The Carer Digital - Issue #74

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 74

Multi-Million Pound Fund to Boost Adult Social Care Workforce

Adult social care will benefit from £162.5 million of new funding to help workforce retention and recruitment.

Local authorities across England will soon be able to access the fund based on their need, helping to boost the number of people working in adult social care and supporting those already working in the sector to continue to deliver highquality care.

The ring-fenced funding, available until the end of March 2022, will support

local authorities working with providers to recruit staff. It will also be available to help retain the existing workforce – through overtime payments and staff banks of people ready to work in social care – and will provide further capacity to support their health and well-being through occupational health.

The fund is part of a series of measures in the short and longer term to support social care and ensure there is the right number of staff with the skills to deliver high-quality care to meet increasing demands.

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 3...)

PAGE 2 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 74

EDITOR'S VIEWPOINT Welcome to the latest edition of The Carer Digital! instead for short-term measures.

National Living Wage is set to rise by 6.6 per cent from £8.91 per hour to £9.50 and while nobody would begrudge the hard-working Unfortunately, the chancellor's budget today care workers a pay rise, takes place at the exact same time we are disgiven the state of the industributed! tries finances the governWe did think of delaying distribution to comment must heed industry ment on the budget’s impact on social care, but calls. in publishing, well, “deadlines are deadlines”.

Reports this week conPlease do monitor our website www.thecareruk.com our Twitter feed and our digital newslet- firmed that it is not only a crisis in residential care, insufficient central government funding for home care services in the UK has been exposed in a new report, with ters, we will in the coming hours receive comment from industry experts and observers so many councils unable to pay providers a fair price for care.

The Homecare Association says low fee rates for home care are a direct consewatch this space! quence of inadequate central government funding, which leads to poor pay, terms Pre budget I think ADASS president Stephen Chandler made a very valid point and conditions for the workforce. when he calls for the Chancellor to act, and act decisively.

Chief executive Dr Jane Townson said: “Once again, the continued deficit in Over the years we have produced and publicised professional and expert comfunding for homecare services for older people across the United Kingdom is ment surrounding the “crisis management approach” to adult social care. Mr exposed.

Chandler added quite rightly that adult social care could not go on with repeated “At least 70% of homecare is purchased by the State, so central government short-term, 11th-hour cash handouts and needed certainty of direction and funding. funding of councils for social care has a direct impact on the fee rates they are Earlier this year research by Kings Fund called for politicians to be honest with able to pay for homecare. In turn, these fee rates and the way homecare is comthe public about the shortcomings of the current system and the costs of reform. missioned and purchased, determines pay, terms and conditions of employment of Their research revealed that people have very little understanding of how social the care workforce. care operates and even less understanding of how it is funded. When given more “Scandalously low fee rates for homecare are paid by some public organisations, detailed information about how social care works, they overwhelmingly agree that particularly in areas of highest deprivation, which do not enable compliance with reform is needed.

This was echoed at the recent care events we attended. The sector itself knows employment or care regulations, never mind allow fair reward for the skills and experience of care workers.” only too well pressures it faces every single day not only with funding, but with As stated above, at the time of writing this the budget is currently under way, recruitment as well with over 100,000 vacancies unfilled every single day, and a possible exodus from the sector from the sector when mandatory when mandato- and the chancellor is in “full flow”, so please so do monitor our website for industry response www.thecareruk.com ry vaccines are introduced.

Don't forget our Unsung Hero Award.

I have been editing this publication for the past 13 years, and I noted on the A fantastic luxury hamper awaits the winner, so please do get nominating via Kings Fund report earlier this year entitled “The social care system is failing the nominate@thecareruk.com people who rely on it and urgently needs reform”, that in the past 20 years there And please do keep your story is coming in, we are delighted to publish some have been many failed attempts to find a way forward on the problems adult delightful stories from various homes around the country, from birthdays to fund social care face, including 12 White Papers, Green Papers and other consultations raising, from baking to growing vegetables, anything you would like to share about social care in England, as well as 5 independent reviews and commissions. please do send it to me editor@thecareruk.com Successive governments have simply kicked the can down the road, opting There are only four kinds of people in the world. Those who have been caregivers. Those who are currently caregivers. Those who will be caregivers, and those who will need a caregiver.”

— Rosalyn Carter

Editor

Peter Adams

PUBLISHED BY RBC Publishing Ltd Roddis House, Old Christchurch Rd, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH1 1LG

TELEPHONE:

01202 552333 (6 lines)

Fax: 01202 552666 Email: sales@thecareruk.com

WEBSITE: www.thecareruk.com EDITOR Peter Adams SALES EXECUTIVES Sylvia Mawson David Bartlett Guy Stephenson TYPESETTING & DESIGN Matthew Noades PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Shelly Roche Published by

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 74 | PAGE 3

Multi-Million Pound Fund to Boost Adult Social Care Workforce

(CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER)

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “I want to thank care workers for their commitment and tireless efforts throughout the COVID-19 pandemic – we owe them a debt of gratitude which I am determined to repay through ambitious, sustainable social care reform that prioritises their skills and wellbeing.”

“This dedicated funding will help local authorities bolster staff numbers and care workers to continue delivering high-quality care for everyone who needs it.”

Throughout the pandemic, the government has provided almost £2 billion towards infection control and testing and over £6 billion has been made available to local authorities to address pressures on their services, including social care.

This funding is in addition to the £388 million announced in September 2021 to support infection control, testing and to boost flu and COVID-19 vaccines in care homes ahead.

In the longer term, the Health and Social Care Levy will see a total of £5.4 billion invested in adult social care – including £500 million for staff training to reduce staff turnover and enable carers to achieve recognised qualifications alongside their day-to-day work.

Minister for Care Gillian Keegan said: “The social care workforce has delivered high-quality care in the most challenging circumstances over the past 18 months – showing true dedication and professionalism – and I can’t thank them enough.”

“This funding will help care providers recruit and retain staff, support-

ing both those already making a difference while bringing in new colleagues to help.”

“Everyone deserves to be cared for with dignity and respect. This funding, as well as our wider reforms, will bring us closer to a worldleading social care system.”

However, the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services has said that while this latest funding boost is welcome, it does not go far enough and that £1.5 billion is required to stabilise the adult social care workforce.

Responding to the multi-pound-million funding announcement, Cathie Williams, Chief Executive of ADASS, commented: “In the run up to what promises to be an incredibly difficult winter, it is important to know that we set out to Government the need for an additional £1.5 billion to stabilise the supply of care and support, including the essential workforce, and £1.5 billion to support unpaid carers.

“This additional funding is very welcome, but it is not sufficient and equates to around £100 per care worker. We await the promised Winter Plan and the upcoming Spending Review for further details of how the promises of long-term solutions will be met; so that the committed, courageous and compassionate people working in social care feel valued and rewarded, family carers are supported and those of us with care and support are enabled to live good lives.”

Dr Rhidian Hughes, Chief Executive of the Voluntary Organisations Disability Group (VODG), said: “This is a positive step towards alleviating some of the current workforce pressures facing voluntary sector

providers of disability services and is to be welcomed. However, it’s crucial that the government does not now think that the recruitment and retention challenges is now over. Far from it.

“As an infrastructure organisation supporting over 100 charities, we are hearing first-hand about the challenges in securing staff to deliver essential care. We have shared our workforce intelligence with the Department of Health and Social Care and this highlights the extent to which voluntary sector providers are grappling with high turnover rates, rising vacancy rates, and competition from other low pay sectors. It is encouraging that the government has lent a listening ear to the sector and committed this funding, but we have already reached the point where charities are not taking on new services in some areas, and we could see charitable-run services becoming unviable if we cannot secure the workforce to deliver care.

“The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services calculate that the funding equates to around £100 per worker in England. This calculation clearly shows that further funding must urgently be brought forward.

“Ahead of the Chancellor’s Comprehensive Spending Review, we call on the government to go beyond the short-term, quick-fix approach that we can only hope will help ease some of the immediate pressure, and to instead act to provide sufficient funds to enable state funded services to be commissioned at levels that enable the workforce to be properly rewarded for the work they do, long into the future.”

The government has committed to bring forward white papers on adult social care reform and integration this year.

Atherton Care Home Residents Do Like to be Beside the Seaside Ice cream cones and candy floss were on the menu at an Atherton care home as it held a ‘Blackpool’ themed day for residents.

The Chanters care home, which is operated by Larchwood Care, hosted the seaside special with classic face-in-a-hole cut outs, 99 ice cream cones, hook-a-duck and coin pusher games.

Residents were lucky to enjoy glorious sunshine, adding to the holiday feel of the day, which also featured ‘donkey rides’ in the form of hobby horses.

The day was organised by the care home’s activities manager, Lyndsey McBride, whose job it is to keep residents’ minds engaged and bodies active with regular activities and events. Other regular activities at the home include yoga, bingo,

themed meals and visits from entertainers.

Lyndsey McBride, activities manager at The Chanters care home, said: “Due to our covid guidelines, we’re still not able to take all of our residents out and about.

Usually trips to Blackpool are really popular with our residents, so we decided that if we can’t go there, let’s bring the seaside to us!

“Everyone had a great day enjoying ice creams and games in the sun. There were some great pictures being sent to grandchildren over at the face-in-a-hole area too.

“I heard lots of great stories from residents about trips to the seaside, so I think it certainly brought back memories for some.”

PAGE 4 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 74

How to Ensure That People Protected by DoLS are Happy

By QCS staff featuring Rachel Griffiths, Mental Capacity and Human Rights Specialist (www.qcs.co.uk) How do you help those who cannot consent to their care arrangements to be as happy as possible? The answer of course lies in robust care plans, which are written by care staff who have a deep understanding of the nuances and complexities of the Mental Capacity Act and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).

Having a thorough knowledge of both ensures that a person lacking capacity who may or may not be subject to DoLS is always at the centre of every decision made. But, providing person centred care, which puts service users under DoLS supervision at the heart of the decision-making process, is rarely straightforward.

Why? Well, those subject to DoLS are often unable to communicate their wants and needs effectively.

Ensuring that service users are the happiest that they can be, while protecting them from harm, is a delicate balance. It requires all parties to possess a broad understanding of the purpose, scope and limits of DoLS. Sadly, some care professionals, local authorities and families don’t understand DoLS. And who can blame them? The language is full of jargon and hard to understand. It has led to some care services, who have misunderstood the legislation, to issue blanket supervision orders, which in some cases have led to service users being deprived of their liberty.

Following Baroness Hale’s Supreme Court judgment, which recognised that a person, who was happy in a care setting, may still be being deprived of their liberty, if they were unable ever to leave the service that was supporting them, DoLS will be replaced by the Liberty Protection Safeguards or LPS for short. However, the intention of the new legislation, which many insiders believe faces further delays, remains exactly the same according to Rachel Griffiths MBE, a mental capacity and human rights specialist. Ms. Griffiths, who consults for Quality Compliance Systems (QCS), the leading provider of content, guidance and standards for the social care sector, says, “DoLS and the new LPS legislative framework effectively do the same thing. But due to the impenetrable language used, DoLS has gained a bad reputation. In summary, people misunderstand the legislation and tend to ignore the ‘s’ in DoLS. ‘Safeguards’, however, is actually the most important word.”

Ms. Griffiths explains that a DoLS authorisation “accepts that a person’s care plan is restrictive”, but says that “once there is recognition that it is restrictive, the authorisation does not mean that the person is curtailed from doing things they enjoy”. Ms. Griffiths says, “it just means that staff are protected from liability when they do deprive a person of their liberty. This is because the care plan has been assessed by experts to see if it’s the least restrictive possible that will keep that person safe. Through DoLS, therefore, service users are actually having their right to liberty spot-lit.”

You can always improve a person’s little freedoms even if you cannot improve the big ones It is this enlightened understanding of the legislation that is often the key to ensuring that a person is happy. Frontline carers, who truly understand DoLS, for example, recognise that while people under a DoLS authorisation might lack capacity to make major decisions, they can – almost always – make the smaller ones.

“It is empowering people to do so” says Ms. Griffiths, “that can have an extremely positive effect on wellbeing.”

She explains, “Those protected by DoLS may not be able to manage the big decisions such as negotiating a busy road, managing their money or their medication, but they may well be able to decide what they want to eat, want to wear, or what music they wish to listen to. When I was MCA Lead for the CQC, I remember visiting a care home and I was delighted to see that that the service users, most of whom were in their eighties, were listening to the music of their era. You could instantly see the positive effect that the Rolling Stones, the

Beetles and the Kinks had on mood.”

Always seek the views of loved ones Often, when a person is unable to consent to their care arrangements, it is exceptionally challenging for busy care service staff to find out what makes them tick. But the Mental Capacity Act’s best interests test implores frontline staff to always align care with what makes a person happy.

On this note, Ms. Griffiths says that it is “vitally important that staff make the effort to reach out to friends and relatives”, as finding out about their quirks and their past can radically improve wellbeing”.

Ms. Griffiths notes, “The information imparted by family and friends can be gold dust. It can really transform a person’s wellbeing. If, for example, it transpires that a service user spent his or her life on a farm, then they can factor time spent in the garden or walking in nearby fields into a care plan. That also gives the person the opportunity to share their life history with the care team and fellow service users, which is incredibly rewarding for everyone.”

It began with an old photo Sometimes, however, a person has no family. When this happens, the onus is very much on the care team to proactively build up a detailed picture of the service user’s personal history.

Ms. Griffiths says, “I was once visiting a home when I observed a junior staff member talking to an elderly gentleman. He had been extremely depressed and withdrawn because nobody has asked him about his interests, his family and his life experiences. She saw a black and white photo on his bedside table of him in army uniform. She asked him about it and the gentleman told her he had fought in the Second World War. She immediately contacted the British Legion, who visited him. His mood vastly improved all because a frontline worker took a person-centred approach.”

Understand that physical and mental health are often related As a person subject to DoLS may not be able to communicate their wishes, if a person is unhappy, or displays challenging behaviour, it may not be due to depression or sadness, but simply because they are in pain.

While community dentistry has got much better, it is not uncommon for someone in a residential care home to suffer from toothache. If a person living with advanced dementia or perhaps with a severe learning disability cannot communicate that they are in pain, care workers must closely observe them in an attempt to establish what is bothering them.

