The Carer Digital - Issue #140

Welcome to the latest edition of The Carer Digital!

Yesterday March 28 I attended a most informative Future of Care conference at London s King s Fund which is rather coincidental since we lead with the story/survey by King s Fund Their research highlights the public’s dissatisfaction, not only with social care, but another survey they conducted also highlights the public’s dissatisfaction with the NHS

The conference I attended had some of the industry s leading experts addressing the challenges changes and strategies for the future of the care sector

There were talks and panel discussions focusing on current trends within the sector funding risk in care management, Alzheimer’s care and much more

There were quite a few home truths delivered particularly from Prof Martin Green who highlighted that the sector had “been here many times before with solutions just tinkering around the edges

He described the current system as “not fit for purpose”, which is demonstrated in our lead story and the public s dissatisfaction with social care

I am hoping to get some (as many as possible) of the speakers to engage with us here at THE CARER and share their opinions and ideas on the future of adult social care

A key takeaway from a panel discussion was the sector ‘investing in the team’ Sadly public perception means that people see adult social care as a job and not a career and valuing the workforce empowering them providing clear career pathways and enhancing job satisfaction were all highlighted, as was placing adult social care on an equal footing as the NHS

Another key takeaway for me was the disparity between the NHS workforce and the social care workforce particularly when it came to the issue of mental health and support

Being a national institution the NHS has far better safety nets in place and provides better access to support for staff experiencing mental health issues than those in adult social care

But the NHS is a giant institution while there are over 18 000 independent adult social care organisations Many of these smaller organisations are simply not geared up to provide support and this can inevitably lead to burnout and moral injury

This is another area we hope very much to expand on include in forthcoming issues, so please do look out

One final fascinating aspect was a seminar entitled “Being a Good Neighbour” delivered by Ms Gea Sijpkes from a Dutch organisation called Humanitas Deventer I simply could not do it justice here suffice to say it was an enlightening seminar

The care home/facility invites students to live among elderly residents free of charge providing they give up 30 hours per month to help with elderly care

The student/resident program has proved to be a wonderful success and I suppose the way to describe it would be intergenerational living with people living as part of a community

Again I am hoping to introduce this to our readers in the coming months

Finally, one recurring theme amongst panel speakers was something I have often touched on here at THE CARER That is how mainstream media only appears to like and publicise negative aspects of the dedicated and hard-working sector, struggling and fighting on many fronts as opposed to printing the many positive aspects

As I say this is something I have spoken about for many years we here at THE CARER receive on a daily basis numerous heartwarming and feelgood stories from around the country involving staff residents and the wider community all taking part in wonderfully uplifting events which sadly never seem to get the light of day (other than us of course)

And one event we want you to share in particular with us is King Charles forthcoming Coronation!

Once again we were putting up a prize of a luxury hamper and we will be inviting you to share your celebrations events menus costumes anything you will be doing for the coronation and all you have to do is take some photographs send us a short story about how you plan the event and we will pick a winner!

And please follow us on Twitter We have hit the magic 10,000 followers, we are delighted to say and we want to get that up to 20 000! So please do follow us and encourage as many of your followers in the sector to follow us as well!

I can always be contacted at editor@thecareruk com

Editor Peter Adams

Sur vey Reveals Concerning Levels of Public Satisfaction with Social Care

(CONTINUED

FROM FRONT COVER)

The report highlights that social care services are under “longstanding pressure” stating that: “Following more than a decade of underinvestment and political neglect social care was hit hard by the pandemic and the effects on people drawing on social care and those delivering it continued to be felt well into 2022

“Most notably, workforce pressures have dramatically intensified For the first time since records began the workforce has shrunk and the vacancy rate in the sector has reached a new high with 165 000 vacancies in social care in England in 2021/22 1 This impedes the ability of care providers to return to the same level of provision seen before the pandemic with people struggling to access services and social care needs going unmet ”

GETTING THE CARE THEY NEED”

“NOT

People not getting all the social care they need was the most common reason for dissatisfaction with nearly two thirds (64%) of respondents choosing this option Respondents were also dissatisfied with social care because of inadequate pay, working conditions and training of social care workers (57%), the lack of support for unpaid carers (49%) while 39% said social care is not affordable to those who need it Contact with social care leads to higher levels of dissatisfaction Two-thirds of people who have used or had contact with social care either for themselves or for someone else were dissatisfied with it This is 20 percentage points higher than people who have not had contact

DISSATISFACTION

“ACROSS ALL AGES”

This high level of dissatisfaction was seen across ages income groups sexes and political affiliations

Older people (over the age of 65) and those on higher incomes were the most dissatisfied

Key findings of the survey were:

• Just 14 per cent of respondents said they were satisfied with social care Dissatisfaction with social care rose significantly in 2022 with 57 per cent of people saying they were dissatisfied (up from 50 per cent in 2021) Dissatisfaction with social care was high across all ages, income groups, sexes, and supporters of different political parties People over the age of 65 those on higher incomes and people of white ethnicity were most dissatisfied

• The top reason for dissatisfaction with social care was that people don’t get all the social care they need (64 per cent) followed by the pay working conditions and training for social care workers not being adequate (57

per cent) and there not being enough support for unpaid carers (49 per cent)

• Dissatisfaction with social care is higher than dissatisfaction with the NHS overall or any of the individual NHS services asked about – general practice dentistry inpatient outpatient and A&E services Social care is also the service with the lowest satisfaction levels

ONLY 14% OF PUBLIC SATISFIED

Report author and Nuffield Trust Researcher Laura Schlepper said This year we boosted the number of people asked about their levels of satisfaction with social care services and the results are troubling Social care services are a lifeline and vital service to help people lead the lives they want to yet only 14% of the British public are satisfied

“The reasons behind plummeting and record-low satisfaction appear to be the product of decades of woeful neglect Broken complicated and fragmented services demoralised staff in short supply and the increasing strain on friends, family, and informal carers to pick up the pieces all create a sobering reality These results are yet another reason for politicians to replace words with action on social care reform

REFORMS “WATERED DOWN”

Sally Warren, Director of Policy at The King’s Fund said: “Satisfaction with social care services has been falling for some time but these latest findings represent a record low The strength of dissatisfaction the British public now feel is a clear reflection of the failure of successive governments to prioritise this vital service and a stubborn unwillingness to tackle deep rooted challenges in our social care system The public rightly recognise the large number of people whose needs for care and support are not being met, and the lack of appropriate reward recognition and support for social care staff

“Against this background, it is very disappointing that the current government s planned social care reforms have been watered down or delayed We can expect dissatisfaction to rise further still if social care provision continues to decline with people who draw on care and support their carers and those working in the sector feeling the pain of this

Health and Social Care - Is It All Doom and Gloom?

New research coordinated by Vida Healthcare has revealed that only 42% of the general public would consider a career in health or social care and yet 69% of the social care workforce see their future career in social care

The UK s leading provider of specialist dementia care coordinated research into the sentiment of the social care and NHS workforce following the ongoing strikes staff shortages and calls for better pay This is exacerbated by public perceptions of health and social care with over one third (34%) of people in the UK not considering a career in these sectors due to perceptions of low wages and long hours

When it comes to pay the UK population believes that the average salary for a social care worker is less than £30 000 with only 2% of people believing that they can be paid an average salary of over £46,000 Vida’s research has revealed that the average salary for social care

workers across the UK is £28 962 while almost one quarter (20%) of the workforce are paid £31 000-£35 999

While the majority (63%) of social care workers haven t considered a career move and 32 4% of NHS workers agree or strongly agree that they often think about leaving their organisation Vida’s research has revealed the initiatives that can be put in place by employers to attract and retain more talent

Social care workers cited better pay (65%) more flexible hours (47%) and mental health support (36%) while career development and training was flagged as important by NHS workers Less than half (42 4%) of the NHS workforce agree that there are opportunities to develop their career in their organisation and only 41 7% feel supported to develop their potential James Rycroft, Managing Director at Vida Healthcare, believes that more needs to be done to attract and retain talent in the social care sector in particular Commenting on the research he said:

Negative news abounds about both health and social care services in the UK from the government being warned that the sectors are on a precipice to criticism that the Spring Budget didn’t reference public sector workers Our research has shown that while there are things that need to be done to support the current workforce and attract new people to work in health and social care it may not be as bleak as it first appears With over two fifths (43%) of the general public in the UK not considering a career in health or social care due to believing that their skill set isn’t right, the research shows that there’s a job to do in educating the population about the skills that are required

According to the research the main requirements that are needed to hire strong talent is kindness and compassion Over half (50 4%) of NHS workers agree that their role makes a difference to patients and service users while 67% of the social care workforce surveyed chose a career in the sector because they enjoy caring for others Wanting to make a difference (64%) and job satisfaction (50%) were also cited as key reasons for joining the sectors

James added: “While experience and/or education is of course important our ethos at Vida is that anyone can become successful in the social care sector if they are a kind and compassionate person Ultimately our job is to care for people and make a difference to their lives

People are the lifeblood of our health and care services and employers within these sectors need to do everything we can to support our employees At Vida we’ve implemented a number of initiatives to help keep our staff happy This includes increasing our pay by 30% to benefit a number of roles including nurses whose hourly rate increased from £18 50 to £22 50 We also have our specialist training platform Vida Academy where we deliver numerous training programmes to provide staff with career development opportunities This includes our Aspiring Leaders programme which gives people the skills they need to become exceptional leaders

“While it’s not always easy as employers to implement initiatives like this they do provide significant benefits For example, our staff turnover is only 6% compared to the industry standard of 29%4

“We also recently coordinated an internal staff survey to ensure that we’re doing everything we can to make Vida an enjoyable place to work I was delighted to hear that 85% of our staff feel motivated and accomplished in their role almost three quarters (74%) agree they have achieved either personal or professional development goals during their time at Vida and 81% agree they have the support they need to carry out their duties ”

To find out more, please visit www vidahealthcare co uk

To review the NHS Staff Survey results, please visit www nhsstaffsurveys com/

Mayor Thanks Staff at West Sussex Care Home for their Commitment to Care

Staff at a care home in Crawley have been recognised for their long service Burleys Wood held a celebration where guests – including the mayor of Crawley councillor Jilly Heart pastoral assistant from St Andrews church Lyn Baker founders of ‘The Friends of Burleys Wood Tina and Brian Baker and regional director for Shaw healthcare, Martin Vanhinsbergh – thanked the staff and presented them with certificates

A total of 138 combined years were recognised, with a special mention for support worker Alisa Medrano who was presented with prosecco a plant and certificate for her 17 years’ service for Shaw healthcare

Alisa joined Shaw in January 2006 at Hillside Lodge before transferring to Croft Meadow in 2009 then Burleys wood in 2014 She was thanked for being a fantastic asset to the team delivering excellent person-centred care, and someone who will go above and beyond for both her residents and colleagues

Service manager for the home, Erika Szalacsi, who has worked for Shaw since 2009 said I am so proud of everyone here at Burleys Wood and the fact we have so many staff who have been here for so long is testament to what a great team we have ”

Therapy Dogs Visit Tewkesbur y Fields

about the dogs and the support Pets As Therapy provides Many of our residents had family dogs in the past and this was a lovely opportunity for them to tell everyone about the pets they had owned

Resident Marion was thrilled and touched by the dogs gentle natures and said: As a child I used to love having dogs as family pets and today was very enjoyable It’s so wonderful the dogs can visit us

General Manager James Culley said

Residents at Tewkesbury Fields Carer Home had a wonderful morning of furry fun when volunteers from the Gloucestershire branch of ‘Pets As Therapy’, came to visit with their dogs; Dudley, Dante Briar and Riggs and spend time with our residents These very well behaved dogs only required a biscuit or two and a cuddle from our residents who were delighted to hear more

Our residents have really enjoyed their visitors We knew that having the Pets As Therapy team here would be a bit of fun for all our residents especially as some miss having a pet We are always looking for new activities for the residents and today we have seen the seen the enjoyment and the therapeutic influence animals can have on people

Gerald Seal, co-ordinator from the Gloucestershire branch said, Pets As Therapy (PAT) is a national charity that enhances the health and wellbeing of thousands of people in communities across the UK We strive to ensure that everyone no matter their circumstances has access to the companionship of an animal

England’s Largest Councils Need to Make £1bn Worth of Savings Despite Council Tax Rises

New research shows that England’s largest councils will need to make at least £1bn in savings to balance their 2023/24 budgets, despite many of them reluctantly proposing council tax rises from next month

It comes as new data shows council tax is set to rise to £2,140 on average for residents in county areas next month – a rise of over £98 for the typical Band D household

But even after the rise county and rural councils has left them needing to save £1bn over the next twelve months whilst spending £350m in reserves to balance their budgets as they are legally required

The County Councils Network (CCN) and the Society of County Treasurers (SCT) which carried out the analysis said this was the one of the biggest annual savings targets their councils had ever faced due to unprecedented financial pressures caused by high inflation and continued rising demand for services

The savings target is almost double the amount of a typical year with the research showing that inflation is set to add £1 6bn to these councils budgets next year and comes after high price rises last year increased council costs by £1 41bn in 2022/23 Demand for services and other running costs will add hundreds of millions more to council budgets in particular children’s and adults social care and transport and highways

Councils will deliver savings through efficiencies but also by reducing services such as bus route subsidies streetlights recycling centres and community health services, but county leaders vowed to do all they can’ to protect frontline care services It comes off the back of 10 years of austerity measures where council leaders say there is ‘little fat left to cut’

However, this still will not be enough to balance their budgets and as a result, those local authorities

will have to raise council tax from next month

The network is calling on government to recognise the higher costs of delivering services in the Local Government Finance Settlement later this year, while setting out its plans to reform local government finance in the medium term

