline staff for a variety of reasons, including burnout from the pandemic and higher pay rates being available elsewhere as the economy picks up. Managers told researchers that many existing staff were struggling with an increased workload and wanted to quit. The looming mandatory vaccine deadline is clearly going to make a critical situation even worse. In the past few weeks we have attended as exhibitors a number of events for the residential, nursing and home care sector, as well as attending the National Association of Care Catering three-day seminar. This gave me the opportunity to engage face-to-face with care home operators, staff and observers from all aspects of the industry. The threat of having to lay off staff with years of experience in the sector, with long-standing staff described as friends and colleagues, is causing “sleepless nights” for operators, with many describing situation as heart-breaking. One operator was devastated at the prospect of seeing staff being forced out of the sector, highlighted that only this time last year they were rightly being hailed as heroes, demonstrating dedication and commitment at a time of crisis, selflessly putting themselves and their loved ones at risk to care for society’s most vulnerable, and the thanks they are getting? Being forced out of their job one year later. I also discussed with staff themselves at the tradeshows who felt they were being bullied and pressurised by the government.
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EDITOR Peter Adams SALES EXECUTIVES This whole policy needs a drastic rethink, and I hope that the government reaches out to the sector to negotiate a long-term solution as opposed to trying to impose one against the wishes of many people employed on the frontline. That said, aside from the major concerns regarding vaccination, the feedback we got from shows and events was extremely positive. The sector is remains vibrant, with dedicated staff, despite all the concerns and challenges it faces. As I said last week, I was also delighted to see how popular our “Unsung Hero” award is! We had some wonderful feedback from Care home owners, department managers and staff themselves, and we were delighted to launch the latest UNSUNG HERO at the show. Further details can be found on page 16. We have set aside plenty of time, and we have already received some wonderfully warm uplifting and inspirational nominations! A fantastic luxury hamper awaits the winner, so please do get nominating via nominate@thecareruk.com And please do keep your story is coming in, we are delighted to publish some delightful stories from various homes around the country, from birthdays to fund raising, from baking to growing vegetables, anything you would like to share please do send it to me editor@thecareruk.com
Sylvia Mawson David Bartlett Guy Stephenson TYPESETTING & DESIGN Matthew Noades PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Shelly Roche Published by
THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 73 | PAGE 3
Acute Staff Shortages Limiting Amount of Support Providers Can Offer (CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER)
IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE GOVERNMENT ACTS NOW TO DO THE FOLLOWING:
Some 67% report that they have either limited or stopped admissions of any new people into care homes or they have had to refuse to take on new requests for domiciliary care for people living in their own homes in the community. Some have had to hand back packages of care to the local authority because they do not have enough staff to provide them. This includes 33% who said they had limited or stopped admissions from hospitals.
5,000 “TURNED AWAY FROM CARE SERVICES” The 340 survey respondents estimated this amounted to approximately 5,000 people being turned away from their care services since 1st September. ‘Previously, we took on average 4 hospital discharges a week plus another 3/4 reablement requests for care per week from discharge to assess. In the last 12 weeks we have only been able to take 2 hospital discharges due to having to reduce capacity because of staff shortages.’ ‘Heart-breaking turning down 10 plus requests for care that are needed a day.’ ‘Turned down complex care requests sadly, have not got enough staff to look after new people with complex needs safely.’ ‘Stopped admissions for service users who require additional one-to-one support.’ ‘Extremely concerned at the financial viability of any service. Having to increase wages to compete with others but no increase in funding. Also still got substantial increased costs related to Covid.’ ‘Seriously considering having to close if something isn’t urgently done.’
FINDINGS MAKE “UNCOMFORTABLE READING” Vic Rayner OBE, CEO of the NCF said: “These findings make uncomfortable reading and offer evidence of the stark reality being experienced by care providers and registered managers on the ground, and of the pressure they are under every day to provide care and support to the people who rely on them. The significance of this data means that people are not being discharged from hospital when they need to, to continue care and treatment at home or in residential care settings. And providers are having to make very difficult decisions about who they can support - sometimes resulting in people with high or complex needs not getting access to the care and support they desperately need. This cannot continue – it has to stop now.
•Pay a retention bonus to recognise those staff who have worked tirelessly, 24/7 for the last 19 months of the pandemic to provide care for those who need it most •Fund a pay increase now for all care staff to improve recruitment and reduce the numbers leaving •Add care workers to the Shortage Occupation List for a time limited period to help the care sector NOW •Create a new fully funded, flexible dedicated workforce fund to support the wellbeing of existing staff, highlight how valuable they are and supporting recruitment and retention •Delay the implementation of mandatory vaccinations in care homes Jane Brightman, co-founder of the Outstanding Managers Network said: “These responses are stark reading and highlight the difficulties faced by the sector and consequently the people who use care. This has been getting worse over time and very concerning for the winter ahead. Care Managers are exhausted, as are their teams. They have been working tirelessly with no let-up in sight. We’ve been calling on the government to work with the sector to provide more support and opportunity to improve this dire situation. Our thanks to NCF for working with us on this survey.”
105,000 VACANCIES ADVERTISED EACH DAY Research released last week revealed that more care jobs are unfilled than before the pandemic. The annual ‘The state of the adult social care sector and workforce in England’ report - based on data provided by sector employers to the Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set (ASC-WDS) - revealed that on average, 6.8% of roles in adult social care were vacant in 2020/21, which is equivalent to 105,000 vacancies being advertised on an average day. The vacancy rate in adult social care has been persistently high at above 6% for the previous six years. The turnover rates across the sector remain high, at 28.5% in 2020/21. NHS Providers, which represents health service trusts, has called the situation "dire" and particularly worrying with winter about to put extra pressure on services. A Department of Health and Social Care official said the government was providing at least £500m to support the care workforce as part of the £5.4bn to reform social care. "We are also working to ensure we have the right number of staff with the skills to deliver high quality care to meet increasing demands," said the statement.
Surbiton Care Home Chef Wins Prestigious Award Chef Rida Diab has won a prestigious catering prize in recognition of his work at Royal Star & Garter in Surbiton. The 37-year-old won Catering Manager of the Year at the National Association of Care Catering (NACC) awards on Thursday 7 October. He was also a finalist in the Foodservice Catey Awards the following evening. Rida works for Signature Dining, a dedicated provider of deliciously nutritious contract catering in the senior living and care sectors in the UK, and he is based at Royal Star & Garter in Surbiton. The Home provides loving, compassionate care to veterans and their partners living with disability or dementia. Following his success, Rida, from Greenford, west London, said: “This award belongs to all the catering staff at Royal Star & Garter in Surbiton. I love working here and getting to know the amazing residents. It’s a privilege to cook for them.”
time with residents, and taking individual requests. Nothing is too much bother for him, he does everything he can to make sure the residents are happy at mealtimes. I’m delighted his efforts have been recognised with this award.” Signature Dining also provides the food at Royal Star & Garter’s two other Homes in Solihull and High Wycombe, and won Healthcare Caterer of the Year at the Foodservice Catey Awards. Praising Rida for his success, Signature Dining founder and owner Paul Robottom said: “I’m absolutely delighted that Rida has won this prestigious award for Signature Dining and Royal Star & Garter, Surbiton. The whole team have been amazing over the past 19 months through the pandemic, battling to work every day to ensure the resiSurbiton Home Manager, Helena Maher, said: “Rida loves spending
dents are well looked after. This award recognises Rida’s total commitment to the residents and is very well deserved.”
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Buddying and Mentorship Programmes Are The Way Out of Our Recruitment and Retention Crisis By Barry Price, QCS (www.qcs.co.uk) agers must instil a culture of continuous improvement in their services. Buddying and mentoring programmes need to be at the heart of the care provider’s value system, and most importantly, they need to be seen as one and the same and not two disparate activities. Too often, buddying partnerships are formed in the first few weeks of a person starting a new role. The mistake that is constantly made, is when that person becomes familiar in their role, more often than not, the partnership is disbanded. Joint buddying and mentorship programmes, which also provide training opportunities should, however, should be in place from the minute a care worker joins a service to the moment they leave. There are some care providers that have fully grasped the nettle and, while I cannot provide you with any statistics, anecdotally, I can say that many of them benefit from outstanding rates of recruitment and retention. If I could single out one area where many of these providers have exceled, it is the fact that they have been highly successful in bridging the knowledge and training gulf that often prevents care workers from transitioning to fully fledged managers.
When it comes to writing about social care, the canvas is rarely blank. Take last week, for example. Skills for Care launched its annual report, entitled, ‘The state of the adult care sector in England 2021’. The study revealed a workforce vacancy rate of 6.8 percent, that according to the Nuffield Trust, “is more than treble the vacancy rate of the wider UK economy”. If you're still struggling to picture what that looks like, the Nuffield Trust compares the manpower challenges (there are 105,000 care vacancies in England alone) to that of the transport sector, where there is a gross shortage of HGV drivers. The report also reveals the retention challenges that the care sector faces. Skills for Care says that “the staff turnover rate of directly employed staff working in the adult care sector was 28.5 percent in 2020/21. Furthermore, The Nuffield Trust quite rightly points out that other sectors have been given the power by government to hire workers on temporary visas, which has helped to ease some of the recruitment challenges. In addition, the Nuffield Trust says that £500m of funding to improve wellbeing may not be allocated until next spring to the sector. For some care workers, who have worked tirelessly through the entire pandemic, not having access to this crucial funding for the entire winter, may lead to many walking away. I have painted a gloomy picture, but that is not the way I want to continue. While it is true that the sector faces some monumental funding, recruitment and retention challenges, which the pandemic has exacerbated, at the same time we should never underestimate the resilience, resourcefulness and innovation demonstrated by the frontline managers who form the lifeblood of our sector.
Bridging this divide is not easy, and many senior care workers are expected to pick up the managerial reins with little to no support, which leads to high drop-out rates. Where there is not a structured continuous programme in place, Registered Managers forums can fill the void. The CQC runs one, but the largest and best known group is run by Skills for Care, which QCS subscribers can access for free. These groups are invaluable because they digitally connect aspiring managers to experienced managers, who are instantly able to demystify many of the challenges that fledgling managers face. Take a failed inspection, or one that didn’t go so well, for example. The weight of experience in Registered Managers’ Networks is matched by their willingness to help. They can take a step back and point to evidence and QCS policies that a new manager may not have considered when preparing for an inspection. This insight, coupled with their positive outlook, can give the person seeking advice the confidence and the knowledge to ask the inspector to look at new evidence. Sometimes inspectors will do so and sometimes they won't. But the steep learning curves that these groups facilitate is truly remarkable.
CARE WORKERS ARE OUR MOST PRECIOUS RESOURCE
A TOOL FOR EMPOWERMENT
In the absence of funding, if we are to solve the recruitment and retention challenges that blight our sector, we need to hear their ideas, opinions and experiences, many of which have been formed in the crucible of a pandemic, and share them with services up and down the UK. As a former registered manager with over 15 years’ experience, my role as a consultant for Quality Compliance Systems (QCS), the leading provider of content, guidance and standards for the social care sector, enables me to gather precious insight from frontline staff and come up with workable solutions. I am not saying I have all or any of the answers, but in creating the QCS recruitment packs, one of my chief observations is that a buddying/mentoring programme could make a profound impact on improving rates of retention.
But, inspections aside, there is also great merit in forums like these simply empowering trainee managers to flourish in a new role. Buddies and mentors can offer a wealth of support when a person has had a bad day because they have probably experienced something similar earlier in their career. Not only is that comforting, but it also gives new managers the confidence to put the bad experience behind them and move on. The challenge now is for the care services to replicate this highly effective template. If they can do so, more care workers may choose to stay in their jobs. Recruitment rates could increase too. After all, what better advert is there than a care worker extolling the virtues of the service they work for?
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF BUDDYING AND MENTORING Such initiatives are nothing new, but too often Registered Managers, who are extremely stretched, misunderstand how to get the most out of buddying and mentoring programmes. To add true value, frontline man-
REGISTERED MANAGER NETWORKS CAN HELP NEW MANAGERS TO DEVELOP IN CONFIDENCE
To find out more about professional boundaries, to contact QCS or to purchase a subscription, please contact QCS’s team of advisors on 0333-405-3333 or email: sales@qcs.co.uk. Sources include ‘The state of the adult care sector in England 2021’ (Skills for Care) and a statement released by Nuffield Trust on 13 October by Nina Hemmings entitled ‘A toxic combination of pressures: Nuffield Trust response to Skills for Care report’.
Local Specialist Support Service Roseville House Wins Best Care Home Team at The National British Care Awards The Achieve together team at Roseville House, a residential service that supports adults with autism spectrum conditions, learning disabilities and additional complex needs in Shropshire were thrilled to win national recognition at a prestigious awards event hosted at the ICC in Birmingham recently. They not only won Best Care Home Team Award in the West Midlands, but also won the overall National Care Home Team Award. The Great British Care Home awards celebrate achievement across the care sector and pay tribute to those individuals who have demonstrated outstanding excellence in their field. The team at Roseville stood out to the judges for their “genuine passion for caring for their residents. They support one
another in very challenging circumstances to ensure the wellbeing of residents and demonstrated an innovative approach to delivering person centered care”. Roseville House has a family feel and homely atmosphere. The one-to-one tailored support provided by the skilled team means that they are able to build quality relationships and empower those they support, enabling them to develop skills for life and healthy relationships, as well as supporting them to boost their confidence and self-esteem. The awards are a fantastic accomplishment for the team, the people they support and their families, and a tribute to all their hard work and dedication in a very difficult year.
Home Grown is Best; 99-Year-Old Dennis Inspires a Bumper Crop! ‘Teach a man to garden and the whole neighbourhood gets tomatoes’, Suburban Stone Age. Nothing beats picking a ripe, home-grown tomato still warm from the sun and eating it straight away! This is what residents living at Withen’s Nursing Home in Southfleet, Gravesend have been enjoying whilst tending their Kitchen Garden. This year’s successful bumper crop is in part down to the expert green fingers of Dennis Drayton, 99 years young. With 2022 being his centenary year, former Engineer, Dennis has tended to allotments his whole life, growing his own fruits and vegetables and sharing it with friends, family and members of his community. After moving into the Nursing and Residential community in July of this year, Dennis imagined that he would be unable to continue his passion for growing fruit and vegetables. That is until he discovered that the home already had other keen gardeners, a kitchen garden, a green house and that his skills would still be very much needed! When a new resident moves in, often the team have to become detectives, piecing together many fragments of the individual’s life history, their interests, skills and experience in order to create and support a meaningful, engaging and person-centred lifestyle programme. Often the team at the home will speak with family and loved ones to help and once Dennis and his daugh-
ter shared his experience and passion for gardening with the team at the home, they soon supported Dennis to become involved. “It can be hard work, but a bit of hard work never killed anyone did it!” Dennis Drayton. Sara Morrissey, Lifestyle Lead shared the impact Dennis has made, “Dennis has been fully involved in nurturing the tomato plants from seed and harvesting this years bumper crop of tomatoes. I’m not very knowledgeable when it comes to gardening but Dennis is always on hand to advise and show me how it was done; I’ve learnt so much from him!” Throughout the summer, Dennis had a wonderful time helping other green-fingered members of the Withen’s family to raise a perfect crop, with many stories and memories shared along the way, “I get a great sense of satisfaction when gardening and growing, I’ve been doing it for many years, my family were always happy with what I produced.” The home’s Customer Relations Manager, Emma Andrews spoke about the positive impact of the garden for Dennis and everyone at the home, “It’s wonderful that Dennis is able to continue with his interests and passions whilst living here, which has also encouraged some of his friends to take up gardening again too. With Summer 2022 being Dennis’ centennial year, he brings a wealth of knowledge and wisdom to us all ‘
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Government’s ‘Significant Failures’ During the Pandemic Led to Lives Being Lost says BMA The British Medical Association (BMA) has responded to the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee and Health and Social Care Committee’s report, Coronavirus: lessons learned to date Dr Chaand Nagpaul, BMA chair of council, said: “The UK has suffered one of the worst tolls from Covid in the Western world, in terms of numbers of cases, hospitalisations and deaths. The report gives well-deserved praise to the development and deployment of one of the most successful vaccine programmes in history, which was delivered largely by the hard work and dedication of doctors and healthcare staff. “The report also reveals the significance of the failures from the very start of the pandemic. It highlights several consequential mistakes,
which have been flagged by the BMA, including delays in implementing robust public health measures such as the initial lockdown, when it was clear the virus was spiralling out of control. “Lives were lost due to the Government’s delay to bringing in the initial lockdown, ignoring scientific advice at crucial junctures, and the institutional failures of Test and Trace. The way in which the Government abandoned social care, the inadequate provision and supply of PPE, and the lack of proper health risk assessment, especially for black, Asian and ethnic minority staff, forced health and care staff to put their lives at risk to protect their patients. “The Government must take on board this report’s 38 recommendations and learn from the mistakes it has made, starting now. We are far
from out of the woods with the pandemic, with rates of infection, illness and death in the UK continuing to be among the worst in comparator nations. “The BMA is launching its own lessons learned work which focuses on the impact Covid-19 has had on the health service and its staff, and what needs to change from now onwards and in the future. “We are gathering evidence from members and stakeholders across the UK to ensure that frontline doctors have a powerful voice in the public inquiry to come. We believe it must also include what actually matters to the public – a thorough and far-reaching review of every element of the pandemic. We need clarity, honesty and humility so we can avoid these mistakes in the future.”
Captain Commands the Affections of Residents with Dementia Residents of a specialist dementia care home in Wellington, Somerset, have been thoroughly enjoying themselves in the company of Captain, an Irish Cob horse, who was brought to visit them in the garden of the home. The idea of inviting the special equine guest was inspired by conversations between members of the activities team and residents of Camelot House and Lodge which revealed that several people had memories of growing up on or around farms in Somerset. Activities co-ordinator, Richard Dempslake, said: “Many of our residents are animallovers and a visit like this brings them so much pleasure. To stroke Captain and enjoy his response is a real treat. “Even the smell of a horse is a form of therapy and brings back treasured memories for many of them.” Residents fed him slices of apples and carrots and laughed at the tickling sensation caused when Captain put his lips on their hands to gather the treats. They also had the chance to groom him, using brushes provided by his owner Claire Wilkinson, who has been looking after the 20 year-old horse since he retired in 2017.
Claire Wilkinson said: “Captain worked for most of his life at a trekking centre in the Quantocks. He is RDA trained – that is riding for the disabled – and that alone shows what his temperament is like. “He is so gentle – great with everyone, from children right up to elderly. He has lots and lots of patience and absolutely nothing phases him. He’s like a big cuddly teddy bear, absolutely loves lots of fuss. “It’s such a pleasure to bring him on outings like this and spread the joy.” The animal encounter took place outside in the ‘Albert Square’ garden of Camelot House and Lodge, where marquees were erected in case of a change in the weather. Richard Dempslake said: “Everyone had so much fun with Captain that we’ve managed to find a therapy sheep for them to meet in the near future. “The residents always enjoy visits from animals, which we are able to arrange quite frequently, and for those who have farming roots these events are particularly special. It’s lovely to see.” Captain originally came from Ireland and is a small (16 hands) solidly-built horse of the breed commonly associated with Traveller community
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Care Homes Under Pressure To Meet November 11 Vaccination Deadline Care home operators are under “huge pressure” to meet the November deadline for workers and volunteers to have been double jabbed. From November 11, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) will have a duty to monitor care homes in England to ensure they are complying the new vaccination rules. As of that date, registered managers or providers will need to demonstrate that they are not allowing anyone into their home unless they have been double jabbed or can prove that they fall into one of the groups exempt from being vaccinated. The new rules, enshrined in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021, are the latest strain on care home owners and operators. Elissa Thursfield, Managing Director of HR consultancy HR Anchor, said: “We are receiving dozens of calls from care home operators and their managers who are under huge pressure to comply with the new regulations when they are enforced from November 11. “This is a sector which is still reeling from the double whammy of the Coronavirus pandemic and Brexit and the severe impact both have had on the staffing of homes.
“For owners and managers busy with the day-to-day running of their homes, having to negotiate the minefield of vaccination regulations is a further strain. “The looming November 11 deadline is likely to increase the pressures on staffing at a time when staffing shortages are already a challenge.” Reasons for exemption currently include those receiving end of life
care, people who have some allergies as well as a selection of other very limited reasons. However, employees are bringing arguments ranging from religious reasons, political and human rights. Exemptions are currently implemented on a self-certification basis which is expected to be replaced by the COVID-Pass. Elissa added: “Exemption from the requirement for vaccination is nothing short of a minefield and operators are right to be wary of taking any actions that may come back to bite them. “There are a series of processes that must be followed to protect a care home in the event of a decision being taken to dismiss an employee including demonstrating that a home has acted reasonably and following a fair procedure.” The new rules also cover other people entering a care home such as tradespeople, healthcare professionals, hairdressers and beauticians. Friends and relatives and residents themselves are exempt from the regulations. Wales is not making double vaccination mandatory, however the issue of how to manage those who are unvaccinated remains a concern for care home managers.
Comic Shows Support For Merseyside Care Home Actor and comedian Johnny Vegas has shown his support to the staff at St Helens Hall Care Home in Merseyside. The witty St Helens born actor, known for his angry rants, surrealism and high husky voice, presented the home with a signed and inscribed print with his best wishes for staff and residents during the pandemic. The inscription on the print reads: “Dedicated to the staff and residents of St
The home’s manager Amanda Clark, who has worked at the home since it first opened in 2008, has framed the picture and put it in pride of place in the reception area. Amanda said: “We were very touched that Johnny took the time to send our
Helens Hall, Thatto Heath, in remembrance of those dear folk we have lost and
residents and staff such a lovely supportive message and a hand-drawn picture.
in continued support of your amazing residents and truly outstanding staff. Stay
“Everyone who visits the home notices and reads it on their way in. As soon as
safe. Much love, Johnny Vegas.” Staff at the award-winning specialist dementia residential and short-term respite care home in St Helens were delighted.
we get the green light to hold events again we’d love to ask Johnny to pop in and visit us for afternoon tea as a thank you for his kind support.”
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1-3 Care Home Residents ‘Self-Funding’ Care Prior to Pandemic says ONS One-in three care home residents in England were paying for part or all of their care before the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Office for national Statistics (ONS) 36.7% of care home residents were self-funding their care between 2019-20, equating to 143,774 residents contributing to, or funding entirely, their care, with 63.3% (248,153 residents) being state-funded. It is the first time the ONS has published figures on self-funders in care homes, and will provide a pre-pandemic baseline for research. The report revealed: Between 2019 and 2020, 84.7% (391,927 of 462,460) of care home beds were occupied in England, and there were approximately 143,774 (36.7%) self-funded care home residents, compared with 248,153 (63.3%) state-funded care home residents. The South East had the highest proportion of self-funders (45.4%) compared with the North East, which had the lowest (24.6%). Care homes located in the least deprived areas had a statistically significantly higher proportion of self-funders (53.8%) than care homes in the most deprived areas (21.6%). Smaller care homes, with 1 to 19 beds, had the lowest proportion of
Helen Morrissey, senior pensions and retirement analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “Today’s figures show the sheer scale of the number of people who are paying the astronomical costs of care. Almost 150,000 people are having to foot the bill, and homeowners, in high property value areas, are particularly affected. “If you’re paying for care, finding the money to pay for this over the long term can cause real strain on family finances. While recent government announcements mean more people will get some help from the state, it won’t cover all the associated costs of care, so there will still be bills to pay. This help doesn’t start until April 2023 either, and if you already need care, or you need it between now and then, you won’t be entitled to this extra support from the state.” self-funders (15.1%), which is statistically significantly lower than all other care home sizes. Care homes providing care for older people had the highest proportion of self-funders (49.6%); this was statistically significantly higher than care homes providing care for younger adults which had the lowest proportion of self-funders (4.8%).
Julie Stanborough, deputy director of health and life events at the ONS, said: “Today’s findings from experimental research show that in England, around 37% of care home residents paid towards the cost of their care, compared with 63% who were state funded. “However, we saw geographic differences, with more residents selffunding their care in the South East.”