Ms. Griffiths remarks, “When a dentist does need to be called, and the service users is frightened to see them, then care workers should try to establish strategies to make the visit less stressful. For those service users, who don't like to have their teeth cleaned, again, seeking tips from relatives is key. In an attempt to reduce decay, carers who have listened to relatives have made small changes – such as introduce a mild flavoured toothpaste – or swop their standard toothbrush for an electric one. In doing so, they have discovered that these tiny tweaks have had an incredible impact on wellbeing.

Perhaps this best demonstrates that people with lived experience of the MCA do not always find the same things important as professionals do. However, carers should bear in mind that the person’s voice is crucial. Listening to what they have to say is what counts. After all it is their life, not ours.”

To find out more about DoLS and Mental Capacity, or to purchase a subscription, please contact QCS’s team of advisors on 0333-4053333 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’.

Immediate Social Care Funding Needed to Clear Backlog, Warn Council and Health Leaders The NHS backlog caused by the pandemic will take even longer to clear if immediate national funding to tackle pressures facing social care now is not announced in today’s Spending Review, health and council leaders warn, in the face of rising COVID-19 cases and potentially the most challenging winter in the history of the health and care system.

The Local Government Association and NHS Confederation are joining forces to call on the Chancellor to use the Spending Review to provide genuinely new money for social care to help prevent admissions and get more people out of hospital and safely into their homes and communities.

In its health and social care plan published last month, the Government stated that health and care challenges are “interrelated” and that “social care is an integral part of our society and economy”. The LGA, which represents councils, and the NHS Confederation on behalf of the healthcare system in England, say this now needs to be translated into real action, backed up by the necessary resources so that social care, like the NHS, benefits from significant national funding now to tackle immediate pressures.

Social care pressures make it harder to tackle the serious backlog of cases needing to be dealt with by the NHS due to the ongoing impact of the pandemic, where beds are still occupied by people who are medically fit to be discharged but do not have care arrangements in place for their return.

Both organisations say that today’s crucial Spending Review must inject urgently-needed new national funding to address severe and mounting pressures that are resulting in growing unmet and under-met need, greater strain on the care workforce and unpaid carers and increased pressure on an already unstable provider market.

Further increases in council tax and the social care precept to pay for these immediate pressures also cannot be relied upon further, as this raises varying amounts in different parts of the country, unrelated to need.

Recent government funding announcements to help clear the NHS backlog for people waiting for tests and scans and on care workforce retention and recruitment will be useful, but are not enough to meet the immediate pressures facing social care now, and do nothing to address the core issue of care worker pay.

The £162.5 million workforce fund for adult social care will help in making staffing ratios safer and tackle significant recruitment and retention challenges as we head into an extremely challenging winter.

However, they need to be seen in the context of wider pressures. The LGA estimates that £1.5 billion is needed now to stabilise the care provider market and then £1.1 billion per year over the next three years, to meet extra costs from rising demand for social care while maintaining current levels of quality and access.

The Spending Review needs to provide sustainable funding to help

councils and providers plan with confidence over the longer term, as opposed to one-off, time-limited injections of funding.

Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board, said: “Councils have long warned about the impact of an underfunded social care system on the NHS. There cannot be a sustainable NHS without a sustainable adult social care system.

“It is clear that our health and care system faces a hugely difficult winter ahead. Councils will continue to work hard with the local NHS amid unprecedented funding pressures to try and help people live independently and reduce demand on the health service.

“Immediate extra funding is needed in the Spending Review to help avoid a situation where people spend longer in hospital, rather than in their own home and communities – or having their operations cancelled more regularly - as NHS pressures become unsustainable this winter and councils are left increasingly powerless to help.”

Dr Layla McCay, director of policy at the NHS Confederation said: “Healthcare leaders know how closely linked health and social care services are, they are sister services so when one suffers so does the other. While they are grateful for the additional investment given to help tackle the elective care waiting list, they are aware that a well-funded and good quality social care sector is also vital to a healthy nation and a strong and well-performing NHS. “New short-term funding which addresses the present crisis is urgently needed ahead of what will be a perilous winter, but we also need long term funding to radically improve services and improve the recruitment and retention of social care staff.”

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 74 | PAGE 5

Local Carer Scoops Coveted National Title Adrian Stoica at Barchester’s Chorleywood Beaumont in Chorleywood has beaten all the competition to be crowned National Health and Safety Champion in the Barchester Care Awards 2021.

The Barchester Care Awards celebrate the staff who go the extra mile for the benefit of the 12,000 residents living in Barchester’s 248 care homes and private hospitals across the country. Categories range from ‘Registered Nurse of the Year’ and ‘Carer of the Year’ to ‘Dementia Care Champion’ and ‘Activities Coordinator of the Year’.

More than 2,900 nominations were received from homes and hospitals across the UK. All entries were a

very high standard and Adrian is over the moon to have been named the national winner, beating hundreds of other nominees to the coveted title.

Adrian Stoica said: “It was a real honour to be nominated and I am so delighted to have won. Chorleywood Beaumont is a great place to work and I love being part of the team. ” Adrian Stoica’s win was announced at a special national award ceremony which took place on last week to celebrate the outstanding achievements of Barchester’s many exemplary staff members who have all witnessed first-hand the hardest 18 months in the history of social care.

General Manager, Judith Boikhutso said: “This is an amazing achievement and the whole home is so proud of him. Adrian is such a team player, always on hand to help. He has a great relationship with our residents and their friends and family.”

Online Marketplaces are Popping Up Like Mushrooms All Around the World Online marketplaces are popping up like mushrooms all around the world. Most of our readers will have used one or more, knowingly or not, and now a new one has been launched to service the care sector.

Online marketplaces are websites where multiple different sellers can sell their goods and services to multiple different buyers. There have been consumer sites like this for decades, starting with likes of confused.com and comparethemarket.com. Then they moved into travel with Airbnb and Booking.com, but lately there are marketplaces everywhere - even Facebook has a marketplace now, where buyers and sellers can meet and buy and sell.

But Wippet, which launched at the Care Show this month, is a specialised marketplace just for healthcare. It’s a B2B site where care providers can buy everything they need from wipes to wheelchairs, from furniture to food. But with Wippet customers can buy all these different things in one basket, with one login and one invoice – saving countless hours of administrative time that could be better spent delivering care.

The new Internet service is the brainchild of Matt Oxley who brought in two co-founders, John Barrowcliffe, an ecommerce and tech expert, and David Meikle a marketing expert.

Oxley said: “I know form first-hand experience the breadth and depth of services

that care provision needs – and it entails the management of multiple suppliers across multiple locations with multiple different needs for each location. The complexity of the care service supply chain is mindboggling. That’s what we’ve set out to simplify and that’s what we’re achieving with Wippet. The technological capability behind Wippet has existed for a long time, but nobody has applied it properly to benefit one of the sectors that needs it most.”

Wippet launched at the Care Show to great excitement. The site has the look, feel and functionality of the most sophisticated, but at the

same time intuitive, consumer websites. John Barrowcliffe, known as JB, was the mastermind behind the platform: “It was hugely complex to construct, but that’s what’s required to make it simple to use. There’s no point setting out to make life easier for care providers and then asking them to make significant changes to the way they work. For example, if we only managed transactions on credit and debit cards, many care providers would have had to change their preferred payment methods to suit us. That’s all backwards. So, we made sure that the site can accommodate existing payment methods, whatever they are. Suppliers can even upload credit terms with their customers, so their clients can enjoy the same flexibility on Wippet as they did before.”

The response from suppliers has been very enthusiastic. Wippet has already signed up giants to the care sector like Care Shop and Renray Healthcare, and many more. There are already about 20 suppliers on the site and they’re being added at an estimated rate of ten per month.

You can find out more at www.wippet.com.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 74 | PAGE 7

Report Exposes Hidden Scandal of Unmet Care Need OLDER and vulnerable people left without the care they need is a hidden scandal that needs to be exposed, care providers said today.

The Independent Care Group (ICG) has welcomed the publication of a new report warning of “a tsunami” of unmet care need this winter.

Commenting on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) report, ICG Chair Mike Padgham said: “For far too long the scandal of people living without the care they need has been a hidden one. Frail, older and disabled people whose voice isn’t being heard.

“It is mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles, your neighbours down your street, whose quality of life is being ruined and it has to stop.”

The ICG wants to see root and branch reform of the care system to revolutionise the way we look after older and vulnerable people. It warned that the extra £162.5m the Government announced to boost the adult social care workforce, was just a small sticking plaster over a huge, gaping wound.

In its State of Health and Social Care in England report, the CQC confirms fears that social care providers are facing a staffing crisis, losing staff to better paid jobs in retail and hospitality, and unable to recruit replacements.

The number of unfilled social care jobs had risen from 6% in April to 10% in September.

The main reasons for the staffing crisis are: burnout from the pandemic; compulsory vaccinations in care homes; higher pay available in other sectors as the economy picks up and post-Brexit immigration rule changes.

Before Covid-19 it was estimated that there were 120,000 care vacan-

cies in the care sector. It has been warned that an extra 40,000 vacancies will be created if the Government proceeds with its “no jab, no job” policy for care workers, due to begin in November.

Before the pandemic, experts said up to 1.6m people could be living with unmet care needs.

Mr Padgham added: “The CQC report, whilst very welcome, merely confirms what the social care sector has known for some time – that we are in crisis and about to reach breaking point.

“This winter could be very, very bleak indeed for our most vulnerable unless the Government wakes up and tackles an issue that has been staring them in the face for generations.”

The ICG wants to see: • A root and branch overhaul of the way social care is planned and funded • NHS care and social care to be merged and managed either locally or nationally • Extra funding for social care, funded by taxation or National Insuranc • Dementia treated like other high priority illnesses, like cancer and heart disease • A fixed percentage of GDP to be spent on social care • Social care businesses to be zero-rated for VAT.

OSJCT Employees Receive Order of Malta Awards for Exceptional Service More than 20 employees have been awarded Medals of Merit and Crosses of Merit by the British Association of the Order of Malta for exceptional services in the field of social care. Several recipients attended a prestigious ceremony during a Mass held at The Brompton Oratory, London this October.

The ceremony was conducted by Fr. Ronald Creighton-Jobe, C.O. and honoured award recipients from 2020 and 2021 after last year’s event was postponed.

In total, 27 awards have been made to OSJCT employees for service covering the last two years, covering a time when care home teams persevered despite the most challenging of circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The British Association of the Order of Malta awards are open to employees in any role, with at least 10 years long

service. Recipients in this year’s ceremony included activities coordinators, carers, chefs, and nurses. Three rare Crosses of Merit were awarded to Kerry Dearden, Deputy Chief Executive, Tracey Wardle, Finance and IT Director, and Caroline Alford, Head of Central Operations.

Sarah Staples, Chef at Digby Court in Bourne, Lincolnshire, has worked for the Trust since 2005, having joined as a part-time carer. She was awarded a Bronze Medal of Merit at the ceremony. She said:“It was an honour to selected to receive the Medal. The ceremony was wonderful, everybody was full of admiration and appreciation for all the recipients. I feel very privileged to work at Digby Court with a great bunch of people and caring for our residents is a very fulfilling role for me.”

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 74 | PAGE 9

Treasury Must play its Part to Support Small Businesses Ahead of NLW Increase Following the announcement that the National Living Wage is set to rise by 6.6 per cent from £8.91 per hour to £9.50 in this week’s Budget, the Federation of Small Businesses has warned that small firms need additional support amid rising costs across the board.

Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) National Chair Mike Cherry said: “The Treasury must play its part to secure wage increases – the taxman will gain almost £500 for every worker whose pay increases to £9.50 an hour. Larger than expected increases in the Living Wage must be matched by support for those who will struggle to afford to maintain jobs – these are the smallest employers, up and down the country, who need to see the extension of the small business Employment Allowance, which covers the first £4,000 of Employer NICs. “Without an increase in the EA, the combination in April of higher wage bills and higher tax bills will see many more than the forecast of 50,000 people added to unemployment queues. After pre-briefed announcements to help the banks with their tax bills, and to help inter-

national companies to invest here, there needs to be a clear offer from this Government to small businesses, too.

“Across the board, costs for small businesses are on rise, from energy bills, input and recruitment costs as well as taxes and shipping – small firms are well and truly under the cosh. The Government pledged to cut the burden of business rates and we need to hear this loud and clear in the Budget.

“Increasing the employment allowance, alongside reforming of upfront costs such as business rates, are the most important reforms called for today by the UK’s small business community.

“Despite the economy being as open as it has been since the start of the pandemic, confidence continues to drop and we need to see some positive pro-business actions announced that supports small firms who are the backbone of this economy.”

Care Residents Experience a Taste of Oktoberfest from their Armchairs Elderly residents transformed their care home into a Bavarian Steinhaus for an Oktoberfest celebration to remember – with the help from a local brewery.

Edinburgh-based brewer Pilot, provided Cramond Residence with a selection of beers to sample during the Oktoberfest celebration which helped create a truly authentic experience.

The home marked the celebration across three days with a variety of Germanrelated activities, including an Oktoberfest party, beer tasting, a lesson on the history of the festival and themed arts and crafts.

Residents made decorations which were used to transform the cinema room ahead of the party and many even got involved in the set up to make sure everything looked authentic.

Christian Daraio, Client Liaison Manager at Cramond Residence to the north of the city, said: “Thanks to Pilot, we were able to organise a truly unique experience for our residents that many wouldn’t have the opportunity to do otherwise.

“The celebration went down really well last year with both staff and residents keen to do it again. This year we wanted to do it bigger and better before so it was great to have Pilot on board.

“As we approach the winter months it’s nice to do something a bit different and bring everyone in the home together.

“I’m not sure if we will be able to beat this year’s event when it comes around again but at least we’ve made it one to remember!”

Pilot supplied the home with a variety of samples including Leith Lager, Mochaccino Stout and two more of its locally brewed beverages.

Director/Co-Founder at Pilot, Matt Johnson, said: “It’s great to hear the sample experience went down well with residents. We selected a diverse range of beer styles to provide participants with a mix of different flavour profiles; some of which may have been new to them, but we hope that others might have sparked some nostalgia too.”