CCN said the outlook for council finances looked ‘bleak’ unless councils are provided with greater financial certainty and government delivers long promised fair funding’ reforms

Cllr Carl Les County Councils Network Finance Spokesperson said The additional funding provided by the Chancellor at the Autumn Statement made a big dent in the unprecedented new costs councils face in 2023/24 but unfortunately it was not enough This analysis shows the scale of the financial challenges facing county authorities to remain solvent with councils having little option to raise council tax

We understand that residents are in the midst of a cost of living crisis and many of us have reluctantly proposed maximum council tax rises But even this is not enough with councils in county areas having to make a further £1bn worth of savings and use rainy day reserves just to balance the books

While councils will do all they can next year to deliver these savings whilst protecting vital care services particularly care services there is already little fat to cut

“We must remember that while inflation is expected to reduce these costs councils have incurred won’t just disappear from our budgets overnight –they are now embedded into the future Councils in county areas have also been historically underfunded inevitably leading to higher council tax rates

“The medium-term outlook looks bleak unless these higher costs are recognised and councils are given longer term financial certainty, alongside delivering long promised fair funding reforms ”

How I Motivate People To Enter The Care Industr y Through Further Education

By Sharon Mangoma,

The application process was easier than I initially thought Having no formal teacher training I was concerned this would be a barrier to entering teaching - however after seeing a job advert for a lecturer role that only needed sector experience I decided to apply and gained qualifications on the job

Having this real-world experience I can tell stories that bring the subject to life in my classes which I find especially helpful when teaching a vocational course where there is a shared passion for what the learners are doing Particularly with parts of the course that require learners to think about the dignity of the care receiver it’s been hugely beneficial to lean on my experience

lives through teaching whilst still working in your career I ve been teaching for 16 years and plan to continue teaching once a week when I retire Additionally, I currently mentor another teacher in the Health and Social Care sector one day a week

Further Education teaching also gives me the flexibility to pursue other passions and interests I like being active in my local community and I currently care for my elderly neighbour with weekly meals and regular check-ins I’ve also got plans to start a coffee club to connect all my elderly neighbours when the weather gets better – both of which I m able to do around my full-time teaching role

I worked in Health and Social Care for 14 years as a Care Assistant Manager for Westminster and Suffolk County Council, but after spraining my back, my ability to carry out the physical elements of my job sadly declined Still wanting to work in the industry, I began working in a care home where I recognised the need for better training in some of the candidates I was interviewing for jobs

I became passionate about being part of improving the training on offer and decided to pursue a Further Education teaching career in Health and Social Care using the valuable skillset gained from my years working in the field

It was actually my Ghanaian Business Marketing tutors from Westminster College that initially inspired me to go into teaching As a young African girl in a foreign country, it was really important to see that representation in person I also had a teacher at university tell me that I should be a teacher - it’s funny how teachers plant these seeds without you knowing

I truly believe that to be a great Further Education teacher, above all you have to be caring As a carer you can see a lot of people who want to go into the sector have been informed by their social care real life experience You have to take this into account as a teacher so I do mental and physical health checks every day to make sure they are in the right place to learn and help to look after them

Further Education teaching is currently my full-time role although there are plenty of opportunities to teach part-time so you can change

If you re after a job where every day is different and you get incredible job satisfaction, Further Education teaching is a wonderful route to explore When you see a student understand what you’ve taught you don t need your manager telling you that you ve done a good job - you see the result in practice I now walk into a hospital and can see one of my students in scrubs and my local GP surgery has one of my students now as a doctorate student which is incredibly rewarding to know I m helping shape the next generation

Visit gov uk/teach-in-further-education to find out how to begin teaching in Further Education You can also contact the Teach in Further Education support service for personalised advice on how your skills could lead to opportunities within Further Education - details can be found on the website

Residents at Local Care Homes Meet Magical Mini Donkeys

Barchester s Elm Bank and Claremont Parkway care homes in Kettering understand the power of animal therapy of all kinds Last week each home was full of animal magic when miniature donkey s; Freya and Tallulah stopped by to say hello to their residents

Donkeys are vital contributors to therapy and care they can bring a positive effect on wellbeing to everyone particularly those suffering from anxiety or living with Dementia Helen the owner of ‘Magical Minis in Desborough Northamptonshire believes “Donkeys are amazing! They are gentle loving very affectionate and extremely clever

Our residents couldn’t agree more Freya and Tallulah were extremely well behaved as they strolled through the homes offering cuddles to

everyone It was smiles all round as we enjoyed getting to meet both donkeys stroking and learning all about the miniature donkey breed General Manager Natalie Maxwell at Claremont Parkway care home said:

Our residents have really loved meeting these unusual visitors today We knew that having the donkeys here would be a bit of fun for our residents but didn’t realise just how gentle and engaging they would be ” Katie Hudson General Manager at Elm Bank care home said the donkeys were an absolute pleasure the enjoyment and therapeutic influence these two little visitors had on our residents was truly magical!”

who worked as a Care Assistant Manager for 14 years and now teaches full-time at a further education college in Ipswich

Over 70 Organisations Call for a Commissioner to Ensure “Older Voices are Heard”

72 organisations have joined together to call for better representation for older people across government-policy making

Led by charities Independent Age Age UK the Centre for Ageing Better and campaigning organisation the National Pensioners Convention, the group has today launched its consensus statement on the need for a Commissioner for Older People and Ageing in England The role would move toward the approach of Wales and Northern Ireland where older people have benefitted from a commissioner for more than 10 years

Currently 11 million people in England are aged 65 or over In less than 20 years over 17 million (1 in 4) people will be over 651 Despite this being a wide and varied group, for too long the organisations say older people have been tarred with ageist stereotypes which can stop people from getting the support they need

To support the diverse needs of older people and the ageing population the statement calls on the government to appoint a commissioner to act as an independent champion for older people

The role would ensure that the long-term needs of people in later life and the challenges faced by the population as they age are considered in policy and practice across all government departments

The call is also backed by the public In a recent YouGov poll commissioned by Independent Age nine in ten (89%) of people aged 65 and over said they would support the creation of a commissioner2

Morgan Vine Head of Policy and Influencing at Independent Age said:

“Despite our ageing population Independent Age often hears from people in later life who tell us they feel invisible and that their views are not represented

There is a dangerous stereotype that all older people are living a comfortable and financially secure retirement when the reality is that many are struggling to make ends meet Too often, older people are not given the opportunity to voice their experience to determine what they need including better financial support This cannot continue

We all hope to grow older and we all need a champion at the heart of government who will stand up for everyone in later life We urge the government to appoint a Commissioner for Older People and Ageing so no one feels left out of the conversation as they age ”

Issues impacting on older people

A commissioner would work alongside the Older People s Commissioners for Wales and Northern Ireland to help make the UK the best place in the world to grow old

If created, a commissioner in England would encourage collaboration and joined-up thinking to deliver policy solutions that benefit everyone as they age They would make independent recommendations and have the power to launch inquiries to resolve issues for older people now and in the future

They would represent and amplify different views on the problems that older people say they are struggling with

CURRENTLY THESE INCLUDE:

Financial hardship – pensioner poverty has increased over the last decade Currently around 2 1 million people over 65 live in poverty yet Pension Credit an essential income top-up for older people who are struggling financially, has the lowest uptake of all income-related benefits One in five people aged 50-70

say they will be unable to meet future financial needs in old age3

• The cost-of-living crisis – increasing prices are having a devastating impact on older people When surveyed 27% of people over 65 in England said the rise in the cost of living has made their physical health worse and 35% said it has made their mental health worse4

Older workers dropping out of the workforce earlier – two thirds of people in their 50s and 60s report a long-term health condition and a third say their health impacts their ability to work5

• Health and social care – many older people frequently suffer from diminishing health and mobility Yet the delivery of health and social care services to older people so often fails

Inclusion – digital social and economic Many older people still cannot access the internet – either due to cost or simply through lack of knowledge or confidence At the same time older people are seeing local transport services being reduced This is leading to increased feelings of isolation

Dr Carole Easton Chief Executive at the Centre for Ageing Better said:

In 2021 200 000 more people celebrated their 50th birthday than their 18th in the UK In 20 years time one in four people will be over 65

At present we are not prepared for the complex social and policy challenges this demographic change will bring As a result, the growing inequality in older age groups we are currently seeing will only get worse

To meet the needs of older people both now and in the future to ensure we can all be supported to age well we need a much more ambitious and strategic response We believe a Commissioner for Older People and Ageing will help deliver the long-term planning needed to reshape our economy and public services for the future and for the benefit of the whole country

Jan Shortt, General Secretary, National Pensioners Convention said:

We believe that older people have the right to choice dignity respect independence and security as integral and valued members of society

All too often the value of our experience and knowledge gained throughout our lives is ignored We are not seen to contribute to society because we are no longer working or viewed as productive Yet tomorrow s older people will be today’s young people – our children and grandchildren That’s why we believe it is time for a serious change of perception and culture around the older generation

Caroline Abrahams Charity Director at Age UK said:

One of the big lessons from the pandemic was how easily older people s views and interests were overlooked in the corridors of power, at a time of crisis If there had been a Commissioner for Older People in place this might not have happened and perhaps fewer older people would have lost their lives in care homes

It would be wonderful to think that something good could come out of such a traumatic time for our country for older people especially as they accounted for the vast majority of all those who died All the evidence is that the Commissioners for Older People in Wales and Northern Ireland play valuable and constructive roles so it s about time all the older people in England benefited too

To join the call for a Commissioner for Older People and Ageing, see https://www independentage org/COPA

The A&E Crisis and Protections for Whistleblowers

By Nicky Hayes, Legal Adviser at Protect (https://protect-advice org uk/)

The NHS is currently facing unprecedented pressure because of staffing shortages and funding cuts Healthcare workers are feeling overwhelmed and patient health and safety is being put at risk Consequently staff from the health sector feel obligated to speak up and Protect the UK s leading whistleblowing charity, advised 350 healthcare workers on how to blow the whistle safely last year alone

It is vital that health care workers feel comfortable raising their concerns without fear of reprisal: they are the eyes and ears for organisations regulators and the public But it's not always clear how to navigate the process

WHISTLEBLOWING LAW

The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (PIDA) gives workers protection against negative treatment from their employer after raising their concerns The protection applies where a worker including primary care professionals has raised public interest concerns about specific types of wrongdoing

What type of concerns are protected?

Any matters that may affect the health and safety of an individual or breach of the law may fall within whistleblowing concerns In the health sector some of the examples we see include:

Poor clinical practice

Unsafe staffing levels

Inadequate training

• Culture of bullying and harassment

Safeguarding failures

• Fraud

It is important to note that you do not have to be certain that wrongdoing has occurred and hard evidence, although helpful, is not necessary to raise your concern You simply need to have a reasonable belief that there is cause for concern and provide information rather than just an allegation about the wrongdoing

Where can I raise my concerns?

INTERNALLY

Approaching a line manager or supervisor with concerns is often a sensible approach and the law protects this approach whether a disclosure is made to a line manager or the Chief Executive

It is important to be able to raise concerns higher in the management chain However, there will be times where the concerns are about the conduct of the line manager or they have failed to deal with concerns in the past so approaching this person would not be appropriate

This is where an employer’s whistleblowing policy will be useful as it often explains the best person outside of line management to approach Following a policy is not a requirement though it s a guide on who to approach, there can be real value in approaching a manager or director you trust with concerns inside the organisation Many health sector organisations have Freedom to Speak Up Guardians who can support those raising concerns

EXTERNALLY

Where the concerns have not been addressed or if you have little faith the concerns will be addressed internally e g because you are aware of other whistleblowers being victimised or ignored or maybe past concerns you’ve raised have been ignored, you can go outside of your employer

The law protects whistleblowers who raise concerns with a regulator an MP or – in some circumstances –even the media if they lose their job or are victimised for doing so

If you blow the whistle to a regulator you must reasonably believe that your concern falls within that regulator s remit and that the information you disclose is substantially true

An appropriate regulator in the health sector might be the Care Quality Commission or one of the professional health bodies- a full list of regulators can be found here

Disclosure to the media may be protected but comes with the strictest legal tests and is usually a place of last resort for disclosure You must either reasonably believe that you will be victimised by your employer, fear that evidence will be concealed by them or that your concern is exceptionally serious

WHERE CAN I GET ADVICE?

Getting early advice especially when you are considering those external disclosures is important and there are places that provide such guidance You can get support in raising your concerns from • Protect’s free and confidential Advice Line (020 3117 2520);

Your trade union or professional body;

Your local Freedom to Speak Up Guardian

If you have already raised public interest concerns in the NHS you may be eligible for the NHS Speaking Up support scheme

If you are concerned about wrongdoing it is important to know that there is legal protection and that you shouldn’t be treated badly or dismissed for doing so

Resident Visits Countr y of Origin and Credits Care Home for His Journey

It was a dream come true for a resident at an Aylesbury home as he was able to visit the country of his origin

Joao Lima moved into MHA Hillside in 2018 and always spoke about wanting to go back to Portugal, the country of his birth

His dream finally came true as he went back to Portugal more than 20 years after leaving the country

He was supported throughout the journey by the admin staff at the home who helped arrange a citizen card and passport for him

He spent seven days in Portugal, staying with family and visiting the places where he spent his childhood

Speaking after coming back home he said “My trip was tiring but I was happy to travel because I wanted to see my country my town and the places that I know

There were loads of new people in Portugal and to my surprise lots of different nationalities living and working there

The weather was drizzling in the morning sunshine by midday and the night was mild

“I was fortunate to see my sister-in-law and stay with her for almost 7 days with a bed and food

“Unfortunately my medication finished so I needed to come back but I had missed everyone here

To my surprise Hillside was in the same place!