Bereaved Salford Families Provide £10,000 Boost For Broughton House Bereaved families in Salford have helped to raise £10,000 for Broughton House Veteran Care Village. The money has been raised through a charitable scheme operated by the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management (ICCM), of which Salford Council Bereavement Services is a member. Under the scheme, with the consent of the family of the deceased, metal from medical implants is recycled after cremation and members of the scheme nominate charities which support and care for local people. Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett said: “The money raised will be used to go to Broughton House – a truly fantastic local charity which provides invaluable care and support to veterans. “The process of recycling the left-over metals is done with great dignity and
with the wishes of family members of the deceased. We have been part of the scheme for some years now, and have made several donations to local charities over these years totalling over £50,000. “We are extremely grateful that, at a time of grief, families have allowed us to help others.” Broughton House chief executive Karen Miller said: “The support of Salford Bereavement Services, particularly during these challenging times, is greatly appreciated and we are delighted to receive this fantastic donation. “It will really make a huge difference. Donations such as this enable us to continue to care for and support veterans in both our care village and the local community. We are extremely grateful to Salford Bereavement Services for their kindness and generous assistance.”
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Power Of Attorney Considerations For Carers
By Ashley Partridge, Head of Wills, Probate & Estate Planning, Parker Bullen solicitors (www.parkerbullen.com)
Power of Attorney in place.
vaccine or not. Whilst a person has capacity, they are entitled to refuse the vaccine. It may be that this decision is objectively an unwise one, especially if they are in a high risk category for Covid-19. However, the fact that an individual is making an unwise decision does not mean that they are incapacitated to make that decision. Both an LPA and the healthcare professional’s powers should not be used to override a person’s decision whilst they retain capacity. If an individual has lost capacity, it may be that the administration of the Covid-19 vaccine seems to be in the individual’s best interest. There are a few things to consider before coming to that conclusion. Healthcare professionals, close family members and the medical history of the individual should be taken in consideration. For example, if an individual had never received any vaccinations before, or was strongly against the vaccination this should be taken into account when evaluating their best interests. It is possible for an individual to make an advanced decision to refuse treatment. This decision must be appropriately recorded and be specific to the treatment that they wish to refuse. Where an individual has denied certain treatments whilst having capacity, it would be good practice to ask whether they wish to make an advanced decision regarding that treatment to ensure that if they ever lost capacity, their decisions would be respected.
HEALTH AND WELFARE LASTING POWER OF ATTORNEY (LPA)
PRACTICAL TIPS FOR CARE HOME MANAGERS
A Health and Welfare LPA enables an individual to grant someone they trust the power to make decisions on their behalf if they become incapacitated. This is the only way to grant those powers. Being a family member or friend doesn’t allow you to make decisions unless an LPA is in place. If there is a decision to be made about treatment, medicine or care more generally and an individual is considered to be incapacitated, then you must establish LPA is in place for that individual and who their attorney is under the LPA. The LPA does not only grant the power to make important decisions on behalf of an incapacitated individual, it also places a duty on that individual to make decisions that are in the best interests of the individual. Many attorneys of an LPA may not realise the powers they have or the duties imposed on them by law. That is why is it so important that the attorneys are brought into the process as soon as it becomes clear that an individual may soon lose or has lost capacity.
- ASK Ensure that all residents consider whether they wish to put in place an LPA. Many people value the knowledge that if they lost capacity, someone that they trust would be making decisions on their behalf. This is particularly relevant if a resident is likely to lose capacity in the short to medium term. - ASK Where relevant, ask residents if they would like to make an advanced decision. This can make attorney’s decision making easier in the future and can give the resident peace of mind. - RECORD Keep a record of who the attorneys are for each resident. Keep their contact details on file so that they can be contact quickly in the case of emergency. Similarly, keep a record of their advanced wishes, easily accessible in the case of emergency. - INFORM Keep attorneys informed and up to date. Lay out clearly their powers and duties and any considerations that they should especially have (such as advanced decisions, healthcare professionals' advice, previous medical history and choices).
THE MENTAL CAPACITY ACT The Mental Capacity Act is essential when dealing with those individuals that may be losing or have indeed lost capacity to make important decisions for themselves. Under the Act, a person is considered to be incapacitated to make a particular decision if he or she suffers from an impairment of the mind or brain, and that impairment makes them unable to reach decisions on their own. This could apply when a person has trouble understanding or retaining information. Where a person is considered to be incapacitated to make a particular decision, a decision may need to be made on their behalf. The Act states that the decision must be one that is made in their best interests. So, who can make the decision on their behalf? This depends on whether there is a Health and Welfare Lasting
POWERS OF HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS In the circumstances where an LPA is not in place, healthcare professionals may have the power to make decisions on behalf of an individual that has lost capacity.
THE COVID-19 VACCINE The Covid-19 vaccine is yet to be made compulsory, so it is an individual’s choice whether they receive the
USEFUL RESOURCES FOR CARERS LPAs and the COVID Vaccine https://publicguardian.blog.gov.uk/2021/02/08/lasting-power-of-attorney-and-the-covid-vaccine/ LPAs and attorney duties – https://www.gov.uk/lasting-power-attorney-duties/health-welfare Making decisions on behalf of someone – https://www.gov.uk/make-decisions-for-someone/making-decisions
We’re All Going on a Summer (Virtual Cruise) Holiday – Care Home Celebrates Sir Cliff Richard’s Birthday Residents and staff at care home in Ashcombe House in Worting Road were taken on a virtual cruise for their ‘Summer Holiday’ when the home threw a party to celebrate Sir Cliff Richard’s birthday on October 14. Born Harry Webb in 1940, Sir Cliff Richard has sold over 250 million records worldwide making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. The celebrations started with a virtual cruise and interactive cookery demo taking in some mocktails, exotic dishes and mystery destinations courtesy of chef, Paul Hawkins, and Lisa Richards from Unilever’s Away from Home team which supports the care sector. Chef Paul whipped up some tasty treats in a live, interactive cookery demo. As they pulled into each port on the cruise, residents were given clues to identify where they were visiting and then Paul created a typical dish from that country for everyone to taste. Paul said “It was an absolute pleasure to be able to prepare these dishes for the Barchester residents and even more so because they got to taste them, despite my not being able to be there in person. Thanks to all the chefs in Barchester homes
across the country who supported me to deliver this really lovely activity.” The celebrations continued with entertainment by Anthony Allgood singing Cliff Richards hits through the years. Resident Ivy Gibson a Huge Cliff Richard Fan told us how she had met Sir Cliff Richard during the cold war, whilst living in New Zealand and even shared a drink with him. “I have always loved Cliff Richard, Listening to all his old hits has brought back so many memories. We’ve all had a brilliant time reminiscing about dancing the night away back in the day and remembering the night I met Sir Cliff Richard himself!” General Manager, Louise Lambert said: What a wonderful day of celebrations and entertainment we had a delicious afternoon with Mocktails in hand virtually cruising with Paul and Lisa from Unilever, then singing entertainment for Sir Cliffs Birthday, it is amazing how many songs he has recorded I even surprised myself by how many i remembered!” Our varied life enrichment programme keeps residents active, and provides a daily choice of engaging physical, mental and spiritual activities tailored to residents’ interests and abilities.
Charity’s £5 Million Staff Pay Investment Community Integrated Care has unveiled a landmark £5m investment in employee pay, reward, and wellbeing, including a new basic hourly rate for its Support Workers of £9.70 per hour in England and £10.20 in Scotland. The investment is aimed at rewarding and retaining our incredible colleagues who have given so much throughout the past 18 months, as well responding to the unprecedented recruitment challenges in the sector by attracting people to consider a career in care. The new financial package also gives colleagues double-time for Christmas bank holidays and a brand-new wellbeing offering, including flexible working options such as a four-day week, and free mental health support in partnership with wellbeing app, Everymind At Work. The move means that a Support Worker in England working 40 hours per week will now receive an additional £1,600 boost in pay per year. Earlier this year, Community Integrated Care commissioned a piece of
ground-breaking research by Korn Ferry, the world’s leading experts in job evaluations, to independently assess the role of frontline Support Workers. In the report – ‘Unfair to Care: understanding the social care pay gap and how to close it’, we demonstrated that based on the complexity, responsibility, skill and demands of the role, many social care workers are undervalued by around £7,000 a year in comparison to their counterparts in other public funded sectors. Throughout 2021, our charity has used the report as a platform to raise awareness of the true value of the 1.6 million people working in care and to lobby the Government to deliver fundamental workforce reform and funding. Mark Adams, Chief Executive Officer at Community Integrated Care said: “In 2018 we embarked upon our ‘We Dare’ organisational strategy, which aimed to put Community Integrated Care at the forefront of quality, social impact, and workforce standards in our sector. From the out-
set, a fundamental goal was to provide fairer pay and a better career for people working in care.” “We are proud to be making such enormous strides towards the realisation of this vision. Through years of hard work, innovation and focus from colleagues at all levels of our charity, we have built strong foundations that have enabled us to make this unprecedented uplift in colleague pay.” “We recognise though that our charity, and every care provider, has untapped potential and that colleagues working in social care deserve further investment. This can only be realised through central government commitment to better investment and an effective workforce strategy for the sector. Social care is experiencing a funding and recruitment crisis, and successes like this must not mask the clear threat that many providers are facing or the constraints that all organisations are operating within.”
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Listen to Us- says Care England Care England, has made its views known about making vaccination a condition of deployment in the health and wider social care sector highlighting its concerns around the potential timeframe for the imposed policy. Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, says: “If vaccination for Covid-19 and/or flu is legislated as a condition of deployment for the wider social care sector, due consideration must be lent to the timeframe for its imposition and it must be accompanied by commensurate resources and funding. Adult social care providers are in the midst of a perfect storm. Providers are currently operating against a backdrop of a multitude of workforce pressures and need Government assistance as outlined in our ongoing correspondence with the Secretary of State”. Responding to the DHSC Consultation on making vaccination a
condition of deployment in the health and wider social care sector Care England appealed for lessons to be learned from the legislative process for the Covid-19 vaccine as a condition of deployment across the registered care home sector. It also warned that mandating the Covid-19 and/or flu vaccination, in addition to enormous workforce pressures, could only intensify the difficulties currently experienced by providers and may well be the straw that breaks the camel’s back for many providers. Martin Green continues: “We are yet to see the Government’s Impact Assessment for vaccination as a condition of deployment for the care home sector. We urge the Government to listen to the sector in order that any unintended consequences, namely the potential disruption to the delivery of health and care services, can be avoided".
Blackthorns Care Home, in Halstead, Essex, Wins Runwood Homes’ ‘Home from Home’ Award Runwood Homes recently launched its internal Home from Home Awards, which recognises teams who have devised innovative ways to enhance the environment that residents live in. Runwood Homes truly believes in providing not only the very best care, but also the friendly, comfortable and familiar feel of home, which can help residents to settle in well and therefore positively impact on their wellbeing and sense of belonging. For the award, homes were judged on a number of key focus points, including how well teams implemented ideas and practices and the overall presentation of the home. A special focus on facilities, such as bedrooms and bathrooms were encouraged to be maintained to hotel standards and dining rooms to be presented as inviting, calm, organised and beautifully set, with an enhanced focus on menu display and planning. The effectiveness of communal areas, also a key point, were measured against how well the spaces were set up in promoting social interaction, aligning with social distancing and with the best use of staff deploy-
ment and residents’ wishes. Through all this, resident and relative involvement also had to play a vital part, with residents participating in occupational activities, such as supporting in setting up their dining rooms. Blackthorns were extremely proud to win the award, meeting all the key points with great success. Home Manager, Teresa Franze, commented: “It has always been our aim to recreate a homely feeling within Blackthorns. To us, this award has great significance because it highlights the vision that drives all our efforts and energy. It is always a challenge to balance a highly professional care setting and deliver a completely person-centred experience for all residents, but I believe that is what makes Blackthorns truly unique. For us, the aim is fulfilling the dreams and wishes of the residents so that we can give them a truly enjoyable, meaningful, and individual experience. We strive to recreate experiences for all members of resident’s families through an environment that fosters the ability to create authentic memories as one would do at home.”
WE NOW SUPPLY A WIDE RANGE OF FURNITURE
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Council Tax Would Have to Rise by 10% Next Year to Allow Social Care Just to ‘Stand Still’ Reveals Analysis Amid consistent media reports that a rise in Council Tax is the Chancellor’s chosen mechanism for increasing funding for social care, Age UK warns that this approach will lead to hugely inflated Council Tax bills in some areas and yet will still not give care services the assurance of enough money to function properly. It would be much better for the Government to provide the extra funds social care needs from central Government coffers, the Charity says, rather than depending on the ability and willingness of local authorities to raise Council Tax even higher than it already is. The Charity is supporting a Day of Action on Friday 15th October organised by the Care and Support Alliance, to persuade the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak MP, to give local authorities the extra funding they need in his Spending Review – but from central Government funds, not a Council Tax hike. The Alliance believes that Mr Sunak holds the future of social care, and the lives of millions of people in his hands, and that he could be a hero or a villain, depending on the spending decision he makes. In the presence of a group of older and disabled people, Age UK staged a ‘pretend fight’ between ‘Hero Rishi’ and ‘Villain Rishi’ outside the Treasury earlier this week, to dramatise the crucial choice the Chancellor has to make. The Charity sincerely hopes that when he announces the outcomes of the Spending Review, ‘Hero Rishi’ is the politician we all see. On September 7th , as part of his plan to ‘fix social care’, the Prime Minister announced a one and half per cent rise in National Insurance, to help fund the NHS and social care. However, the proceeds go almost exclusively to support the NHS over the next two years, while meanwhile social care is desperately short of the funds required to provide older and disabled people with care and support. These millions of people cannot wait – for many of them two years will simply be too late. The Government has made it clear that social care’s short and medium term funding requirements will be decided as part of the Treasury’s Spending Review, the outcomes of which the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak MP, will announce in about two weeks’ time. It would be hard to exaggerate how important the decisions Mr Sunak makes are to the future of social care services and the lives of the millions of older and disabled people who depend on them, the Charity says. A host of recent reports have evidenced the fragility of local care services; the lack of sufficient care staff; and the difficulties of local authorities in making insufficient funding ‘stretch’ to meet the needs of the increasing numbers of older and disabled people who are coming forward requiring help in their
areas. On the question of how much extra funding social care needs from the Spending Review, Age UK supports the view of the Health and Social Care Select Committee, which said recently that: “the starting point must be an increase in annual funding of £3.9bn by 2023–24 to meet demographic changes and planned increases in the National Living Wage. However, such an increase alone will not address shortfalls in the quality of care currently provided, reverse the decline in access or stop the market retreating to providing only for self-payers. Further funding to address these issues is therefore also required as a matter of urgency.” It is widely reported that the Treasury wants to use a Council Tax rise to help fill the yawning gaps in local authorities’ social care budgets over the Spending Review period. Specifically, it is believed that their intention is to raise the ceiling on how high local authorities can set their ‘social care precept’, or local tax, without the need to call a local referendum in order to gain public approval for the measure. However, this is against a context of Council Tax having already risen by a massive 19% in the past four years[iv][iv] and now, new Age UK analysis has found that Council Tax would need to go up by another 10% next year, just to raise £3.3 billion[v][v] – a figure that gets close to but still doesn’t reach the starting point suggested by the Health and Social Care Select Committee This in turn would mean an average ‘band d’ household in England could be paying up to £180 more a year in Council Tax than previously, but the amount of cash it would generate would be highly unequal across the country. The Institute for Fiscal Studies estimates that council tax increases in the richest ten councils could generate 45% more per person than in the poorest tenth. The Charity says that this would be extremely unfair and would also intensify the postcode lottery that already afflicts social care, leaving older people in some areas seriously disadvantaged if they need care and support. Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director of Age UK and Co-Chair of the Care and Support Alliance said: “For the sake of millions of older and disabled people, social care needs a big injection of extra funding now and over the next few years – but it should come from central Government, not by massively hiking Council Tax. Social care’s problems are national, as the Prime Minister recognised with his promise to ‘fix them once and for all’, so it’s not fair for Ministers to try to shift the responsibility onto local areas to stump up
the cash. “Our new analysis shows that even if you make local people pay a whopping additional 10% in Council Tax – on top of the 19% average rise we’ve seen in recent years – it still won’t give social care all the money it needs, and meanwhile this intensifies the postcode lottery which means older people have much more chance of getting a decent care service in some places, compared to others. Social care provision is too important to too many people for its fate to depend on local politics and local tax bases. “It’s down the Chancellor now, Rishi Sunak MP, to decide how much funding to give social care over the next few years, and from which sources, in his Spending Review. The stakes could not be higher: his decisions will determine whether social care services continue to wither and die, just about stand still or, more optimistically, get stronger over the next three years. “It was the Prime Minister who made the promise to give older people dignity in later life through his social care reforms – a fantastic goal – but it’s the Chancellor now, above all, who will determine whether we make progress towards it, or not. We are looking to him to do the right thing by supporting these vital services on which so many older people depend. The truth is that when it comes to social care Rishi Sunak could be a hero or a villain come Spending Review day – we just all so hope that it’s ‘the good guy’ we see.” Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said: “Social care was facing an uncertain future even before the pandemic, which has exposed and exacerbated some fundamental weaknesses in how we continue to pay for and provide care and support. “Council tax increases, including the social care precept, have always been a sticking plaster solution to a complex funding problem and should not be relied upon further. “Increasing council tax to pay for social care is a double whammy for hard-pressed residents, who may feel they are shelling out twice for a service now that the Health and Social Care Levy is being introduced. “The Government’s social care plan has some potential promise on how care is paid for and the contributions people themselves make, but the Spending Review should provide upfront, desperately needed new funding to meet immediate demands and pressures in our care system, so that people can live the lives they want to lead.”
Guild Care Home Participates In Intergenerational Project With Local School For National Poetry Day A local Worthing care home has recently taken part in an intergenerational initiative with local project, Poetry Together, to encourage connections between the young and old through the joy of performing poetry. Caer Gwent, a Worthing-based care home under Guild Care, partnered with Project Together, a national project that connects both residents and children at local schools to come together to learn a poem of their choice by heart. Over the last few weeks, residents and children selected and have been practising the poem, “You are old, Father William” by Lewis Carrol, which was performed over Zoom with children from Our Lady of Sion School based in Worthing on the 7th of October. Studies showing poetry provides many benefits to both the young and the elderly. With young children, poetry helps build essential language skills in vocabulary, performance at school and even concentration. For the elderly, engaging with poetry encourages stimulation of the brain, improving memory and communication skills. Clare Feest, Care Home Manager at Caer Gwent, said: “The Poetry Together project is such a wonderful initiative and we have been hon-
oured to have been a part of it this year. Our residents had such an enjoyable afternoon taking part in learning and performing the poetry recital with the children. “It was such a great and creative way to connect with the local community and celebrate the wonderful art of poetry. One of our residents, Cyril, really shone when reading the poem and hopefully next time,
things will be different and the residents and children can meet and talk afterwards over a nice cuppa.” One resident at Caer Gwent shared their thoughts on the poem recital and said: “Thank you so much for this morning, you have truly given us a perfect morning.” Another resident said: “It is wonderful to be able to talk to the children on the TV and I really enjoyed the morning.” Karen Basett, Year 6 Teacher at Our Lady of Sion School, said: “The children were all very pleased with themselves and were very touched to hear the voices of the elderly. “One particular gentleman was very committed to the poetry reading which made us all smile and then to hear one of your residents singing a little song was delightful as we said goodbye.” Poetry Together is the brainchild of author, broadcaster, and poetry fanatic, Gyles Brandreth. Growing to success last year during the height of the pandemic, Poetry Together allows local schools and nearby care homes to come together to share and rejoice in the joys of reciting poetry together.
Care Residents Treated to a Koala-ty Time at London Zoo A group of care residents enjoyed an extra-special day out last week when they were amongst the first to try the new Tour and Tea experience at ZSL London Zoo. Accompanied by their carers, residents from CHD Living’s Surbiton Care Home and Kingston Rehabilitation Centre travelled across London for an exclusive preview of the new guided tour on its launch. Created with the retired community in mind, the Tour & Tea experience offers guests the chance to explore in a private group and learn more about life behind the scenes at the international conservation Zoo. The day served as a fantastic morale boost for the residents who have, until recently, been confined to their care centres due to COVID19 lockdowns. With some of the Kingston residents also currently recovering from life-changing injuries, the day was extra meaningful to them. Venturing across the Zoo led by an expert ‘Storyteller’, the group saw a unique side to the capital’s famous landmark and learnt more about the conservation charity, ZSL, it’s 200-year history, and the wildlife they strive to preserve and protect. After the uplifting tour, residents and staff enjoyed a delicious cream tea of homemade earl grey infused scones served with Devon clotted cream and strawberry jam and a pot of English Breakfast tea at one of
the zoo’s unique dining locations. Discussing the experience, Dorothy Worrall (97), a resident at CHD Living, said: “We had a wonderful time at London Zoo. I have never been before, so it was fascinating to hear about the conservation charity and the animals.
We were treated to a lovely cream tea, too, which is my favourite! It was so special to be outside again after lockdown. It almost felt like we were back to normality – I couldn’t stop smiling afterwards! Thanks to both CHD Living and London Zoo for the fantastic day out.” Shaleeza Hasham, Head of Hospitality and Communications at CHD Living, commented, “We wanted to do something special for our residents who have had a challenging year for various reasons. We were delighted that ZSL London Zoo agreed to work with us on this project. It has been such a special day and brought so much joy to our residents and the care staff that accompanied them” “We would highly recommend the Tour & Tea experience to the older community looking for a relaxed, enjoyable activity, and we hope to return with the residents from our other care homes and rehabilitation centres very soon,” Shaleeza concluded. Joy Hadfield, Experiences Manager at ZSL London Zoo said; “We have so many stories to share, from ZSL London Zoo’s vast history to the fascinating stories of famed animals and people, past and present. We were so pleased to be able to share some of these stories with residents of CHD Living, who were the first to take part our Tour and Tea experience and bring a smile to everyone’s face after such a challenging year.”
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‘Care 2030’ Vision Sets Out ‘Building Blocks’ for Spending Review and White Paper Six key priorities or ‘building blocks’ for better care so everyone can age well are set out in a new paper, ‘Care 2030’, published this week by the independent charity, Hallmark Foundation. The paper sets out a bold vision of a Britain where care is ‘a powerful force for good’, empowering and inspiring, meeting everyone’s needs and recognising their strengths. The six priorities for action focus on choice and control, workforce, integration, housing, technology and family carers – all key issues as the Government prepares its spending review and social care white paper. Recommendations in the paper include creating an Office for Care and Ageing Well which would monitor and report unmet care needs in our ageing society and promote sustainable ways to deliver better care and prevention. Other recommendations include a renewed drive to make direct payments work for older and disabled people using care, a focus on personal strengths and relationships, imaginative approaches to recruiting and developing care workers and future leaders, improvements in developing lifelong homes and supporting family carers, and a smooth transition from children’s care services to adult support. The recommendations stem from analysis in the paper of growing unmet demand for care, an underfunded system that increasingly focuses on crisis care, and a largely poorly trained and paid workforce. Together these factors mean that care often fails to provide basic support let alone a decent quality of life and opportunities to live a fulfilling
life. Setting up an Office for Care and Ageing Well is seen as a key step towards ensuring that the widening care gap is closed. The ‘Care 2030’ paper is published as the Hallmark Foundation launches its website and branding, setting out its funding priorities for investing in the future of care so everyone can age well. These include grants towards improving the quality of care, particularly dementia care; supporting and growing the care workforce; and promoting social care and its sustainability. ‘Care 2030’ has been jointly written by journalist Jonathan Bunn and Stephen Burke, chief executive of the Hallmark Foundation. Stephen Burke said: “Imagine a Britain where everyone can age well, where everyone’s needs and aspirations are met and their strengths are recognised. A Britain where care and caring are valued. We know this is possible. It already happens in some places here and in other parts of the world. We believe it could and should happen for everyone wherever they live. “The Government has raised expectations through its recent announcement of a national insurance rise to pay for tackling the health backlog following Covid-19 and ‘fixing social care’. This is an opportunity for everyone using and providing care to raise our game and push for better care. It’s also a challenge to leaders within and outside government to be bold and ambitious. The forthcoming spending review and white paper are the perfect springboards to deliver better care. ‘Care 2030’ sets out key building blocks to make it happen.”