PAGE 10 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 74

Mandatory Vaccines: How Can the Care Sector Prepare Ahead of November 11th?

Julian Cox, partner and head of the London employment practice at law firm BLM (www.blmlaw.com), discusses the legal risks that care home employers need to consider in the lead up to the government’s mandatory COVID-19 vaccination requirement for staff, which comes into effect on November 11th.

The success of the vaccination programme in the UK caused intense debate over whether businesses should start requiring staff to be fully vaccinated in order to work. In May, Public Health England (PHE) released rigorous evidence to show that the effectiveness of vaccination substantially reduces transmission and decreases the number of people needing hospitalisation. The findings highlighted the efficacy of vaccines in reducing the risk of unknowingly passing on the virus to others. It was strong evidence that by getting vaccinated, staff would protect not only themselves, but their colleagues in the workplace.

After a calamitous handling of care homes during the worst waves of the pandemic, which resulted in more than 40,000 deaths, it is no surprise then that the government will make it mandatory for people working in CQC-registered care homes to be fully vaccinated with both doses by November 11th, 2021, unless they have a medical exemption. Those in the sector are advised to familiarise themselves with the official Government operational guidance on this rule, available online here.

This rule will apply to all directly employed full-time and part-time workers, as well as those employed by an agency and deployed by the care home, extending to deployed volunteers. This rule will also encompass others coming into care homes to work, such as healthcare workers, hairdressers and beauticians and CQC inspectors, unless they have a medical exemption.

Regardless of whether such a requirement will make care homes safer for workers and patients as a result of the policy, employers will need to be extremely cautious as to how to introduce mandatory vaccinations in the run up to November 11th. Care homes will need to tread carefully when dealing with staff that are wary of, or refuse to get, the vaccine, as it could well risk breaching employee protections including the Employment Rights Act 1996 and the Equality Act 2010.

Prior to the introduction of mandatory vaccination, employers should inform and consult staff about the requirement on a collective and individual basis. To best protect against a potential for exposure to discrimination and unfair dismissal claims, employers should consult and communicate effectively with staff and work together with them to find a suitable solution.

One of the most important risks to look out for is the potential for any claims under the Equality Act 2010 in

respect of staff reluctant or refusing to take the vaccine relating to their treatment, including their dismissal.

Currently, the government’s mandatory vaccine requirement makes an exception for people who can claim a genuine medical exemption due to an underlying health condition. Such an exception may well give them protection as disabled under the Equality Act 2010.

Employers will also need to be specifically mindful of staff who fall into the following categories: • have objections on the grounds of religious or philosophical beliefs; • the vaccine is (or has only recently) unavailable to them due to their age; • women who are wary of the vaccine’s effect on maternity and pregnancy.

These individuals may also be afforded protection under the Equality Act 2010. With this in mind, employers should not rush to dismiss someone who has not been fully vaccinated - it should be seen as an absolute last resort.

Any concerns around the vaccine that are raised based on disability, pregnancy, maternity, or religious reasons, will certainly need to be looked at very carefully, given they may afford protection against discrimination under the Equality Act 2010. As a matter of best employment practice, it is preferable to sit down with employees and try to understand and allay any concerns regarding the vaccine and attempt to resolve them.

It could drastically reduce potential future claims, and through empathetic and informative discussion, hesitant employees may even consider getting vaccinated. Consideration ought also to be given to redeployment as an alternative to dismissal.

The potential for any unfair dismissal also represents a major risk for employers. If employees still refuse to be vaccinated without reasonable grounds, and redeployment is not an option, the employer may reasonably look to dismiss. Although it will be law for care home staff to be double jabbed, employers will still need to follow all the procedural steps as part of ensuring a fair dismissal process if it comes to that. Failure to follow fair procedures in dealing with employees reluctant to be vaccinated could amount to an unfair dismissal.

Employees who feel pressured into having the vaccine may seek to resign and also claim constructive dismissal, on the grounds of a hostile work environment. What’s more, there is no length of service requirement for ex-employees to bring a claim for unfair dismissal given this is a health and safety related dismissal, so care homes should consider dismissal as the final option to prevent a risk of such claims. This should spur employers to update their contracts of employment and policies to reflect the vaccination requirement.

Transparency and communication will be key for care homes in the lead up to November 11th.

The requirement for care homes to have members of staff fully vaccinated will undoubtedly bring new challenges and risks for care, one of the most heavily impacted sectors throughout the pandemic. Going forward, clear communication and understanding will need to be at the heart of any interaction with anyone hesitant towards the vaccine, to ensure employees feel safe in the workplace and employers minimise the risk of legal action.

Increased Stability in Social Care Key to Mitigating Risk of “Tsunami of Unmet Need” The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published its annual assessment of the state of health and social care in England. The CQC’s annual assessment of the state of health and social care in England examines the quality of care over the past year – the first of these reports to cover a full year of the pandemic.

The report warns that, unless “increased stability” in social care and “real collaboration across health and social care” are achieved, there is a risk of a “tsunami of unmet need”.

Other warnings from the statement include: •“As we approach winter, the workforce who face the challenges ahead are drained in terms of both resilience and capacity, which has the potential to impact on the quality of care they deliver.”

•“Staffing pressures are being felt across all health and care settings.

However, the impact is being seen most acutely in adult social care, where providers are competing for staff with the retail and hospitality industries.”

•“Increased stability in social care is the key to unlocking not only improved access and quality of care for the people who use it, but to easing pressure on the NHS by reducing emergency attendances and enabling people to leave hospital in a timely way.”

The report praises the success of the vaccination programme which it says has given hope that the virus can be contained, however, is the recognition that COVID-19 will continue to cast a long shadow over all aspects of life, especially the health and care system.

The impact of staffing pressures is being seen most acutely in adult social care, where providers are competing for staff with the retail and hospitality industries. Data from information submitted to CQC by providers of residential care shows the vacancy rate rising month-onmonth from 6% in April to 10.2% in September. Some care homes whose attempts at recruitment have failed are now having to cancel their registration to provide nursing care, leaving residents looking for new homes in local areas that are already at, or close to, capacity.

The government has made a welcome £5.4 billion investment to help address the challenges faced by social care. If this money is to make a difference, it must be used to enable new ways of working that recognise the interdependency of all health and care settings, not just to prop up existing approaches and to plug demand in acute care. Five hundred million pounds has been committed to support the adult social care workforce, which is urgently needed for improvements on training, career development and terms and conditions in order to

attract and retain staff. Work needs to begin now in order to address the immediate problem of rising vacancy rates as well as planning for the future.

Increased stability in social care is the key to unlocking not only improved access and quality of care for the people who use it, but to easing pressure on the NHS by reducing emergency attendances and enabling people to leave hospital in a timely way. There is short-term funding currently in place to help discharge patients who are no longer in need of hospital care but who may still require care services – this has allowed the NHS to treat more patients and has made a crucial difference to the viability of some social care providers.

If this funding were to be committed to for a longer period, care providers could begin to make longer term investments in staffing to provide much-needed step-down care. They could also build more meaningful relationships with primary, secondary and community care services – as well with third sector organisations and with carers, who have too often been the missing piece of the jigsaw. There is also a need for additional funding to be made available now, rather than next year, to areas that will otherwise struggle to meet people’s needs over the coming winter.

As highlighted in last year’s State of Care, COVID-19 has exacerbated inequalities and continues to do so, meaning that people who were less likely to receive good care before and during the pandemic are in many cases the same groups disproportionally impacted by the virus.

People with a learning disability, for example, are significantly more at risk from COVID-19 – but our review of community care for people with a learning disability found that their physical health, including how COVID-19 may present, was not always considered. Inspections of services for people with a learning disability or autistic people continue to find examples of care so poor that action is needed to keep people safe.

Ian Trenholm, Chief Executive of CQC, said:“This year, more people than ever have contacted us with feedback and concerns about care.

And as we go into winter, the health and care workforce are exhausted and depleted – which has clear implications for the vital care they deliver.

“While staffing is an issue for all sectors, we’re particularly concerned about adult social care. We’re seeing rising vacancy rates, some providers having to hand back their registrations as they don’t have enough staff to deliver care, and examples of quality suffering

due to lack of staff.

“If the new Government funding is to have an impact, it needs to be used to do things differently and to develop genuinely collaborative ways of working across all care settings. And staff need to be supported and rewarded. In order to attract and retain the right people to work in adult social care, there must be a sharp focus on developing a clearly defined career pathway – linked to training, supported by consistent investment, and better terms and conditions and pay.

“We’re also highlighting the need for an extension to the Discharge to Assess funding in order to capitalise on the benefits it has delivered so far – as well as the need for additional targeted funding immediately to help areas that are struggling get through winter.

“Increased stability on funding and a clear workforce plan for social care benefits everyone – but further instability could result in a ripple effect across the wider health and care system which risks becoming a tsunami of unmet need across all sectors, with increasing numbers of people unable to access care.”

Peter Wyman, Chair of CQC, said: “We know that better, more coordinated care for people happens when local services work well as a system designed around local need. There is no silver bullet to the problems health and social care are facing – so it is more important than ever that we make best use of the resources available by local systems working together to make sure people are being cared for in the most appropriate place, reallocating resources as necessary to achieve this.

“When we conducted a series of provider collaboration reviews across England to look at how systems worked to understand their local populations, we saw how good collaboration made a difference in helping people access care, even during the pandemic.

“The challenge now is for every system to learn from these examples of innovation to ensure that their local population receives the care it needs, with leaders focused on delivering a transformation in the way that people access and experience care.

“The future must be focused on outcomes for people – all people – who need care, supported by transformational changes to workforce, funding, commissioning and oversight. Rather than attempting a return to business as usual, we must grasp this opportunity to build something better – a health and care system that works for everyone.”

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 74 | PAGE 11

Care Sector Pushed to Brink by Staffing Catastrophe, say UNISON and National Care Forum

UNISON and the National Care Forum (NCF) have written jointly to Sajid Javid today (Thursday October 21) calling for urgent action over the staffing crisis engulfing the care sector.

The letter to health and social care secretary Sajid Javid says they’ve taken this “unprecedented step” in response to daily reports from care providers and staff of serious worker shortages.

They say this “recruitment and retention emergency” has been triggered by “chronic underfunding leading to low wages, staff burnout, and mandatory vaccination”.

It comes ahead of the government’s spending review next week, and amid warnings that social care needs a desperate injection of cash just so care providers can maintain existing levels of service.

UNISON – the largest union representing employees in social care – and the NCF, the organisation representing not-for-profit care providers, say social care is gripped by a staffing crisis of “a magnitude that threatens to overwhelm the sector” unless the government steps in.

The letter goes on: “Care providers are already having to hand back contracts, turn down new

requests for care, at home and in care homes, as a direct result of the acute shortage of workers. The government must act now because social care matters to us all.

“This country cannot afford to lose any more care staff. Each and every one of us has a loved one who may well need their skill, support and compassion, or require help themselves eventually. Please don’t ignore this catastrophe a moment longer.”

Figures from an NCF survey* reveal nearly three quarters (74%) of respondents had seen an increase in staff leaving, and 46% said their employees were leaving the sector completely. This is on top of a preexisting vacancy rate of 105,000.

Both UNISON and the NCF say what’s needed to avert a disaster is a pay boost for care staff to improve recruitment and reduce the numbers leaving, and a retention bonus for those who have “gone above and beyond in the delivery of care during the darkest of times”.

Both organisations are also calling on the government to scrap – or delay at the very least – the implementation of mandatory jabs in care homes in England.

In addition, UNISON and the NCF want to see a new dedicated workforce fund to support the wellbeing of existing staff, highlight how valuable they are and persuade them to stay in their social care jobs.

UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said: “Care employees have been undervalued and ignored for too long. And the escalating staffing crisis is a consequence of this. It’s high time for a decent wage boost for all care workers.

“There’s been much talk but not nearly enough action on funding social care. Without extra government resources, homes will close and domiciliary

care be cut back meaning those dependent on support will suffer.”

NCF chief executive officer Vic Rayner said: “The government must act now to ensure those who currently work in the sector feel valued and recognised by providing a retention bonus alongside this give a clear call to those contemplating working in care that they will be recognised by increasing pay rates for all who work in care.”

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 74 | PAGE 13

Recruiting and Supporting Care Staff

By Sam Rhodes, Recruitment Manager at the UK’s leading provider of specialist dementia care, Vida Healthcare (www.vidahealthcare.nhs.uk) With tremendous pressure on health and social care over the last 18 months, it is not hard to understand why there are 110,000 vacancies across the social care sector. Carers across the country have done an incredible job despite these challenges, but to continue delivering quality care, organisations must address the recruitment crisis and provide sufficient support to employees.

There are certain things that care providers can consider to ensure they’re offering a workplace which is inspiring and supportive, to attract new talent and retain the staff they currently have. A workplace which attracts and retains the right people will also benefit residents as exceptional and outstanding care will be delivered.

Protecting mental health: Investment in mental health initiatives, such as a counselling service, mental health wellbeing sessions, or appointing a mental health leader, will ensure the health and wellbeing of staff is easier to maintain, and reduce pressures on services and the workforce. A mental health crisis within a care setting can lead to ineffective care delivery, high staff turnover, and an unsustainable quality of care provision.

Keep staff connected: Connectivity with residents and their family members is crucial for staff.

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

Connections with family members are also likely to drive positive testimonials which provide carers with a sense of achievement and purpose in what they’re doing. Connectivity can be generated in a number of ways,

for example apps where staff can share pictures and videos of residents with their families.

Understand recruitment: Social care employers which invest time in understanding the role of the recruitment process will generate greater opportunities to source and employ talented individuals. The recruitment process is also a key factor in confirming what potential staff and current colleagues are looking for from their workplace, whether it be mental health support or opportunities to socialise with service users, so that they can be supported effectively.

Invest in career opportunities: Employers who understand why providing opportunities for career development is important will be more successful in recruiting and retaining talent. Showing compassion and interest in the personal development of employees will create a positive workplace culture and working environment which retains existing staff and attracts new talent. Employers could invest in a training platform to provide learning resources and career development tools to help staff deliver best practice and identify new skills.