I was glad to return and very happy to see everyone again not just Hillside residents and staff, but my friends also ”

Bilgy Joseph, deputy manager said: “I am so happy that we could support Mr Lima to make his dream come true

It was a difficult journey to get all the needed documents for his trip but Leanne our admin manager has gone above and beyond to obtain all the necessary documents for Mr Lima’s trip so it had a happy ending”

Beaucare Select St Fillans Care Home For Activity

Afternoon as Part of 30th Anniversar y Celebrations

a colourful creation they could keep!

The people living and working at St Fillans would like to thank Beaucare for choosing St Fillans and facilitating an enjoyable afternoon for residents

Fo further information visit www beaucare com or contact Emily Lamb, Senior Area Sales Manager, 01423 873666 sales@beaucare com/ELamb@beaucare com

ARC England CEO Barometer Sur vey Shows Provider Confidence in Sector is Declining

The Association For Real Change (ARC England) Learning Disability Research Unit has published the findings of the first CEO Barometer which found that the overall level of confidence that CEOs have in the social care sector is declining

The CEO Barometer Survey found that 78% of leaders in learning disability services are feeling less confident in their financial situation than they were three months ago and 56% are feeling less confident in relation to workforce and staffing levels

THE CEO BAROMETER MEASURES THE HEALTH OF THE LEARNING DISABILITY AND AUTISM SECTOR ACROSS A RANGE OF KEY INDICATORS:

Staffing and workforce

Wellbeing and morale

Quality/Safety

Financial Stress

Overall Confidence in sector and business

70% of respondents said that they are concerned about workforce issues 69% said they are concerned about commissioning practice and 56% said that they have concerns about financial sustainability

This decrease in sector health confidence comes amid continued high demand for services; half of the organisations (52%) reported that demand from individuals was high or very high while over two-thirds (65%) said the same about demand from local authorities

More than half (57%) of organisations report that their available spaces for the people they support are 91-100% occupied – with an overall average of 88% spaces occupied – and almost nine in ten providers (87%) say they have had to turn down requests for support at least some of the time A lack of capacity (which in large part is likely to be due to staff recruitment and retention issues) is the most common reason for turning down requests (80%) with the second most common reason being

that insufficient funding was offered (65%)

The CEO Barometer results echo the findings of the latest Hft Sector Pulse Check report which reveals that a third of adult social care providers have considered a market exit in the past 12 months; this proportion rises to half when considering the effect of financial pressures on smaller organisations

With regard to workforce concerns the CEO Barometer found that 82% of its leaders are concerned about their ability to pay their staff at competitive rates This does not come as a surprise following the findings of our recent Fee Rate

Freedom of Information request to all local authorities in England and Wales which found that 94% of Local Authorities are paying rates for supported living services that do not allow providers to meet their statutory obligation to pay the National Living Wage

Almost all organisations agree that without immediate and radical change many good care providers will no longer be operating at this time next year (96%) that reform is needed to ensure care and support is person centred (95%) and that the government needs to provide meaningful financial assistance to help with alleviate the cost of living crisis (95%)

ARC ENGLAND CALLS ON THE GOVERNMENT TO:

1 fund social care based on an agreed fair cost of providing care and support to people with a learning disability and autistic people and

2 to take steps to ring-fence social care funding within local authority budgets

ARC has joined with growing number of social care sector voices urging the Government to act to secure realistic funding for social care, and says it is hopeful that the CEO Barometer data adds to the narrative to amplify these voices and put the sector on a sustainable footing in the face of rising costs and deepening workforce challenges

PROVIDING

Carer’s Invitation to Minister Over Staff

A North Yorkshire care provider has sent an invitation to a Government minister to come and see how they are already doing what she suggests to tackle chronic staff shortages

Social Care Minister Helen Whately has urged care providers to recruit staff from overseas to help fill the 165 000 staff vacancies in the sector

But the owners of Saint Cecilia s Care Group in North Yorkshire say that is exactly what they are already doing

Saint Cecilia s has employed 20 staff from India Zimbabwe Ghana and Nigeria since September and has plans to bring over a further seven

Speaking to a conference last week the Minister told care providers to “spread the word” and “give it a go” and hire overseas workers for care homes

Saint Cecilia s Managing Director Mike Padgham said: “It was good to see that we are on the same page as the Minister over employing overseas staff as that is exactly what we are already doing to great effect

“It was slow and challenging to get the licenses needed in the first place last year but since we overcame that bureaucracy it has been extremely worthwhile and we now have new overseas staff who have settled in well and, hopefully, more to come

“We would love the minister to come and visit any of our homes in Scarborough Pickering or Whitby to see for herself how it is working successfully

Six of those recruited so far have been nurses which are in extremely short supply for care providers in the UK

Saint Cecilia’s overseas nursing recruitment has been helped by a ground-breaking partnership with York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Saint Cecilia s needed to move quickly once it had the necessary licences in place to enable it to recruit from overseas

Drawing on the previous experience the Trust had in recruiting via these channels has saved the care group countless hours and streamlined the process enormously

A pilot scheme – to enable social care providers to access health trust facilities for staff to study for and take their Objective Structured

Clinical Examination (OSCE) – has been a lifeline for Saint Cecilia s and for the nurses it has recruited “This has been partnership working at its best ” Mr Padgham added “The partnership with the NHS trust helped us get staff through the OCSE process and aided our overall journey to recruit nursing staff from overseas quickly and efficiently We are indebted to the Trust for their support

Davina and Barrie Celebrate their Diamond Anniversar y at Etheldred House

It was a memorable day at Etheldred House Care Home in Histon when Davina and Barrie celebrated their 60th (Diamond) Wedding Anniversary

It was March 5th 1963 when Davin and Barrie tied the knot in the quaint village of Aldbourne in Wiltshire Aged 20 and 21 it was very much the start of their life together after falling in love when they were just teenagers

Davina and Barrie both fondly remember the day they met Barrie came to the village to work with horses owned by Davina’s family neither knowing at the time that this meeting would turn in a lifelong romance Davin recalls they day she married Barrie like it was yesterday “it was momentous because it snowed very heavily in the morning, which no-one expected and meant some guests couldn’t attend,” said Davina

However with many friends and family members around 40 people attended to witness the marriage of Davina and Barrie Davina recalls her favourite flowers

Lillies of the Valley were placed all around the room Barrie still brings her these flowers to this day and the scent always takes her back to the magical moment

they tied the knot

The popular song Can t stop falling in love by Elvis Presley also brings back special memories from their wedding day as this was the song they had their first dance to 60 years later and they re still head over heels for each other Barrie arrived at Etheldred House who arrived with her favourite flowers Barrie has a bit of a sweet tooth so she returned a gift of his favourite chocolates They shared some valuable time together talking about their marriage and sharing memories of their wedding day It was wonderful to witness this strong and happy marriage continuing to blossom Davina s two sons, Darren and David also visited Etheldred to celebrate the day with their parents With them, they brought their children so Davina and Barrie were able to celebrate with their closest family members and spend some quality time with their Grandchildren

Davina and Barrie had a tremendous day and it s safe to say their Diamond Anniversary was one to remember!

Could Chatbots Unlock More Diversity In The Recruitment Process?

Amy Lomax, designer of chatbots for LINK Mobility (www.linkmobility.com/), looks at the potential.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been catapulted into the limelight by ChatGPT The press headlines have piqued the interest of people who have had very little exposure to or awareness of AI before Other than the occasional conversation with a chatbot to get help on a website few people will have really considered the potential of AI technology nor been inquisitive about how it could help them day to day

ChatGPT has changed this People are experimenting with the machine and putting it through its paces Everything from writing user manuals for equipment to producing dissertations has been done in just the short spell we’ve seen In a work context it s prompted business leaders to ask how chatbots in general could change the way they do business and how they interact with partners and patients

The most obvious way is to remove unnecessary interruptions to the working day so practitioners can get on with their job For instance healthcare providers can use conversational chatbots to give patients or healthcare partners straightforward help quickly This might be along the lines of answering frequent questions like ‘how do I renew a prescription?’

In this scenario bots can be trained to ‘look up’ the answer from a repository of answers In the same way a chatbot can be used to help someone rearrange an appointment by integrating it with an appointment system

These are just two examples of how the debate stimulated by ChatGPT has helped to broaden the view of what conversational AI can do It’s created an appetite to consider how AI and chatbots can positively help, rather than the negatives such as job losses

In fact, in healthcare, AI is helping people to get jobs There is an emerging trend to use chatbots to support the recruitment process The reasons are twofold Firstly it s a costly operation Advertising for suitable candidates requires investment and it s also time consuming so anything that can be done to reduce the overhead is welcome

Secondly screening applications is a labour-intensive job Every CV is different so there s no quick way to

find the best qualified people or make fair comparisons especially if there is more than one person involved in the process of reviewing the applicants

However using a chatbot changes things There are now examples of healthcare recruitment agents using chatbots to interact with applicants As a first stage, people interested in applying for a role are asked to give the chatbot specific qualifications and experience Provided the criteria is met, candidates are put through to the next round of screening or interview

In instances where the candidate doesn t meet any or all the criteria they are either advised of this immediately or they are asked if they want to be kept on file for other future roles They also have the option to speak to someone for more detail This approach to managing candidates not only helps speed up the process of finding the right people but it can also help create a talent pool for future requirements

The return on investment is proving positive for early adopters They are placing better quality candidates more quickly, improving revenue, margin and satisfaction rates In turn, healthcare providers are happier because their vacancies are being filled by great applicants sooner than usual and saving money in the long run

However the model is also starting to drive outcomes that are positive for improving diversity because a chatbot only wants to know about qualifications and experience It s not interested in age race gender disability or sexuality It overcomes the bias that could creep in because of someone’s perceptions associated to a name for instance, or even because of a typo in a CV

Of course, these outcomes are only possible if the machine is programmed to behave in this way It’s a risk that employers and recruiters need to be cognisant of - the AI is only as good as the methodology it supports and the code it uses to perform a task

There is therefore a critical need and responsibility to ensure bias isn t used in the production of the chatbot (It s comparable to the hallucinations ChatGPT can have whereby it can provide a very convincing but totally untrue answer to a question because of the accuracy of the information sources it calls upon )

It s an important reminder that chatbots exist because of humans We set the direction It s why a collective intelligence must be applied when designing successful chatbots Life experience, legal obligations, right through to empathy should be blended with technical experience

When it is done well it can help overcome challenges employers face in terms of finding good quality candidates but also with regards to helping people find fulfilling work Something I believes is a must for a thriving society and for the individual

As Energy Prices Surge, Wolf Laundr y Offers Assistance To Care Homes

Commercial laundry expert Wolf is tackling the cost-of-living crisis within the care industry by providing expert personalised advice comprehensive consumption figures and additional training

Barnsley-based Wolf Laundry has more than 30 years experience within the laundry sector and provides bespoke commercial laundry equipment across the UK to heavy users including care homes universities and holiday parks

Recognising the energy cost pressure facing the care home market, Wolf Laundry is working with clients to help them better understand usage and educate them about the cost savings that can be achieved by switching to gas

Wolf Laundry research, showing figures for their Primus Dryer range, reveals electricity rates reach £9 18 for a 24kg capacity load of laundry but in contrast the same brand of the machine holding an identical capacity fuelled by gas was almost half the price costing £4 92

Joshua Brown Director at Wolf Laundry said: We aim to provide the most transparent information to help our clients make the best choices for them We cannot deny that right now gas is much more cost efficient but we re working with customers to help them understand the options

“We’ve recently rolled out a training programme for the care home sector focusing on achieving optimal hygiene as efficiently as possible We re working on a one-to-one basis with several care homes to help them find an efficient long-term solution

“We appreciate that our customers are making difficult choices about energy bills and trying to balance

that with long term sustainability targets Together, we’re able to come up with bespoke packages to suit a client s particular business requirements and our customers are really welcoming this helpful and transparent approach

Providing a comprehensive range of the best commercial laundry equipment on the market Wolf Laundry stocks washing machines dryers and finishing equipment as well as its own range of detergents and other products to assist with infection control

Joshua added: In the midst of a cost-of-living crisis and with spiralling energy costs the price of a load of laundry is increasing

With care homes running on fine financial margins ensuring each load of laundry is cost-effective can be one of key factors as to whether they can stay open or are at threat of closure It s as stark as that

One of Wolf Laundry’s care home clients have the Schulthess W range washing machines installed

Steve Holroyd Secretary of Warmest Welcome Care Homes said: The information that Wolf has provided us with helps us make the best choices, and for us that’s still electric, but the consumption figures have shown us what else we should be considering right now in regard to how much each load of washing costs and how much that could change throughout the cost-of-living crisis

With costs rising we were able to consider everything very carefully to ensure that we can save money where necessary and ultimately have additional resource for other needs within the care home ”

For further information call today on 0800 840 9598 or visit www wolflaundry co uk

G-Touch Wireless Care Home Solution

Genee is a UK leading manufacturer of innovative affordable interactive technological solutions

Genee plays an integral role across all major industries including health care to support patients residents and staff

Having supported Care Homes through the pandemic The G-Touch Wireless Care Home Solution is one of Genee s most impactful solutions yet The solution includes; the G-Touch Interactive Screen Electric Mobile Trolley and a Wireless Battery Pack It’s portability specially designed and simple to use interface as well as its multitude of applications are specifically built for residents and staff in mind

Don t just take our word for it The Dove Haven Care Grouphave said the following:

We have recently implemented the Genee Interactive touch tables into our homes with great results!

