The Carer Digital - Issue #77

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The Carer Digital

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Issue 77

Mandating Vaccination in Care Homes - The True Cost

All staff working in a care home must now be double jabbed or exempt – if not, they can no longer cross the threshold into a care home, and industry observers are warning of mounting staff shortages, with many more job losses to come from the policy and its extension next year to home care.

In a recent National care forum (NCF) survey to members operating care homes, findings show that care providers fear they will lose around 8% of their care home staff as a direct result of this policy. This is a very serious loss of staff and one which, given the enormous workforce pressures now, the care sector can ill afford.

Everyone running care services is committed to achieving as high a level of COVID vaccination as possible. However, NCF say its members have consistently stated that they do not believe mandation is the best way to achieve this; rather, finding the best results from persuasion and encouragement, with good information and support, taking the time to address concerns with respect and discussion. And, indeed, when the government consulted on this policy earlier in 2021,

the majority of the general public and people using care services did not support mandation of vaccination for care home staff.

What does this tell us about the true cost of mandating vaccination?

• For the people living in care homes and their families, it means that long serving experienced staff with whom they have a trusted relationship will no longer be there to care for them and support them; • For the staff who have lost their jobs it means that they can longer do the job they loved as a direct result of the government’s policy of vaccine mandation – a policy that is not yet being applied to any other workforce in the country; • For care providers it means they are facing even more pressures to have enough staff to provide high quality, consistent care at a time when recruitment and retention are increasingly difficult, and • For the wider health system and the NHS, it means that more requests for help to discharge people from hospital into care homes cannot be met.

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PAGE 2 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77

Read all the latest stories online at:

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VIEWPOINT A brief column from me this week as, for the first time in over 18 months, I am taking a well needed day off!

I can only sympathise with those working at the 'coal face' in the care sector who have been unable to take personal time thanks to repeated lockdowns and the pressure on the sector, as adult social care has continued to be inundated with crisis after crisis.

We at The Carer can certainly agree with Editor the calls from the ADASS (see page 5) for the government to fund a £1,000 bonus over the winter period for social care workers in England. The fund would aim to reward those workers in the social care sector for their loyalty and hard work over past months, often at a risk to themselves when PPE was in short supply and COVID-19 was ravaging the sector. £1,000 would be a fantastic gesture to all those workers and a positive after many missteps in the handling of coronavirus in care.

As our front cover story shows, another crisis looms as the government's deadline for enforced Covid vaccination for those working in the care sector has passed, bringing with it more calls to tackle the inevitable staffing shortages that have resulted from the policy.

Many in the industry are pointing out the failure of the government to do anything to mitigate the impact of the policy. A number of suggestions have been made, including issuing more visas for overseas workers and a revamp of the immigration rules.

The concern is very clear - that this is putting further pressure on the sector and that workers who are already exhausted by recent events could come under additional stress as they are forced to cover extra shifts.

Despite all this, workers in the sector have remained professional and have continued to go that 'extra mile'. We only have to look at the wealth of entries we have received for our latest 'Unsung Hero' award to know that. We will be picking a winner soon and an extremely difficult job it will be!

It has also been heart-warming this month to see how many care and nursing homes take time to commemorate those lost in war over Remembrance Day and Armistice Day. I would like to thank everyone who sent in wonderfully uplifting and moving stories. It has become something of a tradition here at The Carer to include a Remembrance Day tribute and so once again we have included some of these events in this issue (see pages 24-26). Please do continued to send us in stories/articles with photographs of residents in your care environments who “did their bit” when needed the most.

We had 78,000 visitors to our website in October, opening over 600,000 pages and that doesn't take into account the readers we have for our digital and print issues. It is wonderful to see that readers are coming back time and again for the latest sector news and we are delighted to publish some stories from various homes around the country, from fund-raising to gardening. If you have anything you would like to share please do send it to me - editor@thecareruk.com

Peter Adams

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77 | PAGE 3

Mandating Vaccination in Care Homes - The True Cost (CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER...)

Vic Rayner OBE, CEO of the National Care Forum said: “Our survey shows that the true cost of implementing this policy has been very high. It has absorbed a huge amount of time and energy of staff, which could have been better devoted to recruitment and the well-being of existing staff; it has instead had to focus on working through dismissal procedures. 91% of respondents said that they had required additional HR time and 93% said they had to run additional one-to-one sessions for staff to talk them through the policy and its implications, with 74% providing whole team briefings for their workforce.”

STARK FINANCIAL COSTS On top of internal pressures and costs, the external financial costs were also in stark view with 53% of respondents incurring additional costs for specialist legal advice on how to implement this policy. It’s reflected further in the loss of goodwill between employee/employer relationship with 58% of respondents running disciplinary hearings and 40% managing appeals.

The national roll out of the policy has been chaotic. Respondents have been critical, stating that their experience on the ground is one of a policy ‘badly thought through’ and that the timing of the policy is ‘out of touch’ with the enormous pressures experienced by the care workforce.

‘It’s been a shambles. Much rests on the medical exemption process and this was a. late, b. unclear, c. poorly written and, d. lacking in ‘way points’ to allow us to manage staff through this process…’

Participants expressed strong views that the government has done little to mitigate impact of the policy, taking no direct action to support the sector in managing the fallout from both the number of staff who would be dismissed as a direct result of the policy and the overall impact on staff morale: ‘The no jab no job initiative was sent out too quickly without due consideration to the impact it would have on an already struggling sector. The divide between the NHS and social care has been made bigger. No jab no job is placing more stress on staff to work extra hours to cover staff vacancies.’

Rayner continues: “Since the introduction of this policy we have been vocal about the unnecessary high cost – in terms of human costs, financial costs and the loss in trust and goodwill amongst care staff and their employers as a direct result of this policy. Care homes have been the unwitting guinea pigs through the implementation of this policy, and the impact on people must not be swept under the carpet. It is vital that the government learns from this experience and makes changes for the wider roll out of this policy. As we face a very difficult winter ahead, lessons must be learnt in how not to introduce a policy that has long term consequences on the very people we need to deliver the care and support many people and communities rely on.

SOCIAL CARE SECTOR “ON ITS KNEES WITHIN MONTHS” Jan Tregelles, CEO of Revitalise said: “Once again social care has been treated like the poor relative of the NHS by the government and pleas from the sector for urgent reform have been ignored. Hancock admitted on Monday that mandatory vaccines for NHS staff would spell disaster for a sector already under immeasurable staffing pressure, but had no qualms enforcing the mandate for social care today, who are under as much duress. Revitalise has today lost 5% of our workforce due to mandatory vaccination requirements, which has compounded ongoing recruitment difficulties. Without enough staff, providers will not be able to care for and protect the very people who so desperately need out support. We ask the Government to push the mandatory vaccination deadline back to April 2022 and, in the meantime, to work with leaders across Health and Social Care to address the very real staffing and funding crisis faced by the sector. Social care faces one of the toughest winters ahead; without a substantial injec-

tion of cash, the sector will be on its knees within months.”

Jemima Johnstone, head of corporate immigration at Gherson Solicitors said: “November 11 was deadline day for care workers to have been double vaccinated, many are now facing the loss of their jobs. The care home sector has already been facing major staff shortages, and many in the sector are warning of it being on the ‘brink’. Making matters worse, Sajid Javid this week ordered that all NHS staff will need to be vaccinated by April. Our NHS and care sectors are dangerously close to collapse and without the staff, those in need will not be cared for appropriately.

The government needs to take a hard look at how to manage this crisis.

If they can rush through temporary visas for HGV drivers from across Europe they can certainly do the same for the care sector. The whole process needs to be overhauled. Under the current immigration rules employers who need to recruit care workers are only able to only sponsor non-UK and Irish nationals as Senior Care Workers – a role that meets the minimum deemed skill requirement for a ‘Skilled Worker’ visa. This needs to be expanded to recruit staff of all levels.

The situation has now reached a critical point and the Government needs to ensure that the NHS and the wider care sector is not left in limbo come April. The immigration process can potentially be achieved in six weeks, if recruiting a European national, but that’s with a focused approach to applying and scrupulous attention to the requirements, paying for priority service whenever it is available, and a fair share of good luck!

Both the NHS and the care sector have been underfunded for years, recruiting carers from abroad is not without its significant costs, especially when seeking a fast-track priority service. We urge the Government to take a long hard look at the mess that we find ourselves in and look to make the recruitment for those to care for our most vulnerable a priority.”

CARE HOMES “GUINEA PIGS” Matt McDonald, employment partner at law firm, Shakespeare Martineau, said: “The role of care homes as compulsory vaccination ‘guinea pigs’ is officially underway. It’s a hard line being taken by the Government and will cause disruption in an already strained sector.

“For some care homes, compulsory vaccination may mean losing only one or two staff, for others it could be a significant proportion of their workforce. Either way, if the safety of residents is compromised, we could see care homes’ services suspended or worse, them having to shut their doors.

“Staff are already exhausted, and if more pressure is piled on them as a result of losses, then there could be a mass exodus on the sector’s hands.

Whether they move to the NHS (until vaccinations are required there) or switch career entirely for more pay and less stress, care homes will suffer.

“A recruitment push is urgently needed to fill the gaps left by unvaccinated employees. However, the sector needs a serious PR campaign to attract more people into roles. This could take years, which is time that care homes don’t have.

“Some people may be in the tricky situation of waiting for their second jab. In these cases, employers can try to agree unpaid suspension with employees as an alternative to dismissing and subsequently trying to rehire individuals once they have received their second jab.

“Employers should also be wary of unfair dismissal claims being made against them. Disgruntled unvaccinated ex-employees may come knocking, but claims shouldn’t succeed if the proper processes were followed.

Consultations with staff should have taken place, with options discussed and alternatives considered. Unfortunately, alternatives are limited, as those that are unvaccinated and not medically exempt are banned from working inside care homes, no matter their role.

“The UK can’t afford care homes to close, so contingency plans must be put in place should they become unable to operate. We will have to wait

and see just how big an impact this experimental move has on the sector’s ability to continue operating.”

NO OVERNIGHT FIX Anne-Marie Perry of CareMatch said: “The safety of carers and those they work with should be of absolute paramount importance and it’s vital that everyone continues to do their part to fight the spread of the ongoing Covid pandemic, especially as we head into winter. Government data, however, shows that there are close to 105,000 domiciliary care workers who have not been double vaccinated. If these workers were to leave the sector, it would be a crippling blow for an already understaffed industry. Carers have been on the frontline of the pandemic since early 2020. Before that the industry was already suffering from a high attrition rate and a culture of burnout and overwork, which has only got worse.

“Sadly, there is no overnight fix, we need systemic change. The UK needs to fundamentally transform its care industry into a more attractive and supportive work environment if it’s going to attract and retain the workforce it needs to care for its ageing population. We need to re-shape the care industry to make it an attractive and positive career path, which involves increasing carers’ pay and improving their working conditions. It also means investing in new systems and technology which give carers more autonomy and flexibility to set their own work schedules. Improving the welfare of carers is vital and will translate directly into an improvement in the welfare of those they care for. Care work is rewarding work and vital to society, we need to transform the industry to reflect this.

“As part of this process we also need to mobilise local communities.

There is an acute shortage of carers and a surplus of care hours to fill, but tackling the shortage of carers is about more than just recruitment. The pandemic has shown that there is a ‘volunteer army’ ready to be mobilised to meet this challenge. Harnessing this potential will help to meet the shortage of carers and will change the culture of care in the UK for the better, making it more sustainable and local.

“If over 100,000 care workers left the industry after the deadline it could be disastrous. But even if these workers were to stay in care, the issues that the sector faces run far deeper. Hopefully today’s news will be a wake-up call – we need change.”

GOVERNMENT SAYS VACCINE ROLLOUT A "PHENOMENAL SUCCESS” Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “Our COVID-19 vaccination rollout has been a phenomenal success, saving countless lives, reducing pressure on the NHS and helping us stop the spread of the virus.

“We are expanding the programme even further and I have accepted the advice from the independent experts at the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to extend the additional offer of a booster jab to people aged 40 and over and offer a second dose of a vaccine to all young people aged 16 to 17 as part of the primary vaccination schedule. All four parts of the UK intend to follow the JCVI’s advice.

“I have asked the NHS to prepare to offer those eligible a vaccine as soon as possible.

“We know immunity to COVID-19 begins to wane after six months and new data published today shows a third dose boosts protection against symptomatic infection to more than 90% – this highlights just how important it is that everyone eligible gets their top-up jabs as soon as possible.

“The JCVI will keep under review whether the booster programme should be extended to all people under the age of 40 and I look forward to receiving their advice in due course.

“This is a national mission – the vaccines are the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones and I urge everybody to get your jabs as soon as you can.”

PAGE 4 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77

NHS Has Reached Tipping Point, Warn NHS Leaders The pressure on the NHS is now at unsustainable levels and patient safety and care are being put at risk by staff shortages, according to a new poll of NHS leaders by the NHS Confederation.

NHS leaders in England warn that we have reached a tipping point, with nearly nine in 10 (88%) saying the demands on their organisation are unsustainable. Almost the same number (87%) also say that a lack of staffing in the NHS as a whole is putting patient safety and care at risk.

The survey of leaders across hospitals, ambulance services, mental health providers, community services, primary care and integrated care systems is published ahead of the monthly performance figures for the NHS in England. These are due to be published at 9.30am on Thursday 11 November.

The greatest areas of concern for NHS leaders are primary care and urgent and emergency care. This comes at a time of record levels of demand on A&E departments, increasing bed occupancy rates, more patients stuck in hospital due to a lack of domiciliary or care home places available for them, and large increases in ambulance handover delays. This is on top of mounting pressure on GPs and other parts of primary care, as well as mental health and community services.

When asked what one measure would help reduce pressure on the NHS as we head into winter, the most endorsed recommendation from NHS leaders is for the Government to provide extra support for social care. They recommend this be targeted at ensuring effective discharge arrangements are in place so that people can live more independently in care homes or in their own homes. This comes as reports that one in five beds in some hospitals are currently being occupied by patients who are medically fit to be discharged, but for whom there is no care package available so that they can leave hospital. Community services

are also under enormous pressure supporting people at home and in care homes that lack the social care staff needed.

NHS leaders also want to see much clearer government messaging to the public on how difficult this winter is going to be.

Despite the severe pressures the NHS is under, local services have managed to treat significant numbers of patients, while managing the ongoing threat from Covid-19. According to the latest figures, 1.1 million procedures were carried out in August as the NHS starts to make inroads into the elective care backlog. Also 25.5 million appointments were carried out in primary care in August, including 14 million face to face consultations.

Commenting on the findings, Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the

NHS Confederation said: “The health and social care secretary says the NHS is not under unsustainable pressure, but NHS leaders are clear that we have reached a tipping point. Front line providers across all parts of the NHS are under intolerable pressure and we know this is going to get worse over the winter unless we take action now.

“The Government must take every step possible to prevent the NHS from plunging into crisis. The number one measure that Ministers could take now is to provide extra funding and support to social care services.

This includes making more money available to increase the wages of care assistants to help fill staffing vacancies and to increase their fuel duty allowance so that more care staff are persuaded back into the sector.”

“We welcomed the Government’s recent extra investment in the NHS, but we cannot immediately buy our way out of this potential crisis due to the 90,000 plus vacancies we are carrying in the NHS. That means it would be better to allocate more immediate funding from the recent funding settlement to social care services as boosting the numbers of care staff will have much greater impact on reducing pressures on hospitals and other parts of the NHS.” An ambulance leader said: “Our ability to respond to immediate lifethreatening calls means some patients will die.”

A hospital trust chief executive in the South said: “Systems are at breaking point and risk is unacceptably high (for) some cohorts of patients be that in emergency, primary care, cancer or elective care (or elsewhere) but where is the honesty and openness about this?”

Another hospital director in the South added: “Needing to prioritise inpatient care at the expense of elective care is impacting on patient experience and safety.”

Staff at Care Home in Northamptonshire Thanked for Long Service Staff gathered at a care home in Rushden for a celebration in recognition for their long service at the home.

Six members of staff at Victoria House celebrated between 21 and 44 years’ service – having transferred from Northamptonshire County Council in 2004.

Enjoying the celebrations and delicious scones freshly baked from the kitchen were Councillor Richard Lewis and CEO for Shaw healthcare, Russell Brown who presented staff with certificates.

Service manager for the home, Teresa Taylor, has worked for Shaw since 2009. She said: “I am so proud of the staff here at Victoria House. The fact we have so many staff who have been here for so long is a testament to what a great team we have.”

Louise Mutton, a team leader at Victoria House, has worked at Victoria House for over 30 years and was thanked for her long service. Louise, who was a finalist at the recent Shaw Star Awards, is one of four family members at the home, with her son, Jacob, working as a maintenance operative and two of her relatives are residents.

She said: “Victoria House is one big family and I am proud to have worked here for as long as I have. It was fantastic for us all to come together and celebrate some great achievements, especially after such a challenging time for health and social care throughout the pandemic.”

Gracewell of Woking Walk for Alzheimer’s Gracewell of Woking care home has continued their great work within the community, by most recently partaking in a 5km fundraiser walk.

Gracewell of Woking’s resident-centred approach delivers high quality care, tailored to the individual and their personal needs. The home offers nursing, dementia respite and palliative care, as well as independent living.

The Alzheimer Memory Walk is a family-friendly sponsored walk, for businesses and individuals to make a difference to people living with dementia.

Gracewell of Woking’s 5km walk, around the park opposite their home, has raised in excess of £500 for the Alzheimer’s Society. Their original target was £250.