Staff must feel supported if they are to deliver the best care possible. With the industry under such pressure, making the necessary arrangements to support employee mental health ensures your care provision is sustainable.

People in the care industry are passionate about their work, and helping ease workplace pressures allows them to continue to deliver compassionate, quality services. By investing in their workforce through the care home, care providers will motivate staff, reduce the risk of both physical and mental ill health, and attract new people to the industry, therefore combatting the current recruitment crisis.

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

Local Carer Celebrates 21 Years of Service With Cheverton Lodge A Carer at Barchester’s Cheverton Lodge in Islington has received a prestigious 21 Year Service Award in celebration of working at Barchester Healthcare for 21 years.

Grace Tanyi an amazing 81 years young, carer started at Barchester in October 2001 and has worked with residents and their relatives to ensure that their needs have been met over the years.

Jane McFarlane, Employee Services Director at Barchester said: “I’m always pleased to hear stories about the long service of Barchester staff and am delighted Grace has achieved this milestone. It is dedication like this that ensures our residents are provided

with a happy place to live.”

Earl Elliott, General Manager of Cheverton Lodge said: “We’re delighted to be celebrating 21 years of loyal service with Cheverton Lodge. Grace has demonstrated her dedication and loyalty to this home and its residents year after year. Grace is known especially for her kindness and how hard she works. Always going above and beyond to help anyone that may need it. I speak for all of us here at Cheverton Lodge when I say that I’m looking forward to many more years of working with Grace“

Thirtieth Anniversary Party Celebrates a ‘Pearl of a Care Home’ A Dorset care home chose a traditional pearl theme to celebrate its 30th anniversary in style.

Residents and team members at Colten Care’s Whitecliffe House in Blandford marked the occasion by planting a rose pearl bush in their garden and staging a party with pearl-inspired table decorations and gifts.

As well as sampling a home-baked anniversary cake with sugar pearl balls, the fun included a high tea and a residents’ choir performing popular tunes including Singing in the Rain.

Donning yellow hats and umbrellas to mimic the famous street scene in the musical, the resident singers were conducted by Colten Care’s Music and Arts Partner Fiona Pritchard.

And they were accompanied on the piano by fellow musician and Companionship team member Caroline Pugh.

Colten Care’s Executive Chairman Ian Hudson and the Operations Manager for Whitecliffe House, Peter Doyle, joined in the festivities and, along with resident Lois Ramsden, helped to plant the pearl rose outside.

Other guests at the party included three members of staff with 52

years’ service between them.

Healthcare Assistants Cheryl Jay and Bernadette Stayner have

worked at the home for 17 and 21 years respectively while Domestic Assistant Pat Johnson has been there for 16. The trio were presented with bouquets of flowers in recognition.

Colleague and Waitress Amy James summarised how staff feel about the home, saying: “I really enjoy coming in to work and seeing the residents. I hope that I am making their day a little brighter.”

Home Manager Chris Lee said: “The anniversary theme was so appropriate. Whitecliffe is truly a pearl of a care home with a wonderful atmosphere and a proper homely feel. We have a great team devoted to ensuring our residents are extremely happy.”

Resident and retired physiotherapist Coralie Jackson attended the official opening of Whitecliffe House as a visitor back in 1991.

Discussing the quality of care thirty years on, Coralie said: “I’m pleased to say I have made the correct decision by making Whitecliffe House my home. The care I receive is very good. The staff are very nice and will always go above and beyond.”

Care Home Residents Host Hollywood Party That They Won in a Competition boost with the difficult times that everyone has had to deal with COVID

Primrose Croft Care Home in Cambridge recently won a National Activities Providers Association (NAPA) Competition. The competition was to design a sign for your Care Home using any resources of your choice.

Residents said that since Primrose Croft is all about the people that live and work there its entry must include both residents and staff, and it was decided to have the letters for Primrose Croft shaped using the people that are the glue to Primrose Croft. The pictures were then printed out and attached outside of Primrose Croft building.

The “overwhelmed” residents said the win has given them such a

and still learning to live with. When they were then informed that their prize they decided to host a Hollywood party!

Natasha, New Lifestyle Coordinator for Primrose Croft pulled out all the stops to make the residents have a most wonderful and memorable Hollywood Party, giving the ladies and gentlemen a pamper morning including manicures, hairs done, make up, and their best outfits laid out ready to be adorned for the afternoon party!

Staff and Residents at Local Care Home Receive Booster Vaccinations All staff and residents at Barchester’s Magnolia Court care home, in

proud of the team and how they have worked together and continue to

know that Covid isn’t over and we still need to be careful and follow the

Golders Green, have received their third booster Covid-19 vaccinations.

do so and we are all so grateful to be prioritised to receive the booster

guidelines, but there is a huge sense of relief now that we have had our

General Manager, Octavian Stanciu 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

vaccine first. We’re not completely back to normal yet but we know the

booster vaccinations. We know that this will help keep our residents

booster vaccination is vital to help us keep everyone safe.”

safe and allow us to enjoy more trips and entertainment over the winter

Tammie Comey - Life style coordinator at Magnolia Court said: “We

months.”

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 74 | PAGE 15

COVID-19 Booster Jabs Booked or Delivered at Nine in Ten Care Homes in England COVID booster jabs have been delivered or booked in at almost nine in 10 care homes as the NHS vaccination programme accelerates ahead of winter.

Around 6,000 care homes have already been visited while a further 3,700 homes have visits scheduled within the coming days and weeks, as part of the NHS COVID-19 vaccination programme.

The new figures also show that residents in over half of care homes have received a booster jab.

With almost 90% of homes either visited or with visits booked, local GP teams are working to make sure that the remaining care homes can book their vaccine clinic as soon as possible, as the NHS rollout intensifies ahead of winter.

Some homes can’t be visited at this time due to norovirus or COVID outbreaks but dates are being agreed for visits at a safe time for residents.

More than four million eligible people have had their top up vaccine since the campaign began just over four weeks ago.

Every care home is expected to have offered a COID-19 booster to all eligible residents by the beginning of November.

The NHS is vaccinating in line with guidance set by the JCVI which says that eligible groups can have a booster shot, a minimum of six months on from their second jab for maximum protection.

Almost 84 million vaccines have already been delivered and nine in 10 adults have had their first dose since the NHS in England made histo-

ry when Margaret Keenan received the first jab outside of a clinical trial in Coventry, in December 2020.

The vaccination rollout, the biggest and fastest in NHS history, has ensured 38 million people across England have had both doses of the jab.

There are more clinics delivering vaccines now than at any other point in the programme, despite some mass vaccination centres such as sports grounds returning to business as usual following the easing of restrictions.

These have been replaced by more convenient local sites, such as high-street pharmacies and GP surgeries.

Dr Nikki Kanani, GP and deputy lead for the NHS vaccination programme, said: “NHS staff are working flat out to vaccinate eligible groups ahead of winter – it is testament to them that just four weeks after we kicked off the booster rollout that we have already provided well over four million boosters to eligible people.

“Not only that but local general practice teams are going out to protect the most vulnerable – almost 90% of care homes have either already been visited or have a visit booked in for the coming days and weeks.

“The booster is not simply a nice to have – it will provide important extra protection as we go into the winter period. So if you have been invited or a family or friend has been invited – please do come forward”.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Sajid Javid, said: “It’s fantastic that

the vast majority of care home residents have had or have a visit booked to receive their booster jab.

“I’m grateful to the NHS for rolling out these jabs so quickly, and for the continued dedication of the social care workforce. Their tireless efforts are helping us build a wall of defence across the country.

“As winter approaches, we are in a race between the virus and the vaccine so I urge anyone eligible to book their booster vaccine – let’s all pull together now so we can continue protecting ourselves, our loved ones and our NHS. It is clear that vaccines save lives and it is our responsibility to do everything we can to reduce the risk for vulnerable people in care homes”.

The NHS booster vaccine rollout is also well underway with more than four million people already receiving the important top up jab ahead of winter in just four weeks since the JCVI updated its guidance.

The NHS will contact you to offer you a booster vaccine if you are eligible and it has been at least six months (182 days) since the date of your second vaccine dose. Anyone receiving an invite should come forward as soon as possible to get crucial protection.

If it has been longer than six months and one week since you had your second vaccine dose and you are eligible but haven’t been contacted, please try to book your appointment on www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination or if you can’t use the website, by calling 119.

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.

3

Do you know our next Unsung Hero?

Email your nomination to us by 12th November 2021 at

nominate@thecareruk.com

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 74 | PAGE 17

Avert Crisis by Investing in Care, Chancellor Urged THE CHANCELLOR must avert a major crisis in the care of older and vulnerable people by investing in the sector this Wednesday, providers have said.

Care providers say the care of people in their own home and in care and nursing homes is teetering on the edge of survival as we approach winter.

The Independent Care Group (ICG) says unless investment in care is announced as part of Wednesday’s spending review, hundreds of thousands more people will be added to the 1.6m people who currently can’t get care.

ICG Chair Mike Padgham said: “We have reached D-day for care and whatever is done or not done in the next 48 hours will have a huge impact on the quality of life of millions of people in this country.

“There is not enough money to pay carers to look after people in their

own homes, so that service is starting to crumble and we know that care and nursing homes too are going out of business.

“The Government cannot keep standing by and watching this happen.

It has to act and it has to act in this week’s budget announcement.”

Mr Padgham was speaking after a report by the Homecare Association, which represents providers who look after people in their own home, said local councils were not paying those providers enough to cover the cost of care.

He added: “Local councils simply don’t have the funds to fund care properly and that is having a huge knock-on effect.

“If homecare providers have to cut back on services and care and nursing homes cannot operate properly then there will be nobody available to look after people – including those discharged from hospital.

“The whole care system will start to clog up and we will be in meltdown, just as we get to winter.

“The extra £5.9bn for the NHS, which will be welcome I am sure, will be completely meaningless unless it is matched by similar investment in care. Unless people have somewhere to go after they have been in hospital, the care system doesn’t work. You cannot invest in one without investing in the other.

“Similarly, the increase in the National Living Wage is excellent – care

providers would like to pay their staff even more. But unless more funding comes into the sector it will just be another major cost that will drive providers even closer to the edge of survival.

“Governments have never funded social care properly and unless they start doing so now, we are going to be in a huge mess this winter and that means serious problems for all our families.”

The ICG wants to see root and branch reform of the care system to revolutionize the way we look after older and vulnerable people.

It warned last week that the extra £162.5m the Government announced to boost the adult social care workforce, was just a small sticking plaster over a huge, gaping wound.

The ICG wants to see: • A root and branch overhaul of the way social care is planned and funded • NHS care and social care to be merged and managed either locally or nationally • Extra funding for social care, funded by taxation or National Insurance • Dementia treated like other high priority illnesses, like cancer and heart disease • A fixed percentage of GDP to be spent on social care • Social care businesses to be zero-rated for VAT.

Bristol Care Home Celebrates 21 Years of Service A care home in Bristol, which supports people with learning disabilities and addi-

Three members of staff also shared their memories of Urmston from across the

tional complex needs, has celebrated 21 years of service with a party for its residents.

years, with Tina Moore working at the home for 19 years, Carly Britt for 14 years and

Urmston House provides accommodation for up to six people and opened its doors for the first time in 2000. Four of its residents have been there since it first opened.

To mark the special occasion and to celebrate hard work and commitment throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, staff members were handed certificates and chocolate gifts. Guests, including chairman for Shaw healthcare, Alun Thomas, commercial director, Geraint Evans, and former service manager, Carolyn Booth all attended the event and enjoyed a buffet lunch.

Rachel Ward for 13 years.

Trudie Morse, service manager of the Shaw healthcare operated home, said: “After what has been an extraordinary 18 months, it was fantastic for faces new and old to come together and celebrate our anniversary.

“I am so proud of the team and their dedication to our residents and we are very fortunate to have such a kind and supportive community who trust our service.”

PAGE 18 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 74

To Top Up or Not To Top Up

By Sanjith Kamath, Executive Medical Director at St Andrew’s Healthcare (www.stah.org) As the clocks are due to go back and the nights draw in, many people are still questioning whether they should be rolling their sleeves up for their COVID-19 booster and flu jab.

With the colder months fast approaching more time will be spent indoors, so there is a risk, if not managed properly, that COVID-19 could increase.

But it’s important to remember that for those who have chosen not to have the COVID-19 vaccine it is not too late.

Those who have been vaccinated, they are far less likely to be significantly unwell or requiring hospitalisation should they test positive for COVID-19.

We now have four COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in the UK and rigorous clinical trials have been carried out to check they’re safe.

All attention is now on top ups or booster doses which are being offered to people who are more vulnerable to the virus. Six months or more after receiving their second dose, everyone aged 50 and over, frontline health and social care workers and those aged between 16 and 49 with an underlying health condition will be invited for a booster vaccine.

All staff at St Andrew’s will be receiving their COVID-19 top up vaccine where appropriate and they will also be offered the flu jab too. The flu vaccine is a safe and effective vaccine, which is offered every year on the NHS to help protect people at risk of getting seriously ill from flu.

According to NHS England, more people are likely to get flu this winter as fewer people will have built up natural immunity to it during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you get flu and COVID-19 at the same time, research shows you're more likely to be seriously ill, but being vaccinated against both conditions will provide protection for you and those around you.

Things were very uncertain this time last year with COVID-19 numbers going up and down in different areas across the country. Since the pandemic hit the UK we’ve had three lockdowns. Our schools shut down, social lives were halted and many of us were unable to see friends and family.

Now, shops, restaurants, theatres and cinemas are back open. We can see our loved ones again. Our children are back in school and learning. The COVID-19 vaccine is the key to our freedom and I urge anyone who may still be wondering whether it’s safe to look at the facts.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that as of October 3, a total of 6,188,903,420 vaccine doses have been administered.

According to a recent report by Public Health England the COVID-19 vaccination programme has directly averted more than 230,800 hospitalisations, it has prevented between 23.7 and 24.1 million infections and between 119,500 and 126,800 deaths. With those figures, I find it hard to argue why you wouldn’t have the vaccine.

Cherry Garth Care Home Celebrates 10th Anniversary October 2021 marks the 10 year anniversary of Cherry Garth care home.

To mark the 10 year anniversary of Cherry Garth, in Holmer Green, the care team scheduled a day of celebration for residents and colleagues who partied in style!