FREE Care Home Guides from Business Companion We all know that running a care home is extremely challenging, especially in these unprecedented times. Thankfully, the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), in cooperation with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), has a series of free information resources designed to make managing your care home a little easier. This resource is available on the Business Companion website - the free government-backed website written by trading standards experts to help you understand the laws that affect your care home. There are four key guides available on the subject of care homes: Fair trading focuses on the best way to serve customers and residents, along with understanding the importance of consumer rights and your responsibilities as a care home. Care home complaints addresses the legal responsibilities of care homes in dealing with complaints from residents and their representatives, setting out in plain English the
procedures that should be followed in order to resolve complaints as efficiently and amicably as possible. Web layout lays out the best approach to designing the website for your care home, covering the information that needs to be on it to conform to the law, along with a guide for website development. Communications gives you the vital information you need to make the most out of communicating with residents and their families. Want to learn more about these free guides and other free guidance? Business Companion is exhibiting at the Dementia, Care and Nursing Expo at the NEC, Birmingham, on September 15 and 16 and we look forward to meeting you. Visit Business Companion at stand B120 to receive wide-ranging, expert advice on best practices in the care homes industry. Download your free guides at: www.businesscompanion.info/carehomes
DO YOU KNOW THE CARER’S NEXT UNSUNG HERO? Regular readers will know we here at the Carer have been awarding an Unsung Hero each Summer and Christmas since 2016! Now, in these unprecedented and testing times we are Say hello looking for another to some Unsung Hero! previous (How we wish we could winners! reward you all!)
Care Home urst of Cloverfield Marion Brockleh
Thelma O’Leary of Fern hill House Care Home
A Super Deluxe Luxury Hamper for the lucky winner! ro r last Unsung He Martyn Davies, ou
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 by 12th November 2021 at
nominate@thecareruk.com
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Staffing Crisis Edges Care Closer To The Abyss DAMNING new figures on social care staffing highlight once again how close to the edge the sector is and the need for urgent government action, providers have said. The Independent Care Group (ICG) says those providing care for people in their own home and in care and nursing homes are struggling to find the staff to do so. Commenting on the Skills for Care report on the state of social care employment, ICG Chair Mike Padgham said: “This is no longer anecdotal evidence and is not the social care sector crying wolf, these are the hard facts of a sector in crisis. “The Government continues to bury its head in the sand and hope that the care staffing crisis will miraculously disappear, but it won’t, and with the compulsory vaccine coming in next month, it is going to get a whole lot worse.” Skills for Care’s annual State of the Adult Social Care Sector and Workforce in England report says employers were failing to fill 8% of posts before the pandemic. This fell to below 6% by June last year – but by August this year it was back up to 8.2% of care sector roles unfilled – more than 100,000 posts with
no-one to fill them. The ICG says compulsory vaccines could add a further 40,000 vacancies if the Government presses ahead with it in November. Skills for Care also warns that a further 490,000 extra staff will be needed to cope with care demand by 2035. “All of these statistics point to a sector in crisis and facing a meltdown situation where people can no longer expect to get the care they need,” Mr Padgham added. “We know that before the pandemic some 1.5m people were living with unmet care needs – that figure is set to rocket. “And that is our loved ones and our friends, in their own homes and in care and nursing homes, not getting the care they need – it is a national scandal.” The ICG wants to see the Government postpone the compulsory vaccine regulation in November and urgently get more money into social care to tackle the staffing crisis. “The simple fact is that providers cannot pay care workers what they deserve and they can earn more in less stressful work elsewhere,” Mr Padgham added. “As a society, we have to decide how much we value the care our loved ones are being given – at the moment it appears that we don’t value it nearly enough to properly fund a social care sector that fulfils their needs.”
Anchor Chef Of The Year Awards Announced A chef at a Southampton care home has won the Anchor’s Chef of the Year Award with a ceremony at her care home on Wednesday 13 October. Verity Sims, a chef manager at Anchor’s Dawson Lodge care home on Botley Road, went up against chefs from all 114 care homes run by Anchor, England’s largest not-for-profit care home provider. Entrants in Anchor’s prestigious Chef of the Year Award submitted a three-course recipe (soup, main and dessert). The best entrant from each region was picked by regional managers. These regional nominees then had their submissions voted for by Anchor colleagues across the country to pick the three most appetising menus. The three finalists were selected on the inventiveness of their cooking and the inclusion of residents in the creation of their menus. With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing last year’s final to be a virtual event, there was much delight with the return to in-person judging this year. The judges were lucky enough to sample the delicacies on offer from each finalist, visiting each of the finalist’s care homes to make their decision. In the end, though, there could only be one winner. Verity was crowned the Anchor’s Chef of the Year at a ceremony at Anchor’s Dawson Lodge. The judges agreed that her menu of classic home dishes of Cream of Tomato Soup, Chicken and Ham Pie and Sticky
Toffee Pudding combined the perfect balance of traditional comfort and culinary excellence. Anchor’s Chief Executive Jane Ashcroft CBE, who presented Verity with her award, said: “Huge congratulations to Verity. This year’s competition was especially fierce, and it is a testament to the excellent quality of her menu that it took first prize against so many other great chefs. Her Chicken and Ham Pie was superb!
“At Anchor, we pride ourselves on colleagues’ dedication. Good quality home cooked food is central to ensuring residents have a really positive experience in all Anchor care homes – and I’m sure residents at Dawson Lodge will be celebrating along with Verity.” Verity was delighted with her win, saying: “I still can’t quite believe it! To make the final three was incredible but I never thought I’d win! Our residents always tell me how much they enjoyed traditional dishes from their childhood. So, when I entered the Chef of the Year competition, I decided to use them as my inspiration. “I really wanted to create a menu that our residents would love. They were really helpful and told me some wonderful stories about their favourite dishes, so maybe they’re the ones who should be getting the credit!” Noel Finnegan, Anchor’s National Catering & Hospitality Manager, said: “It’s been an incredible year for the Anchor Chef of the Year competition. Thank you to all the nominees this year for their dedication and hard work. It was incredibly difficult to get to three finalists and then rank the finalists themselves! “It’s wonderful to be able to hold the judging in person again. Although we did a fantastic job creating the virtual event last year, there is honestly no substitute to judging a catering competition by taste!”
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Let’s Stay Together: Living in a Care Home as a Couple It’s no secret that moving into a care home is a huge life change; one that many people find difficult to adjust to. This can be particularly true when an older person is also faced with having to leave their partner behind. Often, when one person within a couple has extra care needs, their partner might take on a caring role, but this can be a huge responsibility that is not sustainable long-term. Many couples are now making the choice to move to a care home together, even if their care needs are different, as staying together is the most important thing to them. Couples have the choice to share a room that has been specifically designed for two people, or to have separate rooms. The latter choice is often made when two people have differing care needs, and it ensures that these needs can be met, whilst allowing the couple to focus on enjoying their lives together within the home. The mental health benefits that this option provides are invaluable, particularly when a couple has lived together for the majority of their lives, as it maintains a sense of familiarity in the midst of such a huge life change. One such couple, Colin (86) and Bobby (88) Brook, are currently living together at Lavender Fields, a Greensleeves Care home in Sevenoaks, Kent. The couple have been married for 63 years and have now lived together at Lavender Fields for 7 months. Although Colin and Bobby maintain their independence for the most part, they require some support with carrying out day-to-day tasks, particularly as Colin has a long-standing back injury which has reduced his mobility in recent years.
The couple have had to spend time apart previously, with Bobby staying in the family home whilst Colin received medical treatment elsewhere. Although this separation was temporary, the couple decided that if they ever had to move to a care home, they would move together. Diane Nolan, Activities Co-ordinator at Lavender Fields, said: “Bobby and Colin are happy to be residing at Lavender Fields, as it provides them with the security of assisted living but also enables them to remain living as a couple, as they have done for so many years.” Bobby reflects on the decision to move to Lavender Fields with Colin, saying: “If we had not been able to find somewhere to live together, we would have stayed in our own home, and we would possibly have struggled to cope, as we would not want to be apart.” Greensleeves Care offers a discounted rate to couples who move into any of their homes (subject to availability) and warmly welcomes couples of all genders and sexual orientations, ensuring everybody’s right to be free of discrimination and prejudice. The charity also has a Home for Life Policy, whereby if you or your loved one(s) ran out of money whilst in our care, they would never be asked to leave the home. Find your local Greensleeves Care home here: https://www.greensleeves.org.uk/home/care-homes/ and feel free to get in touch to discuss availability for couples. For more information about living as a couple at Greensleeves Care homes, follow this link: https://www.greensleeves.org.uk/advice-centre/living-in-a-care-home-as-a-couple/
MHA Cedar Lodge Residents Enjoy a Visit from Oz Clarke & Armonico Choir on their Great Bike Adventure Oz Clarke and Armonico choir visited local care home MHA Cedar Lodge as
dents came out to the garden to listen, sing, dance and join in with percussion instruments to a range of music including Somewhere Over The Rainbow.
part of a charity bike ride for Dementia awareness.
It was a fantastic concert, enjoyed by all the residents and Oz and the
Oz and the Armonica team set off on their bikes touring around the Warwickshire countryside calling in at care homes along the way to give free
Armonica cyclists stayed afterwards for a well deserved cup of tea and a chat. “It is like heaven has come down to us here”, said one resident at MHA Cedar
mini concerts. The day of the visit to Cedar Lodge, the weather was good so most of the resi-
Lodge while another said “it has been fabulous and incredible”.
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PAGE 20 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 73
Surrey Care Home Re-Awarded Prestigious Accolade For Outstanding End Of Life Care Staff at a Surrey care home are celebrating this week after once again being awarded a prestigious accolade for the delivery of outstanding end of life care. Princess Christian Care Centre, near Woking, has been reaccredited Platinum status from the Gold Standards Framework (GSF) following inspection, having completed its highly-regarded Care Homes Training Programme. To get the accreditation, which lasts until April 2024, staff had to undergo training that provided a practical, evidence-based approach to optimising care for all people nearing the end of their life. It focussed on quality care, improvement with training, quality assurance with standards of care, and quality recognition. Princess Christian Care Centre’s Home Manager, Nisha Leo, led the way in implementing GSF at the Surrey home, whereby the team attained an almost-perfect score rating of 56/57 – placing them in the top 0.3 per cent of care homes to achieve GSF Platinum status in the UK in 2021. The commitment required to achieve this is exemplary, even more so having traversed such challenging times throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
The inspection highlighted how GSF remains ‘clearly embedded’ in practice at the home and at a ‘very high standard’. It also noted how there is clear evidence of ‘proactive person-centred care’ given by a close team. The report was rounded off by saying Princess Christian should be reviewed again as a ‘Care home of the Year’, which it has pre-
viously held. Commenting on receiving the recent award, Nisha, said: “We’re delighted to have been reaccredited with such a prestigious accolade for our end of life services. It further showcases our commitment to being at the forefront of a growing community of care homes who strive to continuously deliver excellence in care, but also significant developments, which acknowledge best practices to encourage and inspire others.” The GSF training enables frontline staff to provide a gold standard of care for people nearing the end of their life. It improves the quality, coordination and organisation of their care, leading to better outcomes in line with their needs and preferences, and greater cost efficiency through reducing hospitalisation. Ginny Allen, GSF Social Care Lead, said: “We’re delighted Princess Christian Care Centre has successfully completed the GSF Care Homes Reaccreditation Assessment, being awarded the Quality Hallmark Award at Platinum status. We would like to congratulate everyone at the home on the success and thank them for all the hard work they have put into continuing this work.”
A Person-Centred Approach To Mobility and Hygiene Maintaining a level of independence and involvement in activities of daily living for those in your care can be a challenge. Using the Mobility Gallery™ assessment tool (figure 1) allows you to understand a person’s functional mobility, the level of assistance required, the risk to the caregiver and the importance to stimulate functional mobility.
Person centred care places the resident at the centre of all we do. This assessment tool helps to optimise the mobility of the resident, improve dignified care and reduces the risk of injury to both the resident and the caregiver. Promoting mobility is the driving force behind The Positive Eight™ philosophy shown in figure 2.
When looking at specific hygiene tasks, needs differ significantly across
care settings and need to encompass both physical and cognitive capabilities determined through individual assessment. Assisted hygiene solutions are designed to allow you to work in an ergonomically sound position, to reduce the risk of injury, whilst supporting a beneficial interaction with your resident. Caregiver safety is paramount, and factors, which affect the risk of musculoskeletal injury, should be considered, such as: • The number, type and functional mobility levels of residents being transferred or participating in hygiene routines • The inadequacy (or absence) of suitable equipment • Restricted spaces • Lack of education and training for care skills To mitigate these risks, evidence has demonstrated that education alone is insufficient. Use of the right equipment improves caregiver safety and reduces injury-related costs for the organisation. Understanding functional mobility, combined with selection of appropriate equipment to support your resident and caregiver can assist in addressing this challenge. Visit www.arjo.com or see the advert on page 6.
PAGE 22 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 73
Wonderkin UK, Managing Director, Marites Allen, Talks About Smart Digital Incontinence Aid & Providing Convenience & Confidence in Chronic Care Management task management, pad stock management to keep it all together and ticking along. The difference with a simple product like pads going digital is that carers are able to keep up and be informed of patients in real-time. Aside from prioritizing tasks, costs of pad consumption are cut down dramatically, making not only ‘cents’ financially, but ‘sense’ for the environment. Our pads are 70% biodegradable and hence, when you think about it, if every pad can be used to its full potential, with the patient not having skin irritations and rashes, by the way, the product is not only addressing financial costs to institutions like care homes, but also, providing a corporate social responsibility to those who use them. In Japan, for instance, our products have reduced pad consumption from 30K to 20K in facilities. It is not just about minimising the use of disposable wastes, but improving the quality of sleep for patients, and giving them more dignity, (of not being checked upon constantly) by reducing the number or times a change has to occur during the night.
Care-giving, in real-time, is an issue that has been looked at again and again in chronic care management- it is not enough to look at if care is being given effectively, but also with efficacy and assurance- to both patients of care and those of the carers. Since the Covid-pandemic, the issue of time, lack of resource, and the disproportions of high quality care are at the heart of this matter. Wonderkin UK, a brand of digital incontinence pads, and app, is now changing the game quickly by elevating the status quo, and creating wonders through providing convenience and confidence through their digital technological products. Wonderkin UK’s, Managing Director, Marites Allen, tells us in the following interview how products such as Wonderkin’s digital incontinence pads and app are ensuring a better quality of life, for all, as we age; and how we all should think about, our own, not so distant future, when approaching the subject matter of implementing technology into taking care of the elderly and those in care homes and facilities.
Q: WHAT OTHER ISSUES DOES WONDERKIN AIM TO SPEARHEAD WITH ITS DIGITAL INNOVATIONS? MA: Another common issue for patients is communication- between their fami-
Q: HOW DOES YOUR NICE CARE SMART INCONTINENCE PADS AND MONITORING SYSTEM WORK? MA: Smart phone (Smart Mobile Devices) are used as the medium- to which it sets alarms and signals a disruption in the homeostatic condition or the patient. Unlike the regular brands that mainly functions as only a pad, Wonderkin's Bluetooth feature (enable) makes safety ( Provide Real-Time Alert) precautions a function (Compare to other incontinence aids) that no other pads on the market currently offer. With the Nice Care Smart Incontinence aids Real-Time Monitoring Technology and Bluetooth enable sensors, Wonderkin offer carers in elderly care facilities to be notified of the patient's void, sleeping posture, and inactivity in real-time, hence, effectively easing the care-giving process especially pressure care.
Q: WHAT KIND OF ‘REAL’ DIFFERENCE IS A PRODUCT LIKE NICE CARE DIGITAL INCONTINENCE PADS AND APP MAKING TO STAFF AND PATIENTS IN CARE HOMES AND CARE FACILITIES? MA: Real differences are only felt and seen, through another key factor: prioritisation for care staff. A good example would be body rotation and diaper change, where though they are seemingly simple tasks, it takes workflow,
ly members and the carers or care home. Our digital innovations give personalised health insights, powered by data that can be easily provided and accessed by both parties. Data protection and that data is being stored securely is paramount to us, and this type of application if it is to be applied to chronic care management. Hence we employ Amazon Web Services (AWS) as our Cloud System provider, which adopts world-class, highly secure data centres utilising state-of-the-art electronic surveillance and multi-factor access control systems. Different access rights are given to various account types within our system, including super admin, general admin, nursing home, nursing home manager and nurse accounts. The data transmission from the Sensor to the Hub is encrypted and contains no client’s data. For more information or enquiries on Wonderkin’s emerging technology and latest innovation solutions to care-giving in residential nursing and care homes visit: www.wonderkin.co.uk or contact maritesallen@wonderkin.co.uk
Gracewell Of Edgbaston Care Home Reunites Two Sisters A care home in Edgbaston has been responsible for reuniting two sisters. Gracewell of Edgbaston welcomed Frances to their Memory Care community at the beginning of October 2021. She has since become a valued member of the care home and formed strong relationships with residents and team members. A few months previously, Betty, a fellow resident at Gracewell of Edgbaston, moved into the ground floor of the care home. During oneto-one sessions with Kelsey, Activities Coordinator at Gracewell of Edgbaston, Betty would discuss family life and speak particularly fondly of her sister, Frances. After team members at Gracewell of Edgbaston realised that the sister in discussion was their very own new resident Frances, they set to work on a memorable and heart-warming reunion for the two sisters. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the reunion marked a rare occasion in which the sisters have been able to enjoy one another’s company. Prior to a meeting in the garden of Frances’ previous care home earlier this summer to celebrate her birthday, Frances and Betty had not seen each other since July 2020. Their separation was further heightened by Frances being involved in a fall that led to her hospitalisation, during the peak of lockdown.
However, as the country has enjoyed a post-lockdown reunion with loved ones, Betty and Frances have now had their turn at Gracewell of Edgbaston. The care home offers nursing, residential, dementia, respite and palliative care, as well as independent living.
Designer Contracts Pulls Out All The Stops To Beat Pandemic Delay Designer Contracts, the UK’s largest flooring contractor, has supplied and fitted a leading West Midlands specialist dementia care living home with safety floorcoverings – despite major delays caused by the second national lockdown. The company ensured a super-swift turn-around at Dorothy Terry House following a seven month delay on materials – ordered last October – caused by the winter COVID resurgence. The home at Redditch in Worcestershire is a 42 bedroom retirement complex specialising in dementia care living. Over 1,000 square metres of communal corridors, stairs, landings and lounge areas, spread over five floors, were identified as areas in need of replacement. Undertaking its first project as a preferred supplier for the Rooftop Housing Group, Designer Contracts was asked to uplift all the existing flooring and replace with PolySafe Wood FX safety vinyl. Said Adam Denny, asset investment manager for the Rooftop Housing Group: “Our priority is the safety and wellbeing of our residents, and it was reassuring that Designer Contracts appreciated their complex needs. The specification we required for the flooring was met exactly with a quick turnaround once the project was signed off.” PolySafe Wood FX is a high specification safety floor,
perfect for environments such as Dorothy Terry House, combining decorative designs with sustainable slip resistance and high durability. Featuring authentic reproductions of popular and high clarity wood designs, the range incorporates a light to dark colour spectrum with non-intrusive safety aggregates in the vinyl to create a safe yet attractive interior in commercial or residential areas. Following the success of the Dorothy Terry House project, the Rooftop Housing Group has now instructed Designer Contracts to prepare quotes for a further seven similar sized projects in Worcestershire. Designer Contracts is based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire and operates across 15 UK regional facilities. Call 01246 854577 or visit www.DesignerContracts.com for further information.
Speaking of their reunion, Betty said: “I just feel so happy and like someone granted my wish to bring my sister back to me so we can be together and continue life as we always have. Having my sister just a floor above me, gives me so much ease and brings me so much comfort that I can see her as and when I please. I came to a new family here at Gracewell, now my family is joining me in this new family. I am so happy and grateful. Tracey, Daughter of Betty and niece of Frances, explained: “My mother and aunt used to live on the same complex of flats for 20 years and saw each other at least three times a week. They spoke on the phone dozens of times each day! They’d speak to each other when they woke up and before they went to bed. They have been very close all their lives and the family are thrilled that they are reunited once again.” Kelsey Green, Activities Coordinator at Gracewell of Edgbaston, said: “All of the team members are absolutely delighted we were able to reunite Frances and Betty. It has been a heart-warming moment for everyone to witness, and a reminder of the positive impact the home can have on its residents. Families and loved ones have been separated for prolonged periods due to the pandemic. Seeing them reunited in our care home is therefore a great step forward.”
Wedging Fire Doors Open – An Illegal Practice Fire doors are an essential part of your fire safety strategy and could save lives and limit the collateral damage in your care home should a fire break out. Despite this some care facilities turn a blind eye to the practice of wedging a fire door open, putting the lives of vulnerable residents at risk. If you are the responsible person in your care setting, you could face a large fine or even a prison sentence for allowing this illegal and dangerous practice to happen. To prevent fire doors being wedged open it is important to first understand why staff and sometimes even residents do this. Fire doors must all be self-closing causing staff difficulties when carrying trays and equipment around the care home. Wedging fire doors open in corridors enables them to move quickly and complete their tasks faster. Residents also can feel trapped and isolated when their bedroom door is constantly closed. Due to the often frail nature of elderly residents and impaired mobility and use of walking aids such as sticks, walkers and wheelchairs, many residents may not be able to open their bedroom door to access communal areas and socialise with other residents and staff. This can have a significant impact on their mental health and can lead to feelings of depression. Fire doors prevent the spread of fire and create a barrier of protection. Removing this protective barrier
by wedging the fire door open can significantly increase how quick a fire can spread and can severely hinder your evacuation as smoke and fumes from a fire rapidly fill corridors and rooms. Finding a legal solution to these problems is the only way. A fire door retainer such as the Dorgard has been providing a legal solution for decades. The Dorgard retainers hold the fire door open in normal operation but will close the door when it ‘hears’ the fire alarm. With three versions, Dorgard original, SmartSound and Pro, there is a Dorgard for all care settings. The type of environment will determine which Dorgard is best suited, giving you the peace of mind that you are meeting all your legislative requirements and ensuring that residents are able to move about as independently as possible. Dorgard Original and SmartSound are suitable for small to medium sized settings and can be easily installed by a handyman with the SmartSound being used in noisier environments. For larger establishments Dorgard Pro is ideal as it can accommodate up to 500 doors and offers a simple ‘one glance check’ that the entire system is functioning. For help and advice or more information, please contact Safelincs on 0800 612 7980 visit www.safelincs.co.uk or see the advert on page 29.
PAGE 24 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 73
Innovative Palliative Care Findings Discussed at European Conference The ExtraCare Charitable Trust’s Head of Research, Innovation and Customer Insight, Shirley Hall, joined an online European conference on palliative care, submitting ExtraCare’s findings to attendees. The 17th World Congress of the European Association for Palliative Care took place online in early October. As attendees faced growing demand, changing practice, and increasing challenges to the delivery of palliative care, the 17th World Congress “Exploring New Dimensions” offered guests the chance to hear about exciting innovations and progress from within the palliative care community, as well as valuable contributions from the wider services and communities with whom they work. Shirley put forward ExtraCare’s results through a presentation on findings from the first Gold Standards Framework (GSF) accredited retirement villages and reflections in the COVID crisis. ExtraCare is a frontrunner in end of life care as the charity was the first in the UK to implement a tailored training programme to support this. The conference discovered ExtraCare’s aim to create a shift in staff mindset, guiding them to encourage active living and at the same time promote discussions around end of life planning with residents. One of the project’s aims was to realistically offer residents the option of dying at home with the right care, support and services in place. Discussing the methodology behind how this was actioned, Shirley presented how ExtraCare put together three cohorts of key staff including Care Managers, Dementia and Mental Wellbeing Enablers, and Wellbeing Advisors and trained them in GSF methodology which was then cascaded to location colleagues. All residents were encouraged to write an Advance Care Plan (ACP), discuss with their family and/or friends to make their wishes known and consider plans for later life. The GSF Needs Support Matrix was
Bring Some Festive Cheer to Your Residents Whether it be an NHS hospital, a private hospital a care home or a Dr's Surgery, no where deserves brightening up at Christmas more than these places. Whilst the majority of the population are at home enjoying the festivities there are people right across the country who are not able to, either because they are too poorly to be at home or they are one of the many Christmas heroes whose rota means they are working and are away from their families and loved ones.