The team of Gracewell of Woking representatives included Jane Cox, Activities Co-ordinator, Andrea Jones, Activities Assistant, Kim Wyllie, Receptionist, Linda Smith, Home Administrator, Alex Bright, Housekeeping and Jayne Matthews, a volunteer.

The walkers were even rallied on by the local Hersham and West End Football Teams, who posed for a photo with the team!

Linda Smith, Home Administrator at Gracewell of Woking, commented: “It was lovely to get out on the green with a few work colleagues, and as a team, raise money for such an important and significant cause. By raising funds for the Alzheimer’s Society, we are facilitating much needed research that can hopefully benefit many people’s lives.”

Jane Cox, Activities Co-ordinator at Gracewell of Woking, added: “I organised the event because the Alzheimer Society is so close to my heart. I loved the participation of everyone involved, and the encouragement we received. It was a great team effort! I am so thrilled at the amount of money we have raised. It comfortably exceeded our target, and we can take pride in knowing what that the money will be used to better the lives of those living with Alzheimer’s.”

QCS To Launch ‘Building A Better Workforce Together’ Survey Resilient, resourceful and resolute are adjectives that best describe the UK’s army of care professionals. But these are challenging times for them and their sector. A telling comment from Nuffield Trust on Skills for Care’s latest report said the workforce is “close to being overwhelmed entirely by a toxic combination of pressures”.

Over 410,000 care workers left their jobs last year. COVID-19 and Brexit have exacerbated the perennial recruitment and retention hurdles, while government funding to enable care services to increase pay and to support mental wellbeing has failed to materialise.

Whilst we know that funding is the key to keeping frontline managers in place, it’s just as important to understand the workforce challenges that care settings face. It is only then that we, as a sector, can begin to solve them.

With over 130,000 care workers at all levels, across 6,000-plus care providers, who have all chosen

Quality Compliance Systems, QCS is in a particularly strong position to take the pulse of the sector.

In order to do so, we have created a Building a Better Workforce Together survey. Our aim is to find out what keeps people working in the sector and what pain-points put them at risk of leaving? And for those that choose to stay, what improvements would make their jobs easier?

The results, which we plan to widely share before the end of the year, will help us to form an accurate picture. This in turn will ensure that QCS continues to lead the way in supplying the right people with the right tools at the right time, enabling them to provide outstanding care.

Thank you for your help. https://survey.alchemer.eu/s3/90398636/QCS-Workforce-Survey-2021

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77 | PAGE 5

Care Leaders Call on Government to Fund Winter Bonus for Social Care Workers Care leaders are calling on the government to award and fund a £1,000 bonus over the winter period for social care workers in England.

The bonus would recognise the loyalty and dedication of care workers through the Covid-19 pandemic and would help stem the loss of skilled and experienced staff to other types of work.

The call for the £1,000 bonus is being made by ADASS (the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services) in response to reports from directors across England of care services struggling or breaking down because of staff shortages. Stephen Chandler, ADASS president, said: “We are facing a perfect storm with staff quitting, family carers under immense strain, the NHS struggling*, care providers going out of business and people being left without care and support. Courageous and compassionate people working in social care are quitting faster than they can be recruited and people who need support to live decent lives are waiting longer for help and getting less of it.”

“Paying a £1,000 bonus to care workers over the winter would show that we prize their skills and dedication as a society. It would send a

strong signal to people that care work is a career that is respected and is going to be properly rewarded in future. Unlike their counterparts in the rest of the UK, care workers in England have not been paid any government bonus for working through the pandemic.”

There are about 1.5 million jobs in social care in England, but at least 105,000 of them are vacant. The cost of a one-off £1,000 bonus would therefore be about £1.4bn gross, but the Treasury would recoup tax and national insurance.

Like every other employee, care workers will be paying the new health and social care levy taking effect next April – a cost of about £140 a year – but social care will receive only £5.4bn of the £36bn that the levy will raise over its first three years.

Stephen Chandler said: “In the longer term ADASS wants to see a minimum social care wage that is above the national living wage, has parity with NHS pay and clear progression and development. But we need recognition over the coming months of the brilliant job that care workers do if we are to keep them and get through what is going to be a very difficult winter.”

“We have to ensure that no one goes without vital care and support.

Without action now, the pressures on the NHS and family carers will grow and there is a real risk of people suffering indignity and harm and dying alone.”

Salisbury Care Home Raises Money for Local Hospice Gracewell of Salisbury care home has recently raised £207.60 for local charity, Salisbury Hospice.

Fundraised during a raffle held by residents, their families, and team members at Gracewell of Salisbury, the event proved to be a great success.

With donated prizes from a number of generous local businesses, the money raised will make a big difference to the charity.

Providing specialist palliative care to 1,000 local people with lifelimiting conditions every single year, the hospice largely relies upon the kindness of the community to continue to deliver their vital care and support.

At Gracewell of Salisbury, the care home has recently entered a wonderful partnership with the hospice as part of their ’40 4 4 Club’.

A local group of 40 businesses, this year they are aiming to jointly raise £40,000 for the charity, in commemoration of the hospice’s 40th year.

And, in celebration of this fantastic show of community spirit, the

care home wanted to kickstart their fundraising efforts and play their

part towards this goal.

Speaking on the contribution of the care home, Louise Compton, Corporate Fundraiser at Salisbury Hospice, said: “We are extremely grateful to the staff and residents at Gracewell of Salisbury, their kind support will directly benefit patients in need of endof-life care. Support from our local community ensures we can continue to provide specialist care to individuals and their families at a time when they need it most. On behalf of the whole team at Salisbury Hospice, I would like to thank Gracewell for this generous contribution.”

Carol Brewster, Home Admissions Advisor at Gracewell of Salisbury, added: “We were thrilled to be able to support Salisbury Hospice Charity with our raffle fundraiser, they provide a vital service to many within the local community, and it’s a real privilege to be part of a wonderful group of businesses that are eager to help the charity in whatever way possible. At Gracewell of Salisbury we place great importance on our fundraising efforts- all our team, residents, and their families, love to get involved.”

PAGE 6 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77

Changing Perceptions: What Do Brits Really Think About Care Homes?

Care homes play a larger role in our lives than we think. In fact, 28.6 million UK adults (54%) have, or have had, a friend or family member live in a care home. During the pandemic care homes were placed in the spotlight and, as a result, awareness and knowledge of what they are and how they operate has increased. Now, more than two thirds (67%) claim to know more about the industry than ever before.

With this increase in knowledge comes an increase in trust, with confidence in the safety of care homes almost doubling year-on-year (24% to 45%). Overall, more than a third (34%) agree that their impression of care homes is now more positive than before the pandemic.

However, according to new research released by the UK’s leading provider of specialist dementia care, Vida Healthcare, less than one third of people (32%) believe that care homes offer a sense of community for residents.

James Rycroft, Managing Director at Vida Healthcare (www.vidahealthcare.co.uk.), believes that the pandemic has provided an opportunity for the social care sector to speak out and educate the

public on the new generation of outstanding care homes being developed. Referring to the research, he said: “According to the results of our research, almost half (47%) of UK adults consider a care home as a home for older people to spend the rest of their lives rather than just a place for care delivery. Despite this, we clearly have a fantastic opportunity to educate the public and prove that care homes are a home for many vulnerable people which offer social activities, specialist care, and unique facilities.”

The research found that the pandemic has led to well over half (56%) of respondents who have known or know someone in a care home becoming concerned for the mental health of their loved one due to separation during lockdowns. Yet care homes provide a social atmosphere, with residents and staff able to keep each other company, thus reducing feelings of loneliness and isolation. This is emphasised by 47% of the public agreeing that they would feel more comfortable if a loved one living with dementia lived in a care home with people on hand who can interact, support, and care for them.

James added: “Care homes across the UK understand the importance of providing a home for their residents, and at Vida we’re no exception.

Not only do we look to train staff to better equip them to care for our residents who all live with a form of dementia, but we provide various social activities and facilities to keep our residents occupied and fulfilled. We’re currently in the process of building a third home, Vida Court, dubbed ‘the home of the future’ which includes a 12-seater cinema, florist, coffee shop, and landscaped gardens, amongst other things, to support social interactions and ensure our residents have a high quality of life.”

40% of those who responded to the research are in agreement with Vida Healthcare when it comes to the importance of recreational activities, believing that creative arts, entertainment, and outings to shops and hairdressers, can be as effective for long-term care of older adults, particularly those with dementia-related illnesses, as traditional methods such as medication.

Family days (61%), afternoon teas (61%), birthday celebrations (60%),

hairdresser appointments (60%), and exercise classes (54%) are the social activities that Brits are most keen to see implemented in care homes. In addition, popular facilities including specialist staff training (57%), hairdressers (55%), coffee shops (51%), and gardens (48%), would also create a feeling of familiarity and homeliness within care homes for Brits.

James concluded: “Our research has shown that while the traditional perceptions of care homes as an undesirable place to live are changing, our sector still has a long way to go to prove that care is being revolutionised to make sure we meet the long term demands and needs of our modern population.

“We know that loneliness, a lack of specialist care, and poor facilities are all concerns of the public when it comes to care homes. We hope that by tackling this conversation head on and showcasing the new care homes being built, including Vida Court, we can prove that care homes are more than just a place for care delivery, but a home for people to spend the remainder of their lives.”

Hull Worker Celebrates 25 Years’ Service At Care Home A member of staff at a Hull-based care home has recently reached the landmark of 25 years’ service.

Louise Owen started her journey at MHA Willersley House in Willerby back in 1996 and worked as a laundry and housekeeping assistant for 20 years, before joining the kitchen team as an assistant five years ago.

MHA Willersley House is a 34 place residential care home situated in the village of Willerby, on the outskirts of the city of Hull.

The 59 year-old, who spends her free time looking after her seven grandchildren, recently received a 25 years’ service award and says she would not have stayed here for so long if she didn't enjoy the role and the people she works with.

Speaking about her time with MHA she said: “I work with some amazing people and can't see myself doing anything else.

“I have really enjoyed whatever role I have done here and it's like one big happy family, which includes residents and staff members.

“This job will see me out until I retire and Willersley House is a great place to work, the atmosphere is tremendous.

“The domestic work was getting a bit too much for me, so I moved over to being a kitchen assistant.

“There are so many opportunities here to grow your career, I have been asked numerous times to work in other parts of the home to learn new skills and I can definitely say you can make a career at MHA, just like I have.”

Rebecca Blakeston, home manager at the home said: “Louise is a wellloved member of the team at Willersley House and has given so much to making sure the home and residents are well cared for.”

Robust Testing for Airborne Illnesses Urged Across the Care Industry this Winter to Protect Residents and Staff Airborne illnesses beyond COVID-19 and influenza must be part of prevention strategies in care homes to reduce hospitalisation of residents this winter, according to healthcare company Abbott.

While the nation is increasingly familiar with COVID-19 symptoms, as well as influenza, there are airborne diseases that are also putting people at risk. Respiratory Syncytial Virus – known as RSV – is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. While COVID-19 and influenza testing are becoming common practice, visitors entering care homes with RSV may go undetected.

The vital role testing plays in protecting both care home residents and staff is supported by Care England, the leading representative body for care providers in England.

"It is helpful to raise awareness of other airborne diseases that care home staff, residents and visitors might be unfamiliar with. Before the pandemic, not many people had heard the term ‘coronavirus’, but increased awareness has helped most understand why safety precautions and testing are of paramount importance in the care sector," commented Professor Martin Green, Chief Executive at Care England.

"We are fully aware of the immense pressure care homes are under as we head into the winter season, but the first line of defence against lesser-known airborne diseases – like RSV – is ensuring care staff are aware of it, increasing education on the symptoms, and ensuring testing is in place wherever possible," added Green.

RSV symptoms may include a runny nose, cough, temperature, sore throat, and wheezing[i]. For those aged over 65, RSV accounts for 175,000 appointments with general practitioners, 14,000 hospitalisations and 8,000 deaths per year in the UK[ii]. There are currently no specific treatments for RSV infection and management is purely sup-

portive through oxygen supplementation; therefore, prevention of contracting the disease is essential.

To detect RSV, care home providers should look to utilise kits that scan for airborne diseases – like Abbott’s ID NOW – a portable instrument used for front-line testing in health settings. It quickly provides results for COVID-19, influenza A & B, strep A and RSV, with positive results shown in a little as five minutes, and negative results in 13 minutes.

Gabriela Zackova, director of Dementia and Wellbeing at Loveday & Co Care Homes has recently added an ID NOW testing device. Gabriela said: "We’re excited to be using this point of care test for our staff, residents and their visitors. Last year, winter was one of the hardest times for our sector, not only due to the increased pressure to keep people safe, but also for our residents, who were separated from the people they love which had a significant impact on their wellbeing and mental health."

"ID NOW is a small, lightweight machine, about the size of a toaster, that will allow us to make even better decisions about risk levels for numerous viruses, enabling us to provide a more robust screening process for everyone at the facility."

Abbott has been a global leader in COVID-19 testing throughout the pandemic.

"While many staff and visitors will self-test for COVID-19 at home before entering the premises, it is vital precautions are taken for other airborne illnesses. By utilising a diagnostic testing device on-site, we can slow the spread of illness, better protect vulnerable residents, and minimise the risk of catching potentially life-threatening illnesses this winter," added Sam Lloyd, general manager, Infectious Diseases at Abbott’s rapid diagnostics business in the UK and Ireland.

For more information on Abbott’s ID NOW testing instrument, visit: www.Globalpointofcare.abbott/idnow

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77 | PAGE 7

People with Dementia Missed Out on Vital Care During the Pandemic Due to Mistrust in Government Guidance New research says that people with dementia missed out on care at home and family members struggled alone during the pandemic. The charity, Marie Curie, fears this left people dying at home without the vital support they needed.

Academics at University College London interviewed specialist nurses on Dementia UK’s national helpline and staff at Marie Curie’s support line. This revealed dementia carers were worried their loved one would die alone if they had to go to a care home and would be an additional burden to the NHS during the first lockdown.

Carers said they believed normal NHS services weren’t available and were concerned about adding to NHS pressures if they tried to access support. Many were left on their own to make important decisions about end of life care amidst a crisis with limited support.

Other accounts revealed people with dementia did not get the care they needed due to a lack of trust in the Government. The ‘frequently changed’ and ‘often unclear’ guidelines, did not seem to consider the needs of those living with dementia and their carers.

Shockingly, some carers even mentioned a fear of being arrested if they were caught visiting a relative with dementia.

End of life charity, Marie Curie, is warning that this lack of support at home means people will continue to miss out on the care they need.

The charity is calling on the UK Government to make it compulsory to

commission end of life care services in England, adding that the increased numbers of people dying at home during the pandemic will become the norm as the country’s population ages.

Dr Nuriye Kupeli, from the Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Department at University College London, said: “It’s heart breaking to hear about the challenges family carers of people living with dementia faced during the pandemic. We know that between March and June 2020, dementia was the main underlying condition for a quarter of all Covid-19 deaths. Tragically, it appears that many of these people did not receive the support they needed. No families should be left to provide care unsupported. Guidance and advice should always be accessible for people caring and making decisions for a relative living with dementia. More must be done to reach out to people with dementia, and those caring for them, especially at times of uncertainty, to let them know they are not alone.”

Dr Sam Royston, Director of Policy and Research at Marie Curie said: “It is imperative that the health and care system works for people with terminal illnesses, including dementia, so families are supported to have the best possible experience at the end of life. This must include better resourcing of community based health and social care services.

“The pandemic has been a test for palliative care and the current model is not sustainable for the ageing population. By 2040, 100,000

more people a year will die. There needs to be a clear plan for people with terminal illnesses, both now and in the future, so they can get the care they need. People cannot be left unsupported. We are urging the Government to revise the Health and Care Bill to ensure palliative and end of life care services are commissioned in every part of England to stop people, like those in this research, from missing out.”

The research, identified four other key themes that people with dementia and their carers experienced: concerns about care transitions (transferring people to hospital/care home); uncertainty in engaging support and help (from health and social care professionals); pandemic motivated care planning, maintaining the wellbeing of the person living with dementia, and trust, loss of agency and confusion. All these factors meant that many carers were left to provide care at home, unsupported.

This research, published in BMC Health Services Research, was supported by Dementia UK, Alzheimer’s Society and Marie Curie and was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, as part of UK Research and Innovation’s response to Covid-19. The qualitative study was carried out between eight telephone support line staff from two UK based charities who support carers of people living with dementia and those at the end of life, using semi-structured interviews in May-June 2020.

Romance Blossoms for Rotherham Care Home Residents Two residents at HC-One’s Silverwood residential and residential memory care home, in Rotherham, have found companionship and want everyone to know about it!

Harry, who is a new resident to the care home, came to Silverwood looking for companionship and was introduced to fellow resident, Lily, over lunch one day.

And they have been inseparable ever since.

Both enjoy dining together, completing puzzles and spending time with each other; over the weeks they have realised they have fallen for each other romantically.

Harry commented, “I came to Silverwood looking for companionship and Lily

was more than I could hope.”

Lily added, “It has made me realise, you are never too old to find love.”

Carrie Ann Davies, Care Home Manager, remarked, “Everyone knows I am a romantic at heart. I feel privileged to witness two people on their next adventure together.”

“Lily is absolutely over the moon with this story. She has said that she would like to spread awareness that when you enter a care home you aren’t written off. Both Lily and Harry are so excited for their next chapter, and both have full support from their families.”

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77 | PAGE 9

Long-Standing Vacancies are Being Felt Right Across the NHS Workforce Responding to the findings of a census by the Royal College of Physicians, the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, which shows that physician vacancies are at their highest level in almost a decade, Danny Mortimer, chief executive of NHS Employers (part of the NHS Confederation), said: “These findings yet again confirm that a shortage of staff is a significant element of the crisis facing health and social care right now.