The day included entertainment from singer Mick Emblow, a sumptuous buffet, singing, dancing and a special speech from the home's longest serving volunteer of 40 years, 80 year old Margaret James.

Margaret made a speech at the event and talked about her time volunteering at Cherry Garth: "I was looking for something useful and interesting to do and I was accepted to join the merry band of about eight at the time. It was incredibly rewarding and I have wonderful memories of that time.”

After the speech, Margaret was presented with a beautiful

bunch of flowers and the residents were given their own friendship flowers to celebrate the occasion.

During the event, residents were on their feet enjoying classic tunes from Elvis Presley and Cliff Richard. Photographs were displayed of Cherry Garth's history including the reconstruction of the home in 2011. One of the homes residents, Jean Atkins, used to work at the home and was also a member of the staff squaredancing team many years before the home was refurbished and reopened.

Activity Coordinator Diane Woolford commented: "This time 10 years ago, Fern Britton reopened the home after it was refurbished.

One of the residents who used to live at the home took all of these photographs and we decided to display them to celebrate our anniversary and as a reminder of what the old Cherry Garth looked like."

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

H.W. PICKRELL Manufactured in the UK

NEW & USED ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORT AT AFFORDABLE PRICES

Celebrating 40 years of trolleys!

Providing practical and stylish trolleys to suit your needs.

Watch your resident’s eyes light up when the beautiful tea trolley arrives..! Or even used as a vending trolley, selling personal care products to residents or snacks/pastries to visitors or as drinks trolley for an afternoon tipple?

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

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

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

• Fully serviced, new mot & warranty • Engineers inspection supplied if required.

• Free delivery service available • All buses comply with new legislation • Lease hire and purchase available • Always large stock of accessible vehicles

Tel: 01268 521033 Mobile: 07860 894331 Email: sales@hwpickrell.co.uk Gardiners Lane North, Crays Hills, Billericay, Essex CM11 2XE All current stock available to view at www.hwpickrell.co.uk

Euroservice trolleys are an attractive and practical alternative to clinical aluminium trolleys given that antibacterial spray can be used freely to sanitise them.

Get in touch with our friendly, experienced sales team

www.euroservice-uk.com

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

PAGE 20 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 74

Leading Care Operator Reacts to the Social Care Reforms with a Message to Boris Johnson A leading care home operator has reacted to the proposed social care reform with an impassioned plea to Boris Johnson.

Putting forward an operator’s perspective as part of a panel discussion hosted by Irwin Mitchell, Shaleeza Hasham of leading family-owned and operated care group CHD Living called the proposed social care reforms a “step in the right direction” but noted many shortcomings.

As part of the debate, Shaleeza detailed her hopes that the proposed £36 billion investment in social care would have a “profound and positive impact”, with the means test hopefully providing “much needed support” for those who require adult social care, while the £500m pledge for social care workforce training was welcomed as an opportunity to enhance existing training.

She did, however, put forward points for the Government to reconsider as part of the plan, saying: “There are thousands of families currently struggling with crippling care costs. The proposed plan will only come into effect from October 2023. This means that those already paying for care – or starting that process before 2023 – will get little help from the new measures and will continue to experience major financial difficulties. This could result in subsequent psychological and mental health problems – something that only exacerbates the need for care.”

Noting a disparity in the sector, Shaleeza added that living and wellbeing costs should be factored into any funding considerations.

“The local authorities only consider the cost of care and not the cost of accommodation and the wellbeing of the individual. This puts operators in a difficult position because we can’t accept the funding on offer,” Shaleeza said.

“The fund needs to be looked at as an individual living at home, receiving care and considering their household costs, too. This will give a more reflective idea of what should be paid for people going into long-term care,” she added.

When asked if there is a message she would like to send to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Shaleeza replied, “My message to Mr Johnson would be that more help needs to be provided as soon as possible. So many families and care workers are struggling as we recover post-pandemic.”

“The other thing I would say is that a 1% contribution across the board will hit lower-income earners the most. It’s that cohort that we are trying to protect. This is our workforce and our key workers - the very people we should be protecting. I don’t think a blanket increase in national insurance is the answer. Perhaps a rise in income tax would be a much fairer way to split the pot between different income earners.”

Ending on a more positive note, Shaleeza expressed gratitude that the challenges facing the social industry are finally being acknowledged, with action being taken to reform the system.

“The proposed means test will hopefully help minimise extortionate care costs and make the system fairer for all. Increased funding for staff training will also result in a more skilled workforce and higher levels of care provision,” Shaleeza concluded.

The other members of the panel hosted by Tim Farmer, founder of TSF Consultants, included Irwin Mitchell’s senior associate Stewart Stretton-Hill and Alison Hesketh, MD and founder of TimeFinders.

Hampshire Deputy Lieutenant Visits Hythe Care Home The residents and staff at West Cliff Hall in Hythe enjoyed a visit from the Hon Mrs Mary Montagu-Scott DL, one of Hampshire’s Deputy Lieutenants who supports Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire, Mr Nigel Atkinson.

As the Queen’s Representative in Hampshire, Mr Atkinson has been keen to show appreciation to companies such as care homes for all their hard work and extra effort during the COVID pandemic.

West Cliff Hall was delighted to welcome the Hon Mrs Montagu-Scott who met and talked to staff members and the residents, who enjoyed a party to celebrate their VIP visitor.

The Deputy Lieutenant was then invited to plant an apple tree in West Cliff Hall’s garden to mark Apple Day (Thursday 21st October). To accompany the planting, West Cliff Hall resident Molly Erskine read a beautiful

poem about the importance of the tree to everyone at the home. Molly then helped the Hon Mrs Montagu-Scott, a keen gardener, to plant the apple tree.

The Hon Mrs Montagu-Scott was then shown around some of the rooms at the care home before being presented with a bouquet by Aga GierekTan, West Cliff Hall’s manager.

Aga said afterwards: “It was such a pleasure to have the Deputy Lieutenant with us for the afternoon. She thanked all the team here, met the residents and was particularly impressed with the location of West Cliff Hall, which has the most stunning views across Southampton Water.

“Her visit has really lifted the spirits of us all and planting the apple tree is the perfect memory of this very special occasion.”

PAGE 22 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 74

New Advertising Blitz to Urge Public to Get Flu and COVID-19 Vaccines A nationwide advertising campaign launched last week as part of the government’s call to the public to get their COVID-19 booster and flu jabs, to protect themselves and their loved ones this winter. The multimedia campaign will run on outdoor billboards, broadcast and community radio and TV to support the national vaccine drive.

The colder weather traditionally leads to increased transmission of viruses. Experts have warned that this year there could be a significant flu surge coinciding with continuing or rising COVID-19 cases. Immunity to flu is expected to be lower due to lower levels of the virus in circulation last winter. Vaccines give high levels of protection but immunity reduces over time, so it is vital vulnerable people come forward to get their COVID19 booster vaccine to top-up their defences and protect themselves this winter. For those not eligible for a booster, the protection from two doses is sufficient.

Vaccines provide the best possible protection against infection and serious disease. The government is pushing the biggest ever winter vaccine campaign for COVID-19 and flu, so people can protect themselves and their loved ones this winter and play their role in reducing pressure on the NHS. The campaign television advert hits screens today and asks people to “get vaccinated, get boosted, get protected.” It features Michelle, an NHS nurse, explaining the benefits of the flu jab and COVID-19 booster vaccine. The new television advert will be seen in primetime spots alongside Emmerdale and Coronation Street as well as daytime shows such as This Morning and Loose Women.

Targeted digital channels will also carry the campaign adverts including social media platforms, digital radio and online video such as YouTube.

People will be invited for the COVID-19 booster jab when it’s their turn – if they have not been contacted within a week of reaching 6 months since their second jab they can call 119 or book online. Those who are eligible for a free flu vaccine can book an appointment through their GP surgery or local pharmacy.

The offer of a first and second COVID-19 vaccine remains open to anyone who is eligible. Vaccines are available for those aged 12-15 to offer the best possible protection this winter in schools, and they will also be available in vaccine centres from this weekend.

This week the country’s leading pharmacies have joined forces to encourage people to come forward and get their free flu vaccine and COVID-19 booster jab when eligible. Alongside independent pharmacists, Boots, LloydsPharmacy and Asda – who together have over 4,000 pharmacies across the UK – have backed the call for people to get vaccinated for the best possible protection this winter.

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Sajid Javid, said: -“Our vaccine programme is building a wall of defence across the country and our booster rollout is now well underway with more than 4 million jabs in arms.

“As we go into winter, it is vital that eligible people get their booster jab and their flu jab to protect themselves, their loved ones and the NHS.

“This is a national mission and I’m hugely grateful to the public, volunteers and NHS workers rolling out jabs. It is fantastic to see some of our biggest high street pharmacies give their backing to the winter vaccination programme.”

Vaccine confidence is high with data from the Office for National Statistics showing nearly all (94%) of those aged 50 to 69 say they would be likely to get their COVID-19 booster if offered, with the figure rising to 98% for those over 70. Similarly, over three quarters (77%) of those 50-69 would be likely to get the flu vaccine and nearly all (94%) of those over 70.

Dr Raj Patel, GP and Deputy National Medical Director of Primary Care for NHS England, said: “Flu is a huge killer and last year GPs and pharmacists jabbed record numbers of people and as we head into what could be one of the most challenging winters yet for the NHS, it has never been more important to get your flu and covid booster jab.

“Flu has a serious impact on the health of thousands of people every winter and it has never been easier to ensure you are protected, so I would urge everyone to book an appointment directly with you GP or pharmacist as soon as possible.”

Marc Donovan, Chief Pharmacist at Boots, said: “Boots offers free NHS and private flu jabs and are seeing high demand this year. We have already taken over one million flu jab bookings to date but there are still plenty of appointments available at our pharmacies across the UK. Boots is also supporting the NHS to deliver COVID-19 booster jabs this winter at select pharmacies, offering a free flu jab at the same time to all eligible patients. Having both vaccines offers optimum protection from getting seriously unwell from these viruses in the coming months.”

Victoria Steele, Superintendent Pharmacist at LloydsPharmacy, said: “It is very likely that we’ll see much greater levels of transmission of the influenza virus this winter. Immunity and protection are increasingly at the forefront of our minds, and we have seen this through the high volume of flu bookings at LloydsPharmacy this year and through increased sales of winter medicines, as many start to take precautions as we head into cold and flu season.

“It is important that we all do what we can to protect ourselves and loved ones this winter by getting both the flu vaccine and the COVID booster vaccine, for those who are eligible. I’d encourage people to book as soon as possible, as it does take time for the body to develop its antibodies after any vaccine. You can book your appointment for a flu vaccine online or by visiting your local LloydsPharmacy.”

Care Home Hopefuls Through to Finals of Hertfordhire Care Awards The team from Barchester’s Chorleywood Beaumont care home in Chorleywood have made it through to the final stages of the Hertfordshire Care Awards.

The hopefuls have been nominated as - Most innovative care home during The Covid Pandemic.

The prestigious Hertfordshire Care Awards are organised by The Hertfordshire Care Providers Association. The awards aim to promote

and experienced people who consistently provide a high standard in quality of care for our residents. The Covid pandemic has been difficult for us all. I am so very proud of the team, how they all pulled together and the team work they have shown. I am proud to be part of this amazing team and we are looking forward to the awards in December. ” Helen Abbott, Life Enrichment Coordinator at Chorleywood Beaumont said “We are super excited to be going to the awards. The team are fan-

and recognise high standards in quality of care and an opportunity to

tastic and are always open to new ideas. We are like a big family here at

say thank you, especially throughout the pandemic.

Chorleywood.”

Judith Boikhutso, General Manager at Barchester’s Chorleywood

The awards ceremony will be held on Friday 10th December 2021 to be

Beaumont said: “We are so delighted to have our team recognised and

held at the Warner Bros Studios – www.hcpa.info/the-hertfordshire-care-

make it through to the finals. At Chorleywood, we employ dedicated

awards

Wonderkin UK, Managing Director, Marites Allen, Talks About Smart Digital Incontinence Aid & Providing Convenience & Confidence in Chronic Care Management 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: 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,

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.

Q: WHAT OTHER ISSUES DOES WONDERKIN AIM TO SPEARHEAD WITH ITS DIGITAL INNOVATIONS? MA: Another common issue for patients is communication- between their family 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

PAGE 24 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 74

Introducing Assistive Technologies: What We’ve Learned, And How You Can Do It Better

By Luke Joy-Smith, Project Director, Dimensions (www.dimensions-uk.org) “It can be very hard to interpret Alice’s emotions. Now that she has the Grid Pad, she can communicate anger, boredom and other feelings. Her support has got so much better as a result…”

Start talking to people about the role of technology in care and I bet you a bitcoin that half of them assume you’re talking about bed sensors. The other half think you’re replacing carers with robots. An enlightened few might ask if the tech is personalised.

Tech has the potential to go so much further.

Dimensions has been rolling out tech to the people we support with learning disabilities and autism, with some especially exciting examples of how this has worked in practice in Somerset. We have identified some great practice, but strongly believe that it’s also important to share the pitfalls we’ve stumbled across so that others can avoid them.

“Dimensions gave me a laptop at the start of the pandemic and arranged a load of different groups. I joined the Music one and a Friendship Group too – I’ve got friends as far away as Newcastle now! There’s nothing worse than being isolated and I’m really grateful to those who have helped make the groups happen.” Adam “Gwyneth’s new talking photo album, voiced by her mum, is helping her protect vital family memories as her dementia progresses.”

Alice, Adam and Gwyneth’s experiences are great. Of course, it is never as simple as handing out tablets and laptops. It can be easy to go out and buy technology and just not use it. No-one needs a very expensive doorstop. So why is this?

There’s a myriad of challenges. Who trains the colleagues who will be supporting the person to use it?

Who supplies the broadband and pays for the data? What happens if something goes wrong? How do we keep people safe? Which apps are safe and which are not, and who determines this?

Here is what we’ve learned:

NO SUPPLY WITHOUT DEMAND. Give tech to people that haven’t asked for it and you may as well give them a brick. I’m sure there’s a piece of technology sitting in someone’s home right now that I fear may be gathering dust.