“We get orders for Christmas Trees going into all sorts of NHS establishments from up and down the country…”, says Stephen Evans MD of Christmas Tree World “Some of these are tiny little desktop/bedside trees, or a larger tree for a ward and we’ve even done one that was 30ft tall, outside a brand new hospital”. These are the reasons why artificial trees are becoming the tree of choice:• It is far cleaner to use than a real tree • Real trees can be cumbersome to erect and damage
With over 30 years of experience, CWE can help you provide safe water systems for your care home, including:
• Water sampling • Legionella compliance • Asset inspection – tanks, calorifiers etc. • Remedial works • Swimming and spa pool testing
Tel: 01844 347678 Email: info@chilternwater.co.uk www.chilternwater.co.uk
adapted to Retirement Villages and ExtraCare teams set up regular coding meetings to help support residents in the later stages of their life. Guidance was also discussed and written for locations to help reduce unnecessary hospital admissions. As a result of the work 18 locations are now GSF trained and accredited with the GSF Quality Hallmark Award following submission of evaluations, a portfolio and a visit. GSF is now a part of normal working practice at ExtraCare. Stoke Gifford Village near Bristol is the latest to achieve their accreditation and will be presented with their award in November at the GSF annual conference. Key results of ExtraCare’s findings included; more advance care plans completed; an increase in the number of Resident appointed Power of Attorney’s and choosing to die at home; reduced unplanned hospitalisation; greater staff confidence and ability to talk about death and dying; better collaboration with GPs and Primary Care Teams, and the creation of ExtraCare End of Life Care packages. Shirley comments: “I am delighted nearly all of our locations are now accredited to the GSF National Programme – the first retirement locations in the UK to do so. The programme has trained ‘champions’ in all locations to support all staff, so they are proactive in identifying residents who need that help early on. “We can then signpost them to the right services, work with primary care who also adopted the GSF some years ago, and ensure their wishes are met at the end of life. It has created a more open culture in locations, so both staff and residents can talk about end of life and dying well.” The ExtraCare Charitable Trust is a registered charity of more than 30 years that exists to create better lives for older people. For more information visit https://www.extracare.org.uk/. doors etc when installing them • Real trees drop needles everywhere and damage carpets with moisture • Real trees bring insects and fungal spores into the building which can cause sever long term damage • You can choose the shape of tree to fit the space, full, compact, slim or for very tight spaces pencil. • When real trees dry out they become a fire hazard https://interestingengineering.com/video/this-videoshows-how-your-dry-christmas-tree-can-cause-a-deadly-house-fire. All Christmas Tree World trees are fire retardant. Christmas Tree World trees are guaranteed for 10 years but will last at least of 15 years, the cost spread
over 15 years makes them far cheaper than buying 15 real trees In fact, we have supplied that many NHS organisations ordering Christmas Trees from us that it has even spilled over into the world of reality, with Holby City placing an order for a Giant Outdoor Tree for their 2019 Christmas Special. Whatever tree is purchased from Christmas Tree World, for your healthcare establishment, you can be safe in the knowledge that it is fire retardant (excludes snow flocked trees) and will be looking amazing…… if the nurses have anything to do with it. Visit www.christmastreeworld.co.uk for special offers.
FORTUNA.BAMBACH YOUR ONE-STOP SOLUTION
Fortuna.Bambach, based in Enfield, is London's largest independent living centre.
We supply everything from daily living aids to highly specialised equipment and services, so we can offer a ‘one-stop shop’ to nursing and residential care homes, local authorities, hospitals and individuals. Our team of Trusted Assessors and technicians can offer expert advice, and work closely with Occupational Therapists (OTs), and other healthcare professionals to provide individual solutions. Not only do we sell and rent out a wide range of high-quality products, we also provide high standard aftercare including maintenance, LOLER testing and a comprehensive range of training courses. We provide a range of solutions at competitive prices, so that you don’t have to worry about ensuring that your equipment is safe and compliant.
✓ Wheelchairs, walking aids, seating, profiling beds, daily living aids and more ✓ Rental Options ✓ Adaptations - grab rails, stair lifts, level access showers, ramps, wet rooms ✓ Moving & Handling equipment and training ✓ Maintenance, Repairs and LOLER testing
ORNAMIN: TABLEWARE WITH HIDDEN FEATURES
Ornamin, a market leader in eating and drinking aids, who supply more than 2,000 care institutions worldwide have – in collaboration with Occupational Therapists (OTs) and nurses - developed a range of intelligent and functional tableware for people with cognitive problems or limited motor skills in their hands or arms.
Their range includes mugs with a unique cone-shaped interior design, - which help those with limited neck and arm movement or anyone who is bed bound to drink without assistance - plates and bowls that are non-slip with a sloped base, making it easier to trap the food (useful for those who have problems using their hands), and non-slip grip cutlery that provides a firm hold for a user with clammy, shaky or numb hands.
The stylish designs helps remove the stigma of using ‘special’ tableware, which in turn improves dignity and independence, while also easing the support needed from families, carers or care home staff. All of the products are made using high quality materials which are 100% recyclable, plus they’re durable, light to lift, quiet to use, break-resistant, and BPA FREE.
DRINKUP21: THE HANDS-FREE DRINKING SOLUTION
Drinkup21, is an innovative hands-free drinking system, which can dramatically improve the health of those at risk of dehydration.
This simple but effective product works on the same principle as a cup and drinking straw, but has been designed to enable anyone who cannot lift a cup to drink without assistance (even when arm function is completely lost), making drinking easier, improving fluid intake, and reducing the workload of carers.
Drinkup21 consists of a 1 litre bottle with a cap, a body (holder), a multi-positioning clamp and a flexible arm assembly. It also includes a Consumables Parts Pack containing a drinking tube, bite valve (mouthpiece), elbow connector. A tube cleaning brush is also available.
It can be secured to beds, tables and wheelchairs, and used with water, fruit juice and thickened fluids that contain higher nutritional content, thus providing a simple solution to the serious issue of dehydration in the elderly and those living with disabilities. Drinkup21 is beneficial for those with conditions including spinal cord injury, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s, the effects of stroke, dementia, and those who do not recognise the need to drink.
For advice and information: Fortuna.Bambach, 4, Northgate Business Centre, Crown Road, Enfield, London, EN1 1TG. Visit: www.fortunamobility.com
www.fortunamobility.com/ornamin | www.fortunamobility.com/drinkup Email: info@fortunabambach.com Telephone: 020 8805 2020
PAGE 26 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 73
Urgent Need To Invest In Care Staff Alliance Says Leaders of care associations in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland met in London earlier this month, for the first time since the start of the pandemic. http://www.fivenationscareforum.com/ Reflecting on the invaluable role of the UK care workforce in making a positive difference to the lives of others, and on their vital contribution to economic growth, the alliance renewed its collective commitment to improving their working lives, and called for Governments to engage with this vital healthcare workforce to ensure they are positioned to focus relentlessly on investing in them. In Scotland and Wales, careworkers have each been given bonuses of £500 or more in recognition of their outstanding commitment during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Northern Ireland there is commitment to do the same. The Governments of England and the Republic of Ireland have declined to acknowledge the exceptional contribution of the care workforce. Whilst the bonuses have been very much appreciated by careworkers, one-off payments of this nature do not, they say, solve underlying issues. Increasing pay, terms and conditions of employment for the workforce, so they are on a par with equivalent roles in State-provided health services is a priority. The pandemic should signal an end to the discrimination applied by Governments towards employees in the independent and voluntary sectors who are fulfilling vital roles in caring for older and disabled people at home or in the community. News of the Scottish government’s announcement on 5 October 2021 that wages of careworkers in Scotland will rise from £9.50 per hour to £10.02 per hour, equivalent to Band 2 healthcare assistants in the NHS, was warmly welcomed and heralded as a lead other Governments in the UK and Ireland should follow. A recommendation by the Low Pay Commission to increase the UK’s national legal minimum wage to £9.42 per hour, which will likely be accepted by government, is another step in the right direction for UK healthcare providers. But these are far more than minimum wage jobs and we need to go further to attract, retain and develop a talent pool for the future. Irish representatives emphasised the critical requirement to
roles are not just about helping people get out of bed or cooking. If the United Kingdom and Ireland are going to shift towards higher wage, higher productivity economies, and reduce inequalities, it is essential to focus on the social determinants of health, rather than just healthcare per se. Social care plays a pivotal role in improving the way we all live our lives. International evidence shows there is a direct relationship between healthy life expectancy and GDP per capita. And that the tradable economy cannot function effectively without a strong foundational economy. Investing in our care workforce is a key part of investing in our health and wealth as nations. The Five Nations Care Forum calls on the Governments of the UK and Ireland to: 1. Fund social care adequately so that careworkers are paid fairly for the skilled roles they perform, and at least on a par with equivalent public review pay levels in the sector. Recent analysis by the Health Foundation suggests we need over 600,000 additional careworkers in the UK in the next decade to meet needs, on top of the 1.5 million we already have. Over 20,000 healthcare assistants alone will be required to meet demand for services in Ireland in the next ten years. There is, the alliance said, an urgent requirement to invest in training and upskilling care workers in social care. Careworkers and managers must be trained in numerous areas including medicines management; frailty; reablement; dementia care; end-of-life care; catheter and stoma care; wound care; care of people with specific conditions such as diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, motor neurone disease, epilepsy, autism and learning difficulties. They must understand safeguarding; infection prevention and control; falls prevention; food hygiene; health and safety; and fire regulations. They also require skills in leadership, management, finance, marketing, planning, customer relations, communication, influencing, negotiation, conflict resolution and de-escalation. And increasingly they are also expected to be experts in technology solutions in care. These
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sector roles. 2. Support development of an expert-led workforce strategy for social care and a 10-year workforce plan, aligned with the NHS People Plan in the UK. In Ireland, the Government’s Health Service Capacity Review and ESRI projections emphasise the urgent need for stakeholders to bring together a workforce strategy, with shortages in homecare workers already manifesting across the country. The Government must also publish the terms of reference for the Social Care Workforce Advisory Group announced by Minister Butler at the HCCI conference last week. 3. Recognise current national needs and regional variation in demography and workforce and explore placing social care on the Shortage Occupation List. 4. Create a professional register for careworkers in England, in line with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Registration of careworkers needs to be adequately funded and carefully implemented. In Ireland, regulation of homecare must remain a Government priority and bring better State resourcing for homecare workers. wellbeing of your patients and residents. We guarantee to save you time and money across many categories from food to planned preventative maintenance. By using our significant market leverage, we will reduce your spending with or without changing suppliers and promise to balance service, quality, and price to deliver a complete procurement partnership. We can be your very own buying team with absolutely no cost to you or contracts to sign for our services! Contact us for a free procurement health check and let us help you buy better! support@mypurchasingpartner.co.uk / www.mypurchasingpartner.co.uk
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Data scientists Develop Decision-Making Tool to Improve Treatment of COVID-19 Patients Data scientists develop decisionmaking tool to improve treatment of COVID-19 patients Coventry University and Milton Keynes University Hospital (MKUH) joined forces during the pandemic to develop a tool that hopes to ease the COVID-19 burden on the NHS. Data scientists from Coventry University’s Centre for Computational Science and Mathematical Modelling (CSM) and MKUH used machine learning methods (ML) to support clinicians in predicting the effects of COVID-19 on each diagnosed patient involved in the study, alongside the associated risks of further ill health. Predictive factors include t he duration of a hospital stay, the risk of developing blood clots in the lungs, the likely need for ventilator support, or the probability of possible death. Following the UK’s second lockdown, Coronavirus had contributed
towards more than 150,000* UK deaths, whilst at the height of crisis, just under 35,000** hospital beds were occupied by COVID-19 inpatients. Dr. Alireza Daneshkhah, Associate Professor and Curriculum Lead in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Coventry University, stated: “After entering one of the greatest global catastrophes of the century, clinicians all around the world were puzzled as to what puts a person at risk from COVID-19, and whether this risk could be quantified in order to compare between individuals. The shortage of hospital beds, oxygen as well as ventilators prompted the need for this clinical decision-making tool which could assist clinicians in resource allocation during the pandemic, including the allocation of staff, beds and ventilation equipment.” During the first wave of the pandemic, Dr Daneshkhah together with Dr Abhinav Vepa, Senior House Officer in General Medicine at MKUH, reviewed and assessed 44 risk factor variables in more than 355 COVID19 inpatients using the Bayesian Network ML method – a model used to represent knowledge about an uncertain domain. The method included collating data on p re-existing health conditions, blood tests and importantly considered patient demographics
including age, gender, and ethnicity. Dr Vepa said: “The methodology showcased in this research has the potential to be applied to all diseases and all outcomes in order to improve clinical care. In order to prove that our model is robust to the extent at which it can influence lives, it would be good practice to test the model on a second data set, which is why collaboration with other research teams with independent data sets would be highly beneficial. “After external validation, and with a larger amount of data, this methodology could be applied to predict a solution to many clinical problems which could assist clinical decision making and thus ease pressures in the NHS.” Dr Vepa, Senior House Officer in General Medicine, MKUH added “This research seeks further external input and analysis through a wider data set to ensure it is fit-for-purpose, it could then be implemented within hospitals to support a multitude of clinical requirements.” Read the journal article: Using Machine Learning Algorithms to Develop a Clinical Decision-Making Tool for COVID-19 Inpatients .
Sunrise and Gracewell Scoop Prestigious Care Home Award Home Group’ Award at the 2021 UK Care Home Awards. Sunrise and Gracewell are leading luxury care home providers, with 46 care homes across England and Wales serving over 2,500 residents. Their resident-centred approach delivers high quality care, tailored to the individual and their personal needs. Sunrise and Gracewell’s care homes offer nursing, residential, dementia, respite and palliative care, as well as independent living. Over the past twelve months, the organisation’s efforts have cemented their position as industry leaders, allowing them to rise to the challenges of operating during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the outset of the pandemic, a highly effective COVID-19 Task Force was established to lead their response to the crisis. Through this group, the organisation’s residents and team members remained safe and wellresourced even through the hardest and most challenging periods. This was symbolised through their ‘Safe-Visits’ protocols in the early months of the pandemic which identified mechanisms that would allow relatives to visit their loved ones in a safe, controlled, and managed way. An impressive #CelebrateCareHome campaign was also
launched, which successfully championed care homes and helped to rebuild public confidence in the sector.
Elsewhere, Sunrise and Gracewell’s Recruitment and Human Resources team have facilitated stable and consistent teams throughout their 46 care homes through an extraordinary recruitment campaign. As a result of this initiative, the team achieved a 12% improvement in team member turnover from 2019 to 2020, with attrition levels also falling by 23%. All of Sunrise and Gracewell’s notable achievements over the last twelve months made them worthy recipients of the Best Mid-Sized Care Home Group Award, whilst they were also finalists in three other award nominations at the ceremony. Speaking of their award win, Dr Natalie-Jane Macdonald MBE, UK CEO of Sunrise and Gracewell, said: “I’m immensely proud of each one of our 46 care homes and Support Office, who have all contributed towards the victory of such an important award. We have proved ourselves as innovative, dynamic, industry leaders during a profoundly difficult time throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. To be acknowledged and rewarded with an award is what each and every team member truly deserves.”
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The Latest On Mandatory Vaccinations By Emma Burrows, Partner and head of Employment at Trowers & Hamlins (www.trowers.com)
From 11 November CQC registered care homes will only be able to use staff to provide care who can prove that they've had two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine (or are medically exempt). As this date draws closer questions are being asked about the impact of this policy on the provision of care services, with Unison calling for the mandatory requirement to be scrapped to avoid the sector facing "catastrophic staff shortages". Two care workers are currently seeking judicial review of the requirement. They want the courts to quash the mandatory vaccinations regulations null and void. The judicial review application was presented on 9
September and, as it is likely that permission for the application to go ahead and the substantive arguments will be considered together as part of an expedited hearing, the issue should be resolved over the next few weeks. In the meantime care home operators not only face a potential staffing crisis on 11 November; they are also receiving grievances and whistleblowing complaints from staff who object to have the vaccine. In order to be fully vaccinated by 11 November, the last day by which care staff should have had their first vaccination dose (16 September) has already passed so there will already be some employees who will not meet the double vaccination requirement by the designated timeframe. All grievances and whistleblowing complaints should be dealt with properly to minimise the risk of successful tribunal claims. The main complaint is generally that the requirement to be vaccinated is discriminatory and against human rights. A mandatory vaccination policy can be justified on the grounds that it is a legal obligation to have one, but employers must still use a fair process to deal with the staffing issues. The CQC expects providers to have read and acted on the Department for Health and Social Security (DHSC) operational guidance. Care providers should take the time to discuss any concerns that staff have and actively encourage them to have the vaccine, explaining the consequences of them not doing so. It's also worth considering paid or unpaid leave for those who demonstrate their intention to get fully vaccinated, but who will not have completed the full course by 11 November. CQC has stated that it will take a proportionate approach in monitoring compliance so it's sensible to take reasonable steps. Keeping on top of the DHSC guidance being issued is key. Just last
week a temporary solution was put in place for people engaged in care homes to self-certify that they meet the medical exemption criteria. Time-limited exemptions are also available for pregnant women should they choose to take it (this is interesting given that there is no evidence that the vaccine is unsafe for those who are pregnant) and those who have received a COVID-19 vaccination abroad. The self-certification form can be used on a temporary basis prior to the launch of the NHS COVID Pass system. Once this has launched a formal medical exemption will need to be applied for and any self-certification will expire after 12 weeks. Care providers are concerned that some of their staff might abuse the process by self-certifying that they are exempt in order to remain in employment. While this may happen, it's worth noting that the form makes it clear that the person signing it acknowledges that providing false information may result in disciplinary action. Care providers should make it clear that this will be a disciplinary issue which could result in dismissal. The government issued a consultation earlier this month which looks at whether the mandatory vaccination requirement should be extended to all frontline workers in health and social care settings in England. This may extend to services providing extra care and supported housing, and under 18s who are deployed to undertake direct treatment or personal care as part of a CQC regulated activity. The consultation also asks whether the flu jab should also be made mandatory; recent research has shown that people infected with both flu and COVID-19 are more than twice as likely to die as someone with COVID-19 alone. The consultation closes on 22 October so there's a month or so to get your responses in.
Exeter Care Home Residents Explore The Secrets Of Haldon Forest Residents at RMBI Care Co. Home Cadogan Court, in Exeter, were delighted to be able to enjoy a day trip to Haldon Forest Park, following the current guidance from the government. Since this summer, care home residents have been able to participate in low-risk, out-of-home activities without having to self-isolate on their return to the care homes. The residents chose Haldon Forest as they wanted to make the most of the warm sunny weather, so the Home’s staff safely arranged the trip for them. They all travelled via the Home’s mini bus to the woodlands, just 15 minutes from Cadogan Court. Once they arrived, the residents, accompanied by Home’s staff members, gently strolled through the trees and immersed themselves in the beauty
of the autumn leafy landscape.
A MOMENT TO ENJOY AND REMINISCE After enjoying the tranquillity of the woods, they reached the picnic benches to sit down and enjoy a well-deserved refreshment. Residents and staff chatted cheerfully over tea, coffee and biscuits. For resident Janet Wigmore, aged 100, it was a chance to remember her own life experiences: "I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a perfect day, with the sun shining, and it was pretty warm for October. It was nice to get out and do things, and it was very special for me because I used to go to the Haldon race course with my late husband. It also suited me because I love the outside world; it was lovely to visit Haldon again." Resident Stuart Newsham, aged 87, agreed with Janet Wigmore and added: “Yes, it was a lovely afternoon with some great company. The place was really nice as well!” On the way back to the care home, the mini bus was full of laughter and chatter. Cadogan Court’s staff arrange trips to the local area regularly, so the residents have already started planning their next adventure with the help from the Home’s Activities Team. Emma Allan, one of Cadogan Court’s Activities Coordinators, highlighted how important these activities are to support the residents’ health and wellbeing. She said: “The residents chose overwhelmingly for a chance to get out into nature. Their spirits were visibly lifted as they shared stories and memories with one another, spotted butterflies, flora and fauna. It just goes to show that the simplest things in life are often the best.”
Cutting-Edge Research Revealed by QCS’s Dementia Care Champion Strongly Supports HUG Wellbeing Benefits The QCS Pool Activity Level instrument (PAL), created by Jackie Pool and with the continued support of QCS, the leading provider of content, guidance for the social care sector, has been contributing to the validation of HUG, a therapeutic soft, comforting device for people with advanced dementia. A landmark study using the QCS PAL Instrument, which assesses the level of functional ability of people with cognitive impairments, revealed that 87% of those with dementia who used the HUG device over a six-month period saw an improvement in their wellbeing. In addition, Jackie Pool, QCS’s Dementia Care Champion, has developed a set of specific QCS HUG PAL Guides, which ensure that people living with dementia are supported at ‘just the right’ level and are enabled to engage with HUG in the most meaningful way possible. HUG, which is being released today, is the brainchild of the Cardiff Metropolitan University’s LAUGH team. It has also been supported by a number of key stakeholders, including the Alzheimer’s Society, the Welsh Government, the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), who, between them, have funded the research and development of the therapeutic device. The device, which can be purchased on the HUG by LAUGH website and Alzheimer’s Society’s online shop for £125, increases wellbeing in a number of ways. Its weighted limbs, soft body and simulated beating heart,
help mimic a human hug. With a vast body of scientific research validating music as a powerful medium, which helps people to express themselves and unlock past memories, the therapeutic device has also been fitted with a music player. The MP3 player, which is linked to a hard drive, has been specially built to make it easy for carers to upload music onto HUG, via several different platforms. Over the last three years, HUG, has been trialled in a number of settings across the entire health and social care spectrum, as well as homes, where it has been shown to consistently provide comfort and reduce anxiety. Now that it is being launched, Professor Cathy Treadaway of Cardiff Metropolitan University, says, “It is incredibly exciting and rewarding to know that people with advanced dementia can finally enjoy the wellbeing benefits that HUG brings. We are also incredibly fortunate to have received funding for our research collaboration from Welsh Government, the AHRC and Alzheimer’s Society, and we are indebted to Jackie Pool and QCS for validating the therapeutic merits of HUG.” Jackie Pool, QCS’s Dementia Care Champion, adds, “When I was first approached by Professor Treadaway and her team at Cardiff Metropolitan University, I jumped at the chance to be involved. HUG may not provide a cure for dementia, but I strongly believe, and the evidence supports it, that this soft comforting device has the power to profoundly improve the wellbeing of those living with dementia at all levels and to provide the means for care givers to make a meaningful connection with individuals. That in itself, makes it a game changer.” For more information on QCS, contact our compliance advisors on 0333-405-3333 or email us at sales@qcs.co.uk.