Our residents really enjoy playing on the touch table, singing karaoke as well as solving puzzles and completing quizzes individually or in a group environment We find the table really improves the mood of our residents and helps them work and play together around the touch table at the same time They are great in aiding our residents living with sensory impairment and encourages their general rehabilitation and independence We have been able to increase activity time and availability without increasing our staff’s workload

The difference that these tables have made is amazing! Residents have embraced the technology and every day we find new ways to use it The benefits of the Interactive tablehavebeen shown to improve residents mood and greater physical social and cognitive activity and positively impacts on relationships with care staff, friends and family

With the table being portable it does not restrict where it can be used The service users are attracted to it due to the size of the screen and the portable aspect of it When service users are having 1:1 time with our activities co-ordinator other service users are watching and

wanting to get involved The table is easy to use and can be used by all ’’

The G-Touch Wireless Care Home Solution comes with 5 years on-site warranty as standard with no additional costs Our dedicated team will bring the equipment to the care home, assemble and install the solution and test everything on site We will also support you with free online training to ensure your Care Home gets maximum use of this incredible solution

Interested to find out how affordable we are? Get in touch today and reference the code #TheCarer

+44 (0)1902 390 862

sales@genee-group com

www genee-group com

Taking Care of Fire Safety

By Rob Yates, Head of Building Products Fire Safety in the UK and Ireland for Siemens (www siemens co uk)

All buildings have their own specific requirements in terms of fire safety and risk assessments are the primary method of ensuring that a fire alarm system meets those needs Care homes are no different although the nature of the elderly occupants and their mobility issues need to be a particular focus in selecting an appropriate method of protecting the occupants and the care home itself from the threat of fire

In the majority of buildings evacuation plans are a core element of fire safety procedures and while this is also true of a care home the fact that it may be impossible to evacuate some of the residents has a direct impact on the requirements outlined in the respective standards In BS5839-1, for example, the following clauses need to be considered

If occupants need assistance from staff to escape and there are more than 10 sleeping persons the system should be addressable

Residential care premises should be provided with automatic connection to Alarm Receiving Centres (ARC)

Signals to Alarm Receiving Centres cannot be delayed from residential care homes

ADDRESSING THE SPECIFICS

Given all of the above it is easy to appreciate that early detection of a fire incident is particularly important in a care home Many care homes operate with older conventional fire alarm systems Picking up on the first point, these need to be upgraded to addressable systems to enable the location of an incident to be identified quickly In doing so it is important to consider the options in terms of cost implications associated with this migration Some systems will require replacement of not only the devices but also reconfiguration of the wiring into a loop Others do not thereby offering considerable savings in installation costs

The ability to identify the location of an incident quickly can be further enhanced through powered floor repeater panels allowing the situation to be reviewed without needing to go to the location of the main fire panel The ever-increasing use of cloud-based technology (see final paragraph) can take this a stage further, with apps available which allow monitoring of fire safety on a mobile phone

In many applications delays in sending a fire alarm signal to an ARC are often deliberate to allow time to investigate to see if it is a false alarm or of a scale that can be tackled safely with a fire extinguisher However as is clearly stated in the British Standard this is not the case in a care home

Turning to the issue of false alarms as indicated in the extract from BS5839-1 the requirement is for a

maximum of 1 false alarm per 20 detectors annually

Obviously zero false alarms is an even better scenario in an application where an alarm can cause panic confusion and considerable disruption Systems are now available which will provide a guarantee of no false alarms with multi-criteria detection technology which detects a fire incident quickly without being impacted by deceptive phenomena such as toasters or steam Crucial to this is drift compensation whereby the sensitivity of the detector is automatically adjusted to reflect the build-up of dust or dirt without importantly affecting response times

CLOUD-BASED TECHNOLOGY

Increasingly as in so many of our day-to-day activities the internet and the cloud are becoming pivotal in the latest fire detection solutions

Digitalisation has made significant advances in terms of ease of use of fire safety systems User interfaces are becoming ever more graphics-based with the swipe click drag and drop approach so familiar from our mobile phones

Online portals can provide an overview of a care home’s fire safety, or, for those organisations operating a number of facilities, across all connected sites Multi-site dashboards can provide locations of all sites in one place with a status bar indicating the respective status of each in real-time with a simple colour-coded approach to identify sites where problems may be occurring

Interoperability is a phrase that has been around now for some time in terms of building management systems and it is gathering momentum as digitalisation increases This is the potential to connect multiple systems which can then compliment each other An example would be a CCTV camera able to zoom in on a fire location or record the operation of a call point, while a lift can report return status or louvres can be automatically activated in the event of an alarm activation to aid smoke ventilation

Care homes offer their own specific challenges in terms of fire safety By understanding those challenges and adopting a fire safety approach which reflects them residents and the buildings themselves can be effectively protected

ROB YATES

Rob Yates is Head of Building Products Fire Safety in the UK and Ireland for Siemens He has over 30 years’ experience in the fire industry

Andover Nursing Home Resident Celebrates 99th Birthday

A resident at Andover s Millway House has just celebrated her 99th birthday

Margaret Oldfield was born in the roaring 20s in March 1924 when the country had a renewed sense of optimism after the ending of the Great War Nearly a century on the Andover care home resident is full of joy after celebrating another milestone birthday

Joined by her daughters granddaughters and great-granddaughters, the 99-year-old was treated to an indulging afternoon tea at Millway House and was given flowers and cards from family and friends

The great-grandmother said her birthday was “one to remember” and staff at Millway were thrilled to see Margaret enjoying the special celebrations

Home Manager Claire Lousteau said Margaret is a lovely lady and it s been fantastic to see her enjoying herself with family today – next stop 100!

Millway House is part of Sears Healthcare and CEO Richard Adams is pleased to hear that the team gave Margaret the birthday treatment she deserves

He said “At Millway House we are a nurse-led care home, so our approach focuses on providing a

home-from-home for our residents while we meet their healthcare needs I’m so glad to hear that Margaret enjoyed her special day ”

Born in Belgium Margaret met her husband Percy when he was serving as an English soldier in Germany The couple moved to London in 1947 where Margaret worked as a supervisor in the toy department of a large Co-op store Her family moved to Kent in the 1980s and then on to Basingstoke in 2001 Margaret moved into Millway House in May 2022

The 99-year-old has two daughters five grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren

Wanted: Charity Initiative Seeks ‘Grandparents’ for Its Almost 100,000 Volunteers to Adopt

It s been three years since the UK entered lockdown amid the beginnings of the Covid-19 pandemic and since charity ‘Adopt a Grandparent began digitally pairing care home residents with volunteers to help combat loneliness and encourage meaningful intergenerational friendships

To mark National Day of Reflection today (March 23rd) the awardwinning charity is looking back at some of the highlights from its first three years and celebrating the amazing adoptive relationships formed across the world

A VOLLEY OF VOLUNTEERS

The call for ‘virtual volunteers’ was met with an astonishing response with 72 000 people signing up within 3 weeks from all over the world including from the US, Canada, Dubai, New Zealand and more

Starting life as an initiative within one care home group it s here that Adopt a Grandparent began looking for other care homes to take part, with far more volunteers than they could possibly pair up It also started on the path to become a fully independent charity

STAR-STUDDED SUPPORT

The charity saw worldwide attention once Hollywood star Ruby Rose signed-up to adopt her very own grandparent Becoming a valuable spokesperson, Ruby talked about her decision to volunteer and her adopted grandparent with American news outlet NBC: My grandparent is Iris and she s amazing – I speak to her every week It’s a fantastic initiative and it’s really simple I get as much out of the relationship as I was hoping I would bring to Iris

With interest from journalists across the UK and leading magazines such as Vogue and Shape it became clear that the initiative could really help people of all ages make meaningful connections and intergenerational friendships

CHARITY STATUS

Adopt a Grandparent became an official independent charity in 2022 and has gone on to sign-up almost 100 000 volunteers Appointing Andy Doherty as Director of Fundraising in February 2023 the charity is now on a major fundraising drive in order to help develop its app in support of bringing more care homes on board to match more older people with its growing ranks of ‘adopters’

The charity s founder Shaleeza Hasham comments It s been an incredible three years for Adopt a

H.W.Pickrell Ltd

Telephone:

Grandparent

The initial response amid the pandemic and the extraordinary circumstances of lockdowns was truly heart-warming Knowing that an idea which started as something to help residents in our family-run care homes had the power to help and connect so many was an unforgettable moment

We are still in the unique position that we have far more volunteers than older people to pair them with So, our next major focus will be working within communities to help older people access the initiative establishing Community Champions to share digital skills so that they can get the most from being adopted

“I grew up on the grounds of a care home and know first-hand the amazing impact that intergenerational relationships and friendships can have on both parties I had a number of ‘adopted grandparents’ and those people helped to shape and support me and share in my successes as I grew which is why the charity means so much to me

The physical, mental and emotional benefits of intergenerational relationships are widely acknowledged, with studies showing that these types of relationships are mutually beneficial Children who participate in activities with older adults tend to have better reading abilities, communication and problem-solving skills, and a more positive attitude toward community service For seniors who interact with children and younger adults studies show that they tend to burn more calories experience fewer falls and perform better on memory tests than their peers Additionally older adults with dementia and other cognitive impairments experience more positive effects during interactions with children than they do during other types of activities

Shaleeza continues: If you work in a care home with residents who you think may benefit from a new friendship, have an older loved one who you think would like to be involved, or would like to become a Community Champion please do get in touch by emailing Michelle Husserl at michelle@adoptagrandparent org uk ”

Those who wish to sign up as a volunteer can do so by visiting the website or downloading the free app which is available through Apple s App Store and Google Play They can also donate to the charity s GoFundMe page

For more information about Adopt a Grandparent visit www adoptagrandparent org uk/

Raising the standard of stair climbing solutions

The Stair Climbing Company offers an excellent range of compact, easy to use, powered Stair Climbers that are ideal for use in both home and commercial settings

Offering innovative designs, all of the company’s Stair Climbers can be separated into two pieces, for safe storage and are easily transported and charged In addition, all of its Stair Climber’s come with a two year manufacturer’s warranty

World Autism Acceptance Week - Living with Autism: The “Challenges & Benefits”

A Q&A with Flo, a service user from Cygnet Elms, a high dependency complex care service run by Cygnet Health Care for those with learning disabilities.

Flo is a 22-year-old service user from Cygnet Elms a high dependency complex care service run by Cygnet Health Care for those with learning disabilities associated complex needs who may have behaviours that challenge

Flo was diagnosed with autism when they were 18-years-old and this World Autism Acceptance Week, they talk about what is to like to live with autism both the challenges and the benefits, and how they want to live in a world where differences are embraced and celebrated

WHAT SYMPTOMS WERE YOU SHOWING WHICH LED TO A DIAGNOSIS?

I had been experiencing mental health difficulties since a young age and was under the care of the children’s community mental health services I had been given many diagnoses including selective mutism and social anxiety due to my difficulty talking and coping with social situations I also struggled with very high levels of anxiety all the time and was generally struggling to cope with life

By chance I got a new psychiatrist who happened to have a better understanding of autism who recognised that many of my difficulties were actually autistic traits and I was then diagnosed with ASD

Can you explain how you felt about receiving the diagnosis? Do you feel differently about yourself and has it changed how other people treat or respond to you?

When my psychiatrist first mentioned autism to me, I thought I couldn t possibly be autistic Like most people I had only ever heard the stereotypes about autism and I didn’t fit them For example I’d heard that autistic people lack empathy which definitely didn’t apply to me; if anything I ve always felt things more deeply than other people But I went away and did some research and I learnt that that’s actually very common for autistic people

In the following years I continued to research and realised that everything I thought I knew about autism was wrong I found so many autistic people talking about experiences that I related to and I was able to make sense of my life Up until then I d spent my whole life feeling like a problem I didn t fit in I d always struggled with things that other people didn’t and even mental health services didn’t seem to be able to help me Finding this community of autistic people helped me realise that there wasn’t something wrong with me, being autistic isn t a bad thing and I began to embrace my autistic identity

Being undiagnosed meant I went my entire life without having my needs met which caused so many problems Understanding my autism has helped me learn how to accommodate myself and helped others accommodate me Things are still really difficult but I can make sense of my experiences and find ways to make day to day life a little bit easier My family, friends and staff at Cygnet Elms also understand me more now and know how to help me better

There are still a lot of misconceptions about autism that are very ingrained into our society I think very few people have a proper understanding of what autism is people mainly just know the stereotypes that we see in the media which do not reflect the autistic community as a whole

There are also a lot of misunderstandings of what it means when we say autism is a spectrum When people hear this they think it means it goes from mild autism to severe autism But in actual fact, it s more like colour wheel that all autistic people lie in each with different needs in different areas

In the same way terms like low functioning and high functioning are often used to describe autistic people but they re actually very inaccurate terms Everyone’s functioning level varies massively day to day depending on so many different factors And these terms can be very harmful The term low functioning is often used to deny people autonomy and treat them as less than And the term high functioning is often used to deny people the support they need and dismiss their struggles

Autism is generally seen in a very deficits focussed way, as a problem that needs to be fixed But autistic people don t need to be fixed we need to be accepted, understood and provided with the support and accommodations we need HOW DOES LIVING WITH AUTISM AFFECT YOUR DAILY LIFE?