ENCOURAGE SUPPORT COLLEAGUES TO ‘IMAGINE BETTER.’ Remember that many colleagues may be digitally excluded, hesitant or unaware themselves. That’s ok.

Meet them on their terms. You might start by all looking at brochures together – there’s some brilliant sources of ideas out there, such as Living Made Easy (www.livingmadeeasy.org.uk) , but do your own research too.

Involve the person, their family, their housemates, colleagues, social workers… good ideas can come from

anywhere

KNOW YOUR DIGITAL CHAMPIONS. At the same time, remember that some colleagues may be digital natives, fanatical about great tech solutions. Know who they are and don’t be afraid to call them your digital champions. If you can, give them some tech to play with. We tried that with a ‘table top tablet’ which is proving very popular with some of the people we support in Somerset.

START WITH A PERSON’S SUPPORT PLAN. At Dimensions we now have a dedicated part of a person’s support plan called ’My Technology,’ alongside a series of prompt questions. If something is in the support plan, it is co-produced, co-demanded and therefore much more likely to happen. Tech can ease most problems; issues around communications, mobility, memory, relationships and more can all be looked at through a tech lens.

TAKE SOME RISKS. Successful innovators break a few things along the way and that’s ok. Of course, there’s a crucial difference between stepping outside the lines and going completely rogue…

PROVIDE HELP. There are loads of organisations out there that can help with getting started, online safety, and troubleshooting when things go wrong. AbilityNet (www.abilitynet.org.uk) and the Good Things Foundation (www.goodthingsfoundation.org) are both brilliant. Use them.

KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON IN YOUR LOCAL AUTHORITY AREA. In Somerset, for example, we’ve been able to join a pilot programme of digital needs assessments from Millbrook (www.millbrookhealthcare.co.uk/pages/self-assessment) which we expect to lead to an acceleration of technological solutions for the people we support and thus better support.

KNOW WHAT FUNDING IS AVAILABLE. Dimensions helped shape and then successfully applied for funding for a couple of hundred tablets with wraparound data and support through the government’s Digital Lifeline Fund. That funding meant that everyone we support in England who wants a device, now has one. See more here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N61NJS3Yf60

KNOW WHAT COMMUNICATIONS APPS WORK BEST. Dimensions has produced a free guide on this, which you can download at https://dimensions-uk.org/wp-content/uploads/Lets-talk-about-communication-2021.pdf

MAKE SPACE FOR THE CONVERSATION. Tech can be a force for so much good in people’s lives. Being too busy to talk about it is simply not good enough.

New challenges are cropping up all the time. Having encouraged the people we support to use Dimensions’ broadband to help them communicate with family and friends through the pandemic, for example, we are increasingly finding that their new-found desire to watch 4k films is taking up the bandwidth needed for our colleagues to do their jobs. That’s resulting in some tricky conversations!

In this article have focused on connected devices simply because there are fewer hurdles to overcome with other tech. Talking photo albums, magic carpets, kitchen accessories, gardening aids and so on are all easy to set up and use. So go on – what are you waiting for? * All names have been changed

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

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.

3 3 3 3 3

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 74

Family’s Care Bill Soars Without Warning Because of Poor Council Information North Yorkshire County Council has been criticised by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman after a family’s care bill leapt from hundreds to thousands of pounds a month without notice.

The way the council communicated the change to the woman and her daughter came under the Ombudsman’s scrutiny after they complained the council had suddenly decided to take into account the woman’s home, when assessing how much she needed to pay for her care.

The woman first went to live in supported living accommodation in 2013 after she developed Alzheimer’s, at a weekly cost of £900. At the time the council chose to disregard the value of her home, and so she only had to pay £57.20 a week towards the cost. It carried out annual financial assessments every year till 2017.

The daughter moved into her mother’s home in 2017. No assessment was carried out in 2018 but in 2019 the council wrote to the mother to say a new assessment needed to be made. In a telephone call to the daughter the council explained second properties would now be taken into account, and the mother would have to pay the full cost of her care.

The family was left with £33,000 in care charges, and a further £380 towards the cost of progressing a delayed payment agreement (DPA), which would mean when the house was sold any money owing would come out of the proceeds of the sale.

The Ombudsman’s investigation criticised the way the council communicated with the mother and daughter. The council has already accepted this was not satisfactory and has apologised.

The Ombudsman found the council did not give advice and information about the impact of the change in its treatment of the property in the financial assessment. The council was not clear about the detail of

easy-to-understand advice and information on why those changes are being made.

“In this case, while we cannot say whether the council was right to change the way it assessed the family’s finances, the absence of clear information led to confusion and a loss of trust in the council’s processes.

“I welcome the council’s readiness to accept the recommendations I have made to remedy the situation for this family, and the wider steps it will now take to ensure other families are not affected in the same way.”

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s role is to remedy injustice and share learning from investigations to help improve public, and adult social care, services. In this case the council has provided the daughter with a copy of its current charging policy for nonresidential care and has explained when its approach to the treatment of property within this policy changed, who authorised the change and whether any assessment of the impact on vulnerable service users was done. The council will also carry out a review of its decision not to apply the property disregard to the mother’s financial assessment and apply its new charging policy, how it applied it, or its reasons for deciding to include the value of the home in the financial assessment. The council

It has confirmed the DPA was not finalised and it will pay the daugh-

also did not ensure the mother fully understood the details of the DPA

ter £500 for the distress caused and her time and trouble in pursuing

when she signed the application form.

the matter.

The Ombudsman also criticised the council for the delay in dealing with the daughter’s complaint.

The Ombudsman has the power to make recommendations to improve processes for the wider public. In this case the council will

Michael King, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, said:

review each time it has removed a property disregard from a service-

“When such significant changes are being made to the way a family

user since April 2019. If it finds faults similar to this case it should follow

pays for care, councils must ensure they provide clear, accurate and

My Purchasing Partner - Helping You Buy Better Whether you need full procurement services or just supply chain support – My Purchasing Partner can save you time and money, with or without changing suppliers - allowing you to focus on caring for your residents.

We are an owner operated business who have been delighting our

the new decision to the mother’s case from February 2020.

healthcare clients for over ten years.

Our proven success is based on positive relationships with our clients, including some of the UK’s largest care home groups. We listen to their individual needs and work with our wide range of suppliers, several of whom focus solely on the healthcare sector, to ensure that our bespoke service meets these needs every time.

Think of us as an extension to your team and the thread between you and your suppliers - allowing you and your team to focus on the care and

the principles agreed here to remedy any injustice caused. 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

PAGE 28 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 74

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 systems. 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 availability 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 – THISTLE HEALTHCARE Thistle Healthcare is a family-owned care home operator providing services throughout Scotland. They offer a variety of care, from residential to dementia to complex mental healthcare. The team had been using multiple paper-based systems to manage audits, accidents, incidents and quality assurance. Analysing the data took two to three days each month, taking time away from the delivery of care.

Radar Healthcare came in to consolidate and digitalise processes and procedures. Collecting the data and analysing now takes less than a day.

This data can help to identify issues needing corrective action, but can also identify strengths in the organisation which helps to boost morale. More than this, during the pandemic, Radar Healthcare allowed Thistle to monitor performance while the support team was working remotely, and identify quality issues brought on during the pandemic. The high level of configurability means the system will continue to adapt as Thistle Healthcare grows.

Employment Webinar Highlights Ongoing Disruption for Care Sector 57% of care sector professionals attending a recent employment law webinar have experienced significant disruptions in their organisation as a result of staff missing the deadline for the Covid-19 vaccination.

This statistic was uncovered during a recent employment law webinar for HR managers in the care sector, in conjunction with The Carer.

Employment law experts Clive Dobbin, Claire Merritt and Tabytha Cunningham gave attendees up to date guidance on key issues affecting the care sector, including navigating the vaccination legislation, supporting mental health of staff and obligations to EU workers.

The apparent disruption in the sector is no surprise. An astonishing 86% of attendees reported that some of their staff had failed to meet the first vaccination deadline. Having given a detailed breakdown of care home obligations and the upcoming deadlines, Clive summarised best practice around tricky issues that may come about as a result of the vaccination legislation, such as discrimination or unfair dismissal claims.

Immigration specialist Tabytha Cunningham delivered a detailed summary on employer responsibilities and EU workers, noting that the

the mental health of staff. Partner Claire Merritt highlighted the key signs of poor mental health and suggested important steps employers should take to support their staff. Claire answered questions about mental health in the workplace, noting that workers are more anxious than ever about their workplaces being safe, adding that reports of employees experiencing suicidal thoughts are on the rise.

Clive Dobbin, Head of Employment: “We’ve worked closely with clients in the care sector for many years and they are now facing unique challenges. The next few months, and even years, will be difficult to navigate. As a team we have committed to providing free and regular information for HR professionals throughout the pandemic and beyond.”

The Paris Smith employment team has also put together a useful

impact of Brexit on the sector will be significant. Care homes will have

blog on vaccinations in care homes which you can read at

to navigate strict deadlines and numerous application processes to

https://parissmith.co.uk/blog/compulsory-vaccination-in-care-homes/

support and retain their EU workers.

The care sector is unquestionably facing unique challenges around

Those unable to attend the webinar can view the video below: https://vimeo.com/611704487

Orpington School Donates Plants to Home for Adults with Learning Disabilities The staff and residents of Cabrini House in Orpington were delighted by a recent donation of 120 plants from Perry Hall Primary School. The adults that live at Cabrini House all have learning disabilities and really enjoy spending time in their garden and the plants were received with much enthusiasm.

The young plants including turnips, lettuces and spinach have all been planted and are being cared for by the adults that Diagrama supports. Everyone is very keen to see if they have ‘green fingers’ and are looking forward to a bumper crop that they can use to make healthy and nutritious meals.

Neeley Taylor who oversees Perry Hall Primary School’s edible garden, said, “Perry Hall Primary is a community school, and our edible garden provides a fantastic opportunity to be part of our extended community. This includes helping to share resources, when

we can, so others too can enjoy the amazing benefits of growing food and being outdoors.”

Claire Morlham, Manager at Cabrini House, said, “We cannot thank Perry Hall Primary School enough for their generous donation of over 120 young plants for our residents. We encourage everyone to get involved in all aspects of running the home and tending to the garden.

The adults we support spent a lovely day in the garden clearing the raised beds and planting the vegetables and lettuces and they are really looking forward to harvesting the crop next spring. As everyone loves being out in the garden, we are asking for donations so that we can buy more cutters, snippers, gloves, rakes, and topsoil for every person to use. Our next project, which will involve everyone who wants to help, is to build a composting area as part of our efforts to recycle.”

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 74 | PAGE 29

Star Lottery: Thousands of Pounds Up for Grabs Every Week Veterans’ charity Royal Star & Garter is launching its new lottery, with a £20,000 top prize.

The Star Lottery will be held weekly, with the first draw taking place on Friday 3 December.

As well as the chance of winning the top £20,000 prize every Friday, there is a second prize of £1,000, and guaranteed runners-up prizes of ten John Lewis vouchers worth £10 each week.

Royal Star & Garter provides loving, compassionate care to veterans and their partners living with disability or dementia. Every lottery draw purchased will help support veterans cared for at the charity’s Homes in Solihull, Surbiton and High Wycombe.

Each Star Lottery entry is £1, with entrants able to purchase a maximum of five each week. Entrants choose six numbers between 1-49, or

can opt to have six numbers randomly allocated to them.

Players will win the £20,000 jackpot if they match all six numbers.

Five matched numbers will win the £1,000 prize, and each week ten lucky winners will be randomly selected from all eligible entries to win £10 in John Lewis vouchers.

Caley Eldred, Director of Supporter Engagement at Royal Star & Garter, said: “We’re really excited to be launching our Star Lottery, and offering the chance to win prizes including a £20,000 jackpot. Every ticket purchased will help us continue providing exceptional, award-winning care to our residents.”

All players must be 18 or over and live in Great Britain. For more information and to play the Star Lottery, go to: https://starandgarter.weeklylottery.org.uk/

Hamilton Care Home Residents Enjoy Their First Post-Lockdown Party For the first time since the start of the pandemic, residents at a Hamilton care home have been able to get their dancing shoes on and enjoy live entertainment at a summer garden party.

Residents at Avonbridge Care Home, which is part of the Larchwood Group, were joined by singer Jack High who kept them singing and dancing with songs from the 1950s and 1960s, as well as more modern requests.

In the run up to the party, residents spent time making decorations and developing a delicious mocktail menu, which was a huge hit with everyone.

Situated on the banks of the river Avon, Avonbridge is spread over two floors and set amongst well-maintained grounds. There is always a wide range of activities on offer for residents, including beauty treatments and pamper sessions at the home’s very own hairdressing salon.

Throughout the pandemic, entertainers were still able to visit the home, but distancing and safeguarding guidelines meant shows had to be performed in the car park, with residents watching through windows.

Kelly O’Neill, activities coordinator at the home, said: “It was a delight to see our residents singing and dancing to all their favourite old songs. We’ve done our best to keep a good variety of activities on offer while restrictions have been in place, but it’s been difficult. It’s just not the same watching a singer through a window!

“After the success of the party, we’re now planning how we can do more external activities in a safe and covid-secure way, as everyone at the home is looking forward to getting out and about.”

PAGE 30 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 74

Homecare Funding Deficit Exposed A new report from the Homecare Association details the findings of enquiries, made under freedom of information legislation, to 340 public organisations which purchase homecare across the United Kingdom.

These consisted of local authorities, Health and Social Care (HSC) Trusts in Northern Ireland, Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) in England, Local Health Boards in Wales and regional NHS Boards in Scotland. Of the public organisations contacted, 312 confirmed that they purchased homecare services from the independent and voluntary sector and provided data, making this the most comprehensive and up-todate analysis of its kind ever conducted.

Responses showed that, since 2020, the number of hours of homecare purchased by public sector organisations has risen by 11% in the United Kingdom overall – 16% in Wales, 12% in Scotland, 11% in Northern Ireland and 10% in England.

Average hourly fee rates for homecare, weighted for the volume of hours purchased, by both councils and health organisations combined, were as follows: £18.66 (England, £18.54 – councils; £19.54 – CCGs)); £19.30 (Wales, £19.33 – councils; £19.06 – health boards)); £18.62 (Scotland); and £15.76 (Northern Ireland).