“This experience of long-standing vacancies is being felt right across the workforce, and while the Government has committed to increasing medical school places, there is a lack of similar clarity of response for other roles and professions.

“In light of this crisis, we strongly support the amendment to the Government’s Health and Care Bill which would require the health secretary to publish regular projections on how many staff are needed in the NHS to meet future patient demand. Our members are also clear that the education budgets for the NHS must not be cut in the coming years to support efforts to close the gap in workforce numbers in the long-term.

Finally, our members also support urgent intervention to invest in rates of pay for the social care workforce.”

Runwood Homes Announce Winners for their Art Competitions In September, Runwood Homes launched two competitions, a Culture and Creativity competition, and a photography competition, to coincide with National Arts in Care Homes Day. For the culture and creativity competition, homes were encouraged to use any medium to create a special piece of art, whether that be a painting, sculpture, song, music, dance, poetry or to showcase everyday creativity. The photography competition encouraged homes to send in a singular photo which encapsulated the concept of ‘Life in our Care Home’.

Runwood Homes were pleased to have received a very large number of high-quality entries for both competitions. It was clear that everyone involved had a great time being creative together.

For the Culture and Creativity Competition, Runwood Homes were proud to announce The Grange Care Home, in Wickford, as the winners. As their entry, residents and staff at The Grange created a wonderful display at the home. Staff and residents collected photos from the 50s and 60s and then had great fun, and quite the challenge, recreating them. The brilliant photos were displayed beautifully in the home and a champagne reception was organised so that residents, staff, families and friends could see the finished product. The residents

their resident Ahmed Karim. Ahmed is a dedicated Muslim, practicing his faith to the best of his ability and regularly spending time reciting the Quran. He also enjoys writing in Arabic and loves to encourage and teach other residents too. Ahmed is very proud to have been awarded the runners up prize for the competition.

Simone, Ahmed’s daughter, comments: “It’s such a lovely surprise to hear my dad had been runner up in the culture and creativity competition at Rosedale Court. It’s great to hear that his culture and background is being recognised within the care home. It means a great deal to myself and my family.”

Ade Makinde, Home Manager at Rosedale Court, comments: “Celebrating culture and creativity has always been one of our precious values here at Rosedale Court, and we will strive to continue to promote these within our home.”

The winner and runner up for the photography competition was Humfrey Lodge, in Thaxted, and Heron Court, in Brentwood, respecwere very proud of the results and loved viewing them together.

The runners up, Rosedale Court, in Rayleigh, specifically nominated

tively. Both homes sent photos which portrayed a lovely part of what ‘Life in our Care Home’ means to them.

PAGE 10 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77

Government to Invest £375 Million in Research for Neurodegenerative Diseases People living with neurodegenerative diseases could live longer, healthier lives due to innovative new research, following a government commitment to invest £375 million over the next 5 years.

At least £50 million will be made available specifically for research to help find a cure for motor neurone disease (MND) – a condition that affects the brain and nerves and affects 5,000 people in the UK. New, innovative projects will help researchers to better understand the disease and its related conditions, develop and test treatments and improve care for those living with MND. The full £375 million investment will fund projects into a range of diseases such as Pick’s Disease, Fronto-temporal dementia, wernicke-korsakoff, Parkinson’s disease dementia, Lewy Body dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment, improving our understanding while searching for new treatments.

For MND, a new NIHR Research Unit will be set up to coordinate research applications for the new funding, encouraging more innovative studies with the ultimate goal of finding a cure.

The government has already invested millions of pounds in MND research, including over £7 million to support pioneering clinical trials, which have led to major advances in how the disease is understood. This includes improving our understanding of how different types of MND are passed on genetically which could unlock new treatment options for patients using gene therapy.

There is currently only one drug licensed in the UK to treat MND – Riluzole – which slows the progression of the disease and extends someone’s life by a few months. The funding announced today will accelerate progress across the UK to find better treatments for MND, and give people living with the condition the chance of a better quality of life, and more good years with their loved ones.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Sajid Javid, said: “Neurodegenerative conditions like MND can have a devastating impact on people’s lives and I’m committed to ensuring the government does everything we can to fight these diseases and support those affected.

“We’ve already invested millions in understanding and treating MND and our new funding commitment will back more research into this and other neurodegenerative diseases.

“The UK is a global leader in medical research. Our world-class research sector was central to the discovery of lifesaving treatments for COVID-19 like dexamethasone and Tocilizumab, as well as the development of the vaccine programme which has saved hundreds of thousands of lives.

“We will continue to harness this expertise and innovation to support pioneering projects to find better treatments for those living with motor neurone disease, like the excellent work underway at NIHR Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre where scientists are trialling new drugs to treat the condition.”

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said: “The UK is home to some of the most transformative and innovative medical research in the world, and the availability of this research funding, alongside the work of our strong life science and pharmaceuticals sector, will make the most of that research to help those living with motor neurone disease.

“It is vital that we increase our understanding of this condition in pursuit of new treatments and better care, and I am pleased to see UK institutions at the forefront of that work” The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) has committed to ongoing research into MND, reinforced by issuing a Highlight Notice inviting applications from ambitious research projects to take potential treatments from the lab to the clinic, as part of scaled-up efforts to significantly improve the care and support available.

The NIHR has also awarded a prestigious Research Professorship to leading motor neurone disease researcher Professor Chris McDermott. The award will focus on improving care for people with MND, bolstering leadership in this area of research, and strengthening the design of clinical trials to help more people with the disease take part.

While there is still work to be done, significant progress is already being made – including through the development of better data resources such as MND Register and MND Biobanks which support researchers working to better understand the disease.

Improved data sets make it easier for scientists to monitor responses to treatment in clinical trials. And through innovative and flexible trial designs, researchers are able to conduct faster and cheaper trials which will deliver potential new treatments to patients more quickly.

As well as the funding for research into neurodegenerative diseases, a new motor neurone disease partnership will be formed to pool expertise and resources across the research community to accelerate the delivery of new treatments. The partnership, backed by £4 million, is co-funded by the National Institute for Health Research, UK Research and Innovation, Life Arc, MND Association and My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.

New Infection Prevention Network Launched for Social Care A new network of adult social care infection prevention and control champions will be launched on 30 November to help maintain and continuously improve standards across the care sector.

Run by the Queen’s Nursing Institute the scheme will be supported

by Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care Deborah Sturdy OBE and backed by a £35,000 grant from the Department of Health and Social Care.

Lessons learned from the pandemic will be rolled out through the network to help minimise the future spread of infections, including COVID-19 and flu, to protect people living in care homes and receiving home care.

The champions will share best practice through a series of virtual meetings, a newsletter and discussion forum.

The IPC Champions’ Network will be made up of frontline social care staff from settings around England who are responsible for infection prevention and control in their specific areas or homes.

Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care Deborah Sturdy OBE said: “I am delighted to be able to work with the Queen’s Nursing Institute to establish this network which will build on the excellent work already being undertaken by colleagues across social care to continue protecting those who need support.

“It is vital we apply the lessons learned during the pandemic and harness the best practice developed to keep people safe in the future and connect colleagues to share their work.”

The network will help support frontline clinical staff in maintaining and improving standards.

Charlotte Fry QN, Expert Nursing Lead, IPC Champions’ Network, said: “I am looking forward to developing the network to enable a platform to support staff to learn and share from experiences, bringing together and sharing good practice across our sector.

“This is an exciting opportunity to highlight and celebrate IPC work both past and future to keep the people we support and ourselves as safe and well as possible.”

Membership of the new network is free and is not limited to registered nurses but is open to all of those who manage and deliver care in social care settings. This may include domiciliary as well as residential care.

Sharon Aldridge-Bent, director of programmes at the Queen’s Nursing Institute, said: “It is essential as we head into the winter months and beyond that frontline staff are supported and empowered to take responsibility for implementation of infection prevention and control measures.

“This new network will have a significant role in promoting best

Moneypenny Launches Outbound Calling Service For UK Care Providers Leading outsourced communications provider Moneypenny has launched an outbound calling service to help time-poor UK care providers keep on top of customer care and recruitment.

The newly launched service has two key functions – to handle new customer enquiries requiring bed availability and care provision and to follow up CVs and providing first stage candidate vetting for current vacancies.

Stephanie Vaughan-Jones, head of the health and care sector at Moneypenny said: “We’re well aware of the huge demands on care home staff the moment – particularly when recruitment is still such a challenge. Our outbound calling service is designed to help care providers by alleviating some of the time-intensive every-day duties such as making follow up calls.”

The launch is particularly timely as the care sector faces the worst recruitment crisis it has ever seen.

Stephanie added: “People make evidence-based decisions when choosing their care provider, whether for themselves or a relative and

first impressions are often one of those factors. How you handle calls, including follow-ups, speaks volumes about you as a business and a care provider. It can make the difference between whether a new customer chooses you or a great candidate comes for interview.

“By providing call follow-up, we’re able to make sure that care provider’s very first impressions are as positive as possible and importantly, that we save time for in-house teams so they can focus on greater endeavour. Finding ways to help an already-stretched sector operate more efficiently is a key priority right now.”

Moneypenny’s outbound call service follows the recent launch of a dedicated call handling guide for care providers, which is intended to help review inbound call handling practices and find ways to improve

efficiencies and reputation.

Stephanie concluded: “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. We hope that the launch of our free guide and now our outbound calling service will really demonstrate that we’re here, ready and able to help the care sector – whether you’re an independent care home, a multi-site group or a domiciliary care provider.”

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: www.moneypenny.com/uk/healthcare-answering-services

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77 | PAGE 11

13 Million Top Up Covid-19 Vaccines Given Across the UK More than 13 million life-saving booster jabs have been given across the UK, marking another significant milestone in the phenomenal COVID-19 vaccination programme.

A total of 286,582 top-up jabs were recorded in the UK on Tuesday, bringing the total to 13,147,333, providing crucial protection against the virus ahead of the winter months.

On Monday, 217,349 top-ups were recorded, with the programme jumping another million since it hit 12 million jabs on Saturday.

This week the vaccination programme took another significant step, with the government accepting the advice from the independent experts at the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to expand the booster programme to those aged 40-49.

This means millions more people will be eligible to get their third dose.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “There is not a second to waste in getting your booster jab – and it is fantastic to see more than 13 million people have now come forward to top-up their protection this winter.

“I want to thank everyone who has come forward for their jab and the NHS and army of volunteers helping to get jabs in arms.

“While we know immunity can wane after six months, new data published this week shows a third dose boosts protection against symptomatic infection to more than 90% - showing just how important the booster is, so come forward for yours as soon as you can to protect yourself and your loved ones.”

More than 50 million first doses and 46 million second doses have been given across the UK. Following an update to the national booking service last week, booking a booster jab has never been easier. Those eligible for a top-up vaccine – people over 50, health and social care workers and those most at risk of COVID-19 – can pre-book their jab 5 months after their second dose, making it easier and more convenient to boost their protection into winter.

People will still receive their vaccine 6 months after their second dose, but the change will speed up the vaccination programme by allowing people to receive a jab the day they become eligible, rather than waiting for a convenient appointment.

Vaccines Minister Maggie Throup said: “It is excellent to see another million boosters clock up in the vital vaccine rollout with 13 million people across the

UK boosting their protection ahead of winter.

“To all those eligible – getting the booster could be the most important thing you do this Christmas as we look to spend more valuable time with our loved ones.”

Vaccines give high levels of protection but immunity reduces over time, particularly for older adults and at-risk groups, so it is vital that vulnerable people come forward to get their COVID-19 booster vaccine to top-up their defences and protect themselves this winter.

The latest evidence from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) shows that protection against symptomatic disease falls from 65%, up to 3 months after the second dose, to 45% 6 months after the second dose for the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, and from 90% to 65% for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. Protection against hospitalisation falls from 95% to 75% for Oxford/AstraZeneca and 99% to 90% for Pfizer/BioNTech.

Although the vaccine effectiveness against severe disease remains high, a small change can generate a major shift in hospital admissions. For example, a change from 95% to 90% protection against hospitalisation would lead to doubling of admissions in those vaccinated.

The booster programme is designed to top up this waning immunity.

Dr Emily Lawson, head of the NHS COVID-19 Vaccination Programme, said: “Thanks to the hard work and dedication of NHS staff and volunteers, more than 11 million eligible people in England have already received their top-up jab in the eight weeks since the rollout began, with almost a quarter of a million boosters delivered yesterday alone.

“The booster roll-out continues to go from strength to strength and in the last 24 hours almost 400,000 people have come forward and made an appointment for their life-saving covid vaccine or top-up.

“As we head into winter I urge everyone who is eligible to take up the offer as soon as possible to protect yourself and those around you over the festive season.”

COVID-19 booster vaccines have been delivered or booked in at every older adult care home in England where safe to do so, with almost 9 in 10 care homes already visited.

People are also able to book by calling 119 and can

get vaccinated at hundreds of walk-in sites across the country without an appointment. Those eligible can use the NHS online walk-in finder to locate the most convenient site.

Flu is another winter virus that can be serious. To give people the best protection over winter, those eligible for a free flu vaccine should come forward and book an appointment at either their GP practice or their local pharmacy, or take it up when offered by their employer or other healthcare provider.

The government has launched a nationwide advertising campaign, encouraging people eligible to get their booster and flu jabs to protect themselves and their loved ones and help reduce pressures on the NHS. This includes outdoor billboards, broadcast and community radio and TV. The offer of a first and second COVID-19 vaccine remains open to anyone who is eligible. Vaccines are available free of charge and from thousands of vaccine centres, GP practices and pharmacies. Around 98% of people live within 10 miles of a vaccination centre in England and vaccinations are taking place at sites including mosques, community centres and football stadiums.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77 | PAGE 13

End Mental Health Patients Being Cared for Miles from Home says BMA The BMA is warning that the Government’s failure to meet its promise to stop sending mentally unwell patients far from home for their care, is continuing to harm some of society’s most vulnerable people.

The latest data reveals that 1,260 new patients have been inappropriately sent for inpatient care miles from their homes in the three months up to August. This means these patients are not being given the care and treatment they need near their home, family, and friends, despite the Government’s pledge to end this harmful practice by April 2021.

Poorly resourced NHS mental health services mean this practice is becoming increasingly common. While the pandemic disrupted much of the health service, NHS England was not on track to meet the target even before Covid-19. The number of new Inappropriate Out of Area Placements2 rose by nearly 10% in the two months preceding lockdown, and the data also shows that the number of detentions under the Mental Health Act are at their highest level in four years, currently standing at 53,239.

Dr Andrew Molodynski, BMA mental health policy lead, said: “It is nothing short of appalling that, despite consistent warnings from the BMA and the wider mental health community, the Government is still allowing mentally unwell patients to be cared for miles from home, still failing to provide the mental health beds that are so desperately needed and failing to fund the workforce we need to provide the care People should feel that if their mental health deteriorates, they will be safely cared for and have a bed if they need it. Unfortunately, the current system is unable to offer that guarantee.”

“Those working in mental health care across the country know only too well the dire situation services are in, as patients, many with very severe and debilitating mental health problems, continue to suffer needlessly because of years of underinvestment.

“The backlog of care created by the pandemic means many have waited far too long for treatment and as such we are seeing an increase of demand alongside an increased severity in cases. This is in the context of a system that was already struggling to cope before the Covid-19 pandemic.

“It is heart-breaking that many of these patients are not getting the urgent and often lifesaving care they need or are being placed so far away that their loved ones cannot visit. No one should be placed in this terrifying position.

“The Budget was a wasted opportunity to reverse the Government’s shameful track record on mental health, and it must urgently act to pro-

vide investment in services for adults, children and young people, and provide the beds that are lacking.”

The BMA has estimated that at least 1000 extra beds are required to meet overall mental health demand, and research from the Centre for Mental Health has recently reported that poor mental health has an economic and social cost of £119 billion per year. The BMA has previously called for increased investment of at least £4.6 billion per year by 2023/24 for mental health care in England. It is also calling on the Government to urgently develop a strategy to eliminate the harmful practice of sending patients out of area as a matter of priority, considering the increased demand from the pandemic and the fact the previous target of eliminating the practice by April 2021 has been missed by a considerable margin.

More than one in eight medical mental health posts in NHS hospitals in England are currently vacant3, and more beds are no use without staff, which is why the BMA is also calling for an amendment to the Health and Care Bill to publish regular and detailed workforce assessments to inform current and future needs-based recruitment.

Dr Adrian James, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said: “Being treated far from home, sometimes hundreds of miles away, because the right bed isn’t available locally is disastrous for patients and their loved ones. It’s extremely disappointing that the target for eliminating inappropriate out-of-area placements hasn’t been met.

“The pandemic has led to more people in crisis and reduced capacity on many wards. The Government must urgently invest in additional beds in the areas that need them most and maintain funding for post-discharge support.

“Efforts to expand community services must also continue so that people with mental illnesses can get the right support earlier on, reducing the likelihood of reaching crisis point.”

A psychiatrist based in Thames Valley said: “I recently had to admit a patient to hospital and because there were no female psychiatric intensive care beds in the whole of England, she had to remain in a ‘holding

room’, very similar to a police cell, for 4 days until arrangements could be made. This is clearly a distressing and dehumanising experience that should simply not be happening in modern mental health care.”

A consultant psychiatrist based in Suffolk said: “There has been chronic underinvestment in mental health services for older adults, whose full needs are often made ‘invisible’ by dedicated unpaid carers.

However, since the pandemic staff shortages have become critical and staff still standing are exhausted.