Social situations are really anxiety provoking for me; the social rules that everyone else intuitively knows don t come naturally to me So when I m talking with someone I have to think about so many things like their body language and tone of voice and work out what they mean I have to consciously regulate my own body language and tone of voice etc so people don t misunderstand me I can find some things hard to understand like metaphors vague language and abstract concepts After every interaction I go over and over it in my head trying to understand what someone meant and work out if I made any social mistakes It’s very stressful

I also have a lot of sensory issues that can make day to day life really difficult I find noise very overwhelming as well as bright lights and certain smells I also really struggle with sensory issues around clothing I can only wear certain types of clothes and I can t wear short sleeves because it s like I can feel every molecule touching my skin and it completely overwhelms me My sensory issues also cause me to have really bad temperature regulation I get overheated so easily which I find very overwhelming Dealing with change is also difficult for me so I have quite a fixed routine and tend to want to keep things the same When things change it can make me feel very anxious and out of control I also struggle with decision making and dealing with expectations and demands because they cause me a lot of anxiety

All of these things can make life really overwhelming for me and make it hard to cope I get really burnt out from the stress that all of these things cause me

WHAT CHANGES ARE PUT IN PLACE TO HELP YOU?

I can find talking really difficult; it causes me a lot of anxiety And when I get really anxious or upset I struggle to get my words out To help with this I use communication cards, and I often write down what I want to say instead of saying it verbally Especially when I m talking about how I’m feeling as I find that particularly difficult

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES OF LIVING WITH AUTISM?

realised that my authentic way of being wasn t accepted so I started masking to try to fit in to avoid being treated badly This included mimicking behaviour using learnt social scripts covering up autistic traits like stimming, and forcing myself to do things that cause me pain like eye contact For me masking has meant completely rewiring core parts of myself and has been isolating exhausting and caused me to really struggle with my mental health

Another challenge is living in a world that isn’t made for me Everyday life is so much harder when you have additional needs because our society just isn’t set up to cater to them Autistic people have to fight to get the accommodations and support that we need and it s tiring constantly having to advocate for yourself

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS TO LIVING WITH AUTISM?

Despite the difficulties that come with it there are so many things that I love about being autistic My autism is what makes me who I am It s the reason for a lot of my difficulties, but it’s also the reason for my strengths

Autistic people often have intense areas of interest known as special interests I love how passionate I am about my special interests and they help me cope with life and find a sense of identity

I also like how I see things differently to other people I see patterns and notice details other people don’t, I see through the social rules and expectations and I have a strong sense of justice I want a better world and I do what I can to make that happen

I feel things very deeply which can be overwhelming but it also makes me kind and accepting of others and means I love very deeply too

On my journey of accepting my authentic autistic self I am learning to find beauty in the things about me that other people think are weird I m trying to love myself for my differences not despite of them

WHAT’S ONE THING YOU WANT TO PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT AUTISM?

I want people to know that our differences are beautiful and wonderful and something to be embraced We live in a world where differences are seen as a negative thing and autistic people are treated really badly as a result of that One thing you can do as an individual to help with this is to really work on your acceptance of people who behave differently to the norm And that s not just about accepting people you know to be autistic; it s about really challenging those internal biases we all have that come up when we see someone who doesn t fit into society’s little box If everyone put the work into that it could really make a difference

DESCRIBE THE BEST THING ABOUT CYGNET ELMS

Cygnet Elms has given me a safe space where I ve been able to learn about myself and understand myself Coming here and receiving proper care and developing good relationships with staff where I can properly open up has been really important for me

Speech and language therapy has really helped me be more assertive and learn how to advocate for myself and others Is also helped me learn how to express my feelings and understand social interactions And occupational therapy has helped me understand and accommodate my sensory issues

DO

YOU THINK PEOPLE ARE UNDERSTANDING OF AUTISM OR ARE THERE STILL COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS?

One of the hardest things is dealing with how other people treat me because of my autism I’ve spent my whole life being misunderstood and treated badly by others because I m different From a young age I

As well as my personal journey I’ve been using my experiences to try to improve things for other autistic people so others don t have to experience what I have And the staff at Cygnet Elms have been so encouraging of all the work I ve been doing and have supported me in any way they can

Milton Lodge Officially Opened at Ashlynn Grange Care Home

A new community has been officially unveiled at Ashlynn Grange Care Home marking the completion of a year-long project to create a modern environment for current and future residents

Family-run Athena Care Homes has invested more than £1m into refurbishing Milton Lodge, creating 42 modern bedrooms with ensuite toilets, spacious communal areas and a welcoming café area for residents and their guests

Rooms have been finished to a high standard with media wall-style furniture and large TV screens There is an Art Deco theme running throughout the community

Premium rooms have accessible doors leading to the courtyard garden allowing residents the freedom to enjoy the outside whenever they want

The newly opened community means Ashlynn Grange can now cater for 153 residents offering residential nursing and dementia care

The ribbon was officially cut by the Deputy Mayor and Mayoress of Peterborough Nick Sandford and Bella Saltmarsh on Tuesday 21st March during an open afternoon attended by residents their relatives and team members from Ashlynn Grange

Singer Gabriella entertained residents and guests before the Deputy Mayor

and Mayoress were given a tour of the new facilities, stopping to reminisce at some of the images of old Peterborough that have been displayed to rekindle memories of days gone by

Mala Agarwal Managing Director of Athena Care Homes said on the day: I am really excited to be here today opening Milton Lodge and meeting some of the new residents living in these first-class facilities

“I am really proud of this unit it is a fantastic bright and modern environment which allows our team to provide tailored care to our residents accommodating their needs and their wishes I am absolutely sure the residents making Milton Lodge their home, are going to love living here”

Desiree Jooste Registered Home Manager at Ashlynn Grange Care Home, said: We are proud to be able to offer this newly-refurbished community for our residents and their relatives

“We are also excited to be able to open it up to the wider community in Peterborough when we host awareness sessions and open days We want everyone to be able to enjoy this welcoming space here at Ashlynn Grange ”

Ex Health Minister Pushes Opportunities of Med-Tech

Dame Caroline Dinenage, Member of Parliament for Gosport and Former Minister of State at the Department of Health & Social Care hosted a Westminster Hall debate on medical technology regulation

In the debate Caroline urged the Minister Will Quince MP to capitalise on the opportunity to reform the framework with which medical technology is regulated in the UK following the UK s departure from the EU

The recent announcement by the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt in the Spring Budget confirmed that the MHRA will receive £10 million of extra funding over two years to maximise its use of Brexit freedoms and accelerate patient access to treatments He also confirmed that the MHRA is moving to a new model, which will allow near automatic sign-off for medicines and technologies that have already been approved by trusted international partners in places such as the USA, Japan and Europe

Caroline stressed how stronger emphasis on medical innovation has the potential to improve patient outcomes, save the NHS money and boost the UK economy

Caroline has previously served as the Minister of State for Care from 2018-2020 and Minister of State for Digital and Culture from 2020-2021

Speaking in the debate Caroline said:

Medical Technology holds many of the solutions necessary to achieve things like delivering improved patient outcomes, to facilitate transformations to more sustain-

able models of health and care delivery But it also has massive potential to drive economic growth

“Health Tech includes everything from laboratory tests, dressings, mental health apps, defibrillators, everything that is absolutely fundamental to the diagnosis and treatment of health conditions ”

“The freedoms afforded by Brexit do allow us to seize the once in a generation opportunity to deliver a best in class regulatory system, and enable the health tech industry to support the drive for the UK to become, and continue to be a global science and technology super power ”

The responding Minister said:

“The departments priority is to ensure that innovative, safe and effective devices reach patients as quickly as possible, and it s an area of focus and an area that I want us to improve on ”

“The Med Tech Strategy, which was published last month, is key because it recognises many of the systemic challenges faced with adopting innovative products which my Hon Friends have set out

“The Med Tech Strategy sets out a clear ambition to provide a streamlines pathway from pre-registration to ultimately adoption within the NHS ”

Barchester Healthcare Scoops Prestigious RoSPA Healthcare Sector Award Win for the Fourth Time

Barchester Healthcare is celebrating after fighting off stiff competition to land another internationally-recognised award for demonstrating high health and safety standards

Barchester Healthcare has once again been named RoSPA Health and Safety Healthcare Sector Winner for working hard to ensure its staff residents patients and visitors are safe and for demonstrating the best health and safety performance during 2022 It is the fourth time in five years that Barchester has won this sectorwide award for its commitment to health and safety excellence

Organisations receiving a RoSPA Award are recognised as being world-leaders in health and safety practice The RoSPA Health and Safety Awards is the largest occupational health and safety awards programme in the UK Now into its 67th year the Awards have almost 2 000 entries every year covering nearly 50 countries and a reach of over seven million employees The programme recognises organisations commitment to continuous improvement in the prevention of accidents and ill health at work looking at entrants overarching health and safety management

systems including practices such as leadership and workforce involvement

Dr Pete Calveley CEO of Barchester Healthcare said:

At Barchester our residents are at the heart of everything we do There is nothing more important than the health and safety of our residents patients and staff all our teams work tirelessly to achieve the best hygiene and infection control standards possible I am delighted to accept this award on behalf of all the brilliant people who make up Barchester and who go above and beyond every single day to deliver the best possible care ”

Julia Small RoSPA’s Achievements Director, commented:

“We are thrilled that Barchester Healthcare has won another RoSPA Award and would like to congratulate them on showing an unwavering commitment to keeping their employees and residents safe from accidental harm and injury The RoSPA Awards scheme is the longest-running of its kind in the UK and receives entries from organisations across the globe making it one of the most soughtafter achievement awards for the health and safety industry

How Gardening Can Improve Care Residents’ Fitness, Health and Overall Wellbeing

Gardening is a great low-impact activity for care residents especially as we begin to experience warmer weather It brings several fitness health and wellbeing benefits that cater to residents of all ability levels Gardening can also help increase mobility as residents navigate around the garden and work with plants In doing this it can help to gradually build up muscle usage and reduce muscle weakness overall Note that care workers should take care to ensure that residents go at their own pace and don t overdo it especially if they have been in lockdown or experienced long sedentary periods

Gardening can make for a great individual or group activity and provides the perfect opportunity for some social time, too It is a really helpful way to encourage residents to come out of isolation Residents can work together and bond when gardening helping each other to complete tasks In the same way there is no obligation so if some residents would prefer to focus on gardening by themselves, they can definitely

do so while still experiencing several wellbeing benefits

Gardening allows residents to spend some time focusing on the task at hand and de-stress while also experiencing a feeling of accomplishment Additionally it is a great way for residents to get some fresh air and experience the beauty of the great outdoors It is a great recommendation to improve fitness mental health and overall wellbeing The best part is that residents have no obligations and can do as much or as little as they please This removes the pressure of seeing gardening as a chore - instead it can be a leisurely activity that brings various fitness health and wellbeing benefits for all involved

Overall it truly is a wonderful way for care residents to ease out of isolation and explore strength and training, while having fun along the way Care workers can get involved too as gardening brings huge benefits for everyone

‘Exceptional’ Belong Crewe Named National Winners at Great British Care Awards

Compassionate Crewe carers at Belong on Brookhouse Drive have been announced as winners of the Palliative Carer Award at this year’s Great British Care Awards (GBCAs) recognising their outstanding work supporting their customers during their end of life as well as in their sensitivity meeting the needs of family members

Led by Fern Yarnwood lead senior support worker the dedicated ten strong team at the not-for-profit dementia specialist’s Britannia House took home the prestigious national award having already won the closely fought North West regional distinction

Speaking of their decision the judging panel comprising independent industry professionals said: The team go above and beyond to ensure their end-of-life care is the best it can be ” Providing examples including Britannia s thoughtful memory boxes full of photos and a signed card to families when their loved one has passed, they continued: “These little steps make their palliative care exceptional and much deserving of this accolade”

Sharon Haigh community support worker at the organisation s Belong at Home service also made the national finals shortlist for the Home Care Worker award Meanwhile a number of the Belong Crewe colleagues achieved regional shortlisting

places for awards in dementia care nursing and activity provision

Cheryl Davies general manager at Belong Crewe said: “We’re thrilled for the Britannia team for being named Palliative Carer of the year As the judges recognised their work helping our customers to live comfortably and with dignity at their end of their lives, really is truly exceptional – congratulations!

THE BRITANNIA TEAM AT BELONG CREWE, RECIPIENTS OF THE NATIONAL PALLIATIVE CARER AWARD, GREAT BRITISH CARE AWARDS 2023:

Fern Yarwood lead senior support worker

• Lauren Drummond

Chelsea Hinett

• Abbey Mason

Jackie May

Paige O’Neil

Louise Pepper

Kelsie Proudlove

• Darren Robinson

Karen Taylor

Canford Healthcare Supports Ukrainian Relief Charity

Canford Healthcare has recently donated medical/care equipment and supplies to the Tunbridge Wells-based Ukrainian Relief Group (URG) for use by the medical services in war-torn Ukraine as well as refugees arriving in the UK

Following an appeal by the URG in late 2022 Canford Healthcare arranged for its volunteers to pick up items that were not currently in use These included 30 beds and other furniture wheelchairs hoists support equipment fire extinguishers personal protective equipment old bedding (including sheets for cutting up and using as wound dressings), a CD player and last but not least a piano!

The beds are now being put to good use in Lviv and frontline hospitals in Kherson and Dnipro while the other equipment has gone to other hospitals (including one for soldier amputees) GP surgeries medical centres and dentists in Kiev and other cities

This is just one part of the 60 tonnes of donations of supplies and equipment that the URG has collected and sent to Ukraine since the conflict began a year ago The group is co-ordinated by Rich Akehurst a seasoned ex-soldier search expert paramedic and medical instructor

It all started last March when Rich and his Ukrainian wife, Inna, got together several boxes of their own items for the relief effort They ended up collecting and co-ordinating donations within the local area and thanks to the generosity of residents these were so numerous that a main road into the town had to be closed for a few hours!