Only 1 in 8 (13%) of public organisations that provided figures were paying an average price at, or above, the Homecare Association’s Minimum Price for Homecare of £21.43 per hour, which they calculate as an absolute minimum to ensure compliance with the national legal minimum wage of £8.91 per hour, care regulations, and to enable sustainability of services. Indeed, in Scotland and Northern Ireland, this percentage drops to 3% and 0% respectively.

Only 28% of public organisations were able to provide a calculation demonstrating a rationale for the fee rates paid for homecare.

Five public organisations have reported paying average fee rates below £15.19 per hour, which is the direct cost of a careworker on the national legal minimum wage of £8.91 per hour, plus average employment on-costs (pension, NI, holiday and sick pay, travel and mileage).

The problem with this they say is that it leaves nothing to cover the other operating costs, and thus risks non-compliance with employment and care regulations, poor experience for those receiving and giving care, and provider insolvency.

In total, 24 public organisations reported paying less than an average of £16 per hour for homecare, including four out of five trusts in Northern Ireland. This risks careworkers not receiving the national legal minimum wage for all hours worked, including travel time, and the ability of homecare agencies to deliver good quality care.

To date, government has announced funding of £500 million over three years from 2023 for training and well-being of the workforce of 1.5

million. Whilst welcome, this is only £111 per person per year. A workforce capacity grant of a further £162.5 million was announced on 21 October 2021, which equates to £100 per member of the care workforce.

Whilst this is helpful in the short-term, it is hard to see how this amount will enable professionalisation of the care workforce, as claimed by the government, nor address long-standing issues with poor pay, terms and conditions of employment.

Care roles are far more than minimum wage jobs and we need to go further to attract, retain and develop a talent pool for the future.

The Homecare Association is calling on central government to invest properly in homecare, so we can address unmet need, reduce inequalities, extend healthy life expectancy of older and disabled people and reduce pressure on the NHS. They recommend that in the short-term: 1.Additional funding is made available urgently to enable careworkers to receive wages equivalent to Band 3 healthcare assistants in the NHS with 2+ years’ experience (£21,777 p.a., or £11.14 per hour). We calculate that this will require an additional £1.72 billion per year overall across the United Kingdom, split as follows: •£1.30 billion per year for England; •£75.3 million per year for Wales; •£238.4 million per year for Scotland; •£111.9 million per year for Northern Ireland.

2.Local authorities and health bodies are funded and required to pay a fair price for care, using a rational methodology, which enables careworkers to receive a minimum of £11.14 per hour, and homecare services to be of good quality and financially sustainable. Using the Homecare Association costing model, we calculate this to be £26.31 per hour.

3.Purchasing homecare by the minute is outlawed and replaced by

payment in advance on planned homecare. This will help to stabilise and develop homecare provision by: a) providing greater security of income; b) encouraging investment in workforce and technology; and c) reducing the risk of provider insolvency.

4.Current national needs and regional variation in demography and workforce are recognised and social careworkers are added to the Shortage Occupation List.

Longer-term recommendations : 1.An expert-led workforce strategy for social care and a ten-year workforce plan are developed, aligned with the NHS People Plan in the United Kingdom.

2.A professional register for careworkers in England is created, in line with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which is adequately funded and carefully implemented.

Homecare Association CEO, Dr Jane Townson said: “Once again, the continued deficit in funding for homecare services for older people across the United Kingdom is exposed.

At least 70% of homecare is purchased by the State, so central government funding of councils for social care has a direct impact on the fee rates they are able to pay for homecare. In turn, these fee rates and the way homecare is commissioned and purchased, determines pay, terms and conditions of employment of the care workforce.

Scandalously low fee rates for homecare are paid by some public organisations, particularly in areas of highest deprivation, which do not enable compliance with employment or care regulations, never mind allow fair reward for the skills and experience of careworkers.

Zero-hour commissioning of homecare at low fee rates leads to zerohour employment of careworkers at low wage rates.

It makes little sense to neglect people at home, wait until they reach crisis point, then admit them to the most expensive setting of care in an acute hospital. Here they may lose further function and require even higher levels of support and care when they are discharged back home, or to a care home.

Councils are unable to meet needs of all older and disabled people requiring help in the community. NHS trusts are struggling to reduce waiting lists, as timely discharge from hospital is hampered by inadequate capacity in social care and community services.

Greater investment is needed in homecare and community support to grow and develop the workforce and innovate, so we can enable people to live well at home, extend healthy life expectancy, reduce inequalities, take pressure off the NHS and reduce costs for the health and care system.”

Moneypenny Launches Free Inbound Call Handling Guide For Care Professionals A free guide has been launched to help care professionals improve their approach to inbound call handling.

Moneypenny, the leading outsourced communications provider which handles 50,000 interactions for UK care providers each year, has compiled the handy eight-step guide to help care providers review inbound call handling practices and find ways to improve efficiencies and reputation.

Stephanie Vaughan-Jones, head of the health and care sector at Moneypenny said: “Lots of care providers view answering the phone as something that just happens, rather than an important communications activity that requires a strategy of its own.

“This guide is intended to help domiciliary providers as well as nursing and care homes think more closely about the caller journey and how the quality of call handling can impact their ability to attract customers and project a professional and caring image. It’s also super important when trying to recruit new staff – a challenge the care industry is really grappling with right now. If phones are ringing out or not being answered quickly enough, care providers could lose out on interested new recruits and the best talent.”

The guide’s contents address why effective inbound call management matters, the importance of goal

Holding Fire Doors Open Legally Fire doors, which are part of fire safety provision within care settings can pose a barrier to the mobility and wellbeing of residents.

Residents can feel isolated and alone as the closing action of the fire door closer fitted to their room door doesn’t allow them to keep their door open. They are unable to interact with staff and other residents as they walk past their room, which can impact on their mental wellbeing.

Gangways with fire doors and closers are also hard to manoeuvre if you are frail.

Don’t be tempted, though, to use an object or door wedge to hold fire doors open, this is a breach of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and you could find yourself facing a heavy fine or even a custodial sentence.

However, there are ways of legally holding fire doors open, which enhance the independent mobility of the elderly without compromising

setting and benchmarks and the eight strategic steps to devising a call management strategy.

Stephanie added: “We know first-hand that many care providers find call handling difficult. Often, they don’t have adequate resource and so care givers are expected to chip in with answering ringing phones. This just isn’t effective use of their time, particularly for a sector which is already understaffed.”

The guide is available to download for free on Moneypenny’s website https://www.moneypenny.com/uk/resources/blog/8-step-guide-to-bettercall-management-for-care-providers/ Moneypenny provides telephone answering, live chat, outsourced switchboard and customer contact solutions to hundreds of care providers across the UK, thanks to its dedicated team of 41 healthcare receptionists. In total, more than 13,000 businesses across the UK benefit from Moneypenny’s mix of extraordinary people and ground-breaking technology.

For more information about Moneypenny’s work in the health and care sector visit: https://www.moneypenny.com/uk/healthcare-answering-services/

your fire safety integrity. Certified fire door holders and retainers can be fitted to fire doors, enabling them to be pinned open.

Fitting battery-operated door retainers, such as Dorgard, Dorgard SmartSound and Freedor SmartSound could not be easier and they provide you with a legal solution to holding your fire doors open. Easily installed by your handyman they can be fitted to existing fire doors. These devices ‘listen’ for the sound of your fire alarm and on hearing it will automatically activate and allow your fire door to close, preventing the spread of fire.

Fitting Dorgards on fire doors along corridors will empower your residents to independently move from one area to another, increasing their independence as well as contributing to good mental health.

To ensure that you can fit the right type of fire door retainer to suit your needs Dorgard have developed a range of products. Dorgard original is best suited to small or medium settings with low to normal noise levels, whereas Dorgard SmartSound can provide the right solution for noisier environments where the enhanced sound recognition is beneficial. Dorgard Pro offers the ability to manage up to 500 fire doors and gives you a ‘one glance’ check system, ideal for large premises.

Holding fore doors open gives you the added benefit of increasing ventilation as well as reducing common touch points, which can prevent the spread of viruses.

If you would like to find out more about Dorgard or to discuss your needs further with our knowledgeable customer care team please call 0800 612 6287 or visit www.safelincs.co.uk/dorgards.

PAGE 32 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 74

Hallmark Care Homes Launches Musician on Prescription Programme Hallmark Care Homes has launched an initiative where a visit from a musician can be prescribed to support people living with dementia.

Andrew Wickham will be supporting Hallmark’s facility in Cambridge, Arlington Manor whilst Jo Thomas will be supporting their facility in Banstead called Banstead Manor.

Both talented musicians have been selected, trained and managed

by Hallmark’s partner organisation Musica. They’ll each deliver one hour per week of interactive music sessions for people living with dementia who have been referred to them where it is felt that a 1:1 or group engagement with the musician will be of benefit.

Through the project they will evaluate how the music sessions may help people living with dementia by reducing social isolation, depression and chronic pain, and supporting communication through building connections and relationships.

Head of Relationship Centred Care at Hallmark Care Homes, April Dobson said: “I am delighted to welcome Andrew and Jo as our ‘Hallmark Musicians in Residence’, and excited about this new initiative.

order to have maximum benefit music needs to be used on a regular basis, and it will be incredible to see the outcomes that come from regular musical interaction in this way. We’re extremely proud to partner with Hallmark on this pilot project.”

Jo Thomas said: “It is a real pleasure to be working as a musician in residence with Hallmark Care Homes. It has been great getting to know the residents. I work as a composer and musician living in London.

Sound and music are such elemental forces in our lives, it is wonderful to be able to share beautiful music and write music together.”

Both musicians bring with them a wealth of experience and knowledge which will help enhance quality of life for people living with dementia in our homes. Music is a vital element of the way we care for people at Hallmark and our strong partnership with Musica means we can take it to another level through this one-to-one referral service.”

Founder of Musica, Rosanna Mead said: “The Musician in Residence programme is a really exciting initiative. The research suggests that in

Andrew Wickham said: “I am really excited to be Arlington Manor’s Musician in Residence! I have been a musician for almost thirty years, playing in a range of bands and recording projects. For over five years I have worked as a musician in care home settings with older adults, leading many groups in a good old sing-song with some lovely old tunes! I am excited to be involved in this new project at Arlington Manor… let’s see where the music takes us!”

Charity Shares Some Youthful Energy With Norwich Care Home Residents

Badgers Wood Care Home has welcomed youngsters from a local intergenerational friendship charity for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

A group of children from Friend in Deed, a charity that aims to create friendships across generations and reduce loneliness, returned to visit residents at the Norwich care home.

The youngsters were excited to be back at the care home, singing and playing with residents at a safe distance in an outside courtyard. Up until the start of the pandemic, the charity would bring a group of children to the home every Tuesday as part of its Little Visitors initiative, which promotes interaction with children aged 0-5 and care home residents.

A friendship which has developed as a result of the partnership between the home and charity, is that of Nancy and Macey. Four-year-old Macey saved her pocket money to gift resident Nancy a butterfly kit, having received one herself at the beginning of the summer holidays and being amazed by the transformation of a dowdy caterpillar into its colourful final form Anne Riches, manager at Badgers Wood care home, said: “It was delightful to welcome the children back to the home, they always have such great, uplifting energy and are guaranteed to put a smile on the face of all the residents.

“Because it’s been so long since we were able to have them back, they’ve all grown so much. The last time we saw some of them they were only babies, and now they

are walking and talking!”

Kelly Lindsay, founder of Friends in Deed, said: “It’s been great to see how much enjoyment both generations got from the visit to Badgers Wood. The heartwarming friendship that’s developed between Nancy and Macey is so lovely to see.

“Intergenerational visits have been proven to not only benefit older people, but also help youngsters.

Interacting with older people can help young children with their development and encouraging them to communicate effectively. For older children, these visits can help with their ability to empathise with others and often friendships can develop which offer a means of support during difficult adolescent years.”

Warren Cycles For Charity No sooner than he joins the business than Saniflo’s new Kinedo Business Development Manager, Warren Knowles, is persuaded to participate in the PHG Revolution 150 Charity Bike Ride.

No easy feat, the two-day, 150-mile course runs from Harrogate to Darlington through the Yorkshire Dales and back again through the North Yorkshire Moors.

Supporting two environmental charities, Surfers Against Sewage and Woodland Trust, the ride raises money and also awareness of how every single person can help the war on plastic pollution and the carbon crisis both at home and at work. Like many charities, both suffered losses during the pandemic and this event was designed to help them recover.

So, on Friday 1st October, Warren donned his best bike shoes

and Saniflo-sponsored shirt to tackle the course; “To say it was a bit of a killer ride over the two days is an understatement. We had atrocious weather conditions for the duration of challenge.

We covered 80 miles with 4,600m of climbs on day one and a further 75 miles on day 2 with a mere 3,000m of climbs.”

Happily, Warren finished the challenge with a big smile on his face.

“Not only was Saniflo the shirt sponsor, but also donated to the worthy cause, so there was no way I was going to get away without finishing! I actually really enjoyed the challenge and was delighted to help put these crucial charities back on the map.”

There is still time to donate. With gift aid, the total stands at just £500 shy of an incredible £50k.

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 cush-

ions 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 opposite.

PAGE 34 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 74

Around Half Of People In England Now Have Access To Digital Healthcare Around half of adults in England have access to digital healthcare, according to the latest statistics from NHS Digital.

NHS login, the service which supports the NHS App, now has almost 28 million users – this is up from around 2.2 million in September 2020.

The online service, which is managed by NHS Digital, provides people with a quick and secure single point of access to a variety of digital health and care websites and apps using just one email address and password.

A total of 45 apps and e-health services are available through NHS login, including e-Referral services, Covid-19 support and advice, maternity and child health services, online pharmacies, and services to monitor and improve health and wellbeing.

A peak in the number of people setting up an NHS login took place in May, which coincided with the launch of the NHS COVID Pass. On 17 May alone, when the NHS COVID Pass launched, around 245,000 people created an NHS login account.