“We regularly have elderly patients sent a 4-6-hour drive away from their hometown for a bed. As a result, very often, these patients received limited family visits which in turn makes them feel isolated and cut off, and this has a negative impact on recovery.

“We were previously able to spend time encouraging depressed patients to eat and drink while still unwell, we now find it physically impossible to do this. As a result, those patients often don’t eat or drink properly and have to be moved from their psychiatric care to medical wards in an ordinary hospital, or even to the emergency department.

Mental health care simply cannot go on like this.”

This comes amid concerns that the impact of the pandemic and the backlog of care is putting a particular strain on the mental health of patients and is increasing demand on services. The charity Rethink Mental Illness has expressed alarm at the effect of the pandemic while highlighting recent NHS statistics showing a significant increase in the number of people referred to mental health services with suspected first episodes of psychosis during the pandemic – over 9,440 referrals were made in April 2021, a 29% increase compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

Alexa Knight associate director for policy and practice at Rethink Mental Illness said: “The increase in people presenting to services with suspected first episodes of psychosis points to the significant and increasing levels of distress across the population, with the number of referrals to mental health services forecast to increase in the wake of the pandemic. When people are at their most vulnerable and unwell, they must be able to access treatment close to home, where they can have the support of family and the community in their recovery. Despite calls for action from across the mental health sector, the Government’s own target to end Out of Area Placements has not been met. Faced with the prospect of increased demand and overstretched services, we must see an end to Out of Area Placements and act quickly on the warning signs.”

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77 | PAGE 15

National Care Provider Reacts to Compulsory Vaccination Deadline Care home workers across the country now have to prove they have received both of their Covid-19 vaccinations, unless they are exempt, or face being dismissed from the sector, with an announcement confirming mandatory vaccinations for 1.45 million NHS workers being made yesterday as well.

James Allen, CEO of National Care Group, said: “Throughout the pandemic, our primary objective has been to keep the individuals we support, and our colleagues, safe and well. Our colleagues have worked tirelessly to achieve this objective and, as a result, transmission rates across our services have been relatively low.”

Since the vaccination programme went live, National Care Group tracked the uptake of vaccinations in colleagues across all of its services, providing colleagues with access to all-important information and support.

As part of this consultation phase, a university virologist was employed to host group sessions, where all colleagues were invited to talk through common concerns and learn about the vaccine. Further private, one-to-one sessions with the expert were also offered for those who were more comfortable speaking on an individual basis.

porting the need for everybody associated with National Care Group to be vaccinated. We’ve worked with those who feel this is not the right choice for them and, regrettably, a very small number of colleagues working within our residential services have left the organisation.

“However, the loss of this small number of colleagues has not exacerbated the sector-wide pressures on services any further. We are in a comparatively fortunate position to be able to say that vaccination rates for our colleagues have been very high. But we empathise with other providers in the industry that may be experiencing high numbers of colleagues not wishing to be vaccinated, at a time where we are already facing recruitment challenges. There are likely to be some challenging months ahead.”

An extension of the need for a mandatory vaccination beyond residential care services has just been announced and National Care Group James added: “From the outset, we took a proactive approach in sup-

has pledged to work with those who feel it is not a choice they wish to make.

Blackthorns Care Home Will Be At The Halstead Christmas Fayre!

Blackthorns Care Home are excited to be a part of the Halstead Christmas Fayre on the 27th of November 2021. The Fayre will have a number of stalls from local businesses and the local community, showcasing everything that the town has to offer! The home will be raffling off a luxurious John Lewis Christmas Hamper and all money raised on the day will go towards the residents’ activities fund. Staff from the home will also be giving advice and guidance on how to keep safe this winter and happily answer any care related questions.

The festive event is set to be a success, celebrating everyone within the community. Everyone at Blackthorns is very excited to have the home represented, to meet more people from within the local area

and, of course, to spread some Christmas cheer!

Blackthorns Home Manager, Teresa Franze, is looking forward to Blackthorns being part of the fayre, and comments: “We, as a home, are thrilled to be a part of the Halstead Christmas Fayre. As well as raffling a brilliant hamper, it’s great that we can provide some information and support to local residents about care. At Blackthorns, we love to get involved with the community, and are always striving to play an active part within it.”

The Blackthorns team can’t wait to join in on the Halstead festivities and to see more of the community at this magical Christmas event.

PAGE 16 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77

Oakland Care’s Elsyng House Care Home Officially Opens Oakland Care has officially opened their latest care home, Elsyng House, in Enfield.

The luxury care home provider, who operate six care homes in the South of England, have now celebrated the opening of Elsyng House at a VIP event hosted on 20th October.

Taking place in the care home’s wonderful gardens, the occasion proved to be a huge success and was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

Beginning with welcome drinks and speeches, as the day progressed guests enjoyed a celebratory lunch and cake, before the care home was officially unveiled with a ribbon cutting.

Among those attending were several special guests, including Enfield North MP, Feryal Clark, Mayor of Enfield, Cllr Sabri Ozaydin, CEO of Oakland Care, Joanne Balmer, and Home Manager, Ruth Christie.

Later into the afternoon invitees also got an opportunity to tour the beautiful new home first-hand.

Delivering 76 individual, private en-suite rooms and offering residential, nursing, memory and respite care, the care home promises to be a fantastic addition for the Enfield community.

Throughout the pandemic, Oakland Care have continued to go from strength-to-strength, delivering exceptional care and support to residents throughout their care homes. The provider is also set to open two

new care homes in Kent in the coming months, Birchwood Heights in Swanley, and Maplewood Court in Maidstone.

Reflecting on the opening of Elsyng House, CEO of Oakland Care, Joanne Balmer, said: “The day was fantastic. It was great to welcome so many local people to the opening of our beautiful new care home in Enfield. Everybody at Oakland Care has worked tremendously hard to create this beautiful home and we are delighted to have received such a warm welcome to the local community in Enfield” “We are looking forward to providing exceptional care and support to the community and building on our successes. We want to be the luxury care home provider of choice for local people and Elsyng House is already well progressed to achieve this.”

Feryal Clark MP, the Member of Parliament for Enfield North, said: “It was an honour to be part of the opening of Elsyng House, a great facility that will be a real asset to our community here in Enfield North” “Providing people with dignity in later life, and the care that enables this, is vital and Elsyng House will allow our local community to have that dignity in such a pleasant environment.

“I am looking forward, alongside key partners and colleagues across Enfield, to supporting our friends at Elsyng House and Oakland Care, and ensuring that residents and staff alike have the best possible experi-

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77 | PAGE 17

Potential Vaccine Against Alzheimer’s Show Promise in Mice A team of scientists have developed a vaccine that reduces Alzheimer’s symptoms in mice with features of the disease. The scientific journal, Molecular Psychiatry, published the discovery today (Monday 15 November).

A research team at the University Medical Center Göttingen and University of Leicester collaborated with scientists at the contract research organisation, LifeArc, to develop a new treatment approach for the leading cause of dementia.

Alzheimer’s disease affects roughly two thirds of all people with dementia in the UK. Using two types of mice with features of Alzheimer’s disease, the scientists looked at the effect of injecting an antibody and engineered vaccine they developed.

The treatments target a shortened form of the hallmark Alzheimer’s protein, amyloid, which other Alzheimer’s drugs in development have not targeted.

Researchers looked at PET brain scans of the mice after treatment. They found treatment improved brain metabolism and also reduced the number of brain nerve cells lost.

They also found the mice performed better on a behavioural task. Dr Susan Kohlhaas, Director of Research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “Ensuring a healthy pipeline of potential new therapies is critical to providing

treatment options people with diseases like Alzheimer’s deserve. Currently there is no disease-modifying treatment available for people with Alzheimer’s in the UK, making drug development even more urgent.

“In this thorough and well-conducted research carried out in mice with features of Alzheimer’s disease, scientists found a vaccine administered through injection found the intended target and helped improve metabolism in brain regions associated with memory and thinking. Early results in a behavioural task suggest the mice had improved memory and thinking, hinting that this could be a promising new approach, and one that has so far not been tested in Alzheimer’s drugs in clinical trials.

“Like any new drug, this treatment will need to go through a series of clinical trials in people and while this discovery offers hope, this approach is a long way off being proved successful in humans.

“It’s essential that to maintain momentum in dementia research new approaches like this are explored. We must see continued investment into dementia research to ensure no stone is left unturned when it comes to potential new treatments. And although this research is still in early stages, with potential new treatments making their way through trials, we must start to prepare the UK’s health system to be ready for new dementia treatments now.”

Care Home Makes Dramatic Turnaround After Risk of Closure!

A care home that was in administration, rated “inadequate” and threatened with closure has made a remarkable turnaround during the pandemic. Now full, it recently won Care Employer of the Year Award in the Southwest at the Great British Care Awards and is seen as a model of best practice.

The White House in Teignmouth, which is a Dementia specialist care home, was rescued in 2018 by Centrum Care Homes which had been in administration. The care home was rated “inadequate” and since then, has made a remarkable turnaround being rated “Good” by CQC following their inspection in July 2021. The home’s fortunes have turned around and is now full with a waiting list of residents wishing to move into the home.

The CQC report quotes, “The provider and management team had worked to make significant improvements at the service. Feedback from a visiting professional stated, "I have seen significant improvements in the management, communication and professionalism over the last two years”.

The management and care team invested heavily in technology to solve the challenges the home had in managing its care and responsibilities. Over £50,000 has been invested into electronic care plans, auditing system, state of the art telecoms system, and much more to ensure that the homes were fit

create a culture of care that allows the team to not only support residents, but also provide a meaningful life in their homes.

Demelza Lamport Coles, Registered Manager for the homes expressed that “the team have worked hard to turnaround the homes, the investment in the homes has paid dividends during the pandemic.”

Tracie Bowen, Manager for The White House expressed her delight in the transformation by stating “the staff have been incredible. They have embraced the challenges and worked hard as a team to save the care homes and residents by moving in with them during the pandemic”.

The future of the homes are now secure, with a further investment of £200,000 planned to refurbish the homes and expand its capacity.

The efforts of the team have not gone unnoticed with the home winning Care Employer of the Year award for the Southwest at the Great British Care Awards recently.

Director, Tushar Shah quoted, “the team have worked really hard to for purpose both now and for the future.

The investment also extended to the employees, with new interactive online training, in-house training blended with external training to

transform the homes and help secure it’s future. Working in partnership with Devon County Council and the NHS, they have created a model of care which is much needed and it’s a credit to them that other homes in Devon are now looking at The White House for guidance.

PAGE 18 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77

Camping in Cymru: Maidstone Care Home Continues UK ‘Staycation’ Adventure with Trip to Wales Residents and staff at a Maidstone care home have continued their epic camping staycation around the UK with a trip to the dramatic and mythical landscapes of Wales.

Setting up their tents, residents at Nellsar’s Loose Valley Care Centre recently took part in Welsh-themed activities and enjoyed decorations, music, cuisine and quizzes from the comfort of their armchairs.

Embracing the best of Welsh culture, staff, residents and relatives at the Linton Road home enjoyed watching rugby and taking trips to Snowdonia National Park, Brecon Beacons, Devil’s Bridge, Conwy Castle and the Pembrokeshire Coast. For cuisine, there was no shortage of Welsh cakes, rarebit, lamb soup, Glamorgan Sausages and laverbread.

Dubbed ‘Carry on Camping’, the virtual staycation aims to improve residents’ mental and physical health by enabling them to experience the sights, sounds and tastes of different countries and cultures, while also allowing them to reminisce about previous family holidays.

Paula Smy, Recreation and Well-Being Champion at Loose Valley, said: “Our latest stop in Wales was a great success. I really enjoyed making scenic decorations, especially the cardboard cut-outs of sheep and dragons, as well as our very own Loose Valley tour bus!

Everyone was excited to embrace the culture of such a familiar holiday destination. It’s a great way for residents to reminisce about their own holiday adventures, with so many of them having visited Wales throughout the years, and it was lovely for them to remember those special summers abroad with their friends at Loose Valley.”

83-year-old resident, Maureen Cronk, said: “To be able to travel to Wales without leaving the home or my armchair was a fantastic experience. I always look forward to our themed days.”

88-year-old resident, June Taylor, said: “I really enjoyed Wales and getting involved in the quizzes. The Welsh cakes were delicious!”

Knight Frank Advises on the Sale of c. £17 Million Healthcare Portfolio Knight Frank has advised United Health, the specialist provider of mental health, learning and physical disability care, on the c. £17 million sale of a portfolio of specialist care facilities. The portfolio, sold to Achieve Together, a leading provider of specialist support for people with learning disabilities, autism and associated complex needs, consists of two mental health assets and nine learning disability homes in Derbyshire and Lincolnshire.

The portfolio comprises eleven assets, each of which is well located to ensure the people supported have access to emergency care options alongside ongoing health and wellbeing support, including Coppice & Oakside house which is in close proximity to Ilkestone Community Hospital. The homes in the portfolio also offer a varied suite of support and care services, replete with an array of wellness-focused amenities. Churchview and Larklands in South Derbyshire offer people being supported sensory rooms, lounges, an in-house cinema, and a sensory garden, while Woodview Care Home in Sheffield offers an accessible hydrotherapy pool for residents’ physical and mental wellbeing.

United Health is based in Lincoln and offers a full suite of support services to people across the East Midlands. With over 25 years’ experience, United Health is an experienced operator of care homes for the elderly, residential children's services and educational services for children with special educational and mental health needs.

Achieve Together delivers high-quality support to over 2,300 people in almost 400 services across England and Wales. One of the UK’s leading disability support providers, Achieve Together has over 25

years of experience in providing tailored support to those with particularly complex needs, including autism spectrum conditions, profound and multiple learning disabilities, deafness, hearing loss and associated health needs.

Philip Pearson, Chief Executive of United Health, commented: “For over 25 years we have consistently delivered quality services for individuals with profound and complex needs. Handing over this provision brought with it a sense of sadness, but in terms of our organisation’s development was the right time. We were proud to pass over to Achieve Together such a highly thought of and well-run portfolio.”

Garry Fitton, Chief Financial Officer at Achieve Together added: “We are incredibly excited and proud, to be welcoming United Health’s residential mental health, learning and physical disability services and dedicated teams, to Achieve Together. As we all work together to deliver the best specialist support through the amazing teams, our networks, and our partnerships, including with families, we will remain focussed on collaboration and importantly, co-production.

“We are looking forward to working closely with each service, our new team members, the individuals we support and their families, as we embark on this new and exciting chapter together.”

Joe Munro, Surveyor at Knight Frank, said: “The pandemic has highlighted the importance of bespoke and tailored care for those suffering from physical ailments and learning disabilities, and this has resulted in strong continued demand from a range of investors and operators for specialist care platforms which facilitate the provision of high-quality care to individuals with a range of complex needs. This transaction, following other notable examples such as the acquisitions of Consensus and the Priory Group earlier this year, illustrates the positive sentiment toward the specialist healthcare property sector and serves to demonstrate its ongoing appeal despite the challenges posed by the pandemic.”

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PAGE 20 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77

A Guide To Living With Dementia and Incontinence As age is the most significant risk factor for dementia there is naturally expected to be a growing number of people with dementia as the population ages.

Let’s look at some of the statistics • It is estimated that in the UK, at least three to six million people, therefore 5-10% of the population, suffer from urinary incontinence • In 2015, the number of people with dementia was approximately 10.5 million in Europe. The number of affected people is predicted to increase to 13.4 million by 2030 and to 18.7 million by 2050 • There were an estimated 44.4 million people in the world diagnosed with dementia in 2013 and this figure is predicted to rise to 75.6 million by 2030 and to 135.5 million by 2050 What is clear from these statistics across the UK, Europe and the rest of the world is that the situation is only going to worsen not improve. And it’s not just an older person’s problem as younger people can also develop dementia. Although it is less common, it is important to avoid associating dementia uniquely with the older people and overlooking the many younger people who also experience it.

Ontex understands that a review of numerous studies has demonstrated a correlation between increasing age and an increased prevalence of urinary incontinence and suggests that age is an independent risk factor for urinary incontinence.

Alex Shaw, Marketing Manager UK & Ireland for Ontex comments, “Ontex believes that dementia is not an inevitable consequence of ageing and neither is incontinence. Equally, incontinence is not an inevitable consequence of dementia, however in cases of advanced dementia, where sufferers are completely dependent, incontinence will unfortunately be inevitable.”

THE FIVE CONTINENCE ACTIONS To be continent you must be able to: 1. Recognise the need to pass urine 2.Identify the correct places to do so 3.Reach the correct place 4.Hold on until you get there 5.Pass urine once you are there If someone has a problem with any of these issues they are at risk of becoming incontinent. A person with dementia is more likely to have problems going

to the toilet or suffer from incontinence than a person of the same age without dementia if they are unable to follow these five important steps.

HOW TO HELP SOMEONE IN THIS SITUATION • Be supportive and remember that the person may feel embarrassed and upset as they may not realise they have been incontinent • Look for the non-verbal signs that someone needs to go to the toilet • Try to offer prompts and reminders every few hours to use the loo • If someone has an accident they may try to hide wet clothing or bedding. Discreetly deal with it to avoid further embarrassment.

• Try to encourage the person to drink six to eight glasses of fluid per day as it’s really important to stay hydrated • It’s also helpful to encourage a healthy, balanced duet with plenty of fibre • Consider practical things you can do in the person’s home such as placing a sign near the toilet entrance, a toilet seat or rail and things that might help at night such as a commode.

• Keep continence pads in the bathroom and bedroom.

HOW ONTEX CAN HELP Ontex specialises in products for continence management and has designed its products ranges around discretion and giving confidence to the user. The iD & Lille product range covers all types and levels of incontinence for males and females of all ages.