Rich and Inna are assisted by volunteer Sue Ramsay who previously worked in Iraq Afghanistan Sierra

Leone and Pakistan with UK Aid plus 12-15 other core volunteers at the TN2 community centre (known as the Hub) that is currently the URG s home, and kindly made temporarily available by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council Some donations are earmarked for Ukraine while others are made available for refugees Volunteers use their assorted skills and knowledge to fix renovate and service equipment including 200 push bikes destined for refugees

The Hub also acts as a welcome centre where Ukrainian refugees can meet up receive donations of clothes shoes toys bicycles and household items and children can play in safety Other items are sold at a pop-up shop in the town centre

“We welcome refugees (or ‘guests’, as we call them), and try to help them get their lives back to some sort of normality We also provide everything from socks to sofas deliver furniture for free and recycle items that we can’t use so nothing is wasted ” says Rich

There have been – and still are – many challenges Despite these the URG has gone from strength to strength, and that’s a great achievement,” Rich says

Paying tribute to the response from the local community and further afield he adds It s been incredible

We have received some extraordinary and often valuable donations, including an ostrich egg and even a blood bank When we put out a message on social media asking for a guitar for a young Ukrainian refugee we were offered 12 within an hour! We’re also incredibly grateful for the use of a van donated by the Polish government and for a continuous supply of knitted toys and blankets from the readers of Woman’s Weekly magazine

The National Association of Care Catering Launches its Care Chef of the Year 2023

The National Association of Care Catering’s (NACC) Care Chef of the Year 2023 competition has opened for entries officially starting the association’s search for the best chef working in the care sector

The prestigious competition has been celebrating the culinary talent across the care sector for 23 years Open to all chefs and cooks working in care settings1 it recognises showcases and celebrates their sector-specific knowledge skills and flair

The entry brochure can be downloaded here and the deadline for entries is Monday 24 April 2023

The NACC Care Chef of the Year 2023 competition is once again supported by main sponsor Unilever Food Solutions and event sponsor The Worshipful Company of Cooks

Focusing on the importance of food nutrition and positive mealtime experiences as part of quality care entrants are challenged to create an appealing and delicious two-course menu (main and dessert) appropriate for people in a care setting The combined food cost for both courses should be no more than £3 50 per head based on three portions and it must be nutritionally balanced The menu must also feature at least one product from Unilever Food Solutions sector-relevant catering range

All paper entries will be judged by a central judging panel and the successful chefs that make it through to the next stage will compete at the regional heats in June 2023 Here they will have 90 minutes to produce their dishes and demonstrate their skill set and knowledge under the watchful eyes of the competition judges The judges will be looking for clear nutritional understanding of the foods they are using and how they benefit the needs of their clientele plus culinary flair through flavours, menu balance, execution, presentation, and hygiene best practice

The two highest-scoring competitors from each regional heat will

compete for the title NACC Care Chef of the Year 2023 at the national finals on Tuesday 3 October at West Nottingham College

Sue Cawthray National Chair of the NACC said: The launch of the NACC Care Chef of the Year is always an exciting event This fantastic competition is a highlight of the NACC calendar and a brilliant platform to showcase the skills knowledge and excellence of chefs working in our sector as well as the career opportunities it offers Delicious nutritious food and positive dining experiences are fundamental to quality care, so you could say that the kitchen is at the heart of a care home It s therefore only right that we celebrate and champion the incredible talents of care chefs who, day-in-day-out, ensure the individual and varied needs of those in their care are understood and met with skill flair and dignity

“I encourage everyone to enter their amazing chefs and celebrate the culinary excellence our wonderful sector delivers I can t wait to see how this year’s competition unfolds Good luck everyone!”

Alex Hall Executive Chef at Unilever Food Solutions said: We are very excited and proud to continue our sponsorship of the NACC Care Chef of the Year competition in 2023 This competition provides a great

opportunity for care chefs around the country to showcase their skills and raise the profile of care catering

“Our team at Unilever Food Solutions is delighted to be working alongside chefs within the care sector to ensure that every mealtime is the highlight of the residents’ day, be that supporting with activities to nutritionally analysed recipes training inspiration and competitions like this We look forward to seeing how this year’s competitors rise to the challenge and wish them the very best of luck ”

The Reverend Keith Powell Master of the Worshipful Company of Cooks, said “Once again the Worshipful Company of Cooks is proud to sponsor the NACC competition For more than 500 years we have been involved in the world of cookery; initially being responsible for standards of catering and hygiene in the City of London and more recently closely engaged through our support for competitions such as this one in encouraging chefs to achieve high standards that they can then take back into their workplace

“To all competitors we send our best wishes and we look forward to being able to host the winner at our annual Prize Winners Lunch when you will be able to sit back and enjoy the results of someone else’s hard work Good luck!

For more information on the NACC Care Chef of the Year 2023 competition and to download the entry form visit https://www thenacc co uk/events/nacc-care-chef-of-the-yearcompetition-2023

Chefs and cooks working across the care sector are eligible to enter – from care homes, day centres, lunch clubs and meals on wheels services to local authorities and other care organisations including hospices

The list of specific products is accessible via the NACC Care Chef of the Year 2023 entry brochure

Parklands Boss Sets Out Care Challenges for New First Minister

The head of Scottish care operator Parklands Care Homes has recorded a video message to newly elected First Minister Humza Yousaf outlining the challenges facing the care sector

In his message managing director Ron Taylor highlighted the impact of inflation, recruitment and retention agency costs and inadequate funding for care services

Mr Taylor stressed the need to reduce inflation particularly rising utility costs which have spiralled out of control He also addressed the recruitment and retention crisis in the sector, stating that “the number of people just aren’t there forcing care homes to rely on expensive agency firms

Commenting on the current state of social care in Scotland Mr Taylor said:

“Social care in Scotland has always been seen as the Cinderella service and I think it now needs to be elevated and given far more prominence in the delivery of long term care

On the proposed National Care Service, Mr Taylor said the new body could help eliminate inconsistency in the delivery of care but expressed concerns about its timing calling for a 12-month postponement

He said: I don t think this is the time for the National Care Service I think it should be postponed for at least 12 months I think the amount of money that’s currently being spent on that should be hitting the frontline services immediately

Mr Taylor described the current level of funding offered under the national care home contract as woefully inadequate and called for an immediate increase in funding to address the crisis in social care

He said: We re very blessed to look after people who have reached old age and these people deserve to be treated properly but, in order to do that, we need to get funding delivered at a higher level

He added: There s been a lot of talk over the last few years from national government about dealing with social care but nothing’s been done I think if we elevate social care up to a comparable service to the NHS you ll see a huge difference in the flow and the delivery of the way care is being delivered in Scotland ” https://www youtube com/watch?v CdeLsXxU3OA&t 9s

The Residential & Home Care Show 2023

The Residential & Home Care Show is making its annual return as the UK’s leadership event for delivering outstanding care at ExCeL London on 26-27 April 2023

The event offers two days of high-quality educational content the opportunity to speak to leading suppliers in the health and social care sector and explore what products and services suit your business needs It is a chance to regroup network with like-minded peers and equip you with solutions to current challenges seen within the sector The two-day event will be jam-packed with knowledge advice and inspiration

Free for all care professionals to attend the CPD accredited educational programme will be delivered over five theatres exploring a variety of topics including

Recruitment and retention:

Health and social care experts will provide you with advice on topics such as employee engagement and how to effectively recruit according to your business needs Explore digital marketing technologies overseas recruitment and the importance of staff retention

Workplace culture and staff wellbeing: understand how to adopt strategies and best practice models into your workplace culture to aid to development and confidence of staff

Digital transformation

You will receive insights and advice on how to make the most of the digital transformation process and implement an efficient cost-effective digital solution for your care home

Business development and regulatory updates:

You will be able to access sessions on planning and implementation of strategies that will help increase the profitability of your care home and hear updates from local authorities to ensure your business complies with the latest regulations

Integrated care systems:

You will gain a deeper understanding of how the NHS and social care services will be working together to provide a higher quality of care

Residents health:

There will be a variety of sessions dedicated to residents health including long covid diabetes and dementia care

REASONS TO ATTEND:

• Free for all care and healthcare professionals

• Earn up to 12 CPD points

Take away practical advice and solutions that can be implemented into your own organisation

Join thousands of other Owners Directors, Senior Managers all under one roof and utilise the networking opportunities

Meet and talk with 200 exhibitors showcasing their latest products and services

Build relationships between residential care providers nursing homes domiciliary care providers NHS local government the voluntary sector and suppliers

Learn from over 100 expert speakers who will share key case studies best practice examples and deliver important panel discussions with sector leaders and successful care business providers Register at www residentialandhomecareshow co uk/tcu23

The Value of Care Home Workers: Recognizing and Supporting Essential Staff

Article by Greg Whelan Product & Marketing Director Wellell UK Limited

for nurses

Working in a care home is a challenging job that requires physical mental and emotional strength Caregivers provide care for vulnerable elderly and sick people which can be stressful and painful at times In this article we will discuss the challenges that caregivers face at work and we will also look at how innovation and new products can help reduce the burden on carers care home-owners and managers, and contribute to the growth of the care home industry

Teams comprise of many elements that can help to make a team great the individuals within the team their passion for their chosen vocation the thought of helping others and feeling they have made a difference on a daily basis but also the systems and medical devices that can transform their daily duties; permitting them more time to care and less time on resource hungry processes especially at a time where care workers are generally in high demand across the UK with the much publicised staffing shortages

*According to the ONS there were almost 1 5m estimated open job adverts as a daily average during December 2022 Using data from the jobs search engine Textkernel it said healthcare accounted for almost 190 000 or 12 7% of all vacancies Healthcare also accounted for the two occupations with the largest number of job adverts nationwide with 31 870 adverts for support workers and 21 170

With such an undeniably high number of job vacancies in the sector the need for smarter systems that reduce the burden on each carer and the care homes in which they work, is essential for the future of the profession and the care home industry

Innovation is crucial for the future of care Manufacturers such as Wellell Inc can through their products help care home owners and managers to reduce the burden on carers with new tools to make their job easier and improve the quality of care for residents

With innovative products such as Wellells all-in-one Optima Turn Mattress”, offering automatic continuous patient turning for pressure injury prevention and healing the management of limited staffing resources can be made easier, helping to maintain those great care home teams and aiding staff retention Afterall a happy healthy workplace leads to a happy healthy workforce and as the ONS has identified the need for carers is outweighed by carers currently available in the UK marketplace

Empowering Positive Action Within Care – Care Roadshows 2023

Care Roadshows are returning in 2023 arriving in Glasgow Birmingham Liverpool London and Cardiff Registration is now officially open and welcomes senior professionals within the care sector particularly those working with older adults

Each show includes free access to an exhibition including between 40-60 exhibitors and entry into a series of seminar and panel discussions that cover topics such as dementia technology vs human connection and raising the profile of the care sector The events also offer fantastic networking opportunities and the chance to improve the performance of your care practice or business

Founder and Managing Director Emma Barrett shared “Care Roadshow has grown greatly since its launch back in 2011 The 2022 Roadshows reached record breaking visitor numbers and we are anticipating an even higher growth rate in 2023 ”

“This year, we’ve set our mission statement as empowering positive action within care It s about time we stopped talking about changes and started taking immediate action We hope to bring influential members of the care community together at our events in an intimate setting where positive conversations can take place

TRUSTED CARE STAMP

With over 100 events targeting the UK social care sector it is very difficult for care providers to choose which events to attend Broadway Events the company who run Care Roadshow have recently joined forces with CloserStill Media (who also run social care events) to launch a Trusted Care Event stamp The stamp indicates events that are focused on improving the sector and wanting to make an active difference within social care You can read more about this here

There is great anticipation for the release of the Care Roadshows 2023 programme Register for your free ticket here to be the first to know when programmes are relased

Dates of the 2023 shows:

Care Roadshows Glasgow – Hampden Park Stadium – 18th April

Care Roadshows Birmingham – Villa Park Stadium – 23rd May

Care Roadshows Liverpool – Aintree Racecourse – 25th May

Care Roadshows London – Epsom Downs Racecourse – 17th October

Care Roadshows Cardiff – Cardiff City Stadium – 14th November

Follow this link to find out more: www careroadshows co uk

Taking Care Of Care Workers: 46% Of

Social Care Professionals Moved Jobs In The

Last 12 Months Driven By Job Unfulfillment

New research released by Hays has found that close to half (46%) of social care professionals moved jobs in the last 12 months driven by unfulfillment in their roles, ahead of salary dissatisfaction

The research which received over 900 responses from social care professionals and employers forms part of the Hays UK 2023 Social Care Salary & Recruiting Trends guide (https //www hays co uk/salary-guide/social-care)

A quarter (25%) of social care workers said they left a role last year due to unfulfillment, followed by 18% who said the move was due to salary dissatisfaction decreasing from 25% in 2022 This was followed by a lack of career development opportunities (21%) or career progression (19%) Ultimately job fulfilment is critical to retaining talent in the sector

Brendan Ryan Director at Hays specialising in Social Care comments: “Hiring plans are set to be busy this year within the social care sector but employers are up against tough competition for talent Organisations must therefore promote compelling reasons why someone should join their organisation ”

The importance of employee benefits

According to the survey, the most important benefits for social care workers are additional days off for wellbeing (49%) over 28 days of paid annual leave (49%) and training / professional certification support (43%)

Whilst hybrid working is not always possible in more hands-on roles it is a factor which continues to attract and retain talent Over half (53%) of social care professionals could be tempted to change jobs if they could decide how often they were in the workplace, illustrating the appeal of flexible hybrid work 51% of professionals across social care gave their work-life balance a positive rating which shows little change to last year (49%)