The highest proportion of NHS login users are based in London – one in five Londoners logged onto the service in August to access digital healthcare services, and it proved most popular with those aged between 30-39 in London, and 20-29 overall.

Of the almost 28 million people currently using NHS login, 57% are fully verified. People are encouraged to complete identity verification to have complete access to the full range of services available via NHS login, including the NHS App and COVID Pass.

Melissa Ruscoe, Citizen Identity (NHS login) Programme Head at NHS Digital, said: “We are pleased to see such a massive uptake in people managing their healthcare needs digitally throughout the coronavirus pandemic, with around half of people in England now able to access digital healthcare services through NHS

login.

“Through the services integrated with NHS login people can book GP appointments, order lateral flow tests, register their organ donation preferences, and much more. This helps free up valuable time for GP practice staff and provides a simple and efficient way for people to take control of their healthcare and access services easily and securely.”

Emma McLachlan, director of digital experience at NHSX, said: "In the past 18 months the NHS has made huge progress in offering access to care online. Through NHS login, we can give the public direct access to choices, information and services, and help them stay healthy. We will always offer non-digital alternatives, but if you can download the NHS app and haven't yet done so, please do."

The first app to go live with NHS login – the NHS App – has now reached over 16 million users, currently making it England’s most popular free app.

The NHS App was downloaded by more than 12 million people following the addition of the NHS COVID Pass on 17 May. NHS App users are benefiting from easier access to NHS services. During the past four months, almost 3.2 million repeat prescriptions were ordered and over 268,000 GP appointments booked via the app, saving valuable time for patients and clinicians.

The increase in app downloads could also have a life-saving impact as 1.5 million people have now used the NHS app to manage their organ donation decision, with 265,000 of these registering their organ donation for the first time via the app. Over 150,000 of these new registrations have taken place in just four months since May 2021.

Evelyn 101 Years Young There was definitely cause for celebration last Sunday at Primrose Croft care home in Cambridge as Evelyn turned 101 years young. Everyone was amazed how quickly that last year went. Everyone reminisced last year when Evelyn celebrated her 100th and the fact that Evelyn had loved the fact that the Queen had known it was her 100th Birthday.

Evelyn has a wonderful character and is very popular at Primrose. She enjoys joining in with many of the fun activities and especially loves the performances from the professional singers.

Evelyn is a massive Bing Crosby Fan and tells everyone that she has all his records. She loves to listen to his music and watch his videos. With the staff knowing this they made sure that there was a lot of Bing Crosby songs being played through-

out the day. Evelyn has the most beautiful and contagious smile, which shines even more when she hears or sees Bing Crosby.

Evelyn had family come to visit and help her celebrate her special day. For tea Evelyn enjoyed a special tea with her Primrose Croft family.

Evelyn used to work at Addenbrookes hospital and is very proud always reminiscing of those days. She loved making and serving the tea for the patience, getting to know everyone there. She used to bike a long way to work unless it was raining hard and then she would get the bus. When asked if she would like to go back and work their again, she nodded saying yes. Evelyn loves a good cup of tea and always says thank you to the staff when she is offered one, knowing how much a thank you makes a person feel to be appreciated.

Latest Key Statistics on Adult Social Care Include Council Spending in 2020-21 Local authorities spent £21.2 billion on adult social care in 2020-21, statistics published today by NHS Digital show.

The Adult Social Care Activity and Finance Report, England 2020-21 is among five publications which cover topics such as outcomes, activity, finance and the opinions of those receiving care. The reports relate to England and contain figures covering 2020-21.

During that period, gross current expenditure on adult social care by local authorities was £21.2 billion.

However, some of the spending in 2020-21 does not directly relate to people whose care is supported by the local authority and so overall totals are not directly comparable with previous years. The rise in spending also reflects an increase in government funding in 2020-21 specifically to support the adult social care sector during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The other reports published this week included: •Measures from the Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework, England 2020-21 This publication draws on a number of data collections and measures how well care and support services achieve the outcomes that matter most to people. This year a reduced number of indicators have been published as the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic affected data avail-

ability.

Findings included that the proportion of new clients who received short-term services, where no further request was made for ongoing support, decreased from 79.5% in 2019-20 to 74.9% in 2020-21.

There was also a fall in the proportion of people aged 65 and over who were still at home 91 days after they were discharged from hospital into reablement or rehabilitation services, from 82.0% in 2019-20 to 79.1% in 2020-21.

Figures relating to mental health included that the proportion of women (11%) in contact with secondary mental health services in paid employment is higher than the proportion of males (7%).

The report also looks at adults in contact with secondary mental health services who are living in their own home or with family. The North East region has the highest proportion (69%) while the West Midlands has the lowest (48%).

•Personal Social Services Adult Social Care Survey, England 2020-21 This annual survey4, conducted by councils with Adult Social Services Responsibilities (CASSRs), asks service users questions about quality of life, the impact of care and support services and their general health and wellbeing.

Due to the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19), the 2020-21 survey was voluntary so councils could choose whether or not to participate – 18 councils with Adult Social Services Responsibilities (CASSRs) took part.

Therefore, this year’s publication is presented as Management Information and the findings relate solely to the participating councils, so cannot be compared to previous years.

The survey found that 67.7% of the participating service users were very or extremely satisfied with the care and support they received,

while 2.1% were very or extremely dissatisfied with the care and support they received.

Of the service users who reported they feel clean and are able to present themselves in the way they want, 90.5% also reported they have adequate or as much control over their daily life as they want, while 9.5% feel they have no control or some control but not enough.

Among the service users of councils that took part, 34.4% reported they had as much social contact as they wanted with people they like.

In contrast, 13.2% reported they had little social contact and felt socially isolated.

For service users with a primary support reason of Learning Disability Support, a higher proportion rate their health in general to be good or very good. Service users primarily receiving physical support have the highest proportion who rate their health in general to be bad or very bad.

Also published were two other reports – Deferred Payment Agreements 2020-21 and Guardianship under the Mental Health Act, 1983 – 2018-19, 2019-20 & 2020-21.

Key information from some of these publications will be included in the next version of Adult Social Care Statistics in England: An Overview, which brings together information collected by NHS Digital around different aspects of adult social care and covers from 2015-16 to the latest available data.

Statistics from this publication are also accessible through a new interactive data dashboard.

PAGE 36 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 74

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.

PAGE 38 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 74

CIEH Raises Concerns over UK Government Commitment to Public Health The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) has raised serious concerns about the UK Government’s commitment to public health with the apparent refusal to consider supporting public health apprenticeships in the upcoming budget.

In the run up to Wednesday’s budget, CIEH made three separate submissions to the Chancellor’s Spending Review. One alongside the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI), another with the Local Government Association (LGA), and a final submission in coalition with the Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH).

CIEH’s submissions included the call for the UK Government to implement the recommendations of its own Cross Government Review and highlighted the need to create a ring-fenced bursary scheme of £14m for local authorities to recruit new Regulatory Compliance Officer (RCO) apprentices.

CIEH contributed to the Cross Government Regulatory Services Working Group conducted by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). The Working Group, originally set up to review the work of the regulatory services professions during the COVID-19 pandemic, was instrumental in helping local government to protect the public by supporting businesses and communities with trad-

review, and its recommendations, CIEH is disappointed to learn that the call to support public health apprenticeships within local authorities may not have been considered by the Treasury.

Julie Barratt, CIEH President, said: “We have worked hand in hand with DLUHC for 9 months on the Working Group’s vital review of regulatory services, championing the role of public and environmental health professionals in combatting COVID-19. As such we strongly supported the Working Group’s own recommendation of supporting public health apprenticeships within local authorities.

Considering the key role public health professionals played in the pandemic, we are deeply concerned by rumours from within government that the Treasury will not be considering these recommendations.

This is especially confusing in light of the very limited funding required to meet this commitment and how it aligns closely with the Government’s own levelling-up agenda. ing standards and environmental health expertise. Without this expertise, the journey out of lockdown would not have been so efficient, nor the return back to post-COVID working so smooth.

However, having worked so closely with the Government on this

We have written to both the new Secretary of State for Levelling-Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove MP, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak MP, urging them to show their support for public health across our country and support our call for apprenticeships.”

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) 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 practice, it is fast, minimises discomfort and results in less mess. In two

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 Person-Centred Approach To Mobility and Hygiene across care settings and need to encompass both physical and cogni-

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.

tive 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 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.

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.

When looking at specific hygiene tasks, needs differ significantly

Visit www.arjo.com or see the advert on page 6.

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

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 74 | PAGE 39

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/

PAGE 40 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 74

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.

PAGE 42 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 74

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 20.

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.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 74 | PAGE 43

LAUNDRY SOLUTIONS

Keeping Care Homes Hygienic Textile Services Association provides support for care homes looking to improve laundry hygiene bagging soiled items, separate storage areas for soiled and clean textiles,

The Textile Services Association (TSA) has released guidance aimed at the care home sector to help explain how laundry helps control infections and how commercial laundries can help to raise hygiene standards.

This is part of the ongoing effort the TSA has made during the pandemic to help encourage high standards for hygiene in a number of sectors, including healthcare and hospitality. The advice is based on research carried out by De Montfort University, in association with the TSA, which was aimed at determining the survivability of coronaviruses on various fabric types and laundry processes.

This research demonstrated that while model coronaviruses can survive in water at 60°C for ten minutes, when combined with the agitation washing machines impart and detergent, no trace of the virus was found at 40°C and above. However, other pathogens like C.difficile, B.cereus, E.faecium and so on will require further thermal disinfection.

For care homes looking to maximise their hygiene, the knowledge that professional wash processes effectively eliminate the infection risk from pathogens and coronaviruses is good news. However, it was also determined that the tested strain of coronavirus can remain infectious on polyester fabric for up to 72 hours, and 100% cotton for 24 hours. It’s also possible for polyester fabric to transfer the virus to other surfaces for up to 72 hours.

With this in mind, the TSA recommends that care homes review procedures for laundry, including the loading and unloading of washing machines and the handling and storing of soiled and clean textiles, focusing on the need to reduce the chances of cross contamination. While each care home will have its own processes, common areas to focus on include

FowlerUK are Back!

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

ensuring that collection and delivery times for laundry are different, and putting in rigorous procedures for sanitising all at risk areas.

The pandemic has hugely increased the importance of maintaining the strictest hygienic standards in care homes. While some care homes may be able to implement the kind of systems required to guarantee the safety of their laundry needs, from resident’s bedsheets, clothes etc. to staff uniforms, the services offered by commercial laundries provide a simple solution to these logistical issues.

The TSA has created a technical bulletin outlining the government’s advice, as well as breaking down the kind of steps care homes should consider as part of any risk assessment they take to improve the hygiene of their laundry procedures.

As well as this, the TSA will be running an interactive webinar later in the year allowing operators to ask a panel of industry experts questions related to laundry hygiene.

The bulletin can be downloaded on the TSA’s website, from the healthcare section of the documents library, and further details about the webinar can also be found there.

The TSA is the trade association for the textile care services industry.

The TSA represent commercial laundry and textile rental businesses.

Membership ranges from family-run operations through to large, multinational companies.

Visit www.tsa-uk.org for more information.

catering equipment.

With a team of fully trained, gas certified field-base engineers, FowlerUK are a one-stop-shop for all your servicing and maintenance requirements. 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.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 74 | PAGE 45

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.

LaundryTec

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

WRAS deems all care homes to be high risk Category 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 gas-registered 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 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

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 74

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 74 | 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 74

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 74 | 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

01480 272727

Impartial advice from experienced advisers

Exceptional service from a dedicated account executive

Let us help you to protect your business with a no obligation risk review today!

Market-leading products from A rated insurers

Send us an email: Visit our website: Follow us:

Support with claims

Guidance on risk management solutions including H&S and HR

enquiries@barnesinsurancebroker.co.uk www.barnesinsurancebroker.co.uk/care /barnes-commercial

Barnes Commercial Insurance Broker is a trading style of Barnes Commercial Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, FRN: 844370. Registered address: 3 Fenice Court, Phoenix Park, Eaton Socon, St Neots, Cambs, PE19 8EW. Registered in England and Wales. Registered number: 11909011.

PAGE 54 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 74

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 explored these issues and examined 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 earlier this month.

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

All Your Care Home Needs Meet Matt Oxley, the man on a mission to help care homes save time and money.

Making healthcare simple: that’s Matt Oxley’s mantra. And as CEO of Wippet (having previously been a director at Four Seasons Healthcare and Barchester Healthcare) he’s just launched a one-stop shop that allows healthcare providers to order everything they need in one place from trusted and vetted suppliers.

Matt is available to talk about how he’s revolutionising healthcare with new website Wippet, which offers carers everything they need, from everyday essentials such as incontinence pads and wipes to bigger items including furniture. Users can compare products and read reviews, then complete their purchase in a few clicks – all in one place. Wippet is quick, easy and user-friendly, saving precious time that can be used to care for people.

Matt came up with the idea for Wippet as the Covid pandemic hit and disrupted

The Carer Digital Now Available Weekly thecareruk.com/backissues

Our weekly digital edition supports the sector with all the latest news, expert advice and developments Sign up to get the latest edition direct to you at:

thecareruk.com/signup

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. !

supply chains - with shortages in vital products adding to the stress for carers who were already under immense pressure. A meeting with childhood friends John Barrowcliffe - an ecommerce expert - and David Meikle - a marketing expert - led to the three deciding to leave employment for entrepreneurship, and build a marketplace for the care sector.

Matt’s career spans more than 25 years and has held senior leadership positions for some of the industries' most established brands such as Nuffield Health, BMI, Four Seasons Healthcare and latterly Barchester Healthcare - where he experienced first-hand the huge cost and complexity in managing a fragmented supplier market. He’s perfectly placed to talk about how Wippet can help reduce cost and pressure for staff in care homes.

“From the smallest residential home to the largest healthcare group, we know that time spent on unnecessary admin is ultimately time that cannot be spent delivering care – and that’s a major problem,” says Matt.

“Wippet offers a simple one-stop shop, where you can consolidate all your transactions into one place.” https://www.wippet.com/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.!!

care possible, regardless of location, setting and need.” 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 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.

! !

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 74 | 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.

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

PAGE 58 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 74

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.

PAGE 60 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 74

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?

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

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 74

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 74

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