Approved by Dermatologists, the iD & Lille product range covers all types and levels of incontinence for males and females of all ages. The products deliver ultra-fast liquid absorption and keep liquid locked in the pad, as well as providing anti-leakage protection, odour control and breathable material for added comfort.

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Roar B2B Launches National Care Awareness Survey In collaboration with National Care Association, The Care Worker’s Charity, and National Care Forum

ROAR B2B (organisers of the Dementia, Care & Nursing Home Expo and The Home Care Expo) have teamed up with the National Care Association, The Care Worker’s Charity and National Care Forum to release the National Care Awareness Survey.

The survey aims to gather honest insight from the care industry, raise the profile of carers and better represent small care businesses across the UK. Anyone working in the care industry is encouraged to fill in the survey and make their voice and opinions known.

“We’re pleased to announce the launch of this national survey, which aims to better understand and represent the feelings of care workers across the country. We’re providing a platform for care workers to raise their thoughts on key topics such as the national care reform and giving care owners and

small businesses an opportunity to have their say” Bradley Maule-ffinch, ROAR B2B Group Managing Director

REPRESENTING THE CARE SECTOR AS A WHOLE The survey is split into four key sections and asks for opinions on topics such as: representation of care workers, social care reform, vaccinations, sustainable care initiatives, industry events, care funding, and other challenges within the care industry. Many questions are open-ended to allow recipients to express their thoughts and feelings. Responses will remain anonymous; however, recipients will have the option to leave their email should they wish to enter the £200 Spa break competition - you can complete the survey at www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/82MNHSK

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77 | PAGE 23

Seven Council-Run Derbyshire Care Homes at Risk of Closure Derbyshire County Council (DCC) is to consult on proposals to close seven care homes run by the local authority that need substantial maintenance, renovation and refurbishment.

The homes – Ladycross House, Beechcroft, East Clune, Holmlea, The Spinney, Goyt Valley House, and Gernon Manor – collectively accommodate 68 residents supported by 240 staff.

Significant maintenance, renovation and refurbishment is required the council’s ageing care homes, with work needed on replacing boilers, heating systems, refitting all kitchens and bathrooms, roofing works and installing sprinkler systems. There is also a pressing need for an invasive rewire in each home to be carried out by September 2022.

If the works do go ahead residents could face significant disruption as they would have to move out for up to 40 weeks while it was completed and staff would need to be redeployed.

However, even if the repairs costing £30m were carried out, the report to be discussed on 18 November says the homes are no longer fit for purpose and do not have the space, facilities or capability to be adapted to provide high quality care for older people with increasingly complex needs. This is due to people going into residential care later which means they are often frailer.If councillors agrees the consultation

ple choosing to remain independent rather than going into residential care, the pandemic has put that into even sharper focus,” she added.

“We have to review all possible options in relation to these residential homes to ensure that older people live in buildings which are safe, fit for purpose and meet all the required standards to provide them with the best possible care.”

During the height of the Covid pandemic, the DCC suspended plans to close the seven care homes.

In May this year, when plans were suspended Martin Allen, Regional Secretary for GMB Midland & East Coast Region, said: “The plan to close these Derbyshire care homes, putting hundreds of jobs at risk in the care sector, was a bad idea from day one. The public proposals, Derbyshire residents would have 12 weeks to give their views from 22 November 2021.

“It is clear that Covid-19 has had a long-lasting impact on the way we all live our lives including for our older residents,” said Councillor Natalie Hoy, DCC cabinet member for adult social care.

“Although we were already seeing an increasing trend of older peo-

knew it, care workers knew it, residents knew it and the GMB union knew it.

“This decision not to close them will come as welcome news at a time when our care workers have been at the front line of tackling this virus.

“The GMB is proud of each and every care worker that has made this happen and we will continue to fight for them every step of the way”.

“… Never Did I Think An Apron Could Be Game Changing, But I Do Now!” These are the words of a Limon Attire customer, Alexandra, about their specially designed Dining drApron®.

The rest of her note read - "I can't tell you the difference it has made at mealtimes! We have no more arguments, nothing has seeped through, comes up brilliantly and, most importantly, Mum can put it on herself! Until Mum fell ill, never did I think an apron could be game changing but I do now! Sometimes it really is the little things in life."

Barbara Lewis designed the Dining drApron® for her mother who had dementia and was having difficulty eating. She didn’t want to ask her stylish mother to wear an ugly, demeaning bib so she designed an attractive and practical apron for her to wear at mealtimes.

Mum was quite happy in an apron to protect her clothes; she had worn aprons all her life and there was no stigma with them.

They have no unnecessary straps to get tangled in the wash, fit neatly around the neck and have a hidden towelling layer to soak up spills and, best of all, they are attractive.

Barbara was inspired to make them with the pattern facing Mum as she had seen her interacting with the design and realised how frustrating it must be to see everything in her closest environment upside down.

Wearing a Limon Dining drApron® a person can retain their dignity, identity and individuality whilst protecting their clothing. There are lots designs to choose from to suit differing interests for both men and women.

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PAGE 24 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77

HC-One Residents and Colleagues Take Time to Commemorate and Remember on Remembrance Sunday HC-One care homes across the country reflected and honoured the service and sacrifice of all those that have defended our freedoms and protected our way of life this Remembrance Sunday, which took place on Sunday 14th November.

At Trafalgar Park Care Home in Nelson, Treharris, Residents created poppy wreaths and other arts and crafts in honour of Remembrance Sunday. The Residents selected the colours they wanted to use on their wreaths, before sticking and collaging the shapes together to produce poppies. Working as a team, Residents cut out a wreath template from cardboard and figures to represent the year 2021, and decorated the templates with poppy flowers and tissue paper.

There was a clever production line going on as each Resident had a different job to do, and it all came together to create a beautiful dedicatory masterpiece.

Residents Sandra, Jane, Mair and Gemma all took part in the activity, while talking about the meaning of Remembrance Sunday.

Steph Smart, Deputy Home Manager at Trafalgar Park Care Home remarked: “Carer, Yasmin Smith carried the activity over into the afternoon along with Colleagues Taryn Williams and Kadie Edwards, by encouraging the Residents to sing along to their favourite war time songs. It was just lovely!”

Ashton View Care Home Colleagues and Residents in Ashton-in-Makerfield spent Remembrance Sunday having small gatherings and a Remembrance service.

Wellbeing Coordinators, Stacey Sharples and Annmarie Roberts, provided Ashton View Residents with several small intimate services around the home for Remembrance Sunday.

These included playing a video of soldiers around the world, listening to the last post and observing a two minute silence to pay their respects.

Residents came together in the quiet lounge when watching the video and indulged in tea, coffee and snacks whilst reminiscing.

Veronica, Resident at Ashton View, told everyone how she lived by where the soldiers used to pass when they were being deployed. As a little girl, she would wave them off. Fellow Resident Kath, told of her uncle

who went to war and sadly never returned. Gladys spoke about her husband, who she loved dearly and who was in the Navy.

Stacey Sharples and Annmarie Roberts, Wellbeing Coordinators at Ashton View Care Home said: “It was a lovely day for Residents around the home to reminisce and pay their respects.

“It’s been a very touching day with stories from all our ladies and gents about how we remember the two World Wars and later conflicts.”

In respect of Remembrance Sunday, Colleagues at The Sycamores Care Home in Newton, Hyde gathered in the main lounge with Residents to mark the two minute silence.

Those who were able to, stood tall as a sign of respect, as they watched the annual National Service of Remembrance on the television, as the rest of world fell silent.

After the service was finished, everyone enjoyed a virtual show of their own, produced by Stormz Community, which was a combination of heart-touching performances and historic videos.

A variety of singers and performances were shown including famous acts such as ‘The Poppy Girls’, Dame Vera Lynn - the Forces Sweetheart’s, famous song ‘We’ll Meet Again’ and other sing-songs sung by choirs and children. Those involved enjoyed watching clips and videos of historic war times and everybody’s heart was touched.

The show brought a tear to many people’s eyes, including Colleagues and Residents but overall it was a touching and moving service which everybody deeply enjoyed.

After the show had ended, they enjoyed group discussions of memories about the two World Wars. Residents shared stories of when they served in the army, whilst others shared stories of how their parents and grandparents had served.

Renee Bell, Wellbeing Coordinator at The Sycamores Care Home commented: “It was a great pleasure to listen to our older generation share stories and memories of the struggles and smiles they have endured over the years.

“We enjoyed watching the poppy wreaths being laid at the Cenotaph live from Whitehall in London, listening to the trumpets and the National Anthem.”

Young People Stand by Erskine Veterans with Special Remembrance Gift Young people from Kibble have paid tribute to veterans at Erskine with a special clay sculpture ahead of Remembrance Sunday this weekend.

Following a special assembly to mark the Remembrance Day, the young people made their way to Erskine, a specialist care provider for Veterans in Scotland, with a large heart made from artificial grass. The heart was covered in red poppies sculped from clay that the young people have made within the classroom as a symbol of remembrance.

A plaque positioned in the centre of the heart read ‘Lest We Forget’ with the sculpture set to be used for annual Remembrance Sunday Service events in the coming years.

The design was inspired by the artist Paul Cummings, who created the ceramic

Poppy installation at Tower Bridge, with the young people keen to donate the artist piece to the nearby veterans.

Sarah Falconer, arts development officer at Kibble, said: “Our young people have put a lot of care and effort into creating the sculpture and are thrilled that they’ve been able to gift it to the veterans at Erskine. It has been lovely for them to share the experience of delivering the gift and to know that it will play a special role within the Remembrance Sunday Service each year is fantastic.”

Colin McPhail, community fundraiser at Erskine said: “We are delighted and very grateful to have been considered by the young people at Kibble for this special gift.

It is truly heart-warming and thoughtful at this time of year.”

Hugh Myddelton Care Home Residents Mark Remembrance Day with English National Ballet Staff and residents at Barchester’s Hugh Myddelton House care home in Southgate were treated to a unique creative workshop from English National Ballet to commemorate Remembrance Day. The session incorporated the national two minute’s silence at 11am to mark the exact time the guns fell silent at the end of the First World War in 1918.

English National Ballet’s Associate Dance Artist, Richard Bermange, led a creative dance workshop for residents followed by a recording and insight into a special extract of Akram Khan’s work Dust, premiered in 2014 as part of ENB’s

time music performed by ENB Associate Musician, Matt Hartley-Stevens.

Fleur Derbyshire-Fox, English National Ballet’s Director of Engagement said: “We are delighted to be able to share the outstanding work of our talented dancers and musicians with Barchester’s residents and staff. There was something for everyone in this session so it was a pleasure to be able to deliver it into all of the Barchester homes and hospitals on such a special day.”

General Manager, Ramona Stanciu, said: “Remembrance Day is so important for

Lest We Forget programme, commemorating the First World War. ENB compa-

many of our residents so it was very moving for them to be able to join in with this

ny dancer, James Streeter, provided some insight into this moving work. Bringing

workshop and mark the occasion in such a lovely way. They especially enjoyed

the event to a close, residents listened, danced and sang along to famous war

the singalong of wartime songs, it was a really special event.”

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77 | PAGE 25

Community Spirit Helps Grow Dementia Care Home’s Poppy Display A public display of Remembrance on the frontage of a Winchester dementia care home has been boosted by a community appeal.

The cascade of nearly 800 knitted or crocheted poppies features prominently outside Colten Care’s St Catherines View, providing a focal point for the home’s residents, staff, visitors and passers-by to reflect on.

Laura Sheldrake, Companionship Team leader at the Stanmore Lane home, invited friends and contacts in the community to contribute their handiwork for what one resident’s daughter has described as a ‘moving and beautiful’ display.

Laura said: “I wanted to make a display outside our home this year and knew I needed lots of poppies to make it work, so I put out a plea on Facebook for anyone who would be able to knit or crochet poppies for us to use.

“One Winchester lady Mo White knitted nearly 300 poppies alone, an incredible amount. I think she was starting to knit them in her sleep at the end.

“We also thank city residents Melanie Etheridge and Zara Coleman who knitted and crocheted over 100 each.”

Poppies started arriving not only from Winchester but also neighbouring Chandler’s Ford.

The combined total, including those from the community and those made by St Catherines View residents and staff, was 795.

Laura added: “I was not expecting so much interest and so many poppies to be made by local residents.

“It took a few weeks to attach all the poppies but once it was done and put up it

was worth all the hard work everyone put into it.

“We had a silhouette of a solider that our maintenance person Trevor Warder cut out by hand and painted black. We think it finished off our display perfectly.”

Chris George, Chairman of the Royal British Legion’s Winchester branch, saw Laura’s appeal, offered to spread the word about it and came to see the display personally once it was put together.

Chris said: “On behalf of my branch, I would like to thank Laura for all the hard work and effort she has put into making such a wonderful display.

“It is important that everyone has the opportunity to remember, and Laura has made sure that has happened for the residents at St Catherines View.

After posting images of the display online, Laura received more than 1,000 Facebook likes and particular congratulations from the daughter of a St Catherines View resident who said: “I saw this today at my mother’s care home. It was both moving and beautiful. Thank you.”

As well as St Catherines View, Colten Care’s 20 other care homes across the south have been holding services and poetry readings for Remembrance season.

Poppy displays have been created at homes including Abbey View in Sherborne and Outstanding-rated Amberwood House in Ferndown.

Abbey View residents also travelled by minibus to Sherborne Abbey to observe the two-minute silence at 11am on 11th November.

And residents at Brook View in West Moors produced a wreath to take to a Remembrance service held by the Dorset village’s parish council.

Residents Of Cottingham Care Home Mark Remembrance Day with the Royal British Legion The residents of Magnolia House care home in Cottingham had a reflective and respectful Armistice Day, when they were visited by volunteers from the Royal British Legion.

The home, on Hull Road, was given a personal Remembrance service by the local Cottingham Royal British Legion. The Last Post was played, and a two-minute silence was held to allow the residents to honour lost loved ones from the Forces.

The event was held at the home, so that staff and residents who could not attend the Legion’s main service would not miss out on the communi-

ty’s remembrance proceedings.

Lindsay Altoft, manager at Magnolia House, said: “It was very kind of the Royal British Legion to come to visit us here. We know how important Remembrance Day is to our residents and how much the service means to them.

“We would like to say thank you to the Royal British Legion volunteers for making it such a special event for us.”

Geoff, a resident at Magnolia House, said: “It has been a very nice morning and it is important we remember these events.”

Care Home Team Come Together to Make Resident's Remembrance Wish Come True Romford Care Home believes in making those who live at the Nursing and Dementia home wishes and dreams come true; no matter how impossible it may seem.

When Resident David Bristow, mentioned to John Olival (the homes’ Dementia Ambassador) his lifelong wish to be part of Romford’s Remembrance Day procession, the team at the Nursing and Dementia Home jumped in to action.

David, as he says himself, “was born and bred” in Romford and has seen it develop and change over the years and one of his cherished memories is every Sunday going to the Harvester for Lunch with his Mum and Dad. Part of the role of a RCH Dementia Ambassador enables them to get close to all the residents and get to know them personally, their likes and dislikes which enables them to ensure that their care is person cantered.

For John, it meant he was able to dedicate time to David and find out what his dream and wishes were, “David and I worked together to set his goals for his health and wellbeing, to get him strong enough to turn

those dreams in to reality; it’s now my duty to help deliver some of he’s dreams and this is the first ticked off the list.”

So yesterday, wrapped up and proudly wearing his poppy David, John and the home’s receptionist Georgina Thomas attended the procession.

As luck would have it, in the procession was Hayley Sullivan the home’s Life Style Coordinator. Hayley who is a Sergeant in The Royal British Legion Band and Corps of Drums Romford introduced David to the Band’s Master who invited him to join the procession on the walk to the Romford Cenotaph.

It was here that David was also able to meet and chat with the local Army, Police and Air Cadets.

To end the day, John and David popped in to Weatherspoon’s for a full English and well-earned drink.

David was overwhelmed by the many acts of kindness by so many and to be part of the procession of his beloved Romford, “This is a very special day and I didn’t think I would ever get to see Romford Market place again. John is really a true friend.”

Moors Manor Residents Remember the Fallen on Armistice Day Moors Manor Care Home in Ringwood commemorated the signing of the Armistice Day agreement on the day that the guns finally fell silent. They joined the rest of the United Kingdom in holding a two-minute silence at the eleventh hour, on the eleventh day, of the eleventh month.

As well as marking Armistice Day by wearing poppies and observing the national two minute silence, residents took part in therapeutic activities making poppies for our memorial garden. We were joined for a service by our Local Mayor, Tony Ring, a representative from the Royal British Legion as well as Mr Smith with his year 4 class, Woodpeckers, from St Mary’s School in West Moors. The children read the residents some poems, lead a prayer for us and lay poppies they had made in class to add to our display. They had been learning about COP26 so they poppies were made using recycled

materials.

Joan, a resident at Moors Manor Care Home, said: “It is very important that we keep the memories of those who fought alive and it’s lovely to see the children involved in this day, they brought a smile to my face this morning.”

Chrissie Heyes General Manager at Moors Manor Care Home, said: “We have many residents and staff with personal ties to the military and many who have experienced conflict either at home or abroad so it was important to us to mark November 11th and honour the contribution of everyone involved in the World Wars and in subsequent conflicts. Having the children come along as well as the Mayor and a representative from the Royal British Legion marked the day in an extra special way for our residents.”

PAGE 26 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77

Royal Star & Garter Veterans Mark Armistice Day

Services took place at the charity’s three Homes on Armistice Day (11 November), while on Remembrance Sunday (14 November), Royal Star & Garter representatives attended the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph on Whitehall.