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Industry Leaders Recognised in Knight Frank’s Sixth Annual Luxury Care Home Guide Knight Frank has announced the winners of the sixth edition of its UK Luxury Care Home Awards, recognising best-in-class providers of care across the country. Knight Frank’s 2022 Luxury Care Home Guide lists the UK’s top 100 luxury care homes and recognises three overall winners, each of which are judged on the quality of care they provide, the design of their homes and the strength of any renovation and refurbishment work undertaken. This year’s winners of the Luxury Care Home Guide Awards were: •2022 Luxury Care Home Award, recognising the highest quality care and hospitality services in the luxury market: Signature at Beckenham, operated by Signature Care Homes •2022 Care Home Design Award, recognising innovation and excellent design in line with the highest sustainability standards: Kitwood House, operated by L&M Healthcare •2022 Renovation and Refurbishment Award, recognising the preservation of heritage and the quality of redesign and repositioning works: Avery Park, operated by Avery Healthcare Phil Burgan, Chairman and CEO of Maria Mallaband Care Group, was also given a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his exceptional contribution to the sector during his 25-year career. Following a virtual awards presentation announcing the winners of the 2021 Knight Frank Luxury Care Home Awards, winners were this year able to attend the in-person ceremony. A CEO panel consisting of leaders from across the sector shared their thoughts on the outlook for the healthcare property sector in the post-pandemic period, and
Olympic gold medallist and television presenter Denise Lewis also delivered an inspirational speech to the audience. Following a 2021 Guide which saw a record number of submissions, Knight Frank’s 2022 Luxury Care Home Guide saw submissions from companies representing over £3 billion in asset value, with the top 100 homes in the guide representing approximately £2 billion. All operators featuring in the Guide’s top 100 list demonstrated exceptional standards
of care and design in the challenging context of the pandemic. Julian Evans, Head of Healthcare at Knight Frank, commented: “Knight Frank’s Luxury Care Home Guide continues to go from strength to strength each year. The prestige of the Guide, which is well regarded as the gold standard of luxury care home recognition in the UK, is illustrated by the consistently high number of submissions received and the £2 billion in assets represented by the Guide’s top 100 care homes. All care homes recognised in the Guide have delivered outstanding levels of care over the past year. They continue to innovate, with resident wellbeing front-of-mind, to future-proof their homes and protect against future shocks to the industry. We are extremely grateful to our sponsors and event partner for helping to organise this in-person event, as well as to all the excellent speakers on the evening, not least our inspiring celebrity guest Denise Lewis.” The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of high standards of elderly care. Knight Frank’s annual UK Healthcare Development Opportunities 2021 research report recently highlighted the limited growth of new high-quality care home stock relative to increasing demand. With the UK’s over 85 population set to grow from 1.6 million in 2020 to 3.7 million by 2050, the provision of high-quality, amenitised and wellbeing-focused care homes is of paramount importance. The recognition of best-in-class care home providers through Knight Frank’s Luxury Care Home Guide highlights those operators which set the benchmark for future care provision
Brunelcare Celebrate 80th Birthday with Week-Long Celebration Sunday 17th October marked the 80th anniversary of Brunelcare’s founding. Launched in 1941 during WW2, Brunelcare was originally named The Old People’s Welfare Committee, and they had three key goals when caring for older people: Keep them warm, keep them fed, keep them alive. Now, 80 years later, we are celebrating how far the charity has come with a week full of celebrations! Brunelcare now has five care homes, three extra care housing sites, two reablement centres and two dedicated home care teams caring for people across the South West. Today, Tuesday 19th October marks the celebration of Brunelcare employees and their dedication to the charity. The Long Service Awards will be hosted at Bristol’s MShed and will recognise 119 colleagues who are celebrating key milestones with the charity. The event will include an afternoon tea, entertainment and bottles of bubbly to say thank you to the charity’s loyal employees. Alongside our Long Service Awards, we will officially celebrate the expansion of
our Waverley Gardens Extra Care Housing Scheme. The extension saw 62 new purpose-built apartments for independent living for older people, with help on hand if they need it. The event will be hosted at the scheme for tenants, employees, friends and family to enjoy! Finally, we have the long-overdue official opening of Brunelcare’s Little Heath Care Home and Reablement Centre. Brunelcare’s newest care home unofficially opened its doors at the start of the pandemic in March 2020 to help ease the strain on NHS hospital beds and care. The Care Home or Reablement Centre wasn’t fully finished but still welcomed new guests and residents to live. Brunelcare is also encouraging all its local services to host celebrations. Oona Goldsworthy, Brunelcare CEO said: “It’s an honour to work at the charity when celebrating such an extraordinary milestone. The charity has come such a long way and I’m grateful to be part of the celebrations. The week of celebrations is just the tip of the iceberg and we will be remembering the charity’s humble history for years to come!”
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Improving Care And Patient Outcomes with Data
By Lee Williams, Chief Technology Officer at Radar (www.radarhealthcare.com)
It’s not news that care providers have a challenging job. Funding cuts, crippling staff shortages and a confusing interface with primary and acute care have all added complications to the sector. On top of this, the way the Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates care homes is under review. This is a lot for providers to manage during normal operation, let alone during a pandemic. For many care homes, implementing data capture and analytics is low down on the priority list when they are – understandably – focusing on the day to day. It is often seen as a tick box activity or necessary evil to help with compliance. But intelligent technology can be the solution to many of the challenges the sector is currently facing. With so many things to think about, it’s easy to forget that many care providers are already collecting data across multiple different departments, and often multiple different sys-
tems. Whether it is training records in paper employment files, payroll in Excel spreadsheets, and staffing rotas in scheduling software, data collection is already being done. The difficulty is getting meaningful insights from that data, and then using that to change things for the better. The COVID-19 pandemic brought to the fore how data can make a huge difference when it’s used to its full potential. In individual facilities, an analysis of staff rotas and health records could indicate a positive infection and prevent it being spread to other residents. While this might sound simple enough, it is almost impossible to do with such disparate databases, and even if it was possible, in many organisations there was little awareness of how to collate and understand the data. Although it’s more challenging, where data can be useful is when it is collected, analysed and shared between departments, and even organisations. We saw the heart-breaking outcome of managing vulnerable patients with siloed systems during the pandemic and it’s vital we learn from this. The events of 2020 were unprecedented, so talking about what could have been done isn’t going to change what happened. But we should be having those conversations in order to learn what we can from it to prevent it happening in future. Could better access to, and use of, data have helped predict the spread in some areas? And would that have enabled care homes to be more prepared? Organisations might think this needs complicated technology, but this isn’t necessarily the case. Seemingly simple data, when analysed, shared, and used to inform decisions, can be not only useful but transformative. Imagine a patient who is ready to leave hospital but still needs intermediate care. The facility can make the best care decisions if the staff and doctors have access to hospital and medical records. Conversely, the hospital could make the best decision about where to send the patient if it had access to information about COVID protocols, bed avail-
ability and infection rates. Once the right decision is made, it would benefit the facility staff and local GP to be able to see hospital and medical records. All this information is already recorded, but the challenge is collating and sharing it when it is stored in different formats. If the same protocols were standard across all organisations, or even within an organisation, it would make data management and analytics much simpler. On a basic level, this could be for compliance purposes, where monthly reports to Public Health England are automated instead of manual. More proactively however it can be used to predict trends and improve patient outcomes. Data has the potential to transform the care sector, but there are barriers to making the most of it. Not only does it need to be collated and analysed, but the outputs also need to be turned into something meaningful to drive positive change. The technology exists to do this, so now is the time to reap the benefits.
CASE STUDY: DATA ANALYTICS IN PRACTICE - FOUR SEASONS HEALTH CARE One of the UK’s largest independent health care providers, Four Seasons Health Care, cares for more than 100,000 people across the UK. The team implemented Radar Healthcar to allow them to offer intermediate care to NHS patients, while fitting their existing processes. The software helped staff create a journey for each patient based on the Barthel index which is used to measure performance in everyday living activities, such as feeding and bathing. The index indicates when patients are ready for discharge. The journey included workflow tasks in the software to support things like patient mobility and nutrition, and the data tracked along the journey fed into the Barthel score. Not only does this improve patient outcomes and experience, it also allows Four Seasons to deliver successful NHS contracts and gives oversight of the facility. Radar Healthcare was initially implemented in nine locations but has since been rolled out to 172 sites.
Hugh Myddelton House Residents take a Creative Writing Masterclass with Mike Gayle Staff and residents at Barchester’s Hugh Myddelton House care home in Southgate were treated to a creative writing masterclass courtesy of best-selling author, Mike Gayle. After graduating from Salford University with a degree in Sociology, Mike moved to London to pursue a career in journalism and worked as a Features Editor and agony uncle. He became a full time novelist in 1997 following the publication of his Sunday Times top ten bestseller My Legendary Girlfriend, which was hailed by the Independent as ‘full of belly laughs and painfully acute observations.' Since then he has written sixteen novels including The Man I Think I Know, Half a World Away and his latest All The Lonely People. Mike’s talk explained how he came to be a writer and what made him switch from journalism and take the leap. He explained how he comes up with ideas for his books, his influences and his creative process. Drawing on his experience working as a novelist for over 20 years, Mike shared his top tips, and his
writing do’s and don’ts to help the home’s budding writers develop their technique and read from All The Lonely People, his latest novel. Mike said: “It was great to be able to share some hints and tips, chat to the residents and answer their questions about my writing process. I can’t think of a better thing to do than to help people develop their creative writing, I know how much I love to write – it is such a positive creative outlet. It has been an absolute pleasure to share some of my experience with the Barchester residents today.” General Manager, Ramona Stanciu, said: “Lots of our residents are keen writers and they all love a good novel so they were really interested to listen to Mike’s talk and find out how he develops ideas for his novels. It was fascinating to hear about his creative process and how Mike knows when he is onto a winning plotline.
Local Care Home Residents Enjoy Virtual Cruise and Live Cookery Demonstration Staff and residents at Barchester’s Hollyfields care home in Kidderminster were treated to a virtual cruise and interactive cookery demo taking in some mocktails, exotic dishes and mystery destinations courtesy of chef, Paul Hawkins, and Lisa Richards from Unilever’s Away from Home team which supports the care sector. Chef Paul whipped up some tasty treats in a live, interactive cookery demo. Much to residents’ delight, the Hollyfields head chef Sarah Finch had prepared the same recipes so that residents could try all the dishes. As they pulled into each port on the cruise, residents were given clues to identify where they were visiting and then Paul created a typical dish from that country for everyone to taste. Residents started off in Hamburg where they sampled Labskaus, a hearty dish of mashed potatoes, corned beef and beetroot served with a fried egg and pickles. Next it was off to Rotterdam to try delicious Bittenballen or crispy Dutch Meatballs. Finally the residents docked in Zeebrugge where they tasted Mattentaart, a traditional sweet puff pastry almond-flavoured tart.
Paul said “It was an absolute pleasure to be able to prepare these dishes for the Barchester residents and even more so because they got to taste them, despite my not being able to be there in person. Thanks
to all the chefs in Barchester homes across the country who supported me to deliver this really lovely activity.” Lucy Tomlinson, Resident Experience Manager for Barchester Healthcare, commented: “We are excited to work with our amazing partners like Unilever to bring a wide range of fantastic experiences into our homes for all to enjoy. It was great to see the residents all enjoying the scenery from the cruise and the recipes, they were so well received. “Our varied life enrichment programme keeps residents active and socially connected, providing a daily choice of engaging physical, mental and spiritual activities tailored to residents’ interests and abilities,” Lucy added. General Manager, Sharon Herbert said: “This was a virtual cookery demo and a magical mystery tour all rolled into one, it was brilliant that our residents were able to taste the recipes as they were being prepared whilst imaging themselves on a cruise, mocktails in hand! It was a really enjoyable – not to mention delicious – afternoon, we’re so grateful to Paul, Lisa and Unilever.”
Staff and Residents at Local Care Home Receive Booster Vaccinations All staff and residents at Barchester’s Bushey House care home, in Bushey, are delighted to have received their third booster Covid-19 vaccinations from Dr Zemmel and his team Attenborough Surgery Bushey. General Manager, Ranjit Karavadra said: “We’ve all been through such a difficult time over the past 18 months but the vaccine has been so important in helping us get our
residents’ lives back on track. I am so proud of the team and how they have worked together and continue to do so and we are all so grateful to be prioritised to receive the booster vaccine first. We’re not completely back to normal yet but we know the booster vaccination is vital to help us keep everyone safe.” Hannah Clipston, Activities Coordinator at Bushey House
said: “We know that Covid isn’t over and we still need to be careful and follow the guidelines, but there is a huge sense of relief now that we have had our booster vaccinations. We know that this will help keep our residents safe and allow us to enjoy some trips and entertainment over the winter months.”
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Considerations When Building a Care Environment Fit for Purpose By Rishi Sodha, Care Director at Priesty Fields Care Home (https://handsale.co.uk/priestyfields) Certain considerations must always be contemplated and envisaged before constructing an environment for an elderly person to reside in, to ensure they are as comfortable, safe, and happy as possible. Indeed, the future of the care sector is always evolving and conjuring new ways to adapt with the times. However, there is no doubt that the pandemic has articulated more attention towards the implementation and utilisation of technology when overseeing this process. Technology, while it has underlined a tremendous deal of value for the care sector, has also emphasised the current quality of stock we’ve got in this country – and it’s fair to say, that it’s outdated. Unfortunately, we’ve got stocks of buildings that aren’t fit for purpose in manifold means. They are architecturally flawed and fail to meet the demands of today’s care sector. Remarkably, when we’re putting residents’ pure care needs under consideration, the UK still has buildings that actively work against our caregivers. Architecturally, the industry has missed a glaring open goal. For years, we’ve been screaming for a modular approach, yet still find ourselves trailing behind the times. To put it into perspective, imagine you go into work and you’ve got to meet a deadline, but you’re placed in a room that’s so dark you can’t see your keyboard, or you’re by a printer that’s producing 20,000 sheets per
hour and the noise is overwhelming. Already, you’ve got a substantial number of external factors working against you, contriving to make your work life extremely challenging. A similar situation still sadly exists for our carers. We are expecting them to deliver outstanding care in similar environments, where the building is actively working against them. Residential care today, unfortunately, is where nursing care was 10 years ago. Nursing care is currently beyond the dependency their homes were originally designed for. Effectively, what we have in the care sector are environments no longer fit for purpose for the caregiver, and on top of that, are now being forced to adopt and implement stringent infection control protocols at the forefront of their care plans. So then, what we’re left with is a quasi-clinical setting that has been innovated to manage infection control, which isn’t a bad thing, but highlights we no longer have care environments built for their specific purpose. Looking ahead to the future, I genuinely think what we will see is more care homes being forced to close to pave the way for the next generation of care environments. Modern care homes must be designed in a way whereby they can evolve with those who operate within them. After all, if you don’t construct a building to be fit for purpose for the next five years – then you’re already fighting a losing battle. We should be striving towards a structure that can continually evolve for the next 50 years. Furthermore, newer buildings mean you can build your infrastructure from the ground up. If you try to retrofit an existing and outdated home, the challenges will be exhausting. Ultimately, for the sake of social care, the innovations we need to see implemented are beyond just the utilisation of technology. It’s time to put our money where our mouths are. If we’re going to be a care sector, let’s be a care sector. This is where a staff first culture is so important. If you want to take care of someone, you need people to take care of them – those are the fundamentals of care. We need people who want to be carers, who feel valued, fulfilled and most importantly, who enjoy and take pride in what they do.
Doreen and Eleanor Bring Their Caribbean Culture and Values to Monkscroft Care Centre Cheltenham care home Monkscroft Care Centre, run by The Orders of St John Care Trust (OSJCT), frequently enjoys carnival music and vibrant colours thanks to the Caribbean roots of Home Manager Doreen Paisley and Nurse Eleanor Alexis. British born Doreen joined OSJCT in 2019 to run the ‘Outstanding’ rated home, where Eleanor has been working since 2016. Eleanor was born and raised in St Lucia where she studied the full range of nursing disciplines. Since qualifying, she has come to the UK twice to work, and joined the team at Monkscroft in December 2016. Together they have brought the sounds, smells and sights of Caribbean culture to the home. Doreen said: “Our residents love to see the traditional bright colours of the Islands. We’ve run carnivals and music events to entertain them. It brings a vibrancy that everyone reacts to positively. We connect through music; the beat of the Caribbean music gets many of our residents up and dancing or moving in their chairs.” Eleanor added: “When I first joined the care home, I was warmly welcomed by everyone, but one memory stands out. A resident asked me about Steel Pan music, they were excited to hear more of it, and having grown up near to the sea where a traditional group played regularly, I was happy to share my memories. We’ve been playing the music in the care home ever since.” Doreen who did her nursing training in Basildon, London at the start of her career, described learning
about Mary Seacole, a British-Jamaican nurse who cared for soldiers during the Crimean War, and a contemporary of Florence Nightingale, as very empowering. She said: “It was pleasantly surprising to watch the documentary about this woman of colour and see that she had opened up phenomenal opportunities in nursing.” Doreen spoke with pride about showing her mother around her workplace. She said: “My mum was really impressed by the ambiance, and by the professionalism of nursing. I could see that she was reassured that nursing homes can be well maintained, caring places with a feeling of family.”
ELEANOR’S DREAM FOR NURSING CARE IN ST LUCIA Eleanor said: “I have a dream of opening up a state-of-the-art nursing care home in St Lucia, and I am working in the UK to learn about some of the best approaches to care. As well as providing a luxury environment and top-quality care, at Monkscroft we use activities which are designed to support elderly residents, some who live with dementia, to give them a tailored experience which enhances their wellbeing. “I believe that people deserve the best care when they get older. They’ve worked hard all their lives, and they have such interesting stories and histories to share about themselves. They deserve to be cared for in a good place, and this is what we provide. One day I will establish my own nursing care home, back in St Lucia, using my knowledge and experience from Monkscroft.”
Kent Care Home Pays Tribute To Retired “Role Model” After 15 Years Of Outstanding Service Staff and residents at a Kent care home have paid tribute to a recently retired employee who is set to leave a “wonderful legacy” behind after 15 years of outstanding service. Meyer House Care Centre in Erith, Kent, has bid an emotional farewell to one of its most loved and dedicated members of staff, Gill Redsell, who spent over a decade building a respected legacy at the family-run community. Fondly known as ‘The Captain’, Gill joined the Nellsar home in 2006 where she played an instrumental role in renovating and adapting the home to become officially Care Quality Commission (CQC) registered in December of that year. Starting out as a housekeeper, Gill went on to
become a kitchen assistant, carer, senior carer and deputy manager, before finally being promoted to registered manager. Judith Angell, Interim Senior Quality Assurance Officer at the London Borough of Bexley council, who has known Gill for more than 19 years, said: “Gill and her team have always been extremely caring towards the residents placed within their care. They get both residents and relatives involved in developing care plans, which results in the residents having care and support that meets their individual needs.” Eileen Pallen, former Mayor of the London Borough of Bexley added: “I have known Gill and the staff at Meyer House for about 10 years. Over that time, I have been struck by the warmth between the staff who work there and the people they care for; nothing ever seems too much trouble. Gill leads by example and throws herself into whatever is going on and I have attended a number of social events where staff come in on their day off to take part, such is the atmosphere and team spirit.” Reflecting on her 15-year tenure at Meyer House, Gill said: “My management style was always fair, firm and approachable – building the team to ‘put the care into caring’. Meyer House is a small home of 28 residents, a real family unit where we include our relatives into our
hearts as well. The care team are passionate about their job roles and respect the values of the home, often going the extra mile. There wasn’t a job in Meyer House that I wouldn’t do to help out.” She continued: “The sense of a family bond is so important. We listen and support residents and their relatives; we’re there for them through their highs and sometimes sorrows. During staff interviews, I would stress that Meyer House is our residents’ home and they have invited us to come in and look after them, this set the precedent for the type of carer I was looking for.” Gill will now enjoy her retirement by spending some well-deserved time with her grandchildren, especially after being apart from her family during months of lockdown. Martin Barrett, Managing Director at Nellsar, described Gill as a role model who is adored by both staff and residents. He added that she will always be remembered for her humour and good grace. Gill concluded: “Laughter is a must-have criteria in Meyer House. I’ve seen many characters over the years including Wilma Flintstone, Morticia, Army, Navy and Air Force Officers, Nancy from Oliver, Charlie Chaplin, and even a Christmas Cracker!”
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Stop Poaching Our Staff, Social Care Leader Tells NHS A social care leader his hit out at the “madness” of the NHS poaching staff from care homes and domiciliary care companies by offering them higher pay. According to Mario Kreft MBE, the chair of Care Forum Wales, it was folly for the health service to snaffle workers when social care was facing its biggest ever recruitment crisis. He warned that tempting social care staff with the promise of bigger pay packets would come back to bite the NHS. Social care played a massive role in enabling the health service to function but the staff emergency in social care meant that hospitals were unable to discharge patients back into the community – either to their own homes or into care homes. What should happen instead, said Mr Kreft, was a “levelling up” of pay rates so that staff in social care could earn as much as their counterparts in the NHS. It was essential to find a long term solution but in the meantime Care Forum Wales are calling for extra funding to provide retention payments for staff to “provide a sticking plaster over the winter months. The root of the problem was chronic underfunding of social care both by local health boards and county councils. Fees were calculated using a formula which often determined the pay rates of the staff working in social care. That meant health boards and councils controlled the market and were able to poach staff by offering them more money. Mr Kreft said: “The social care sector was very fragile going into this pandemic and one thing that we can learn is how we can ensure we have a very strong sector going forward. “We need to ensure the people who work in social care and the people they care for have a great deal more consideration. “It is the case in the early days of the pandemic that social care was an also ran and the focus was the NHS and we paid the price for that.
“I am seeing some very positive actions coming out of the Welsh Government and one of the key elements is how we respect our social care workers and how we respect social care. “We’ve got to level up social care to be on a par with the NHS. The health system and the social care system shouldn’t be working separately – there should be an efficient, integrated system in which health and social care dovetail with each other to deliver services. “When the pandemic started two years ago, everything was concentrated on ensuring the NHS did not fall over. “People did not think enough about social care but thankfully that has now changed but we have to do a lot more. “Even at this time we have health board across Wales recruiting social care staff with offers of higher pay. “The irony is that these are the very people social care needs to provide a foundation for the NHS so we have got a long way to go before we have a system that delivers the services we need here in Wales. “The shortage of staff is the worst crisis that domiciliary care and care
homes has seen in living memory. “Often the people being poached are our most experienced, qualified staff who are the most difficult ones to replace. “They’re often being tempted by the big bucks of temporary bank contracts which don’t benefit from the same employment rights you would automatically as a permanent member of staff in a care home. “They’re offering terms that providers can’t afford and are not sustainable on the fees being paid to the independent sectors. “The fees being paid are a postcode lottery because the current system is broken. “Essentially, we have 29 variations on a theme because we have 22 local authorities and seven health boards coming up with wildly differing rates. “We need root and branch reform so we have a complete overhaul of how social care is funded, with a more rational national approach. “As the First Minister said, the sector was very fragile going into the pandemic so we have to find a mechanism so that people working in social care are properly rewarded. “What we know is that social care is a vital part of the foundation economy here in Wales. “It’s worth at least £3 billion a year here in Wales so we shouldn’t be looking at cost we should be looking at the value of social care. “Without solid social care provision, the NHS cannot perform so we have to make sure we change things for the future. “We have thousands of job vacancies in social care in Wales and as result we’re seeing people in hospital who can’t be discharged to their own homes because there aren’t enough domiciliary care workers . “Bizarrely, we’re now seeing care homes not being able to take people from care homes from their hospital beds because they haven’t got the staff because health boards have effectively poached them to work in the NHS. It’s madness and something has got to change.”
Accolade for Edinburgh Care Home AN EDINBURGH care home has been praised for its tailored approach to providing care and high standards of service at an industry award ceremony. Cramond Residence, to the north of the city, has won 'Best Luxury Care Home' at the Scottish Enterprise Awards 2021. The home has been awarded for its innovation, excellence and dedication to providing the best service to residents. Graeme Kelly, Managing Director at the 74-bedroom home, said: "Cramond Residence provides a combination of luxury accommodation and the highest quality of care so it is an honour to win this award category.
"The past 18 months have been particularly challenging as we manoeuvred our way through uncertain times and began returning the home towards normality again. “Our dedicated staff, like so many key workers, have been truly inspirational throughout those 18 months. They’ve given the community here the best possible care, hospitality and experiences. "Everyone at the home is delighted to win this award and believe it reflects the hard work and extra mile everyone goes on a daily basis.”
102nd Birthday for Linfield House Resident Guild Care recently saw one of its care homes, Linfield House, celebrate one of their resident's 102nd birthdays. To mark the big day, Eileen Porter was surrounded by loved ones and showered with lovely birthday messages, cards, flowers and lots of cake to celebrate her wonderful 102 years. Originally born in Enfield, Eileen spent many of her early years working in London as a secretary. From travelling abroad to Europe to her love of playing golf, Eileen has made the most of her years cooking, gardening but most of all spending time with loved ones. Moving and living at Linfield House for the last
two years, Eileen was joined at the home with her good friends Bill and Betty who came to visit her that day. Staff and other residents helped decorate the home with ards and flowers to mark the big day. Jolanta Harbuz, Care Home Manager at Linfield House, said: “It was truly wonderful to see Eileen turn 102 years young. Eileen thoroughly enjoyed the day, especially her birthday cake that reminded her of when you used to play golf. "She has been an incredible addition to our Linfield family and it was a joy to be able to make her day a special one to remember.”
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 853431 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 12.