• Professionals value a strong EVP

Professionals across social care value a strong EVP (Employee Value Proposition) when searching for a prospective employer, including whether an organisation has a strong sense of purpose (93%) a commitment to sustainability (90%) and a diverse and inclusive culture (81%)

In terms of the 12 months ahead 61% of professionals are looking to change jobs motivated by a better salary and benefits package (23%) concerns about job security (16%) or a lack of future opportunities in their organisation (13%) For those who don t have their heart set on moving jobs in the upcoming months the top factor that could tempt them to do so would be a better salary and benefits package (36%)

Brendan Ryan Director at Hays specialising in Social Care comments further: “The research reiterates that social care professionals gain the most job fulfilment from the work itself which comes with much responsibility and rewards Therefore employers need to facilitate this whether that be throughgiving professionals more autonomy to make decisions, to improve job satisfaction, retain talent and get better outcomes

Organisations need to clarify what underpins their values and culture and how to effectively deliver this, as these factors clearly influence whether candidates decide to apply for a role Promoting opportunities for career progression is another way to attract talent in the social care sector It’s all about creating a positive narrative around why prospective employees would want to work for you

In order to compete for talent in today s candidate driven-market employers must be prepared to constantly review, assess and change what benefits they offer, considering employee expectations are not fixed but always shifting

RMBI Care Co. Celebrates Sustainable Charity Bond at the London Stock Exchange

London Stock Exchange has recently welcomed RMBI Care Co , following the completion of a £20m issue of 6 25% bonds due 2029 by special purpose issuer RCB Bonds PLC So far £10 million has already been advanced to RMBI Care Co and another £10m retained for future funding for the charity

RMBI Care Co will use the proceeds of the issue to continue its programme of investment in its portfolio of care homes across England and Wales

Commenting on the success of the offer Mark LLoyd Managing Director of RMBI Care Co said: “We are delighted with these results which demonstrate confidence in our charity by investors

“The funds raised,” he continued, “will be used to develop, modernise, and expand our support for older people with residential care nursing and residential dementia support Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh Court in Wokingham, Berkshire, which opened in September 2022, was our first new build care home in over a decade Securing the £10m charity bond will now enable us to progress our plans for a new care home on the site of our current Home Cornwallis Court in Bury St Edmunds Suffolk

In addition the ethical funding will allow the charity to further develop our sustainability strategy This involves implementing solar energy across our 17 care homes and installing electric charging points for cars

Autistic Individual “A New Man” Since Ownership Change of Cornwall Care Provider

lots of other things alongside the time that he spends at the pool down the road

“He really is a changed man and I m looking forward to seeing him develop in the future- this has only been possible due to the amazing support Salutem have provided in the short time they have operated the home”

Sarah Josh s mother added: Since Salutem took over Spectrum s adult services Joshua has appeared happier Many restrictions have been reduced he is getting out more and it s lovely seeing him engage with the team

John Godden MBE CEO at Salutem said: It s been great welcoming Joshua and all the staff at Rose House to the Salutem Family

As an organisation we take pride in developing individuals to ensure that they are able to fulfil their true potential and I m delighted to see Joshua join many others in becoming valued contributors to society

Is It Time To Reimagine Patient Information?

Kent Surrey Sussex Academic Health Science Network (KSS AHSN)

UK National Innovation Centre for Ageing (NICA) VOICE and Pfizer UK today are calling on stakeholders to update how patients receive information about their prescription medicines in England as part of a new research report The report, ‘One Size Doesn’t Fit All: reimagining medicines information for patients [https //improvement kssahsn net/ourwork/meds-op/reimagining-medicines-information/] highlights that there is an opportunity to modernise and improve access and understanding of the patient information leaflet [PIL] that comes with all medicines

The survey of 2 897 patients in England commissioned as part of the report, found only 32% of patients (n 743) who responded say they completely understand the information provided in the PIL and over half of patients who responded report issues with readability (55% n 1 124) Online sources and guidance from HCPs are the most popular ways that patients find out information about their medicines Most patients who responded (77%; n 1,857) report visiting online sources and 71% who responded seek further support from their HCPs (n 1 725) In contrast, only 13% (n 304) of patients responding to the largely online survey say they refer to paper-based sources to better understand their medicines However, HCPs (including pharmacists and prescribers in acute community and primary care settings) interviewed as part of the report express concerns about the time they have available to properly provide patients with all the information they need about their medicines

Commenting on the report, Des Holden, Chief Executive Officer of KSS AHSN said: The report indicates significant improvement is needed so that patients in the UK can easily access and understand high

quality information about their prescription medicines regardless of their background Real change can be achieved through collaboration across the system, but we must design solutions in partnership with a diverse range of people living with health conditions and not just a small number of people who are easily heard I believe the innovative medicines labelling of the future will improve accessibility and will enable people to thrive despite the burden of a medical condition ”

Rachel Power Chief Executive of the Patients Association said Patients must have easily understood information about the medicines they re prescribed Not understanding or not reading the patient information leaflet may be a safety issue We know many people s health literacy is not good So, until better levels of health literacy are achieved it is essential that companies provide information about prescription medicines written in language most people will understand If patients don’t or don’t read information about their medicines it is because it s in a format they find difficult to use or written in a way that means nothing to them, then that patient can t play an active role in deciding about their treatment or ask the doctor questions This undermines patient involvement in their care, and that’s not something we should accept

The report calls for accelerated action across three areas to improve prescription information for patients including 1) a patient-centric approach to medicines information 2) optimisation of technology and 3) building stronger connection between regulators and policy setters to develop and implement a UK roadmap for electronic product information (ePI)

Professor Lynne Corner Deputy Director of the UKs National Innovation Centre for Ageing and Director of VOICE, the international

citizen network involved in the project said: “We need a step change in how we deliver patient information – there is huge and exciting potential to co-design future digital solutions with patients which are customised to their specific circumstances and better meet complex and changing needs – the people we spoke to as part of this this study were clearly really open to exploring what this might involve

Dr Berkeley Phillips UK Medical Director Pfizer said: “We are delighted to be a part of this innovative project and to have the opportunity to co-create solutions with patients for patients We look forward to continued partnership to ensure health equity for medicine information in the future

The report findings indicate specific improvements are needed for patients who take more than one medication or for patients who receive repeat prescriptions Patients and carers of patients who take more than one medicine indicate in the survey they can find it challenging to understand the side-effects of all of their medicines and how these different medicines may interact with one another Similarly, patients who receive repeat prescriptions may not be up to date with all the latest product information Only 10% (n 222) of patients who responded say they read their medicines information when they receive a repeat prescription

Health literacy and digital literacy are major barriers to accessing relevant health information The next generation of PILs must accommodate the needs of all patients to ensure everyone has timely access to the right information This may be achieved by co-designing future solutions with patients who have difficulty accessing information or who have particular needs or focusing on a range of digital solutions to improve accessibility

Vida Healthcare Celebrates Milestone Anniversar y

Dementia care provider Vida Healthcare is celebrating a decade of providing care to people living with dementia

The specialist care provider opened the doors to its first care home Vida Hall, in 2013 with the goal of delivering outstanding dementia care to people across the UK Vida Hall is rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission (CQC)

Since being founded in 2010 Vida Healthcare has grown to become one of the region’s leading employers with 180 000 sq ft of space available to people living with dementia The specialist care provider currently boasts 550 staff 20 houses across its three care homes and provides care for over 230 residents

In 2022 Vida announced a permanent wage increase of 30% for frontline care staff, including nurses, care assistants and bank staff, to help retain and attract talent This is 30% higher than the sector average and has led to Vida recruiting 330 new staff members and contributed to the low staff turnover rate of six percent This is below the national sector average of 29%

James Rycroft Managing Director at Vida Healthcare commented: My father and I established Vida to transform the care available to people living with dementia It was clear at the time that many traditional residential care homes simply didn t have the resources or expertise to fully support their residents who were living with dementia

We set about challenging perceptions and practices in dementia care with an emphasis on reducing the use of medications and instead providing bespoke environments and alternative therapies I’m extremely proud of how far Vida has come since we opened the doors to our first care home back in 2013 This anniversary is a significant milestone and over the years I ve been privileged to work with an incredible team of people and to provide outstanding care for our residents and their families Our staff are the lifeblood of our company and I m grateful to them for their continued dedication and passion

While we ve created a scalable model which enables us to develop new homes over the next five years we’ll focus on our existing homes to ensure we maintain our levels of care and can offer a personalised service to our residents at all times ”

The 10 year anniversary celebrations will take place on 31st March to celebrate the achievements that have been secured over the past decade, and the 22 staff members who have been with Vida since it was founded Initiatives that will take place include a tea party and an award ceremony for staff celebrating their 10 year anniversary

Sharon Oldfield Home Manager at Vida Court is one of the staff members celebrating her 10 year anniversary with the business She said: “Vida Healthcare is a fantastic place to work thanks to the emphasis that is placed on staff and resident wellbeing One of the initiatives that has encouraged me to stay at Vida is the incredible training platform Vida Academy which was established to provide all staff with career development opportunities Thanks to the platform I ve been able to work my way up to Home Manager at our latest care home

Vida Healthcare opened the doors to its newest £15m state-of-the-art care home Vida Court in 2021 Dubbed the home of the future it includes a cinema florist coffee shop and landscaped gardens, amongst other things, to support social interactions and ensure residents have a high quality of life

Since being founded the care provider has also been shortlisted for and won a number of awards including the Care Employer Award at the national Great British Care Awards (GBCA) 3Rs at the regional GBCA and the Professional Excellence award at the 2023 Dementia Hero Awards

For more information about Vida Healthcare and the care available for people living with dementia please visit www vidahealthcare co uk

Leading the Way! Senior Team Appointed at New Market Harborough Care Home

A new care home in Market Harborough has announced the appointment of its senior team Care UK has appointed Susanne Stevens as Home Manager of its latest home Oat Hill Mews on Leicester Road which is set to open in September later this year

Susanne s new position will see her lead the team at Oat Hill Mews which will provide residential, nursing and dementia care for up to 76 people

Beginning her career as a Care Assistant in a nursing home Susanne went on to complete her BSc in Adult Nursing and become qualified as a registered general nurse After university Susanne worked for the NHS in gastroenterology before returning to a care home environment as a Nurse and working her way up to Deputy Manager Susanne quickly progressed and moved into home management within a few years with another care provider There her leadership skills and experience in management enabled her to transform the home s culture and reputation taking its rating from Requires Improvement to Good in just five months

Commenting on her new position, Susanne said: “I am delighted to have been appointed as the Home Manager for Oat Hill Mews

“Having the opportunity to help launch a brand-new care home and create a welcoming homely environment for the residents their families and our team is something I m really looking forward to I m thrilled to be starting my new journey with Care UK and I am

very excited about developing and supporting the new care team and ensuring residents are supported to live a happy and fulfilling lives

Susanne with be joined by Mark Evans who has taken the position of Customer Relations Manager at Oat Hill Mews As part of his new role Mark has been busy forging strong links with the local community putting together public events to make Market Harborough dementia friendly With a wealth of entrepreneurial experience having worked in the financial and insurance sectors as well as owning his own business, Mark stands in great stead to bring fresh ideas to the new home He is looking forward to meeting prospective residents of Oat Hill Mews and their families and supporting them with their journey into care

Mark commented: “I am so pleased to have a role with real purpose and meaning I am very proud of our fantastic new home s facilities we ve got a great team and with the recent charity donation to Voluntary Action South Leicestershire and our Let s Talk About Dementia event for local people we are already starting to build a real community here at Oat Hill Mews I can t wait for to open our doors, and really give people a feel for what life will be like in our home

Designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives while also promoting independence the new care home which is set to open in September later this year will incorporate space for hobby and leisure activities

L-R Chris Rycroft (Cha rman) Bernadette Mossman (Healthcare D rector) Jillian Young (Operat ons Director) and James Rycroft (Managing D rector)

Recruitment And Retention In Care: Why The Need To Innovate Has Never Been Greater

By Rebecca Pearson, General Manager, Bupa Care Services, Bupa Global & UK (https://www bupa co uk/care - services)

In our business, our people are at the heart of everything we do We look after some of the most vulnerable members of our society requiring a strong workforce of committed caring people In our post-pandemic world a hot labour market coupled with rising living costs means that the recruitment challenge is fierce

There are many ways that we as care providers can innovate to attract and retain talented people

This can range from introducing new technologies that ease pressure on frontline teams driving engagement to creating pathways for long-lasting careers and welcoming those with transferable skills into the care sector

As providers we need to be forward-looking and welcome the use of technology to innovate It s the future of care Digital solutions have the potential to transform the way care is provided which can also drive job satisfaction We know that caring is a passion for people in our sector so it’s up to us to provide tools that enable them to spend more time with residents; whether through electronic care records to help reduce paperwork digitising our compliance processes, or piloting the latest dementia memory apps and games

Retaining talented people is key We know that engaged employees stay with their employer longer so boosting engagement should be in every employer’s workforce strategy Where providers have a network of homes a disparate workforce can be seen as a barrier to engagement However technology can step in and help

A highly interactive intranet can go a long way to drive engagement, incentivising teams to get involved

Gone are the days of top-down only company updates; a social media-style intranet can be used as a living breathing hub where people can share ideas gain recognition and crowd-source solutions It’s a key pillar of our strategy to increase engagement at Bupa Care Services and since the launch of our site we’ve seen participation rising week by week

To help people stay committed to a career in care employers also need to think how to deliver career progression We know our people want to gain new skills so we partner with the Open University to deliver training programmes and apprenticeships, and support talented people from overseas to achieve their UK Nurse PIN

It’s also important to support our people in staying healthy and happy at work In recent years we’ve gained an in depth understanding of the impact of mental and physical ill-health at work and employers now more than ever need to support their people In fact the latest Bupa Wellbeing Index data shows that a third of employees (33%) believe their employers have a responsibility to support their health and wellbeing and more than half (53%) say they are more likely to choose to work for an organisation which offers good health and wellbeing benefits

At Bupa Care Services our people told us that they wanted more support with their physical and mental health at a time that worked around their shifts, so we’ve worked with the wider business to provide physiotherapy and mental health support as well as GP and nurse helpline access available around the clock

Technology is also key to finding innovative ways to target underrepresented groups For example highly targeted social media advertising can be a valuable tool to entice people from hospitality retail and other sectors while TikTok can also be used to showcase life in a care home to target younger people

Ultimately, we know that we re not alone in facing workforce challenges, and some changes will need to be made at a government level But the sector has a lot to offer and through driving innovation within our own networks we help both our people and potential employees see these opportunities and grow long lasting careers with us

Alpaca Herd Descends on Fife Care Home

Residents of Camilla House Care Home in Auchertool were left surprised when a herd of alpacas wandered into their living room this week

While the animal is usually found in South America this adventurous group made the visit to Camilla House as part of the home’s pet therapy programme

Pet therapy is a beneficial activity for the elderly, which enables them to bond with trained animals Studies show time spent with the animals increases wellbeing and happiness levels reduces blood pressure and alleviates feelings of stress and anxiety

The gentle and calm nature of the alpacas

was perfect for the care home and residents spent the day feeding walking and stroking them

Camilla House part of the Holmes Care Group regularly arranges activities as part of their mission to provide outstanding care and support to the elderly

Charles Watson resident of Camilla House said: Meeting the alpacas was wonderful – I d never stroked one before and didn’t realise how soft they were!