The Armistice Day services at the Homes featured readings from staff and residents, wreath-laying and the

two-minute silence at 11am.

At High Wycombe, Padre Flight Lieutenant Chrissie Lacey from RAF High Wycombe delivered the service, which also featured a bugler playing The Last Post and Reveille. Residents later enjoyed mulled wine and snacks.

In Solihull, residents painted poppies to decorate the Home, and took part in other Remembrance arts and crafts activities. Its Armistice Day service also featured music, readings, wreath-laying, and a standard bearer and bugler, with residents later enjoying sherry at the Home’s bar. A small number of residents attended the Remembrance Sunday Service and Parade at St Alphege’s Parish Church, and laid a wreath at the war memorial.

At Surbiton, veterans made tissue paper poppies in the run-up to Remembrance, before paying their tributes at their Armistice Day service.

This Remembrance, Royal Star & Garter has focused on the unwavering dedication and service of the Armed Forces through the decades. The Conflict Never Stops campaign looks at the invaluable role residents have played in serving their country. It features veterans from WWII all the way up to the Iraq War.

Care Home Residents Mark Remembrance Day with English National Ballet Staff and residents at Barchester’s Magnolia Court care home in Golders Green were treated to a unique creative workshop from English National Ballet to commemorate Remembrance Day. The session incorporated the national two minute’s silence at 11am to mark the exact time the guns fell silent at the end of the First World War in 1918.

English National Ballet’s Associate Dance Artist, Richard Bermange, led a creative dance workshop for residents followed by a recording and insight into a special extract of Akram Khan’s work Dust, premiered in 2014 as part of ENB’s Lest We Forget programme, commemorating the First World War. ENB company dancer, James Streeter, provided some insight into this moving work. Bringing the event to a close, residents listened, danced and sang along to famous war time music performed by ENB Associate Musician, Matt Hartley-Stevens.

Fleur Derbyshire-Fox, English National Ballet’s Director of Engagement said: “We are delighted to be able to share the outstanding work of our talented

dancers and musicians with Barchester’s residents and staff. There was something for everyone in this session so it was a pleasure to be able to deliver it into all of the Barchester homes and hospitals on such a special day.”

General Manager, Octavian Stanciu said: “Remembrance Day is so important for many of our residents so it was very moving for them to be able to join in with this workshop and mark the occasion in such a lovely way. They especially enjoyed the singalong of wartime songs, it was a really special event.

Our life enrichment team also arranged a reminiscence session using art and words. ” Lucy Tomlinson, Resident Experience Manager for Barchester Healthcare, commented: ““We love working with our wonderful partners like English National Ballet to bring a wide range of fantastic experiences into our homes for all to enjoy. The session today was excellent, so evocative and nostalgic, our residents loved reminiscing about what the music and dancing meant to them.

Residents of Rotherham Care Homes Mark Remembrance Day with the Royal British Legion The residents of the Moorgate Care Village in Rotherham had a reflective and respectful Armistice Day, when they were visited by volunteers from the Royal British Legion.

The homes, on Nightingale Close, was given a personal Remembrance service by the local Rotherham Royal British Legion.

The Last Post was played, and a two-minute silence was held to allow the residents to honour lost loved ones from the Forces.

The event was held at the home, so that staff and residents who could not attend the Legion’s main service would not miss out on the community’s remembrance proceedings.

Sam Sheppard, Operation Coordinator at Park Lane Healthcare, said: “It was very kind of the Royal British Legion to come to visit us here. Many of our residents were concerned that they wouldn’t be able to formally mark Remembrance Day this year, an anniversary

which is close to many of their hearts.

“We would like to say thank you to the Royal British Legion volunteers for making it such a special event for us.”

Barbara Pilkington, 87, a resident at Moorgate Care Village, said: “Remembrance Day is very important to us, and many of us were worried we wouldn’t get to attend due to the restrictions. It was so kind of the volunteers to come here and bring the service to us.”

Ronald William Moffett MBE, CYO & CRO South & West Yorkshire The Royal British Legion, said: “Thank you to the Moorgate Care Village for inviting us to their Armistice Day service in our Centenary Year.

“It is a pleasure to give the residents a small service as an act of remembrance.

“Every poppy counts, and we’re delighted to visit our community when we can.”

PAGE 28 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77

Being 'Double Jabbed' Provides Resident Protection and Exciting New Opportunities for the Workforce As of Thursday 11 November, all care workers in the UK are required by law to have received at least two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.

While this has sadly led to a minority of care workers leaving the sector, the policy has equally acted to protect and reassure the 500,000 care home residents the nation houses against the threat of the pandemic.

And this in turn is just one of the many factors that is making the industry attractive to new employees – many of whom have had no previous experience of working in care at all.

One recent joiner to the care sector is Nanako Nakamura, who has worked as a care assistant at Cecil Court care home in Kew, Richmond since May 2021. She took the decision to start working in care during the pandemic having previously worked in retail.

Pictured: Nanako Nakamura (R) with Cecil Court resident Margaret Dooley

"I spent 16 years as Head of the Silver department at a luxury lifestyle shop in Mayfair," Nanako explained. "I loved working in a team environment and we felt like we were creating something very special for our clients."

But then the Covid-19 pandemic started. The business Nanako worked for went into administration, and consequently, all staff were made redundant. She realised it was time for something new.

"I'd been interested in doing something in the care sector as a volunteer," Nanako explained, "but had never had the time to do so. I'd also felt as though I had had my time in the retail sector. It was a natural choice, therefore, for me to go for a job in care."

Despite her lack of experience, Nanako was welcomed into Cecil Court with open arms. She was immediately put onto a professional

training course and received help and support from colleagues, along with a full and thorough induction process.

And it hasn't taken long for Nanako to get into the swing of things as a result.

"A typical day for me for me sees me given a handover meeting first thing to see if there's any issues I need to be aware of and which floor I am to be assigned. It's then periods of offering personal care interspersed with breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and supper for the residents. In between times I'll assist residents with any activities they are taking part in, as well as take the time to chat and spend time getting to know the residents better.

"I love the fact that we help the residents the whole time. What we do really matters, and I get real satisfaction when they say 'Thank you' for the support we offer.

"I especially enjoy singing with residents. Some remember all the lyrics to certain songs, which I fail to do!"

And Nanako is encouraging others to follow in her footsteps and seek a job in care.

"You'll learn a lot about being human," she adds, "and realise life is so precious. I am glad I chose to do it."

Another employee who knows all about entering the care sector during the pandemic is Jihyun (J) Cho. For many years, J worked as a translator of English books into her native Korean.

“I worked for a romantic novels publisher at first, where it probably took me a couple of months to translate each book.” J explains.

“When I had my daughter in 2007, I switched to becoming a freelancer – maybe completing translations of two or three books a year.”

“I love a good book – especially romance and history. Translating was a great job as you could understand a bit more about what is behind the book. You can interpret in so many ways. I loved the ability to introduce people to this ‘other world’ in the book.

Five years ago, J left her native Korea to come to England. Her ageing parents-in-law required help around the home, and J took the opportunity to move over and learn a new life in a different society. Initially, the translations continued.

“One of my favourite pieces of work after moving here was to translate the autobiography of (US Vice President) Kamela Harris. She’s really inspirational to me as the first female vice-president, especially as someone from a minor race. It was a good book to read and to be able to share with my own country.

“Then the pandemic started, and gradually work dried up. I found it harder to get more roles as I found places wanted translators who were native English and Korean speakers, not the other way round. I wanted to go out and find a role for myself.”

Having by this stage spent nearly three years looking after her fatherin-law, who lives with dementia, J decided to put this ‘training’ to good use and, in November 2020, started her current role as a casual care assistant at Compton Lodge care home in Camden, North London. It was the first time she had formally worked in a care environment.

“I started with some manual handling, which quickly helped me get the idea of the role. My biggest concern was with making any mistakes, especially with the strict procedures that have been introduced in the wake of the pandemic. But Compton Lodge has a great team, and I could talk with colleagues who reassured me that I was doing a good job.

“I’m really happy in my job. Being a member of a team who helps society, being able to provide the help that people need, makes me feel good.

“For somebody who wants to make themselves useful and who is looking to help other people, it’s one of the greatest jobs you could have. The people here really depend on us for support, so I’m a bit of the puzzle that helps everyone in the home to thrive.”

Sharon Bye, Director of Care at C&C, said that the double-vaccination law was "absolutely the right thing to do" to help protect both residents and colleagues at a time where Covid-19 remains a significant threat.

"It's been well documented that the care sector was woefully undersupported at the start of this pandemic. But at C&C we swiftly installed our own management plan in order to minimise Covid-19 in our homes, while also calling on the Government to reintroduce safe visiting procedures at the earliest possible opportunity. In time, the Government implemented our calls for safe visiting such as in outdoor 'pods', delivered a strong quality of PPE stock, and prioritised care home residents for the vaccine.

"More recently, the Government has been equally correct to ensure that those who regularly come to the homes – not just frontline care staff but food suppliers, contractors and activities co-ordinators too – have been vaccinated to give the homes the best possible chance of keeping Covid out.

"Aside from the early few months, care homes have in fact had significantly less excess deaths then have been recorded at home or in hospital. This policy helps to keep things that way. While C&C did lose a small number of excellent colleagues who refused to be double-vaccinated, which we hugely regret, we have had plenty of time to look for new and valuable members of our staff team and we are excited to welcome them to the C&C family.

"Like Nanako and J, we are particularly excited that this includes people who have never worked in care before. There's a real opportunity at this moment to continue to attract new people into the sector and to support them to embark on a fantastic career in care."

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 assuranceto 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 multifactor 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 30 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77

Sleeping Longer Than 6.5 Hours A Night Associated With Cognitive Decline According To Research – What’s Really Going On Here?

Dr Greg Elder, Senior Lecturer in Psychology and Associate Director of Northumbria Sleep Research explores why a good night's sleep is important and how our sleeping patterns can be linked to conditions like dementia for The Conversation.

A good night’s sleep is important for many reasons. It helps our body repair itself and function as it should, and is linked to better mental health and lower risk of many health conditions – including heart disease and diabetes. It’s also been shown that not getting enough sleep is linked to cognitive decline and conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.

But more isn’t always better, as one recent study found. Researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine have published a paper that indicates that just like getting too little sleep, sleeping too much may also be linked with cognitive decline.

The research team wanted to know how much sleep was linked to cognitive impairment over time. To do this, they looked at 100 older adults in their mid-to-late-70s on average, and tracked them for between four and five years. At the time of their study, 88 people did not show any signs of dementia, while 12 showed signs of cognitive impairment (one with mild dementia and 11 with the pre-dementia stage of mild cognitive impairment).

Throughout the study, participants were asked to complete a range of commonplace cognitive and neuropsychological tests to look for signs of cognitive decline or dementia. Their scores from these tests were then combined into a single score, called the Preclinical Alzheimer Cognitive Composite (PACC) score. The higher the score, the better their cognition was over time.

Sleep was measured using a single-electrode encephalography (EEG) device, which participants wore on their forehead while sleeping, for a total of between four to six nights. This was done once, three years after people first completed their annual cognitive tests. This EEG allowed the researchers to accurately measure brain activity, which would tell them whether or not someone was asleep (and for how long), and how restful that sleep was.

Participants would have worn a device similar to this to track their sleep.

Although sleep was only measured at one period during the study, this still gave the research team a good indication of participants’ normal sleep habits. While using an EEG to measure brain activity may be somewhat disruptive to sleep on the first night, as people get used to the equipment, sleep tends to return to normal the following night. This

means that when sleep is tracked from the second night onwards it’s a good representation of a person’s normal sleep habits.

The researchers also took into account other factors that can affect cognitive decline – including age, genetics and whether a person had signs of the proteins beta-amyloid or tau, which are both linked to dementia.

Overall, the researchers found that sleeping less than 4.5 hours and more than 6.5 hours a night – alongside poor quality sleep – was associated with cognitive decline over time. Interestingly, the impact of sleep duration on cognitive function was similar to the effect of age, which is the greatest risk factor for developing cognitive decline.

A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP We know from previous research that lack of sleep is linked to cognitive decline. For example, one study showed that people who reported sleep disturbances, such as insomnia or excessive daytime sleepiness, have a greater risk of developing dementia compared to people who don’t. Other research has shown that people who have short sleeping times have higher levels of beta-amyloid in their brain – which is commonly found in the brains of people who have Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers don’t know for certain why lack of sleep is linked to cognitive decline. One theory is that sleep helps our brain flush out harmful proteins that build up during the day. Some of these proteins – like beta-amyloid and tau – are thought to cause dementia. So interfering

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with sleep might interfere with our brain’s ability to get rid of these.

Experimental evidence even supports this – showing that even just one night of sleep deprivation temporarily increases beta-amyloid levels in the brain of healthy people.

But it’s less clear why long sleep is linked with cognitive decline.

Previous studies have also found a link between over-sleep and cognitive performance, but most relied upon participants self-reporting how long they sleep nightly – which means the data is less accurate than using an EEG to measure brain activity. This new study therefore adds weight to such findings.

What’s surprising about this study’s findings is that the optimal sleep duration is much shorter than that which previous studies have suggested are problematic. The study showed that sleeping longer than 6.5 hours was associated with cognitive decline over time – this is low when we consider that older adults are recommended to get between seven and eight hours of sleep every night.

It could be the case that it isn’t necessarily the length of the sleep that matters, but the quality of that sleep when it comes to risk of developing dementia. For instance, this study also showed that having less “slow-wave” sleep – restorative sleep – particularly affected cognitive impairment.

What we also cannot tell from this study is if long sleep durations can independently predict cognitive decline. Essentially, we can’t rule out that participants who slept longer than 6.5 hours every night might not have already had pre-existing cognitive problems of brain changes suggestive of dementia that weren’t picked up on the tests. And although the researchers were careful to adjust for dementia-related factors, longer sleepers may also have had other pre-existing conditions that might have contributed to their cognitive decline which weren’t taken into account. For example, this could include poor health, socioeconomic status or physical activity levels. All of these factors together may explain why longer sleep was linked to cognitive decline.

There are many factors which can impact on both our sleep quality, and whether we experience cognitive decline. While some factors aren’t preventable (such as genetic predisposition), there are many things we can do alongside getting a good night’s sleep to help reduce our likelihood of developing dementia – such as exercising and eating a healthy diet. But while the researchers of this study seem to suggest there’s an optimal sleep duration – between 4.5 and 6.5 hours every night – the occasional weekend lie-in is unlikely to do your brain any harm.

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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.

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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 32 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77

No Connection, No Protection: Dependable Connectivity Is Critical In Care Settings

By Paul Craig, Head of IoT at OV (www.worldov.com) From intelligent care planning and monitoring systems to the very latest health and wellbeing devices – new innovations are changing the very nature of care and paving the way for us to reimagine provision. Many ground-breaking care technology solutions involve the Internet of Things (IoT), which describes a network of objects, installed with sensors or software, that connect and exchange data with other devices and systems. IoT solutions depend on connectivity to work, be it data through a mobile network or Wi-Fi, so when investing in technology, patient safety depends on care providers building a highly reliable connectivity infrastructure.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for connected IoT devices accelerated across many industries, perhaps none more so than care. Devices such as glucose and heart rate monitors typically connect to a 2G, 3G, or 4G network via SIM cards – like the ones we use in our phones – and automatically collect health metrics on the patient.

The introduction of lockdowns and social distancing has led to an increase in carers working alone, and therefore a rise in demand for wearable IoT devices that can protect unaccompanied staff while helping them to monitor residents. Staff can wear devices, that look like a watch, but feature an emergency button. So, if there is a high-risk situation involving either themselves or a resident, the employee can quickly call for assistance. The device will send an alert to either a colleague or the emergency services – depending on the individual settings.

Similar wearable devices can also be used to monitor residents’ heart rate, temperature, and blood pres-

sure remotely. Using these sensors means key markers can automatically be recorded throughout the day, and if anything changes a carer will be notified in real-time.

Voice control technology can also be used in wearable devices or equipment placed in residents’ rooms.

This provides voice connectivity which means if a resident has an emergency and cannot move to press a panic button, they can shout out, and the device will send an alert to a chosen contact.

These IoT devices help to streamline care services and enable workers to provide the best care possible to their residents – the result is person-centric, outcomes focussed care, that puts patients, carers, and families in control. But this can only happen when the device is connected to a live network.

When someone’s health, or safety, is reliant on the connectivity of such devices, avoiding network outages is vital. Connectivity providers that operate using a single network pose a risk, as there is no immediate backup if their service goes down, making it paramount that care providers opt for multi-network SIM connectivity.

Multi-network providers work with an ecosystem of partners, so if one mobile network drops out, the multinetwork provider can immediately tap into another network and continue providing connectivity to the SIM installed in the IoT device.

Wi-Fi is often the go-to route to connectivity, but due to the size of many care sites, there is a risk that there will be black spots, or weak signals due to the number of devices connected. Staff aren’t just confined to care homes either, carers working in the community need constant connectivity. So, if providers opt to use SIMs that tap into multiple networks, connectivity becomes seamless no matter the setting or location.

The UK’s population is ageing, and as life expectancy continues to climb, more and more patients will require care. Technological advances may help us find new ways of providing care to meet this demand, whether it be using IoT wearable devices to improve care outcomes and maximise the use of staff time or using connected devices in domiciliary care settings to allow people to keep living at home. However, we need to be able to trust that this technology guarantees 24-hour care, just as our carers provide.

Ultimately, new IoT technology is only as good as the network it is connected to, but with multi-network providers, staff can trust the technology they are using, every hour, of every day.