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Waterless Bathing Products Could Help Nurses Reduce the Risk of Infection Transmission
By Yvonne Carter, Clinical Director at GAMA Healthcare (https://gamahealthcare.com/) and previously Head of Infection Control at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust (www.royalfree.nhs.uk) practice, it is fast, minimises discomfort and results in less mess. In two studies, nursing staff have significantly preferred washing without water over traditional bathing.i Built on the experience from GAMA’s founders, the Carell wipes are an easy-to-use bathing solution to clean, moisturise and refresh. Delivering a full body wash in a single product and no need to spend time gathering supplies. They contain aloe vera and active moisturisers to promote healthy skin. They're dermatologically tested, alcohol, lanolin and paraben free with a patented skin-pH neutral formula.
SPEED AND EFFICIENCY
For both nurses and carers, helping patients with their personal hygiene and bathing are essential components in quality of life and quality of care. Bathing has been argued to have a strong effect on patient well-being and patient comfort. For immobile patients, sometimes, a body wash in bed is the only option. Traditionally, the bed bath is performed with water and soap. However, alternatives are increasingly used in health care. Washing without water is one such alternative that has been claimed to provide several advantages, such as improved hygiene and skin condition. In
Wipes replace the need for traditional cumbersome patient cleansing methods, which include preparing bowls, washcloths, soap, lotions and water. They require no towel drying which decreases waste, increases staff compliance and may save money. A time in motion study comparing traditional bed bathing with waterless bathing in elderly care wards was carried out in practice, finding that staff saved 40 minutes whilst delivering care to six patients.i
PATIENT COMFORT AND PREFERENCE In the previously mentioned study, it was found that the experience was preferred by patients and improved staff practice due to the simple one pack one person formulation.i The drying time for the wipes is minimal, reducing the need for abrasive towelling, whilst the wipes themselves are soft. A study showed the prevalence of skin abnormalities in the traditional bathing group
increased overtime, whilst the waterless bathing group observed a decrease in abnormality prevalence.i Additionally, another study showed a significant difference in skin dryness, favouring the waterless group.ii
INFECTION PREVENTION Carell wipes also remove the risk of microorganism transmission associated with wash bowl contamination, risks from re-using washbowls between patients, spillage, non-drying of washbowls or less than effective decontamination between washbowl uses. Improved patient cleanliness reduces the number of microorganisms present to transfer to healthcare workers, visitors and the environment The wipes are designed for use on each area of the body and can be used and disposed of safely, breaking the chain of transmission via bath basins. Once waterless bathing has been completed, wipes can be resealed in their original packaging and safely disposed of. This reduces the risk of outbreaks and HCAIs associated with drainage systems. A randomised trial into the cost-consequence of washing without water revealed there is no difference in costs verses traditional bed bathing, making waterless washing the more efficient alternative.i Find out more about Carell Wipes and access to dedicated training/resources on waterless bathing https://gamahealthcare.com/carell i https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25173772/ ii https://bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12877-017-0425-4
A ‘Zoo’ per day! Residents and Staff at a Hertfordshire Care Home Enjoy Animal Magic to Help Stimulate and Engage the Senses Shirley said she “loved” the session, and couldn’t contain her joy, having entwined
A Hertfordshire care home was turned into a petting zoo for the day as residents welcomed a variety of exotic and interesting creatures to promote and stimulate mental wellbeing. Foxholes Care Home, near Hitchin, welcomed several reptiles, mammals, amphibians and invertebrates to its grounds courtesy of Animal Therapy service, ZooLabs, enabling residents and staff to hold, pet and take pictures with the animals. All residents from every floor joined in together in the Orangery, which was filled with shrieks of shock and delight as residents and staff were placed in close confinement with snakes, rats, cockroaches, geckos and even a Chilean Rose Tarantula. Animal-assisted therapy is recognised as an occupational therapy within psychology and is formed on the basis that animals bring people together, helping people see things from a different perspective and to cope in the most adverse situations. The experience resonated closely with resident, Shirley Benfield, 89, who used to have a pet Axolotl, which helped explain her lack of fear when getting up close with several reptiles – including a Gold Snake.
herself with the slender, scaly-skinned serpent, before blowing the “extraordinary” creature a kiss as it was escorted away. Neil Gandecha, estate manager at Foxholes Care Home, said: "Our activities team really went animal crackers with this one. The animals were enormously popular with the residents and it was so lovely to enjoy an activity like this after all the residents have been through during the past 18 months.” He continued: “The unique experience has proven to be an excellent way to give our residents some joy, while also, and importantly, allowing them to have the time and space to address their emotional wellbeing in a supportive environment. Looking after the mental wellbeing of our residents has always been at the forefront of our ethos at Foxholes, while it was interesting to learn of the benefits animal therapy can have on someone’s life. We can’t thank the team at ZooLab enough and I hope we can cross paths with all the exotic animals again in the near future.”
Three Generations of WWII Soldier’s Family Prepare for Royal Star & Garter Fundraiser The family of a WWII veteran is raising money for the charity which cared for him in the final years of his life. Kay Sabell and her husband Nigel are walking the 100mile Millennium Way in 10 days to thank Royal Star & Garter for the care it provided to her father Bill Hinchcliffe. The charity provides loving compassionate care to veterans and their partners living with disability or dementia. Bill began day care at Royal Star & Garter in September 2018, before moving into the Home permanently. He died in April this year. The Sabells will be joined by their children, grandchildren and friends on various stages of the walk, which they will begin on 23 October and hope to finish on 2 November. They then plan to walk from their home in Knowle to Solihull War Memorial on Remembrance Sunday (14 November), and afterwards head back to Royal Star & Garter with drinks and cakes to share with residents and staff. As a 17-year-old, Bill witnessed the horrors of the Blitz in
Manchester. He joined the Royal Signals in 1943, and was attached to both British and American Forces in the North African and Italian Campaigns. After war finished, he went out to Palestine, where he worked on teleprinters, communicating with Egypt and Iraq. Explaining why she was raising money for Royal Star & Garter, Kay said: “We decided to do it when Dad was still alive because we could see how happy he was and how well he was being looked after. When he died, it became even more important to us to do this, because the end-of-life care he received was just incredible. It was so reassuring to know how well he was being cared for, and it’s made us even more determined to raise as much money as possible.”
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CATERING FOR CARE Has The Pandemic Created A Permanent Change In The Way Catering Operates? Rupert Lynch, Client Relationship Manager and Executive Chef at allmanhall, the independently owned food procurement expert, discusses whether the pandemic has led to permanent changes in the way catering operators work. Have caterers adapted and improved their operations as a result, or are they likely to return to the old ways of doing things.
REVIEWING STAFF AND OPERATIONAL PROCESSES
Circa 18 months since the start of the pandemic, catering establishments are now well versed in the intricacies of ‘Covid compliance’. Kitchens have adapted to an ever-changing environment that was outside of their control and devised systems that could cope with the guidelines laid down by the Government. Following the relaxing of all rules in England, catering teams have undertaken risk assessments to ascertain whether all or some of the changes made over the previous year are required or whether they could adapt and implement some of the ‘enforced’ changes to enable a better and more efficient operation. Catering teams are still hesitant to make too many alterations, but many have relished the ‘new normal’ and many changes will now become permanent. These include the way the canteen or foodservice facility is laid out, how food is served (self-serve or served) the number of items on the menu and myriad of other changes that albeit were previously enforced, have now proved to be highly beneficial. For example, structuring lunch
service in schools, care homes and offices, to enable reduced volumes in canteens has been substantiated as a very successful practice, however this does have an impact on staffing hours in order to cope with the longer lunch service. Another benefit has been the introduction of split services, utilising servery counters to mirror a like-for-like service across the canteen, the offering has been reduced. In some instances, this has meant the lunch period allocated has been maintained, but at the same time held additional costs despite no increases regarding labour hours or shifts. One key consideration caterers have had to deal with was addressing the risk of a complete kitchen shutdown due to one or more staff testing positive. This has been a very real concern and limitation; a number of kitchen teams we have spoken to have stated they will be maintaining a ‘bubble’ status, whilst still trying to ensure an element of flexibility. Keeping teams working in bubbles has so far meant that some catering teams have been able to maintain a service even during the “ping-demic” of summer 2021. The indication at the time of writing is that many are looking to revert to pre-pandemic operational processes for their foodservice, including the use of crockery and cutlery in place of disposables.
SUPPLY CHAIN CONSIDERATIONS
Supply chain challenges and disruption continued into the summer period and has been further exacerbated by the shortage of HGV & LGV delivery drivers and issues surrounding availability of product. Catering operations must ensure they have adequate stock going into the autumn and are going to need be prepared to change menus, last minute. Service level agreements with suppliers are now subject to increased scrutiny and operators are going to fair best by being understanding of
Major NEW Product Launches Make a Change for the Better! Keeping healthy is increasingly seen as a social responsibility with many consumers now being motivated to protect their health not just for themselves but also for the ‘greater good’. In research that Major carried out, a staggering 93% described strengthening their immune system as important. That’s why at Major they have been busy creating an industry first… A gravy which
not only tastes amazing but is a great source of Vitamin D! Major’s Instant Gravy is allergen free, suitable for vegetarians and vegans, meets 2024 salt targets and is available in two varieties, perfect for meat and poultry dishes. Want to find out more and try for yourself, simply drop us an email at: higham_ferrers.samples@givaudan.com or give us a call on 01933 356012 quoting The Carer for your free sample. See the advert on the previous page for details.
the situation, aware that they may not receive deliveries within their agree window. From allmanhall’s insight into how both clients and suppliers are adapting and planning ahead, it seems that the majority of catering teams are managing this well, communicating, showing flexibility and placing orders day 1 for day 3 as a minimum.
HYGIENE
By their nature, kitchens are designed with good hygiene in mind and the pandemic forced an even more rigorous cleaning regime. Areas to keep a focus on are key touch points, cleaning regularly and deep cleaning the whole kitchen area at least once a week. A number of clients have spoken of the changes they have made to their shift and staffing requirements to facilitate this, and the extra training that has been required, too.
OPPORTUNITIES AND THE FUTURE
The majority of catering operators allmanhall has spoken to have indicated they will revert back to pre-pandemic levels and processes for some operational activities, notably the way the menu is designed. During the pandemic, menus were reduced to cope with the extra demand on staffing levels and time taken to pre-package food for delivery across campuses, for example. That said, having discussed this with a number of catering teams, they have largely indicated that although there will be more choice back on the menus, they will tailor it in such a way that the production methods are no more labour intensive than they have been over the last 18-month period. Operators have taken this opportunity to review their existing procedures and practises and implemented changes that they may have been previously considering, as improvements. See the advert on the facing page for details.
Cracking New Egg Dishes For Care Homes from Chef Martin McKee
Martin McKee, former NACC Care Chef of the Year, has created a series of new recipe videos showing how British Lion eggs can be used to create exciting, creative, and nutrient dense dishes to support the needs of care home residents. The recipes have been created to reflect the growing trend for menu simplification that has emerged as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting staff and skills shortages, as well as incorporating nutritious ingredients in an original way. The five recipes have been developed in association with a specialist dietician to meet various nutritional requirements of residents, including undernourishment, dementia and dysphagia. The dishes include both savoury and sweet recipes and include Chicken and Leek Stuffed Mushroom; Deconstructed Spanish Omelette; Smoked Turkey, Cranberry and Egg Fried Sandwich; Lemon Meringue Pie; and a Custard Filled Doughnut. All the recipes are designed to serve 12 or more people and are easy to follow. British Lion eggs are approved by The Food Standards Agency to be eaten runny or
even raw by vulnerable groups, including care home residents. Before the change in advice for Lion eggs, care homes had to restrict the way they served eggs, but the change in 2017 meant that care home residents could once again enjoy a dippy egg, and benefit from a range of other nutritious, and delicious egg-based dishes. Martin said: ‘’Eggs are a must on care home menus and are a fantastically versatile ingredient. I have created a range of savoury and sweet recipes, calling on familiar favourites with a modern touch. The recipes I’ve created highlight the nutritional benefits of eggs, as they contain key vitamins and minerals and are high in protein which is essential for care home residents’ diets. I have also ensured that the recipes are straightforward and easy to replicate so that they can be enjoyed in care homes of any scale.” The video recipes are available to view on British Lion eggs YouTube channel and can also be found on www.egginfo.co.uk/tv See the advert on page 32 for further details.
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PRODUCTS AND SERVICES Uniquely Adapted Clothing By Adaptawear At Adaptawear we specialise in uniquely adapted clothing for day and night. Our garments are designed to help improve independent and assisted dressing, removing the limitations of conventional clothes. A key product in our night time range is the Iona Nightie; fully opening at the back and at both shoulders, it can be put on from a lying or seated position. It ensures dignified toileting due to it’s open-back with generous overlap. Another unique product to Adaptawear are the All-InOne Pyjamas, these feature shoulder to ankle and between the legs zips. These pyjamas are designed to enable carers to dress a person from a lying position. They are suitable for people who have a tendency to inappropriately disrobe and help avoid picking and smearing behaviour. They also allow easy and quick access for toileting.
Our day time range is particularly popular with those who can independently dress with a few discreet adaptations. These include; velcro/magnetic shirts, front fastening bras, pull on elasticated waist trousers and discreet open back day and nightwear. Adaptawear clothing can help improve the life of those living with a variety of conditions and many of our items are available with VAT relief. All items can be found at www.adaptawear.com or call 0800 051 1931 for more info. Don’t forget to use code CR10M at checkout for 10% off your order.
Jolly Trolley Brings Therapeutic Activity and Entertainment to Patients That Are Isolating The Jolly Trolley® is an essential for any care establishment as it promotes social interaction between the service users and their carers. This innovative system is fully mobile and battery operated, allowing residents who may be unable to leave their rooms to also be included with ease. The Jolly Trolley® comes complete with its own videos, quizzes, karaoke and other content, but personal music, photos and films can then be added from a USB stick to really bring out the magic! Don’t just take our word for it here are just some testimonials from our very happy Health and Social Care clients:
The Power of Scent It has been known for many decades that fragrance has the power to evoke emotions and memories, whether it is smelling a perfume that reminds you of an occasion in the past or a loved one that perhaps wore the fragrance or bought it for you, scent can bring back all of those happy memories and occasions. Your olfactory system is responsible for your sense of smell. Often called the “emotional brain”, it can instantly prompt powerful responses and memories. For instance, the scent of lemon might make you think of the lemon tree in your back garden growing up, but for another person it might be associated with the cleaning products their parents used in their childhood home. Having lost both parents to dementia, I remember going to see my mam in her care home and presenting her with a perfume that she wore occasionally for special occasions, at this stage she did not know my name, but I sprayed the perfume into the air and within seconds she told me what the perfume was and then over the next 30 minutes she was reminiscing of the times gone past, this had the same effect when we played her music to her, the memories and emotions came flooding back. Whether you use essential oils, fragrance oils or a mixture of both the scent can play a major part in your wellbeing and mood, for instance the aroma of fresh citrus and fresh green notes will make you feel uplifted, awake and fresh,
Chester Park- Megan Allan, Activities “The fact that we can upload what is relevant to the specific Individual is so meaningful for that person and I can assure you we have shed some tears being able to be part of that residents memory journey. It has been an amazing addition to our care home – from staff and residents – thank you.” Pennine NHS Trust - Beech Ward“we have been able to provide therapeutic activity & entertainment with ease to patients that are isolating” To see what the Jolly Trolley® can do for you, call us for a free demonstration on 0800 093 8499.
while rich fresh floral notes will give you a feeling of happiness, and spring and summer, while oriental will give you a feeling of warmth and a relaxed state of mind. At scentworks we offer a substantial range of essential oils, fragrance oils and formulations of both to suit all environments and needs whether it is for communal areas, washrooms, waste areas, offices, personal rooms, entrances etc. Our oils are all manufactured within the UK and are all IFRA controlled and compliant. Our scent diffusion equipment is discreet but also stylish, very quiet and very low maintenance, requiring only 1-2 service visits per year on self-replenished units which helps to keep costs to a minimum, from as little £1 per day. We have a selection of scent diffusion equipment with a wide range of coverage from small tabletop units suitable for an office environment, floor or wall mounted options for medium sized areas and up to larger units that connect directly to an air conditioning system above a roof void. All our scent diffusion equipment is programmable, which means that once set up you can just enjoy the fragrance not having to worry about switching the machine off as it will happen automatically. We offer a wide range of pricing solutions, whether this would be renting or purchasing of equipment along with fragrance and equipment packages, we are totally flexible to suit your requirements. Visit www.scentworkssolutions.com or see the advert on page 12.
MOWOOT II for Constipation Free Life MOWOOT II - a novel noninvasive and non-pharmacological solution to chronic constipation Developed by a team of medical professionals, MOWOOT II performs gentle abdominal massage that speeds up intestinal transit in the sufferers of chronic constipation. Clinically proven and sideeffects free, MOWOOT II Chronic Constipation Therapy System fights constipation effectively, safely and comfortably without laxatives, enemas or colon cleansing supplements. Comfortable to use MOWOOT II treats and manages chronic constipation in people with spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s Disease and medication-related constipation problems. MOWOOT II also combats idiopathic chronic constipation of menopausal and post-menopausal women and elderly people. In a published clinical study*, MOWOOT II increased evacuation frequency, softened stools, improved regularity, reduced gasses and bloating and relieved
abdominal discomfort. Results showed that as many as 72.2% patients experienced increased bowel movements, 77.4% patients manifested reduction in constipation symptoms and 81.0% patients enjoyed better quality of life. 10 – 20 minutes per day of abdominal massage with MOWOOT II demonstrates improvements with significant results noted within days after the first treatment. Regular applications ensure positive health benefits and better quality of life. MOWOOT II – effective, safe and comfortable solution to chronic constipation!
* McClurg D; Booth L; Herrero-Fresneda I. Safety and Efficacy of Intermittent Colonic Exoperistalsis Device to Treat Chronic Constipation: A Prospective Multicentric Clinical Trial. Clin Trans Gastroenterology 2020; 11(12): e00267.
Contact Win Health Medical Ltd - 01835 864866 www.win-health.com
Specialist Dementia Bathroom Design Guide Launched by AKW AKW, a leading provider of accessible home solutions, is pleased to announce the launch of a new guide to creating dementia-friendly bathrooms. Produced with advice and support from specialist dementia design advisers at the University of Stirling’s Dementia Services Development Centre (DSDC), it offers best practice guidance on designing this important space. The bathroom is one of the most challenging and dangerous places for a person with dementia and Dementia Friendly Design aims to compensate for the changes people experience when living with this condition. Importantly, a dementia-friendly bathroom doesn’t need to cost more than a standard bathroom adaptation, but the products and guidelines regarding colour etc. need to be followed to ensure maximum safety and comfort. Lynsey Hutchinson, Senior Interior Designer at DSDC, University of Stirling, comments: “The bathroom, despite being one of the smallest rooms to design in any building, is one of the most complicated. Indeed, there are at least ten tonal considerations within a bathroom or shower room. These include tonal contrast
for surfaces / critical planes such as walls, floors, doors, skirtings, sanitary ware and toilet seats which should achieve a minimum contrast of 30 points LRV (Light Reflectance Value) in order to see one object against another.” Stuart Reynolds, Head of Product and Marketing at AKW explains why the new dementia guide has been developed: “We have worked with the University of Stirling to translate the complex issue of dementia into practical design points that can be easily applied in any bathroom adaptation. The guide details the seven major dementia challenges that impact bathroom design and gives specific advice on what to install and where, to help overcome these issues. From flooring colour to lighting placement, the guide has it all.” For health and care professionals, specifiers, relatives, contractors and social landlords wanting to find out more, AKW’s Guide to Creating Dementia-Friendly Bathrooms is available to download from https://www.akw-ltd.co.uk/wpcontent/uploads/2021/08/3121AKW-Dementia-guide-12pp_LR.pdf See the advert on page 9 for further details.
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. Visit www.yeomanshield.com for details or see page 10.
Scrubs UK and Uniforms UK
Scrubs UK and Uniforms UK are part of Uniform Group UK Ltd suppliers of Medical and Healthcare Uniforms. Our main aim is to provide the best products at the most competitive prices and are proud to be an ‘NHS approved supplier’. We pride ourselves on our excellent reputation and customer service and firmly believe that building relationships with our customer is key to offering the best service possible. Our uniforms meet infection-control requirements and offer the best in durability and comfort. We stock a wide range of styles, colours and sizes to suit everyone. Our own brand ‘Scrubs UK Premium’ range is one of our best sellers offering all day comfort together with durability and of course style! WE ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SEND YOU A FREE SAMPLE OF OUR SCRUBS UK PREMIUM SCRUBS SET PERSONALISED WITH YOUR LOGO FOR YOU TO SEE FOR YOURSELVES!
Renray Healthcare Renray Healthcare has been producing high quality furniture for over 50 years and is one of the UK’s largest and leading suppliers to the healthcare sector. Whether you require a fast efficient delivery of quality furniture or a full room installation and fitting service, we have the experience and resources to handle your contract. We manufacture and assemble our products in our own purpose built factories in Cheshire and Europe to British Standards. Hence we are able to ensure your furniture is produced to the highest quality, working with you to plan and meet your projects time schedule and budget. We understand you are purchasing furniture that is fit for purpose, stylish and will continue to perform well into the future, which is why we design and build our
We stock all major brands including, Cherokee, Dickies, Behrens, Alexandra, Koi, Orange Standard, Simki and Skechers. Healthcare uniforms come in all shapes and sizes, and we sell them all! We can also provide you with your catering staff, maintenance and reception uniforms. PERSONALISATION OF UNIFORMS IS OUR SPECIALITY! All embroidery is carried out in-house so we are able to react quickly to your order. For a limited time, we are offering FREE EMBROIDERY SET UP (normally £20) to all new customers. You will always speak personally to a member of our team when you call who are more than happy to help you with your requirements. Call today on 01270 814141 or visit www.scrubsuk.com or www.uniforms-uk.com See the advert on page 16.
furniture with you in mind. Telephone: +44 (0)1606 593456, Email: info@renrayhealthcare.com, www.renrayhealthcare.com or see the advert on page 3 for details.
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CLEANING AND HYGIENE The Cleaning Show Returns post-pandemic future.
LESSONS LEARNT DURING THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC
The global pandemic has seen cleanliness and sanitation become a top priority for business owners and consumers alike. Helping showcase the latest advancements in cleaning practices and technologies, The Cleaning Show returns to ExCeL, London from 2-4 November 2021. The show, organised by the British Cleaning Council and Quartz Business Media, is set to attract more than 7,000 senior cleaning professionals from across the contract cleaning, facilities management (FM), healthcare, hospitality, retail, and public services sectors – making it the UK’s largest and most important event in the cleaning and hygiene sector. Attendees will be able to connect, learn and discover new products, services, and suppliers at a critical time as businesses across the UK prioritise cleaning protocols to ensure returning staff and customers remain safe.
Reflecting on lessons learnt during the global pandemic and celebrating the hard work and achievements of cleaning professionals across the UK, The Cleaning Show conference makes an eagerly awaited return. It will provide a platform for attendees to learn and discuss the latest developments, and the critical next steps for an industry on the frontline of public health and safety. Industry experts will come together to discuss the role of cleaning in protecting public health and safety.