More Than Just A Birthday Celebration Glennfield Care Home in Wisbech had a very busy schedule on the 11th November as they not only remembered Armistice Day in the morning, but they also celebrated Glennfield 13th Birthday. A wonderful party had been organised and KJ & the Catt came along to sing as they have sung at Glennfield for many years and are a true favourite of the residents. Kelly said, “you get very attached to the residents when you visit care homes on a regular basis. I felt my heart burst when Maggie came round the corner and there were definitely tears. It was such a fabulous afternoon seeing those gorgeous faces and beaming smiles.

Lots of dancing, singing and good times. Can’t wait until we can come back again.”

The Home Manager, Katy, said, ‘we have been looking forward to celebrating 13 years of Glennfield Care Home, especially after the last 18 months where it has been difficult to bring our residents together to celebrate. It is also lovely to acknowledge Remembrance Day on this same day, where we will be remembering and honouring those affected by war.’

You could see the excitement in the residents faces as they came out to the large reception area ready to celebrate away. It was a lovely reunion for all, and the dancing, singing, smiles, laughter, and genuine love was oozing from everyone. It was also the first time since COVID that they had entertainment inside for everyone to enjoy, so it really was a superior day for all. Special cakes and drinks were enjoyed after the party.

Glennfield is a beautiful care home but it is the staff and residents that really make Glennfield shine with the beauty.

Staff and residents wanted to share some of their comments about why they love working/living at Glennfield.

Katie Lifestyle Coordinator has worked at Glennfield for 12 years, starting as a carer assistant then part time carer assistant / Lifestyle Coordinator. Which then evolved into a full time Lifestyle Coordinator

for over 10 years. Katie says, “she loves her job because not two days are the same. I give the best I can for the residents and wouldn’t be here if I did not enjoy my job. It is the most rewarding job, knowing I able to make a difference to our residents as they and their family tell me.”

Della, who is the chef has worked for Glennfield since 1999 when the care home was run by the county council before Excelcare took over and built a new purpose home. Della said, “she has had her 40th – 50th & 60th Birthday while working at Glennfield, which shows how quickly the time has gone, I love my job, the people that work with me and especially the residents.””

Rosemary works as a domestic and has been working at Glennfield since 1985 and lives locally. The residents love Rosemary as she knows

them well and you can see the fantastic repour, she has with the residents. Rosemary used to be a carer and says, “you never lose your love and passion, it is wonderful to be able to make a difference. Like when Allan is a bit unsettled I would find him a train book to look through as he has a great passion for trains, it really makes my day seeing how a simple gesture reassures Allan” Clare joined Glennfield in 2009 as head housekeeper and in August this year she took the role of Glennfield Administrator. Clare was looking for a new challenge and Katy, Home Manager could see her potential and they are very happy with the outcome. Clare said, “the people are friendly, happy and work well as a team, Sarah the Care Manager is remarkable and always goes above and beyond and is a very calming person to be around.”

Bev who works as a domestic has also worked at Glennfield for 11 years. She laughs and says, I worked in a cold factory for 24 years and now work in a very warm environment, which also includes the residents and staff as they are very warm hearted. It is so nice to be able to connect with the residents. Jane, who resides here loves dusting and she quite often helps me dust, she loves dusting the handrails in the hallways, we have a good laugh and chat as we are working together.”

When the residents were asked how their stay at Glennfield is, they spoke very highly about living at Glennfield.

Ann said, “She has landed on her feet here at Glennfield, the food is really nice, it’s like being at a restaurant. You do not have to worry as everything is prepped and cooked for you, I am very happy to help with washing the dishes afterwards if I am needed. I take nothing for granted and I appreciate everything that they do for me.”

Rita could not praise Glennfield enough saying with determination that “she is extremely happy, everyone is wonderful, she could not want for anymore and would recommend anyone to live at Glennfield. “

Cleva Launches to Bring Fintech Revolution to the Care Sector Cleva, a fintech developed for the home care sector, has launched its payments system for home care agencies – bringing a safe, quick and easy way for carers to shop and handle expenses for people under their care using a single card, and removing the hassle and admin of using cash.

The new system brings proven technology developed by a leading UK-fintech to a whole new market, enabling care agency staff to spend more time looking after the clients they care for, and ensuring transparency of payments for both those under care and their families. Cleva is available for care agencies today and additional information can be found at www.clevacard.com.

Cleva provides every client with a digital wallet which can be loaded and monitored by them and their family. Each care worker then has a single Cleva Mastercard prepaid debit card which they can use for all of their clients, and an app which allows them to select a client’s digital wallet and spend on their behalf.

Until now, carers have had to juggle petty cash, paper receipts and allocating correct change for each of their clients – which is complex and time-consuming to manage when buying items for multiple clients at once.

“The core business of care agencies is to look after their clients and dealing with petty cash means they have less time to do that. In particular, when looking after multiple people, the manual payment reconciliation

alone creates piles of unnecessary admin,” said Tom Bishop, CMO at Cleva. “We built Cleva to solve this issue using the same fintech approach which has revolutionised payments for consumers in the UK. Cleva delivers a better way, saving time and hassle for carers while also giving peace of mind to agencies, their clients and their families.”

Cleva significantly eases agencies’ time and cost of managing a remote team of care workers by providing the care agency with a comprehensive web-based management system that allows full oversight of all payments and usage. The prepaid debit cards can be activated, deactivated and topped-up with funds without the need to divert the care worker to visit the local office.

Security features include a range of payment restrictions, preventing payments being made across certain controlled areas including gambling and adult services, alerts when payments are made on the card, and full oversight of card usage by both the client, their family and the care agency.About Cleva Cleva is the first fintech developed specifically for the care sector bringing a safe, quick, and easy way for carers to make payments and buy things for the multiple people under their care all using a single managed prepaid card - removing the hassle and admin associated with using cash.

Cleva brings proven technology developed by a leading UK-fintech to the care sector, enabling carers to spend more time looking after the clients they care for, and ensuring transparency of payments for both those under care and their families. Cleva is available for care agencies today and additional information can be found at www.clevacard.com.

The Cleva card is issued by Transact Payments Limited pursuant to licence by Mastercard International Incorporated. Transact Payments Limited is authorised and regulated by the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77 | PAGE 35

Care UK Announces Senior Appointment on the Back of Continued Growth After a decade of continued growth that has seen it open 58 new homes and grow its colleague base to over 10,000, Care UK has today announced the appointment of Martin Friend to the newly created role of Chief Operating Officer.

Martin will join the Care UK’s executive team in January 2022, reporting directly to Chief Executive Andrew Knight, and will be taking on overall accountability for operations across the business. In particular, he will be charged with continuing to build on the company’s enviable track record of care quality and transitioning the 26 Sunrise and Gracewell homes which come under Care UK’s management next month.

Care UK’s Chief Executive Andrew Knight said: “The addition of this role into our business is a natural evolution given our ever-increasing scale. I have no doubt Martin’s experience, energy and his fresh perspective will bring a valuable contribution to our future growth plans, particularly our focus on expanding our role as a quality provider of homes for people funding their own care. I look forward to working with him to build on the great work of our operational teams and deliver on our longer-term operational strategy.”

operations on the executive board as Chief Operating Officer, a post he held since 2017. In this role, Martin was instrumental in successfully integrating a number of acquisitions, including Virgin Active and, more recently, Aspen Healthcare and led the delivery and growth of Nuffield Health’s award-winning connected health model to 1.5m customers per annum. Prior to this role he was responsible for Nuffield’s fitness and wellbeing services – a role he took up in 2009 after working in the leisure, telecommunications, and sporting sectors.

Commenting on his appointment Martin Friend said: “I am incredibly excited about this opportunity. The arrival of teams from Sunrise and Gracewell, alongside Care UK’s already ambitious development programme, make this a fantastic time to be joining the company. My first priority will be to meet as many of the operations team as I can to really understand the challenges of the business and how we can best deliver Martin will join Care UK from Nuffield Health, where he represented

on the company’s long-term goals.”

Clarendon Hall Resident Centenarian One of the Residents at HC-One’s Clarendon Hall residential and nursing care home, in Humberston, recently turned 100 and everyone wanted to celebrate in the ‘Clarendon way’.

Ruby Wilkinson was born on 21st October 1921 on Torrington Street, in Grimsby.

She worked at the fish docks in Grimsby doing typing, shorthand and bookkeeping.

Ruby married her husband Royce on 4th October 1947 in Old Clee, with the reception at the Royal Hotel. The couple were first introduced by Ruby’s friend at a dancing café. Ruby laughs and finds it funny that Royce was her friend’s boyfriend first!

Royce and Ruby had two daughters, Lynda and Diane as well as many grandchildren and extended family.

For her birthday, the lounge at the home was decorated for Ruby when she first came downstairs, and the visiting room was also decorated ready for her family visiting. Ruby was shocked by all the decorations but enjoyed her day.

The home’s chef made Ruby a special cake which she shared with other Residents.

Ruby had a little tea party with her family who were able to visit on the day also and she loved the cake and commented, “I had a lovely day.”

Daughter Lynda thanked all staff for all the efforts made to make her mother’s birthday special.

When asked about what her secret is to a long life, Ruby remarked, “Being sociable, having a good family and enjoying a bit of what you fancy.” She also enjoys music and watching the television soaps.

Nicola Walker, Home Manager, commented, “It was so lovely to be able to celebrate Ruby’s birthday with her and her family.”

PAGE 36 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77

NHSBSA Publishes ‘Prescribing Costs in Hospital and the Community 2020-21 – England’ hospitals, £87.9 million prescribed in hospitals and dispensed in the community, and £24.3 million prescribed by dentists and dispensed in the community.

The cost of medicines prescribed in primary care in England in 2020/21 was £9.42 billion, 55% of total expenditure. The cost of medicines dispensed in hospitals in England in 2020/21 was £7.59 billion, 44% of total expenditure.

In 2020/21, ‘Malignant Disease and Immunosuppression’ drugs (BNF Chapter 8) had the highest spend across all settings of £2.80 billion, 16.3% of the total spend. Of this spend, £2.61 billion was for medicines issued and dispensed in hospitals.

Lastly, the average costs per person for drugs, dressing, appliances, and medical devices prescribed in England in 2020/21 across all settings was £303.

To read the full report go to https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statisticalcollections/prescribing-costs-hospitals-and-community-england

NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) has published its Prescribing Costs in Hospitals and the Community 2020-21 statistical report.

The report covers data in England from April 2020 to March 2021. It compares expenditure on medicines between primary care, secondary care and prescriptions written in secondary care but dispensed in the community.

It reports the overall cost at list price, before any discounts, of medicines used in hospitals and those prescribed in primary care in England.

It is not necessarily the price the NHS paid.

Here are the key findings below: It was found that the total expenditure on medicines in England by the NHS in 2020/21 was estimated to be £16.7 billion. The total expenditure without central rebates was £17.1 billion, an increase of 4.56% from the £16.4 billion in 2019/20. This is split down to £9.42 billion issued in primary care and dispensed in the community, £7.59 billion issued in

Chester Day Service Users Celebrate More than 200 Years of Support Four people supported by Ambito Chester Skills Development Centre attended a celebration held in their honour for attending the service between them for more than 200 years.

The service is a large day centre catering for adults with a range of physical and/or learning disabilities and complex health needs.

Liz Evans, Terry Barnett, Adrian Ormerwood and Stephen Haslam have all been helped by the team at Ambito Chester for more than 50 years, starting in the early 1970s when it was a work centre where attendees would make toys and caravan steps for local firms.

The four friends were recognised with a certificate for being part of the service for half a century each.

Gaynor Burton, service manager at Ambito Chester Skills Development Centre, said: “It was a fantastic day and a lovely opportunity to celebrate some of the people we support who have been here for such a long time.

“Our team prides itself on providing excellent, person-centred care, and we’re delighted that this group have found it so useful for 50 years each.

“Liz, Terry, Adrian and Stephen are part of the family here and we

Liz Evans said: “Ambito Chester has helped me a lot. I used to be very quiet and keep things in when they were bothering me, but I’ve learned to open up. The service has built my confidence, which is amazing.

“It’s been a brilliant part of my life since I was a teenager and I love coming and doing the crafts. I hope they have another certificate for me in another 50 years!”

Stephen Haslam, who has been attending the service for almost 52 years, said: “‘I’ve seen a lot of changes over the years. Some have been good, and I’ve also been concerned about others. I’ve been here this long as it gets me out of the house, and I have strong friendships within the service.

“I enjoy the things that I have been involved with over the years look forward to supporting them for a long time to come.”

including nice trips abroad to Tunisia and on a cruise with the activity group Link Up. I still enjoy coming here 2 days a week.”

The Cleaning Show Celebrates the Work of Cleaning and Hygiene Operatives with a Triumphant Return to London The UK’s largest and most important event in the cleaning and hygiene sector, The Cleaning Show, welcomed more than 4,600 visitors through its doors when it made its triumphant return to London. It marked the industry’s first physical event since the UK’s national lockdown was lifted, coming at a critical time as cleaning lands high on the agenda of businesses across the country.

Opening the event, Nigel Mills MP, Chair of the Cleaning and Hygiene All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), welcomed visitors and exhibitors, highlighting the important role the show plays in bringing the industry together to celebrate the sector and facilitate business. He paid tribute to the industry and the role cleaning and hygiene operatives have played over the past 18 months and highlighted how the APPG would help shine a light on an industry that was once overlooked.

With sustainability high on the agenda for visitors and exhibitors alike, James Lee, Council Member, Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association declared that innovation alone wouldn’t solve the industry’s problems.

He identified five pillars of sustainability: product, packaging, transportation, social and ethical values and corporate emissions, waste and water, while highlighting the challenges – from financial pressures to a resistance to change – that would need to be overcome for lasting change.

ICE, the UK’s largest independent provider of cleaning equipment, introduced its handheld ICE Aquasmart Unit. The patented DiamondTechnology in the ICE Aquasmart Nano produces aqueous ozone – a natural cleaner, sanitiser and deodoriser that is more powerful than bleach but completely safe to use on all surfaces.

Highlighting The Cleaning Show’s position as a hotbed of innovation, several exhibitors used the show’s return as the opportunity to announce new product launches. Announcements at the show continued with The Worshipful Company Of Environmental Cleaners (WCEC) using the event to launchits Chartered Practitioner scheme to the entire cleaning industry. Demonstrating the industry’s professional commitment, skill and expertise, the scheme means cleaning professionals can

now register as Chartered Practitioners, with Yvonne Taylor from OCS and Robert Sutherland from RAMS FM confirming their new status at the show.

Demonstrating the industry’s most innovative and new technologies, The Cleaning & Support Services Association (CSSA) played host to the new CSSA Innovation Showcase – a pavilion dedicated to nine companies selected by a panel of industry experts and representatives.

Selected from more than 30 entries, Bunzl Cleaning & Hygiene Supplies (BCHS), Washroom Wizard, w’air, ICE, NextDynamics, Optiqo, Orion Eco Solutions, Selden, and Softbank Robotics provided attendees with a first-hand insight into the cleaning industry of the future with the latest products spanning new fabric care systems, autonomous cleaning equipment and IoT air care solutions.

Speaking about the event’s triumphant return, Stuart Dacre, Event Director, said: “It’s been a long wait but I can’t describe how good it feels to bring the cleaning industry back face-to-face for three action-packed days of inspiration, innovation and insight. It’s been particularly special to recognise the efforts of cleaning and hygiene operators and the critical role they have played in keeping people and places safe over the past 18 months. The response from exhibitors and visitors has been overwhelming. We’d like to thank everyone who has participated in this year’s show and look forward to opening our doors once again when we return to Manchester in 2022.”

The Cleaning Show returns to Manchester Central from 6-7 April 2022. To find out more, visit: https://cleaningshow.co.uk/manchester/

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77 | PAGE 37

Age UK Urges Older People to Have Booster COVID-19 Jab and their Flu Jab Age UK is urging all older people to stay well this winter and wherever possible to have both the Covid 19 booster vaccine and the flu jab.

Adults at high risk from flu are also most at risk from COVID-19, and both can be serious illnesses. Each year on average 11,000 people in England die of influenza, and in 2017/18 before the Covid-19 pandemic, Public Health England estimated that figure reached a staggering 22,000 deaths, the highest death toll in recent years.

Last year cases of flu were unusually low due to the pandemic restrictions but experts expect flu to return as a significant risk this winter. This makes its vital that older people protect themselves by having the vaccinations that are offered to them.

Dr Amir Khan, NHS doctor and regular on ITV’s Lorraine and Good Morning Britain, said: “Having both vaccinations is the best way to protect yourself against flu and COVID 19, and you will also be providing protection from these serious illnesses for those around you.

“During wintertime, respiratory illnesses are more common and particularly this winter, when more people are likely to get flu as fewer people will have built up natural immunity to it during the pandemic.

COVID-19 and the flu are nasty viruses which can both cause hospitalisations – the best way to protect yourself against them is to have these potentially lifesaving vaccinations.”

Age UK’s latest survey of people in England aged over 60 shows that the intention among older people to have both the flu and covid booster vaccinations is pretty positive with: •78% of adults aged 60+ intending to get the flu vaccination this winter, with 82% of older people with a long-term health condition likely to get the flu vaccine to protect their health (compared to 76% without a long-term health condition).

•However, only 65% of older Black, Asian and minority ethnicity peo-

ple intend to get the flu vaccine, compared to 80% of older white people.

•78% of older adults said they would get the flu vaccination to help reduce the pressure on the NHS during flu season.

•And 73% of older adults would get the flu vaccination to protect others around them.

And there is similar positivity among those intending to have the Covid booster vaccination with: •81% of older adults agreeing the booster vaccination protects their health.