DEMONSTRATING EXCELLENCE
PREVENTATIVE CLEANING IN A POST-PANDEMIC FUTURE
With new and recently launched innovations on display, attendees can find the solutions to help them meet the increasing demands for heightened cleanliness and sanitation in a
Haigh - Discover the Benefits of Disposable Bedpans Working with care operators nationwide, Haigh helps simplify pad and pan disposal. Clients have reduced or eliminated waste bag collections, resulting in cleaner, nicer sluice rooms. Haigh can minimise the hassle involved in change, with delivery planning, installations, staff training, and ongoing servicing capabilities; so you can focus on infection control and a great patient experience. The Haigh team has been working alongside care providers to adapt to new ways of delivering maintenance, service and user training to fit with on site teams and the additional constraints that the latest infection control and test procedures bring. This has been well received, for
example one multi-site care operator has also achieved significant operational cost benefits by moving a wide rage of maintenance services in-house, including waste disposal, and benefited from the expert support that Haigh have provided. With an in depth understanding of the end to end process for patient waste disposal, right through to the point where it is no longer the responsibility of the site, we know what is best for drainage and compliant effluent as well as the importance of reliability of the waste disposal machines themselves. For more information on how the Haigh team can help improve your pad and pan disposal processes please call or email the team at info@haigh.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 healthcareassociated infections (HCAIs) are a priority for healthcare providers, and who are employing a combination of infection prevention and control strategies, including hand hygiene, cleaning, training and the adoption of new technologies, to tackle the problem. As a result, a wide range of infection control products and technologies are emerging on the market, including antimicrobial technology. Angloplas’ range of dispensers are produced in the
world’s first proven Antimicrobial PVC with silver ion technology and which is exclusive to Angloplas. This helps reduce the risk of cross infection by stopping the growth of bacteria and mould and works continuously for the lifetime of the product, reducing levels of bacteria such as MRSA, E Coli, Legionella, Salmonella and mould by up to 99.99%. For non-clinical environments Angloplas has recently launched its new Budget Range of products which are made to the same exacting standards as the antimicrobial protected ones but with lower price tags. You can order Angloplas products directly from its website by going to www.angloplas.co.uk and clicking Hospital, Health and Hygiene or by using the Quick Response code.
New for 2021, the Cleaning & Support Services Association will be hosting its 2021 CSSA Innovation Showcase in a dedicated pavilion at the event to highlight and celebrate the industry’s most innovative cleaning products, services and initiatives. Registration for The Cleaning Show 2021 is now open. To register today and find further information on this year’s programme, visit https://cleaningshow.co.uk/
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CLEANING AND HYGIENE Power Driving Productivity In today’s world, the cleaning industry faces complex challenges and increased demands where cleaning is about keeping people safe. Increasing productivity is the key to meeting these demands and increasing standards. The new NX300 Pro Cordless network from Numatic delivers professional level cordless performance to a versatile and expanding range. Quicker, safer and more convenient, switching to Pro Cordless raises productivity levels, saving time and money. An extensive research and development programme utilising the latest battery technologies has resulted in the newly developed 30 cell design, delivering a 60% increase in available energy. The NX300 battery pack has been engineered and test-
ed for extended commercial use. Investing in the right cordless network will drive cost efficiency and return on investment. Networked solutions reduce purchase and maintenance costs. Users can specify and ultimately reduce charger and battery requirements, delivering up to a 50% savings compared to standalone cordless fleets. The NX range includes both cylinder and backpack vacuums while floorcare is covered with the ever popular TTB1840NX scrubber dryer and the newest additions with the 244NX compact scrubber dryer and RSU150NX Sanitise Pro. We look forward to seeing you at the Care Show, Hall 3A, Stand D50. To find our more visit: www.numatic.co.uk/nx300
Brookvale Care Home Relies on Rensair to Deliver 24x7 Clean Air
Please Please mention mention THE THE CARER CARER when when responding responding to to advertising. advertising.
Air purification specialist Rensair has supplied Brookvale care home, located in Prestwich near Manchester, with portable, hospital-grade air purifiers to help prevent the transmission of Covid-19. Brookvale is a care home for adults with learning and physical disabilities, providing a calm, relaxed place to live and visit. “That calm and tranquility was challenged when the pandemic hit”, said Carl Richmond, CEO at Brookvale. “It became clear that we needed to put measures in place to ensure that we’re better equipped to deal with further potential outbreaks.” After conducting research, Brookvale sought advice from Rensair and, following a site visit to assess communal areas and occupancy levels, received a proposal based on the company’s modular, portable air purifiers. Rensair's patented technology, originally developed to meet the strict air quality requirements of Scandinavian hospitals, has since been adopted worldwide by doctor and dental practices, care homes and hospitals, including several NHS trusts. “Rensair’s pre-Covid experience
with hospitals added credibility and we had some prior knowledge of UV disinfection because of our hydrotherapy pool”, said Carl. It stands to reason that trapping pathogens with HEPA before destroying them with UVC light is more effective than fly-by-kill methods on moving targets.” In a test to determine the Rensair unit’s performance in reducing the concentration of Covid-19 particles in the air (using MS2 bacteriophages as a proxy for SARSCoV-2) , the Danish Technological Institute recorded a particle reduction rate of 99.98 % in 15 minutes and above 99.99 % in 30 minutes. Furthermore, the test reported 100% elimination of virus particles on the filter, with zero traces detected. “We now feel that the health of those within our care at Brookvale is properly protected and their families are reassured”, concluded Carl. “Equally important is the protection of mental wellbeing. For our clients, that means being allowed to continue their scheduled activities as well as enjoying unrestricted family visits.” See the advert on this page for details.
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LAUNDRY SOLUTIONS Forbes Professional Ensures that Care Homes Meet Stringent Industry Requirements For any care home, there are key considerations when it comes to their in-house laundry operation. Firstly, the process must be entirely compliant with CQC and the Department of Health, secondly it must adhere to the industry’s stringent WRAS requirements. In order to maintain the requisite hygiene control levels, is imperative to source appropriate commercial laundry equipment. It is also essential to ensure best practice through the sorting, segregation, transportation, processing and storage of all laundry items. The Department of Health’s Technical Memorandum (HTM) 01-04 requires that, for appropriate decontamination of linen, care homes must employ both thermal and chemical disinfection. Care homes also need to ensure that staff are trained in using the laundry equipment. Should the CQC find that a care home falls short of these requirements, the home may be placed into special measures, shut down or prosecuted. WRAS deems all care homes to be high risk Category
LaundryTec
5 for the water contamination risk and washing machines therefore need to include a backflow prevention system. It is therefore imperative to use commercial laundry equipment. Forbes Professional is currently celebrating 95 years of service. A well-established family business with a nationwide infrastructure, Forbes provides care homes across the UK with highly efficient WRAS and CQC compliant laundry solutions. Proud partners of market leaders Miele, they offer the highest quality of both product and service. Forbes has a team of qualified in-house and gasregistered engineers, and all work is fully CHAS approved. They carefully specify the right equipment for each requirement and support clients with comprehensive user training and an inclusive same/ next day service response. info@forbes-professional.co.uk Telephone 0345 070 2335
LaundryTec is the culmination of 40 years’ experience in the laundry equipment market by its founder Jeremy Hartigan. Based in Chester we offer support for our own Lavamac brand and all other makes. Uniquely LaundryTec will offer support for any laundry equipment, with reliable, cost-effective after sales support across the UK via our in-house service department Supported by Alliance Laundry (The World’s Biggest manufacturer) we distribute the Lavamac range of equipment that’s unique range of features include, Data Tracked Operation, Auto-Weight loading, Automatic chemical control, Simple to use controls and market leading efficiency in energy consumption make it a market leader The Air Sourced Heat Pump Dryers cost less to dry
18kg of washing than boiling a kettle! Auto- Chemical control and Auto weight Control calculates the energy required to the actual load and can control the chemical usage and offer reduction of up to 50% in chemical usage! Every replacement machine includes Installation, commissioning and as standard 24 months Parts and Labour Warranty. CMM customers will receive a 36-month warranty as Standard If you want a friendly amenable face that can deliver on their promises let LaundryTec offer you the kind of support we offer Bupa, Care UK, Abbey Healthcare, and many others to your home? From Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) to fully comprehensive cover and reactive support properly maintained, and supported laundry equipment should be a cost effective, relaxed part of the care homes operation? Check out our website www.laundrytec.com to see what of customers say info@laundrytec.com
FowlerUK are Back!
ments. We also offer tailor made finance packages to suit any budget. Contact us today for further information on 01200 444430 or by email sales@fowleruk.com.
Revolution Max Ltd has a change of name and owner. We’re pleased to announce that Revolution Max Ltd will now be known as Fowler UK (Trading) Limited and is back in the hands of the original owner, David Fowler. Fowler UK are a nationwide supplier of commercial laundry and catering equipment. With a team of fully trained, gas certified field-base engineers, FowlerUK are a onestop-shop for all your servicing and maintenance require-
See the advert on page 32.
Please Please mention mention THE THE CARER CARER when when responding responding to to advertising. advertising.
LaundryTec Ltd offer a unique approach to laundry equipment
We don’t want to replace equipment or sign you into a long-term agreement. LaundryTec want to support your existing equipment, through PPM, Gas Safe Compliance and Quality emergency support.
Quality, Innovation and Support
BEFORE
We are also Lavamac distributors
www.laundrytec.com
0151 317 3127
AFTER
info@laundrytec.com
PAGE 46 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 73
NURSE CALL AND FALLS PREVENTION
Why 4,438 Daily Falls In UK Care Homes Deserve Our Attention
A recent report,’ “Responding to falls in care homes: two innovations” by Dr Mark Hawker and River Rea from Involve, discusses how best practice in post fall management can provide time and cost savings to the wider health and social care system. Combining benefits of assistive lifting technology and video-based clinical support could return costs savings of up to £3,911 per fall, whilst also safeguarding residents’ lives. Across the 15,000 + care homes registered by the Care Quality Commission there are between 270,000 – 1,620,000 falls per year. As one of the most frequently reported accidents among residents, falls represent a pressing issue for providers of care, particularly as demand for places is expected to rise as the population ages. Author, Dr Mark Hawker says, “the risk factors for falls in care setting are diverse and the multiplicity of elements influencing the likelihood of falls makes them incredibly difficult to eliminate entirely. For the individual, the consequences of a fall are numerous and distressing, while the repetitive lifting requirement of carers puts them at risk of musculoskeletal injury. “The pilot studies we’ve examined demonstrate that by giving care home staff the tools to empower safe lifting reduces the time residents spend on the floor after a fall waiting for an ambulance and help to arrive. Organised and safe post fall care is better for the resident and more cost effective for the NHS.”
The report goes on to discuss the importance of reducing the risk of spreading infectious diseases by eliminating avoidable contacts. There are clear benefits of using technologies that reduce the number of external contact such as those that would be required to pick up a resident following a fall. While difficult to quantify, the reduction of contacts with healthcare workers such as paramedics, GPs and district nurses with residents is seen as essential during a pandemic. Mangar Health CEO Simon Claridge adds, “we have been working with NHS Ambulance Trusts for nearly 20 years and yet this report has been incredibly eye opening for us. We know lifting fallen care home residents is a daily challenge to prioritising ambulance calls, yet equipment and technology could easily lift the considerable pressures they are under and save the NHS millions annually. “We would like to call on NHS England, NICE and CQC to review the dynamics involved in a resident fall detailed in this report and consider alternative care models in a post pandemic environment.” Anyone wishing to receive a copy of the report should email hello@involve.vc. For more information email cbirt@mangarhealth.com Mangar Health Tel: 01544 267674 See the advert on the facing page for more about Mangar.
Fall Savers - Affordable Fall Monitoring Solutions Fall Savers®, are an experienced market leading healthcare provider of resident safety solutions for over 15 years.
FALL SAVERS ® WIRELESS MONITOR
Eliminate all cables with our new generation falls management solutions! Upgrade your falls programme with the latest technology from Fall Savers®. The NEW Fall Savers® Wireless eliminates the cord between the monitor and sensor pad. This results in less work for nursing staff, improved safety for patients and reduced wear and tear on sensor pads. Wireless advantages include the ability to
use one monitor with two sensor pads simultaneously and support for many new wireless devices.
Benefits include:
Safer for patients; less work for staff Bed and chair pads available One monitor works with two sensor pads Integrates with most nurse call systems A variety of options, including: Call button Pager Floor sensor mat Wireless door/window exit alerts
TREADNOUGHT ®FLOOR SENSOR PAD The TreadNought® Floor Sensor Pad is built to last with a durable 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.
Features include:
Connects directly to most nurse call systems High Quality anti-bacterial Floor Sensor Pad Large Size Pad: Measures (L) 91cm x (H) 61cm Options (sold separately): Anti-slip mesh for hard surface floors See the advert on this page for further details or visit www.fallsavers.co.uk.
THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 73 | PAGE 47
NURSE CALL AND FALLS PREVENTION The New MPCSA11 from Medpage Medpage is a family ran company, with a huge heart and resources gathered over our 35- year trading history. The majority of the technologies we design, manufacture and distribute originate from enquiries received from healthcare professionals and personal family care observations. Our product portfolio provides a wide variety of care solutions for epilepsy, dementia, senior care, special needs and sensory loss. Our latest innovation, currently in use in several Hospitals, presents an effective fall monitoring, detection and reporting solution. The MPCSA11 is a complex software driven sensor monitor made to be user and operator friendly. This device has already proven successful in hospital and care home trials by reducing
patient falls while also reducing false positives from a safe patient. The device can monitor and interact with up to three sensor products: bed and chair occupancy pressure pads, PIR movement detection sensors and proximity signal products. In use, a patient or resident rising from their bed would be considered a falls risk, but what if they are simply moving to sit in a chair close to their bed? A standard bed monitor would raise an alarm alerting care staff, who would arrive to find the person safely seated. The MPCSA11 would only generate an alarm if the person was out of their bed or chair for a selectable time duration. Learn more www.easylinkuk.co.uk/mpcsa11 Or see the advert on page 2.
Silent Running - Tranquility in Care Homes Quiet and calm care homes ensure that residents are able to live in a more relaxing and pleasant home environment. Similarly, carers and staff find that they too benefit from reduced stress when working in a home where noise levels are kept to a minimum. There are many environmental factors that can affect those sensitive to their surroundings, particularly those suffering from dementia, these can be fluctuations in ambient temperature, light, and of course noise. Repetitive and high levels of noise can originate from a number of internal and external sources, for example, telephones ringing, loud conversations in corridors, and call bells sounding, often one of the largest contributors to increasing the levels of stress and discomfort in residents. A published study by the University of Stirling stated that unanswered Nurse Call (Call Bell) alarms can be one of the most common causes of stress in dementia sufferers. The University recommends “fitting call alarms which alert nurses but do not resonate throughout the whole building. Alarms can be particularly disconcerting as they may encourage the person with dementia to respond or investigate what the matter is. At the very least the loss of sleep will compromise a person’s ability to concentrate. It can affect their attention levels and capacity to cope, as well as being detrimental to their overall state of wellbeing. Personal paging systems are preferable to bells and buzzers.” Modern Nurse Call systems can incorporate a number of methods to reduce their impact in a care home. These include zoning whereby there are sepa-
rate alarm types used depending upon the location of the call. In these circumstances, dementia sufferers and those vulnerable to noise can be located in one “zone” whist less vulnerable residents live in an alternative “zone”. Each “zone” can operate different call tones, warning lights or other methods to alert when help is required Reducing noise levels is essential to create a tranquil environment for residents. Pagers have been around for many years, are a relatively simple and cost-effective measure in reducing the levels of noise, and can be added to most Nurse Call systems. Smart Mobile Devices are now becoming more commonplace for care home staff and hold a variety of apps for care planning, e-medication, etc. Many Courtney Thorne clients are now utilising the “Go” app with their Nurse Call system. With the “Go” app, nurse call alarms are delivered immediately and silently straight to the handsets, alerting the individual carers to all Nurse call alarms without creating any general alarm sound and rarely disturbing the rest of the residents in the home. Calmer residents ultimately means that staff are less stressed also, this creates a happier workplace where morale is greatly improved, staff are retained and CQC ratings improve. Clearly, the positive ramifications of a quiet Care Home run deep. Get in touch today to find out how we can help your home become a quieter, calmer, and more tranquil environment. For more information email us at: info@c-t.co.uk
Please Please mention mention THE THE CARER CARER when when responding responding to to advertising. advertising.
www.nursecallsystems.co.uk
PAGE 48 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 73
NURSE CALL AND FALLS 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.
Nurse Call Systems from Alarm Radio Monitoring Alarm Radio Monitoring (A.R.M) is a UK based manufacturer of wireless Nurse Call and Staff Alarm systems; offering a comprehensive range of Nurse Call, Staff Alarm, Fire Alarm, and Door Access bespoke systems. With over 28years experience in the design & development of wireless Nurse Call & Staff Alarm systems, A.R.M has established itself as a key player within the wireless solutions market to the public and private healthcare sectors. Wireless systems can be fitted while your home remains operational, so you do not have to close rooms off and they offer greater flexibility and ease for future expansion. Care Homes choose A.R.M nurse call systems because they: • are quick and simple to install. • make it easier for staff to identify the source of calls because they give full text descriptions. • give management the tools they need to monitor and control best practice. The system provides a full audit trail of which buttons are pressed and response times.
• failsafe eg alerts you in the event of a system fault or batteries are running low. • carry a year’s guarantee. • are supported 24/7, 365 days a year by specialist engineers over the telephone or online. Take the ongoing cost out of your operation with our unique return to base service exchange policy and low cost of ownership along with flexible finance options. No matter how demanding your environment, A.R.M believes everyone - whether you’re a customer in a care home or team member - should be within safe reach.
NEW PRODUCTS
NEW - Glove friendly, touch screen display. Bed Angel – see advert on this page Our new and innovative falls detection system The Bed Angel ensures overnight bed monitoring and protection against falls, wandering and confusion. For further details: 01568 610 016 or email sales@arm.uk.com
Edison Telecom - Specialist Solutions For Your Nurse Call Systems 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 extension 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 73 | PAGE 49
CYBER SECURITY
Why Cyber Insurance Should Be Part of Your Risk Management Programme As our reliance on the digital world increases it is no real wonder that cybercrime is on the increase, and this has been clearly evident in the last twelve months. For the opportunistic cybercriminal, it’s been a good time to commit cybercrime, as we have moved away from our usual routines and reliable systems, leaving an exploitable gap in our security as we quickly adapted to new ways of working. According to Police data analysed by cyber security company Nexor, there was a 31% increase in cyber related cases over May and June last summer. The most common attack occurred through email or social media, and accounted for 53% of all attacks on businesses, leading to substantial multi-million pound losses. Healthcare, financial institutions, manufacturing, real estate, and education were the most targeted industries. The Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2020, released by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) revealed that nearly half of all businesses in the UK had reported cyber security breaches or attacks in the last 12 months but only 32% have insurance against such events. Whether a big or small-scale event, a cyber-attack is likely to have serious consequences for any business – shutting systems, deleting data, preventing data access or stopping them from trading altogether. Dealing with the fall out of a cyber-attack can be complicated and stressful, not to mention time-consuming and potentially expensive.
TYPES OF CYBER ATTACK Cyber-attacks can take many forms, all engineered to get the victim to disclose information or take action, or to infect systems with malicious software. Phishing, malware attacks and ransomware pose a threat to all businesses. It’s common to think that cyber threats against businesses come from unrelated hackers, cyber-attacks or ransomware and are big events, but sometimes they can be more subtle and come from sources a little closer to home.
employees, your reputation and may ultimately affect the future of your business. Having a comprehensive contingency and business interruption plan in place along with adequate insurance will help you to address and quickly overcome any fallout from a cyber-attack. A robust plan is vital to make sure you meet your legal obligations regarding data breaches and to reassure your customers.
THE BENEFITS OF CYBER INSURANCE
There are four categories that cyber threats against a business typically originate; insider threats, human error or negligence, external threats and third-party threats. Wherever the threat originates the bottom line is how you to respond. Have you thought about how you would continue to run your care home if you lost access to all your data? You could lose access to client records and supplier data, order information, diary appointments, financial data, your website and more. If you are held to ransom for access to patient files, the financial consequences could be significant. Additionally, you may be affected by reputational damage, which could affect existing relationships and damage future prosperity. You may need to rebuild and replace lost systems or create a new website. And, if a data breach occurred you are likely to face significant fines from the Information Commissioner’s Office. All of the above will require money, time and resources and need to be addressed in a timely manner to help you retain customers,
Cyber liability insurance is a must for any care home business because it provides you with protection and peace of mind, should the worst happen. It will help against denial of service, which may occur with ransomware, the recovery from computer virus damage, which may have resulted in a significant loss of data, and other data breaches such as the loss of a memory stick or laptop. Getting assistance quickly and from reputable, knowledgeable and reliable sources will be key in ensuring your business can continue to operate with minimal disruption. If your care home holds data on a computer system, even with antivirus software in place, you can still be vulnerable to a breach. Cyber liability insurance is relatively inexpensive and will provide you and your business with complete reassurance in the face of a data breach crisis. Every business is different and will have specific needs, so make sure you get advice for your unique situation and requirements. Don’t wait until you have experienced a cyber-attack to put measures in place, be proactive and help protect your business now. Barnes Commercial Insurance Broker are specialists in arranging robust insurance for those operating in the care home sector. As independent advisers they provide impartial advice on the best solution for your specific needs. Telephone: 01480 272727 Email: enquiries@barnesinsurancebroker.co.uk www.barnesinsurancebroker.co.uk
Specialist care home insurance We arrange tailored insurance programmes for care and nursing homes, hospices and domiciliary care providers, for both staff and business owners. Our extensive knowledge of the care market will help to ensure you have the right protection in place for now and, for the future. Secure robust cover that’s right for your business. CALL NOW FOR A QUOTE
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PAGE 54 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 73
TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE Is It Time To Upgrade Your Workforce Management Technology? Covid-19 has undeniably challenged care homes and will permanently reshape how many operate. The pandemic sparked the biggest and fastest transformation of the workplace. Automation, digitalisation and innovation to fit with this new world is happening at a pace that we have never seen before. It’s clear that things are not going to simply return to the way they were, instead we all need to look to the future and re-evaluate systems and processes. Here are five areas that workforce management technology could assist your care home.
HEALTH & SAFETY
Workforce management technology gives you the ability to better manage the health and safety of your employees. You have the tools to ensure optimal shift patterns and rotations that take into account health and safety requirements, procedures and regulations. Your system can tell you things like - who is working where and when? Who in their teams they have been in contact with? If they have been self-isolating - when will it be safe for
them to return to work? Do they need a return-to-work interview? At the touch of a button, you have all the information you need to need to answer these and multiple other questions. Workforce Planning & Optimisation Workforce management planning and decisions require accurate realtime information. It is extremely difficult to manage your workforce effectively without having detailed information on employee time, attendance, absences, activities, skills and scheduling. This pandemic has led to an extreme disruption around workforce management planning and optimisation. Care homes now need to find ways to ensure that their workforce is optimised under different conditions and a good system can automate many of these processes for you.
Giving employees Control The most successful organisations today are the ones that are putting their employees in control. They view them as their internal customers and are dedicated to serving their needs as well as the needs of the business. By doing this, they foster a culture of empowered, engaged and motivated staff who are more satisfied, productive and loyal. With the use of selfservice solutions, employees can easily organise and manage their own time, attendance, schedules, annual leave, absences and personal details. This in turn reduces queries, calls and emails to line managers, HR and Payroll Departments.
MANAGING NEW WAYS OF WORKING
As we move to a post Covid-19 world, it’s expected that new business priorities will lead to the reshaping of teams and upgrading of workforce procedures and policies that will take into account new ways of working. In order to do this, you will require reliable workforce data to determine budgets and costs. Having a proper handle on workforce costs and productivity will be critical to the smooth operation of your care home. To find out more about how Softworks solutions could benefit your care home visit www.softworks.com or see the advert on page 15.
Even before Covid-19, employers were realising the benefits of introducing more flexible working options. Benefits including; increased productivity, reduced absenteeism and attracting and retaining talent. A good system will give you a fully automated way to record hours worked, maintain flexi balances and manage planned/unplanned absences. Employees can log attendance on a PC, tablet or mobile either by time or by honour-based email timesheets. No need for spreadsheets and no manual processes saving time, eliminating errors and reducing administration.
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE
everyLIFE Challenges the Status Quo Event season is in full swing and the team at everyLIFE Technologies are enjoying every minute of it. Seeing customers, colleagues and peers face to face is a welcome return to normal and everyLIFE has a lot to talk about. COVID-19 caused many new issues for the social care sector and highlighted many more that have been battled behind closed doors for some time, which the wider public knew little about. Taffy Gatawa, Chief Information & Compliance Officer at everyLIFE will explore these issues and examine what they mean for social care both now and in the future in her keynote speech, titled “An Uncomfortable Truth: Social care deserves more” at The Care Show, NEC Birmingham, 13th-14th October. Looking forward to the event, Taffy said “We see so many hardworking professionals dedicate themselves to caring for others on a daily basis. There are common barriers that they have to try to overcome to provide the level of care that they want to, their frustration and disappointment is palpable. We want to do everything we can to help enable the best care possible, regardless of location, setting and need.”
All Your Care Home Needs This October sees the launch of a new business supporting the care sector in the form of Wippet, an online marketplace which is promising to create quite a stir. Wippet is a B2B, many-to-many marketplace where customers can find everything they need - from beds to detergents, from uniforms to food. Wippet is free to the user and provides the simplicity of one website with one login, one basket and one invoice – the ultimate one stop shop. Matt Oxley is Wippet’s CEO and has had extensive experience in the care sector and is the brains behind the idea. “I don't believe there's a care provider out there that couldn't benefit significantly from the efficiency Wippet will bring. Our mantra at Wippet is to make buying in healthcare simple. That's what we'll deliver from the moment customers first use our site.” John Barrowcliffe, Wippet’s commercial and operations director, underlined that sentiment: “When we briefed the platform design we didn't use any other B2B ecommerce websites as our quality benchmark, we looked to the best of the consumer world. Why shouldn't people in B2B enjoy the intuitive and fluid experi-
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Just think of a giant Andr Android oid tablet built into a solid oak surr surround, ound, on a base that houses a lar large ge battery to allow you to use it all day long and smooth running wheels for easy movement between rooms care rooms in your car e home. !
ence of the sites they use personally? We've all enjoyed many-to-many marketplaces and their benefits with brands like ASOS, Airbnb and Deliveroo, we’re just bringing the same technology to the care sector.” Wippet is known to have signed up some of the biggest players in care suppliers already with a pipeline of customers eagerly anticipating their launch, which has the backing of their new owners who have invested in the team, the platform and Wippet’s marketing. Oxley continued: “It’s the 21st century and all the information customers need is out there, we’ve just put it all in one convenient place where it’s easy to determine best value from suppliers they know and trust. It’s just about choice, value and convenience. And all our suppliers go through due diligence checks, to provide the assurance that customers can buy from known and trusted supplier brands - but without all the usual effort.” Although Wippet hasn't launched yet, there already seems to be a long line of customers keen to see what the platform can do for them so the Wippet team will have a busy couple of days ahead of them at Care Show 21 at the NEC on October 13th and 14th. “So far the response has been overwhelmingly positive, everybody we've spoken to loves the idea and can't wait to try it. We’ll be doing demos at the Care Show and will love to meet more customers and suppliers alike.” said David Meikle, sales and marketing director. See the advert on page 17 for further details. Customers and suppliers can also register their interest at www.wippet.com
How to enhance your residents residents experience --!!
Imagine a piece of e equipment for your car care home that can enhance the experience of your ts mentally y,, rresidents esidents mentally, physically and also emotionally Inspir Inspired ed Inspirations have been working dir directly ectly with car care e homes in developing their interactive touch scr screen een activity tables over the last few years, to pr provide ovide a range of scr screen een sizes and units to suit every car care e setting. setting.!!
everyLIFE’s steely focus in its support of the care industry and the people cared about extends to its digital care management platform, PASS. The platform’s newest feature, PASSreporting, uses Artificial Intelligence to track and collate recorded care activities, turning this raw information into actionable insights that carers and care managers can easily apply to enhance the care they provide and the operational efficiencies of their organisation. Duncan Campbell, Commercial Director at everyLIFE, is excited by the opportunities PASSreporting offers “Care professionals gather a huge amount of information whilst they are with the people they care about, PASSreporting automatically interprets this and flags crucial moments that matter in someone’s care journey, from an increased dependency on care, to an increased likelihood of a fall. It has also been designed to highlight and support the operational needs of care organisation, including staff training requirements and simplified CQC visits, ultimately helping to save time and money.” To find out more about PASSreporting, visit stand H62 at The Care Show or see the advert on the facing page.
Mentally - Brain training apps, memory apps, quizzes, board board games, rreasoning easoning challenges. challenges.!! Exercise Physically - Exer cise for the elderly online coordination, increased classes, hand eye coor dination, incr eased movement to move hands around around a large large screen.! screen.! Emotionally - Reminiscence tours on Google Earth, past and present YouTube present clips on Y YouT ouT Tube of ! hobbies or interests, interests, religious religious services and Group Group ZOOM calls to loved ones who cant get to visit in your residents residents person!! person!! ! “We now, “W We use it daily da and would not be without ut it now w,, even the residents residents find nd it easy and fun to use. Registerred ed Manager r,, Thank you!” Sandie Evans, Registered Manager, Oakland’’s Ca Car arre e Home, Crickhowell Oakland’s Care !
are made to or derr, if you’d like to All tables are order, enquire on a price guide and time scales for enquire deliveries, just visit their website www .inspir spiredwww.inspiredcom or scan the QR code on the inspirations.com right. For general enquiries, please email ! ! info@inspir ed-inspirations.com! info@inspired-inspirations.com!
“This amazing bit of technology is making a huge di!erence di!e !errence to our ou ur rresidents” esidents” Melanie Dawson, Manager, Manager r, The Lawns L at Heritage Manor
“W We’ve noticed notice ed that quieter rresidents esidents who didn’ “We’ve didn’tt interact too much with others have suddenly been mor re e ac active ctive and mor re e vocal.” Lindsey more more Davies, Home e Manager r,, Cwrt Enfys Manager,
The scr screen een is 5mm temper tempered ed glass for your rresidents esidents safety and sealed against fluid uid ingress ingress meaning a spill of a cup of tea won’ won’tt ruin your ! equipment. It also means an easy clean solution to stop cr cross oss contamination using any normal surface cleaner cleaner.! rr..!
See the advert on page 48 for details.
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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 73 | PAGE 57
TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE Reliant Care Solutions Ltd 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. For further information visit www.rcscare.net or call 03333 444 562.
Empowering Your Ambition with Xledger
Changing your finance system is not something you do every day. However, the benefits of taking this leap can advance the success of your care home – with greater insight and automated processes for your team, now and into the future. Xledger is a leading provider of cloud-based finance software. It helps over 10,000 organisations in 50 countries streamline, digitise and automate their finances. Accessible at any time, on any web-enabled device, Xledger has the tools to slice and dice your data and to
easily drill down from consolidation to individual level transactions. Its automated software can reduce the amount of time you spend on repeat invoices and expenditures. Xledger also prides itself on delivering a quick and simple implementation process with no requirement for a new IT infrastructure. Ultimately, the 100% cloud solution helps you to reduce costs, run a leaner, more efficient finance department and understand key financials in real-time. This gives you the opportunity to add real value to your organisation and frees up your time so you can focus on delivering the best care for your residents. Xledger will be exhibiting at The Care Show 2021 (Hall: 3A, Stand: F64). Xledger Senior Consultant Peter Hucker will also be hosting a session on the morning of Day 1 of the event, entitled Modernise Your Finance System: Why, How and What to Avoid, which is taking place in the Business Compliance Regulation Theatre. To book a demo or arrange a 1-2-1 meeting at the Care Show 2021, you can contact them by emailing mail@xledger.co.uk or call 0117 457 3293.
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PAGE 58 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 73
TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE Why Now Is The Moment To Embrace Digital Health Technology As Part Of The Care Home System By Axel Nordberg, Essity Global Brand Director (www.essity.com) As we emerge from the depths of a historic pandemic, the words of Florence Nightingale have never rung truer for carers around the world. From adapting to PPE requirements to abiding by social distancing, Covid-19 has forced all carers to relearn key parts of their trade to keep their residents safe and healthy. Naturally, this has not come without a cost. According to our data at Essity, the pandemic has had a detrimental impact on either the physical health, mental health or emotional wellbeing of more than eight out of ten of the UK carers surveyed. Every carer said their role had changed, with 95% working longer hours to manage urinary incontinence, cleaning and sterilising responsibilities – the highest of any country in Europe. Ultimately, the bravery of our frontline heroes can only endure this emotional and physical toll for so long. In the face of adversity, however, we must look forward. The development of digital health technology – and the appetite to integrate it into care homes – is accelerating at an exceptional rate, and the industry is realising that it is an essential component of a more efficient, higher quality future for care.
TAKING THE CHANCE TO CHANGE
The pandemic has provided the care industry with a moment to step
back and evaluate how it operates. Alongside the long-term impacts of Covid-19, an ageing population will soon demand a new delivery of care – with care homes unlikely to be able to accommodate every patient that needs their service. For many, home treatment will become the practical solution. In recent years, digital health technology has made this process safer and more comfortable for those who require care, their families, and their carers. From medication reminder apps and ECG wearables, to information-sharing software that lets nurses access patient data remotely, innovation is delivering products and solutions to cater for home care. As more care organisations integrate digital health technology into their operations, they build the infrastructure for a digital future of care. With over a third of carers wanting the government or private companies to invest in more technology, there is a clear appetite to make that next step forward from those that matter.
IMPROVING DIGNITY AND COMFORT THROUGH TECH
To bring the power of digital health technology to life, it is important to discuss it in the context of the real, day-to-day issues putting an insurmountable strain on carers. Managing urinary incontinence – an important yet challenging aspect of a carer’s day-to-day role – has had both a physical and emotional impact on the carer during the pandemic, with the rate of resultant exhaustion (25%) and resentment (13%) rising by 19% and 10% respectively since 2019. It’s not just the carers that are impacted – 80% of carers find it hard to maintain the dignity of those suffering from the problem. Deploying technology to address these issues can be life-changing for carers and those needing care alike. However, the UK is currently lagging behind. Only 27% of UK carers said that they have access to
sensor technology to support incontinence care, compared to the European average of 32%. Reusable sensors, such as our recently launched TENA SmartCare Change Indicator, can track when a patient needs changing and provide app notifications to their carers, ensuring instant attention and avoiding unnecessary checks. With 71% carers currently struggling with the time required to make frequent checks associated with urinary incontinence, this technology is invaluable to the efficiency of their role.
ENABLING A BETTER TOMORROW FOR CARE
The value of digital health technology in the management of urinary incontinence is just one example of the impact it can have in a care environment, albeit a strong one: 98% of UK carers say that it helps them feel better about their role. This figure alone highlights the value of digital health technology in enabling carers to react to health issues sooner and in a smarter way. By integrating technology into the care routine, any decline in the residents or loved one’s well-being, however slight, can be tracked and used to notify those that can provide the necessary support. As patterns appear in their personal data, it even has the potential to allow carers to predict and prevent various health issues. As an industry, we must continue to work together – as innovators and carers – to co-create digital health technology solutions that will have a meaningful impact on people’s lives. The pandemic has provided the care sector with an opportunity to engage in digital transformation and provide its frontline heroes with the technological support they need to keep those in care, safe, healthy, and happy. Better connected care will deliver better care, for everyone.
Empower Your Care Teams With Flexible Digital Care Management Nourish Care is a Digital Care Planning provider that works with a range of different care services, including residential, nursing, dementia care, learning disabilities, large care groups and more. The app-based system is made up of digital care plans, custom interactions and personalised timelines for everyone within a care service. The digital platform allows care teams to record at the point of care, and analyse data over time to tailor care plans to the individual’s needs. The most important goal for Nourish is to enable carers to spend less time on admin, and more time providing face-to-face, person-centred care. Nourish were one of only two software providers to be assured by NHSX for its DSCR (Digital Social Care Records) Digital Purchasing System (DPS) at launch, and were also the first to be certified by the Professional Record Standards Body (PRSB), with whom they worked very closely to define a new set of standards for interoperability across the care sector.
Some of the most recent additions to the Nourish platform include a Medication Module that allows care providers to streamline medication management. The app also now has an additional option to use Nourish Insights - a powerful reporting and analytics feature that allows care owners and managers to closely track and monitor trends within those they support, to continue to improve the delivery of care. To learn more about the Nourish platform, you can visit them at The Care Show on 13th & 14th October at stand H82. Founder and CEO, Nuno Almeida will also be delivering two talks on the 13th, including Accelerating Quality Improvement by Empowering Circles of Care and Digital Social Care Records - Joining Up Care. You can also contact Nourish to book your free personalised demo by visiting www.nourishcare.co.uk or calling 02380 002288.
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TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE Check EU Employees Right To Work, Warns Bizimply Care employers will need to keep clear records of their team members’ immigration and right-to-work status as the UK moves into the post-Brexit ‘hostile environment’ from 1 July. Care workforce specialist Bizimply is warning businesses that they need a clear and accessible record of every employee’s status in order to demonstrate compliance with the regulations. Under UK law, employers face imprisonment and unlimited fines for knowingly employing someone who does not have the right to work in the UK. Employers using Bizimply’s suite of workforce management software can easily and confidentially record all the necessary status confirmation and supporting documentation for employees, and make it available to check if required. Employers can be jailed for five years and pay an unlimited fine if found guilty of employing someone who they know or had ‘reasonable cause to believe’ did not have the right to work in the UK.
Details of the Settled Status regulations are at www.gov.uk/eusettledstatus. An employer toolkit is at www.gov.uk/government/collections/eu-settlementscheme-employer-toolkit See the advert this page or visit www.bizimply.com
Global Software Solutions
Leecare is a leading UK and international aged care sector software system. The Platinum 5 (P5) system supports all CQC standards for optimal resident and operational management. Designed by aged care expert staff and tailored specifically to aged care organisations, P5 assists with predicting, recording and providing evidence for all resident and business needs in one user-friendly system. Leecare’s comprehensive software suite encompasses all clinical and managerial requirements on one platform assisting with the management of clinical risk and freeing up more time for staff to spend with residents all whilst exceeding CQC requirements.
WHAT MAKES US THE EXPERTS?
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Our extensive sector knowledge and experience as a result of more than 28 years in the aged care business, positions Leecare to be the software solution of choice across five continents. Our global client base is built of 900+ government, small independent services, and multi-facility corporate organisations in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, UK, and China.
Our senior management team have years of collective experience working in, consulting to, and managing care organisations. This has led us to develop the P5 suite – an unparalleled clinical, care, lifestyle, medication, operations, and financial management software solution specifically created for the health and social care sector.
CUSTOMISATION
Leecare’s comprehensive Platinum 5.0 program is easily customised to meet specific organisational needs. Offering as much or as little flexibility as desired, P5 assessment content across the suite and linked Apps can be modified to provide clients with reassurance that the software is fit for purpose. Integral to the program is a specialised form and report builder which enables easy tailoring of the program. Organisations can build or modify assessments, monitoring charts care plans and reports as well as change default and individual resident settings ensuring optimal function and success. Visit www.leecare.co.uk for further information.
PAGE 62 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 73
PROPERTY & PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
The Vocabulary of Leadership By Peter Bewert, Managing Director at Meaningful Care Matters (www.meaningfulcarematters.com)
Leadership! It’s a word that is commonly stated in many different situations. It comes up in personal, professional, social, family, and many other aspects of life. But what does it really mean and further still, what does it really do? Some would say that leaders are part of a bureaucratic chain that seeks to control the lives of us mere minions, conforming us to societal rules made by leaders who are above the leaders, and the bigger leaders beyond that… bureaucracy at its best! So, many self-help and leadership books assert we must ‘tap into the leader within’, well, what happens when one struggles with deciding what to have for breakfast and praying that we simply make it through the day without inadvertently telling someone to ‘go away’ (usually said with a more uncouth colloquial vernacular in one’s head and on occasions, out loud).
As human beings, we complicate many things all too frequently and most of the time unnecessarily. Leadership is simple. The test of a good leader is whether that person inspires you to make a change to better yourself as a person. Leadership, therefore, is about engagement, interaction, relationships, and connections which are meaningful and that matter. We all have the ability to tap into the leader within. Just as we all have the ability to use our leadership to inspire and empower, or to create a feeling of disenchantment around us. Over 25 years of working in health and social care, I have learnt 4 top motivators of emotionally led leadership. If we embrace these top four principles, we will undoubtedly influence positive cultures where people are real, people are genuine, and people can connect meaningfully: 1. Know Yourself: When we know ourselves and how we like to interact and engage with others, this is the first step to authentic meaningful relationship. This is the foundation of leadership. 2. Know your communication style: Knowing the way you like to give and receive information is important. This allows us to develop our communication styles where we are not so strong and in which others may have as their preference. This allows for better understanding. 3. You are not an oracle: Being open to other ideas and ways of thinking are essential. We don’t know everything and, sure, we can bring our best to the table, but when we truly listen to the collective thoughts and ideas of those who we engage with, that’s how we move from good to great. 4. You have a heart for a reason: People are driven by the heart and soul of their emotions. The difference between good leaders and great leaders is understanding emotional intelligence and the impact of emotions on people
and their actions. This means being open to feelings and emotions and learning to not only recognise them, but to also speak the language of feelings. Culture is an umbrella term outlining the societal norms and behaviours which govern our behaviours. One could argue culture designs us and, in part, this is true. However, culture is shaped by the people within. Leaders have the ability to impact culture. The question is, what influence will we exert on moulding our cultures of the future? I would like to think we are all seeking for a better world for ourselves and future generations to experience. This can only come when we embrace agile, emotionally intelligent framework, and this has to come from our leadership styles in action. Feelings, actions, interactions, and knowledge will shape our cultures of the future; we are the designers of the culture we wish to see. Good leadership begins with self. It empowers self and others to be the best version of ‘me’ and embrace the unique individualism that comes from the diversity of beliefs and cultural practices. So, what are you going to influence today? Peter Bewert is the Managing Director at Meaningful Care Matters, a leading care and organisational development group that specialises in helping health and social care providers to access a variety of support services. The group helps to facilitate the creation, reinvigoration and sustainable implementation of person-centred care cultures where people matter, feelings matter, and we are ‘Free to be Me’. Contact the team on admin@meaningfulcarematters.com.
The Social Care Sector Faces The Most Unprecedented Workforce Crisis And Needs Urgent Government Support It is clear that care providers are struggling to recruit and this is due to a combination of factors including low wages, the pandemic, Brexit-related workforce changes and the implementation of the double vaccination policy. This is against a backdrop of an increasing number of adults who need support across the country. Aston Brooke Solicitors working in conjunction with Care England, the largest representative body for independent providers of adult social care, has urged the government to provide more support to stem the workforce crisis in adult social care. Professor Martin Green OBE, CEO of Care England said: “Quite simply care providers are at breaking point. The writing is on the wall and without immediate help, as given to the NHS, the social care sector will crumple and not be there to support the NHS over the winter let alone in years to come”. Care England wrote to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Sajid Javid, outlining the crisis in the sector and the steps required to be taken by government with immediate effect. This included: • Expanding the social care workforce by recruiting an additional 35,000 to 70,000 workers from abroad to combat the effects of the mandatory vaccination. • Reducing the qualifying level for overseas recruitment for social care staff (£25,600). • The inclusion of all care workers to the Shortage Occupation List and reducing the salary threshold for immigration • Waiving the Immigration Skills Charge for care workers
• Fast-track system to grant visas under sponsorship licenses for people working in social care • Bonuses/increase pay • Direct support to help fund those suffering from PTSD • The need for the continuation of COVID funds. Martin added: “We have done an enormous amount of work on what could and should be done to help the adult social care workforce and hope that we can look to the government for support.” Following the footsteps of Care England, a ground-breaking report by Community Integrated Care has found that the social care sector losing more than 34% of its employees every year and having 112,000 vacancies presently, this research brings into stark focus the roots of an unprecedented workforce crisis. The social care sector is anxiously awaiting the government’s response on this pressing issue. Aston Brooke is working tirelessly to address the recruitment crisis by assisting care providers. If any care providers require further information, please contact Mr Kashif Majeed at km@astonbrooke.co.uk See the advert on page 27 for further information.
Skills, Knowledge, and Confidence Delivered Online Covid19 reminded us all just how important the NHS and care home staff are to our society. We are grateful for their hard work and bravery, and feel honoured to support them through our Laser Care Certificate course and CPD short courses. Working in the care sector is certainly demanding, so our objective is to make it convenient and straightforward for workers to upskill and acquire confidence in the process. 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 equip staff with highly-relevant skills and knowledge so they can tackle new challenges or progress in their career. Two courses in particular – ‘Causes and spread of infection’ and ‘Infection control and prevention’ – were very popular during the pandemic. 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 page 11.
PAGE 64 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 73
PROPERTY & PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Will Care Homes Face an Uncertain Future Without Further Financial Support? By John Rozenbroek, CFO/COO at Capify (www.capify.co.uk) Care home workers have been at the forefront of the battle against coronavirus, and the sector has faced incredible challenges throughout this pandemic. Reduced revenue due to a drop in the number of residents; an increased need for workers; high staff turnover and the additional cost of PPE and other safety measures within care homes has had a significant impact on cash flow for these businesses. The pandemic has highlighted just how crucial care homes are and the important role they play in supporting our loved ones at the end of their lives. However, there are fears now that without further financial support, the sector will suffer, and so will the level of care residents have access to. As lockdown restrictions continue to ease and the country starts to reopen, do care homes really have everything they need to recover from this crisis?
THE NEED FOR GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
Unlike NHS-run hospitals, care homes are often privately owned businesses and therefore their revenue comes from patient fees. In an effort to help the sector in its recovery, the Government announced additional financial support for care homes, including a £600 million adult social care infection control fund. However, this funding was distributed across local authorities and deployed at their discretion, and therefore wasn’t readily available to every care home business. Boosting cash flow was the top priority for 57% of businesses in our recent survey, proving there is still huge demand for working capital. For adult care homes having working capital to ensure high-quality care can be given to all residents and that they have the staff needed to deliver this is absolutely key. Cash in the bank is a necessity. On top of all of this, the pandemic has put enormous pressure on workers within the care sector and as a result, many businesses have experienced high staff turnover and sickness, leading to a shortage of key skills. The State of Health Care and Adult Social Care report gives an indication of the toll the pandemic has had on the social care workforce with 7.5% of working days lost to staff sickness, compared with 2.7% pre-COVID-19. But it's clear that SMEs, and especially those within the care sector are still in desperate need of finance this year despite the huge
amounts of money that have been lent through the BBLS and CBILS. The Pay as You Grow scheme will provide some welcome relief for many businesses, but it does not address the fundamental issue, which is that SMEs still need finance. The majority of the UK’s ‘big banks’ are much happier lending to larger businesses with a long track record of profitability. But that doesn’t help SMEs and the impacts of the pandemic will have damaged the chances of many smaller businesses getting finance from a big bank. That’s where I think the fintech industry will need to step up more than ever before to help companies bridge the gap. There’s already been huge growth with more and more business owners looking to get finance more quickly; with a simpler approach and with more flexibility. For these reasons, I expect 2021 will be a big year for alternative lenders with the support for the care sector set to be high on the agenda. Capify is an online lender that provides flexible financing solutions to SMEs seeking working capital to sustain or grow their business. The fintech company has been operating in the UK market for over 13 years and also has a sister company, Capify Australia, which provides similar services to Australian SMEs for over 13 years. For more details about Capify, visit: http://www.capify.co.uk
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
Selling by Auction Is the Fastest and Most Certain Way to Complete a Property Transaction
Owing to the pressures of the Covid-19 pandemic, Charles Darrow Auctions is experiencing increasing demand from business owners looking to sell their Care Home premises by auction. While government support continues, property availability is still low. However, market demand from buyers searching for former Care Homes for either investment purposes or alternative uses is high. We are seeing sellers successfully take advantage of the high levels of market demand right now, rather than waiting to join what is likely to become a saturated market, with an anticipated influx of commercial property likely to be hitting the market in the first quarter of 2022. To satisfy this demand, we are looking for entries into our next auction and will consider all types of Care Home. Our company ethos is to achieve the best price possible by providing the most up to date accurate marketing advice to our clients. Lucy Fuller, Auction Surveyor at Charles Darrow commented “An auction sale can often take as little as
four weeks from instruction to an exchange of contracts, whereas a standard Private Treaty sale is currently taking on average four to six months to reach exchange of contracts, with no guarantee the buyer will not withdraw from the transaction at any point in the process. Our auction process allows people to seriously commit to a purchase when bidding, as contracts will exchange instantly to the highest bidder at the fall of the gavel”. Sadly, a lot of business owners around the UK are now in some form of financial distress and with this likely to worsen as government support is withdrawn, a quick method of sale is likely to be required by many of them before the year end. We believe that selling by auction is truly the fastest and most certain way to complete a property transaction and we would love to have the opportunity to discuss your marketing options with you. If we can help you, please contact the Auction team at Charles Darrow on 01626 572894 / 01626 330022 or visit www.charlesdarrow.co.uk/auctions