•80% of older adults aged 60+ believing the booster vaccination will give them greater protection against Covid-19.

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•55% of older adults agreeing that the booster vaccination will help them gain more freedom.

•And 76% of older adults believing the booster vaccine protects others around them.

Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK said: “Our advice to older people is that if you only do one thing to protect your health this autumn please do take up the offer of a COVID booster and a flu jab when it comes your way. It’s perfectly safe to have them together, and often more convenient too, so if that’s what you are offered please do accept – you’ll be doing yourself a lot of good and helping to protect everyone else you come into contact with too.

“We are pleased that our research with older people shows that the great majority intend to get their COVID booster and flu jab when they are called, but that still leaves a worrying number who may well decline or otherwise fail to get jabbed. We need to work harder to ensure that every older person understands the benefits of these vaccinations, which greatly outweigh the risks, and make it easy and straightforward for them to obtain their shots in their local areas.

“It’s true that we are in a different place now, compared to the frightening situation we faced when the COVID vaccines first became available, but the pandemic still has some way to run and flu poses a serious threat to older people each and every year. These two vaccinations are the best defence we have against seeing our health put at risk and our economy and daily lives derailed this winter, so we cannot overstate how important it is that everyone who is eligible actually receives them.

“Anyone who would like further information about the vaccinations is very welcome to visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination or call 119.” wellbeing of your patients and residents.

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PAGE 38 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77

New Recommendations on the Future of Housing with Care and Support Published by SCIE Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) has called on the government to overhaul how housing with care and support is planned, commissioned, designed and delivered.

In its A place we can call home report, SCIE recommends ministers create a national long-term vision and strategy for housing with care and support as part of its forthcoming social care reform white paper.

The report concludes that an overhaul is needed on how housing with care and support is planned, commissioned, designed and delivered.

The report’s authors say that this will require concerted action nationally and locally, with a ten-year strategy for housing with care and support. It calls for ambitious plans for housing with care and support to be at the heart of the White Paper for social care.

The Commission looked at the spectrum of housing options that provide care and support, including retirement housing, care homes, extra care, Shared Lives, supported living and co-housing and heard from a range of older people about the challenges and difficulties they face – and the choices they want to see.

Other recommendations include legislating for a new ‘Housing Future Fund’ that obliges partners in local places including the NHS and local

port.

For developers and providers, the trade association said they should provide a diverse range of different housing with care and support options for older people, broadening choice at all levels of affordability.

In addition, developers should ensure that all new developments adopt the 10 HAPPI design principles as a minimum, they said.

“This report is a wake-up call; it makes a compelling case for investing authorities to pool statutory funding and work together to develop a single plan for housing for older people.

In addition, SCIE called for the government to streamline and simplify the national planning framework and guidance to encourage greater levels of investment in housing with care and support development.

SCIE also recommends increased capital investment in housing with care developments and improved information, advice and advocacy to support people to find the right option for them.

For local authorities and local partners, SCIE suggests partnerships are formed to produce a single plan for improving housing for older people within a local place, co-produced with people who draw on sup-

in innovative housing with care and raising public awareness of their later life housing options,” said SCIE chairman Paul Burstow “Better housing can help people to live in places that matter to them as they age, to remain independent as long as possible and stay connected with their family, friends and communities,” he added.

Independent advisor Sir David Pearson said: “Excellent housing with care – including care homes, supported living, extra care and the many other models – is at the heart of supporting people to live the best lives they can.

“I hope that the important recommendations from the Commission will inform future policy and practice for years to come.”

Kinedale Donkeys Visit Oak Tree Manor Dunmurry-based residential home, Oak Tree Manor, which is managed by Kathryn Homes, has teamed up with an animal therapy group to provide residents with one-to-one donkey time.

Kinedale Donkeys, located in Ballynahinch, visited the home with its two donkeys, Peanut and Tipple.

Peanut and Tipple were given a four-legged tour of the facility, where their handler Robert introduced them to some of the residents, giving them the opportunity to get to know their new equine friends.

Carolyn Hill, Wellbeing Lead at Oak Tree Manor, said: “Animal therapy has a positive effect on the social

skills of our residents while also providing them with mental stimulation, making it the perfect activity for us to enjoy.

“At Kathryn Homes, we pride ourselves on delivering person-centered care that enriches the lives of our residents in a fun and meaningful way and donkey therapy ticks all of these boxes.

“It was great to see the smiles on our residents’ faces and know that they made the most out of the visit.”

Donkey therapy has enormous therapeutic benefits for older people, as their naturally calm and slow presence provides a feeling of security and comfort. This

effect can help reduce blood pressure, heart rate, and

anxieties, while improving verbal communication and increasing mobility.

Speaking of the visit, Agnes Creeth, resident at Oak Tree Manor, commented: “I had a donkey when I was growing up, and seeing the donkeys today brought back those wonderful memories.

“It was a really enjoyable experience that the whole home was able to get involved

Chichester Care Home Champions ‘Kindness at the End of the Rainbow’ It started as an arts project for World Kindness Day nine months ago and now residents at a Chichester care home have finally given it the finishing touches.

In praise of carers, nurses and other frontline healthcare staff, more than 200 pebbles were painted and configured as a giant rainbow design in the garden of Colten Care’s Wellington Grange.

Stones decorated by creatively minded residents at the Broyle Road home were complemented by additions from local nursery children, culminating in an array of colours and shapes.

The painted pebbles featured good luck messages, words of kindness and pictures of flowers, animals and insects.

Among those to contribute their artistry were Wellington Grange residents Stella Collister and Bee Andrews.

Stella said: “I enjoyed doing the painting of the stones throughout the months. It was so nice to see it all come together and laid out, so colourful.”

Bee said: “Painting the pebbles was quite simply marvellous – and beneficial to my wellbeing. I enjoyed every minute of it.”

Heather Pearce, Companionship Team Member, said: “We started this rainbow for World Kindness Day on February 17th this year.

“All these months later, the rainbow is complete with painted pebbles

from our residents and the local community.

“We started by contacting local nurseries and organisations via social media and were delighted when a group of nursery children added their stones to our beginning of the rainbow.

“We put on activities for residents to paint pebbles over the summer and it really gave a chance for them to get creative and do some mindful painting.

“It was a lovely way to spend a regular hour or two. Throughout the summer, the stones have weathered a bit, but we think this adds to the overall effect and shows how much time has been involved for it to take shape.

“It felt right to make a rainbow pebble display that was visible to passers-by. The rainbow is the new symbol of the NHS and hope is still fresh in our minds after the year and half we have all had.”

Heather said that now the rainbow is complete, residents will place some of their favourite stones around the garden so they can continue to enjoy them.

She added: “On our final viewing of the display, companions and residents gathered around to look at all the stones we had painted together and remember everyone who has contributed to kindness at the end of

PAGE 40 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77

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.

PAGE 42 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77

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 44 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77

HYGIENE AND INFECTION CONTROL A Person-Centred Approach To Mobility and Hygiene When looking at specific hygiene tasks, needs differ significantly across care settings and need to encompass both physical and cognitive capabilities determined through individual assessment. Assisted hygiene solutions are designed to allow you to work in an ergonomically sound position, to reduce the risk of injury, whilst supporting a beneficial interaction with your resident.

Caregiver safety is paramount, and factors, which affect the risk of musculoskeletal injury, should be considered, such as: • The number, type and functional mobility levels of residents being transferred or participating in hygiene routines • The inadequacy (or absence) of suitable equipment • Restricted spaces • Lack of education and training for care skills To mitigate these risks, evidence has demonstrated that education alone is insufficient. Use of the right equipment improves caregiver safety and reduces injury-related costs for the organisation.

Understanding functional mobility, combined with selection of appropriate equipment to support your resident and caregiver can assist in addressing this challenge.

Visit www.arjo.com or see the advert on page 22.

Maintaining a level of independence and involvement in activities of daily living for those in your care can be a challenge.

Using the Mobility Gallery™ assessment tool (figure 1) allows you to understand a person’s functional mobility, the level of assistance required, the risk to the caregiver and the importance to stimulate functional mobility.

Person centred care places the resident at the centre of all we do.

This assessment tool helps to optimise the mobility of the resident, improve dignified care and reduces the risk of injury to both the resident and the caregiver. Promoting mobility is the driving force behind The Positive Eight™ philosophy shown in figure 2.

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)

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 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 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 compli-

ance 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

Angloplas Dispensers Help Reduce the Risk of Cross Infection Angloplas are a UK manufacturer who specialise in producing dispensers for the health and hygiene industry. Although these are designed to keep the workplace tidy and uncluttered they are, more importantly, built knowing the control of healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) are a priority for healthcare providers, and who are employing a combination of infection prevention and control strategies, including hand hygiene, cleaning, training and the adoption of new technologies, to tackle the problem.

As a result, a wide range of infection control products and technologies are emerging on the market, including antimicrobial technology. Angloplas’ range of dispensers are produced in the world’s first proven

Antimicrobial PVC with silver ion technology and which is exclusive to Angloplas. This helps reduce the risk of cross infection by stopping the growth of bacteria and mould and works continuously for the lifetime of the product, reducing levels of bacteria such as MRSA, E Coli, Legionella, Salmonella and mould by up to 99.99%.

For non-clinical environments Angloplas has recently launched its new Budget Range of products which are made to the same exacting standards as the antimicrobial protected ones but with lower price tags.

You can order Angloplas products directly from its website by going to www.angloplas.co.uk and clicking Hospital, Health and Hygiene or by using the Quick Response code.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77 | PAGE 45

HYGIENE AND INFECTION CONTROL Far-UV Sanitisation For Care Homes Means Staff, Residents and Visitors are Safer From Viruses, Bacteria and Pathogens An outcome of the COVID-19 pandemic is an increased need for safe, disinfected public spaces. BiocareUV have been working with the government, education and healthcare sectors to provide a solution to the ongoing health issues in the UK and the rest of the globe.

Our Far-UV products safely sanitise rooms and high touch areas leaving them free from pathogens, bacteria and viruses such as Covid 19, MRSA & Norovirus. The UV light at 222nanometers is safe to be around humans and animals whilst also being effective at destroying unwanted germs, leaving the room safer for your staff, residents and visitors in these uncertain times.

Manufactured in the UK with government support, BiocareUV strive to make day to day living safer. The products come in various forms, from a hand held Biowand unit which sanitises the area manually, to a Biolume which fits into the ceiling and sanitises the room throughout the day, BiocareUV have the right solution for you.

Businesses nationwide are struggling with the cost and inconvenience of absent staff members due to covid, flu or other winter viruses, BiocareUV can help to reduce this. The Biotile and Biolume products fit into the ceiling fixtures and are specifically timed to make sure the room is constantly sanitised, leaving it safer for your residents, their guests and your staff, significantly reducing the risk of staff illnesses and sick days.

Your residents are the most important part of your business and keeping them safe is your priority. Here at BiocareUV, the safety and wellbeing of everybody is our priority!

Ultraviolet light (light at wavelengths between 100 and 400 nanometers) has well-known disinfection properties and have been used for many decades in the food and water industry. Most UV disinfection systems use germicidal lamps of wavelengths 240nm-280nm, with the most common being 254nm. Unfortunately, exposure to 254nm UVC light also causes damage to skin and eyes in humans. However, recently published studies have demonstrated that UV light at 222nm has the same germicidal capabilities of 254nm light without damaging skin or eyes and has increased efficacy for killing bacteria and viruses. Regulations permit the use of UV at these wavelengths within occupied spaces, properly controlled. Our products & systems ensure those regulations are never breached.

“We’re justifiably proud of our products and our innovation and genuinely believe they will become a part of the global response to not just this pandemic, but how we deal with global health for the future” says Mike Humphreys, BiocareUV’s Operations Director.

BiocareUV are here to help, to learn more about the products visit our website www.biocareuv.com or get in touch with our team today by emailing sales@biocareuv.com.

BiocareUV – Your Health is Our Priority!

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 mov-

ing 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

PAGE 46 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77

HYGIENE AND INFECTION CONTROL 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 tested 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 stand-alone cordless fleets. The NX range includes both cylinder and back-pack 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. 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.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77 | PAGE 49

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 50 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77

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 77 | PAGE 51

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 52 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77

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 77 | PAGE 53

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 58 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77

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 77 | PAGE 61

TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE Reliant Care Solutions Ltd WHY SHOULD CARE HOMES MOVE FROM PAPER TO ELECTRONIC TIME SHEETS

The industry is under considerable financial pressures. An efficient electronic booking on/off system that will schedule, provide budgets, calculate hours worked, overtime and absence such as sickness and holiday entitlement will save Time and Money.

HOW IS TIME AND MONEY SAVED BY DOING THINGS ELECTRONICALLY?

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

Staff rosters can be produced as far in advance as practical and accurate within budgeted hours. Staff book on and off-duty electronically, thus eliminating any time errors.

Wage queries are virtually eliminated and immediate checks can be made without wading through reams of paper which invariably are inaccurate, misfiled or even 'lost".

THERE ARE MANY SYSTEMS ON THE MARKET WHY FACIAL RECOGNITION IS IMPORTANT AND HOW IT WORKS

Some systems use tokens, which can be lost or left at home, requiring management involvement in the booking on/off procedure. Fingerprint systems can be beaten and Social media is awash with ways to copy fingerprints. Face recognition combined with a staff PIN is simple to use and manage using touch screen technology and web cams. Staff see their image displayed immediately when booking on or off and confirms their identity visually. It provides the best deterrent available as it builds a greater 'image knowledge’ of each employee, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Eliminates 'buddy punching' where employees can book colleagues on/off duty using someone’s tokens, swipe card or even fingerprint.

HOW IS DATA PROTECTED? With the correct security setup computer systems provide more data protection than paper-based records which can be easily removed or stolen. GDPR covers all data including paper records and therefore the chances of infringing the rules and incurring fines is greater with paper.

For further information visit www.rcscare.net or call 03333 444 562.

Empowering Your Ambition with Xledger

Changing your finance system is not something you do every day. However, the benefits of taking this leap can advance the success of your care home – with greater insight and automated processes for your team, now and into the future.

Xledger is a leading provider of cloud-based finance software. It helps over 10,000 organisations in 50 countries streamline, digitise and automate their finances.

Accessible at any time, on any web-enabled device, Xledger has the tools to slice and dice your data and to

easily drill down from consolidation to individual level transactions. Its automated software can reduce the amount of time you spend on repeat invoices and expenditures. Xledger also prides itself on delivering a quick and simple implementation process with no requirement for a new IT infrastructure.

Ultimately, the 100% cloud solution helps you to reduce costs, run a leaner, more efficient finance department and understand key financials in real-time.

This gives you the opportunity to add real value to your organisation and frees up your time so you can focus on delivering the best care for your residents.

Xledger will be exhibiting at The Care Show 2021 (Hall: 3A, Stand: F64). Xledger Senior Consultant Peter Hucker will also be hosting a session on the morning of Day 1 of the event, entitled Modernise Your Finance System: Why, How and What to Avoid, which is taking place in the Business Compliance Regulation Theatre.

To book a demo or arrange a 1-2-1 meeting at the Care Show 2021, you can contact them by emailing mail@xledger.co.uk or call 0117 457 3293.

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PAGE 62 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77

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 64 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77

TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE Check EU Employees Right To Work, Warns Bizimply Care employers will need to keep clear records of their team members’ immigration and right-to-work status as the UK moves into the post-Brexit ‘hostile environment’ from 1 July. Care workforce specialist Bizimply is warning businesses that they need a clear and accessible record of every employee’s status in order to demonstrate compliance with the regulations.

Under UK law, employers face imprisonment and unlimited fines for knowingly employing someone who does not have the right to work in the UK. Employers using Bizimply’s suite of workforce management software can easily and confidentially record all the necessary status confirmation and supporting documentation for employees, and make it available to check if required.

Employers can be jailed for five years and pay an unlimited fine if found guilty of employing someone who they know or had ‘reasonable cause to believe’ did not have the right to work in the UK.

Details of the Settled Status regulations are at www.gov.uk/eusettledstatus. An employer toolkit is at www.gov.uk/government/collections/eu-settlementscheme-employer-toolkit See the advert this page or visit www.bizimply.com

Global Software Solutions

Leecare is a leading UK and international aged care sector software system. The Platinum 5 (P5) system supports all CQC standards for optimal resident and operational management.

Designed by aged care expert staff and tailored specifically to aged care organisations, P5 assists with predicting, recording and providing evidence for all resident and business needs in one user-friendly system. Leecare’s comprehensive software suite encompasses all clinical and managerial requirements on one platform assisting with the management of clinical risk and freeing up more time for staff to spend with residents all whilst exceeding CQC requirements.

WHAT MAKES US THE EXPERTS?

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Our extensive sector knowledge and experience as a result of more than 28 years in the aged care business, positions Leecare to be the software solution of choice across five continents. Our global client base is built of 900+ government, small independent services, and multi-facility corporate organisations in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, UK, and China.

Our senior management team have years of collective experience working in, consulting to, and managing care organisations. This has led us to develop the P5 suite – an unparalleled clinical, care, lifestyle, medication, operations, and financial management software solution specifically created for the health and social care sector.

CUSTOMISATION

Leecare’s comprehensive Platinum 5.0 program is easily customised to meet specific organisational needs. Offering as much or as little flexibility as desired, P5 assessment content across the suite and linked Apps can be modified to provide clients with reassurance that the software is fit for purpose.

Integral to the program is a specialised form and report builder which enables easy tailoring of the program. Organisations can build or modify assessments, monitoring charts care plans and reports as well as change default and individual resident settings ensuring optimal function and success.

Visit www.leecare.co.uk for further information.

PAGE 66 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 77

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 emo-

tions 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.

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