Natalia Murphy, Lifestyle Coordinator, said: The residents loved the alpacas it was heartwarming to see everyone’s smiles We will definitely arrange for them to return!

A Perfect Party for Jersey Care Home’s 30th Anniversar y

gave us an opportunity to look back at many good times to show our appreciation to everyone who has worked with us supported us and been part of the life of the home and to look ahead too

We are so proud of the service we ve provided to this community for three decades and that we hope to continue offering the best possible care environment for many decades to come ”

Continence Care in Residential Care Settings

Incontinence presents as a common problem for a considerable number of people in adult social care and describes an accidental or involuntary loss of urine or faeces

It is common among elderly people however many elderly people feel ashamed and embarrassed about incontinence concerns This can mean they are often very reluctant to ask for help For people who need incontinence help this can really impact the quality of their life and overall well-being

Women are more often affected by incontinence with 75% of those over 65 reporting urine leakages

For elderly people in care homes, 30-50% of them will need incontinence care 60-70% of people living with dementia or Alzheimer s disease will be incontinent Incontinence is a symptom of underlying problems which with assessment and investigation can be identified and treated Even when a remedy is not achievable optimum methods of incontinence management can produce social continence', helping to lessen embarrassment and maintain patient dignity

According to the British Geriatric Society the main causes of incontinence are:

Urge incontinence (detrusor overactivity) In this condition the patient is unable to prevent involuntary bladder contractions which cause urgency with little or no warning of incontinence The sufferer may respond to this urgency by frequent visits to the toilet day and night Urge incontinence is often made worse by anxiety or fast bladder filling for example after diuretic medications

• Stress incontinence (pelvic floor weakness) A small leakage of urine occurs on physical exertion such as standing lifting coughing or sneezing and rarely occurs during sleep at night This is the commonest cause of incontinence in middle aged women and is seen in some men after prostatectomy

Overflow incontinence (retention of urine) The patient will have a large post-void residual urine volume and may complain of continuous dribbling incontinence or symptoms like stress incontinence Recurrent urinary tract infections are common and the condition is made worse by constipation or anticholinergic medication

Overflow incontinence can be caused by diabetes and some types of nerve damage It also occurs in men with prostatic obstruction

Outflow obstruction This almost always occurs in men who may complain of difficulty in starting micturition, poor urinary stream and dribble after micturition, perhaps with a feeling of inadequate emptying

Functional incontinence (e g poor or painful mobility, loss of dexterity, impaired communication mental confusion and depression) Incontinence is due to inability to reach and use the toilet

Residents in long term care settings have special needs and the standard of continence care provided varies between each area and between homes and requires specialist products to help those suffering with continence issues

MANFRED SAUER UK

Since 1976 Manfred Sauer UK Ltd has provided a range of innovative urology and continence care products to help sufferers of urinary incontinence But unlike other providers their effective and user-friendly products are often designed and tested with input from end users and healthcare professionals

Listed below are some of their products all available on prescription

SHEATHS

Manfred Sauer offer five different types of urinary sheath to facilitate the drainage of urine away from the body into a drainage bag

LEG BAGS

Manfred Sauer supply four main types of leg bags with varying capacities:

• Discreet Thigh Bag can be worn high up on the thigh area and hidden under clothes Bendi Bag is ideal for wheelchair users who can sometimes find toilet access difficult

Comfort Leg Bag range comes in a variety of materials from velvet smooth real cotton and flock backing

Children s Bag with smaller capacity and proportions

CATHETERS

When performing ISC you need something that is simple to use soft and flexible Manfred Sauer s IQ-Cath male female and paediatric single-use catheters are ready for use immediately and the protective sleeve on the male and paediatric catheters facilitates a no-touch technique

NEPHSYS BAG AND BELT SYSTEM

For people who have had a Nephrostomy NephSys can drastically improve their lives As well as providing a secure and sterile solution the system is comfortable and discreet

Contact Manfred Sauer s helpline team on 01604 595 696 or visit www manfred-sauer co uk for more information about each product or to order a free sample

MoliCare® Celebrates 40 Years of Incontinence Protection, Ever y Day

MoliCare® the global incontinence brand is celebrating 40 years of supporting people carers and healthcare professionals with solution-based pads pants and skincare products The product range has been designed to help the everyday needs of those living with incontinence and bladder weakness, with the care of the skin at the heart of the MoliCare® brand

Incontinence is a condition that affects 1 in 4 women in the UK For a condition which is so common there is still a sense of embarrassment and isolation that leaves people feeling lonely and unsupported In fact 68% of those living with incontinence feel that it has had a negative impact on their quality of life and just over half believe that urinary incontinence is a taboo subject Therefore it is vital that there is an increase in societal support as well as a wide range of simple solutions for people living with incontinence

MoliCare® has developed a range of pads and pants which feel like underwear Over the last forty years the brand has continued to focus on protection security, and comfort as the core criteria for its product performance MoliCare® believes in plain talking backed up by their healthcare professional expertise to create simple solutions for people living with incontinence

MoliCare® continually strives to address the needs of its customers; from nurses through to care givers family members and people living with incontinence

They have developed an easy to remember acronym - ‘SAS - to simplify the product selection process

S – Style There are various styles such as large and small pads, or complete pull up mobile pants to suit various levels of mobility There are also products for men and women based on anatomical differences and urine flow

A – Absorbency MoliCare®’ s droplet guide makes selection straightforward

S – Size, MoliCare® s in-depth sizing guide ensures that products selected are a comfortable and secure fit HARTMANN, the company behind MoliCare®, continues to invest in and develop in their products This

includes the introduction of new technology to the MoliCare® Premium Form range of large shaped pads that now features a new absorbent core known as ADL (Acquisition Distribution Layer) The ADL layer contains super absorbent polymers treated with Citrate which neutralise the urine, for better skin health In addition the ADL layer now features a new channel set within the pad to help to distribute urine Both innovations improve the feeling of dryness by over 70%, again demonstrating MoliCare® s commitment to skin care

As part of MoliCare®’s holistic approach to incontinence the brand has developed a range of specialist skincare products which are skin friendly pH balanced and are gentle on delicate sensitive skin Used together MoliCare® provides a complete skin care and incontinence management solution

Amy Jaworska MoliCare® B2C Channel Manager comments; as a global manufacturer and expert in the field of Incontinence and Bladder Weakness, we are delighted to be celebrating 40 years of the MoliCare® brand supporting people living with incontinence

MoliCare® invests in the research design and development of our premium incontinence products to ensure they meet the highest quality reliability and protection for people living with incontinence We also support loved ones carers and healthcare professionals alike with the right support for the people they care for, because the individual s wellbeing and quality of life is at the heart of everything we do

MoliCare® is a leading global brand of incontinence products manufactured by the HARTMANN Group MoliCare® works in partnership with Healthcare Professionals to develop clinically effective products advice and innovative Home Delivery service solution packages to meet lifestyle needs

For more information and to order please call 0800 028 9470 or Visit www hartmanndirect co uk/incontinence-products

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

CYBER SECURITY

Why You Should Consider A Cybersecurity Strategy In Your Care Facility

cure so review your current security strategy to ensure that you have the proper policies and best practices in place to meet any required standards or obligatory regulations This should include a review of your security operations network and data security to check that you are protected from exploitation and have prevention and monitoring procedures in place

Carry out a cyber security assessment to identify the types of attack that you may be vulnerable to and assess how prepared your business is to respond to an incident Consider your ability to detect malicious activity, the procedures you have in place to contain an attack and what your incident response process is

Create a best practice guide to help prevent your exposure to cyber threats and share with all employees This should include the use of strong passwords which are updated regularly Software and systems should also be checked regularly, and updates actioned when due The use of two-factor authentication when available should also be implemented

employees for a coordinated calm and fast reaction to an unexpected cyber event

Cyber attacks are on the increase and the healthcare sector is one of the most targeted industries According to a recent survey conducted by email security firm Agari 67% of healthcare organisations in the UK have suffered a cybersecurity incident over the last 12 months Of all healthcare cyber incidents in the last year 48% have been the result of malware or viruses introduced to the network by third-party devices

To help protect your care home or care facility from the threat of a cyber related incident we recommend putting a robust cybersecurity strategy in place to sit alongside your insurance programme You should create a cyber risk assessment and action preventative measures including a best practice guide This will help to reassure your employees customers suppliers and any third parties that you are as ready as possible in the event of a cyber threat

To identify areas of weakness or vulnerability you should assess the security of your information or data Prevention is always better than

Ensure you are following the most up to date guidance on GDPR and that your data protection officer has all the latest information It s a legal obligation of any business to ensure appropriate and proportionate security is in place to protect any personal data held, to safeguard the rights of individuals You must also report any data breaches to the ICO within 72 hours of discovery

Provide your staff with Cyber Security Awareness Training so they can spot suspicious looking communications understand how hackers get in and the importance of strong passwords Educating your entire organisation helps to minimise potential attacks and can also help to reduce internal security incidents It’s also a good idea to create a robust reporting procedure to ensure that all employees are aware of any potential or recent Cyber attacks

With more of us working from home, you should make sure your remote working methods are protected and procedures are adhered to by all

Put together a business continuity plan and share with key

Your immediate response to an event will be key to the overall impact on your business Consider how you will contact everyone that may have been affected as a result of a data breach to help retain your customer database customer confidence brand reputation and trust

Don t wait until you have experienced a cyber attack to put measures in place be proactive and help protect your business now We can help you to develop a robust cyber security strategy as part of your complete insurance programme managing your exposure to cyber risks

Speak to us about arranging cyber liability insurance or carrying out a cyber risk assessment by calling us on 01480 272727 or emailing enquiries@barnesinsurancebroker co uk

Find out more about cyber liability insurance at www.barnesinsurancebroker.co.uk/cyberliability

FOOD AND DRINK

Discover The Power Of Chefs’ Most Trusted Bouillon*

With 25 years' expertise in special diets and nutrition for the elderly Chef Preston brings you the latest insights on providing nutritionally dense dishes for residents

Meanwhile two Michelin-starred Chef Tom has developed a range of classic recipes with a modern seasonal twist, each utilising products from the Knorr Professional Bouillons range in a different way

Knorr Professional s Bouillons are available in Powder Paste and Jelly formats offering chefs versatility and flexibility in usage and application plus consistent depth of flavour every time

Chefs Tom Kerridge and Preston Walker have joined forces with Knorr Professional Bouillons to launch a new training hub for chefs This new online platform The Base contains exclusive recipes video tutorials and training tools that will help other professionals working in Care Homes to improve their skills in the kitchen

Anglia Crown - Popular Dishes for Ever yone

Anglia Crown offer a wide range of hot and cold desserts that are ideal for a wellbalanced, nutritional diet, including choices that do not contain gluten Our Crown Choice and Advantage ranges include some fifty-eight dishes, including our new warming Ginger Chocolate Chip Sponge and delicious, comforting custard that goes with almost any hot dessert

Our Crown Choice cold dessert includes the perennial favourites such as Chocolate Cake, whilst our Crown Advantage range also offer ‘reduced sugar’ desserts All individual Crown Advantage desserts come in packs of eighteen whilst the Crown Choice desserts come in packs of 3 and 6 allowing accurate portioning and cutting down on any potential waste

Many of the Anglia Crown dishes can be teamed up with fresh fruit allowing for additional choice Items such as our Carrot Cake or Vanilla Cheesecake can be accom-

Chef Preston Walker said: I m so proud to be partnering with Knorr Professional Bouillons to create and share recipes and tips that will genuinely help improve the skills of chefs working in this exciting sector GET

panied by whipped cream garnished with seasonal fresh fruit

Our hot desserts are high in energy our hot portions of 170kcal and above provide energy and protein dense options and when served with custard provide over 250 kcal per serving Our cold desserts of 250 kcal and above also meet the energy guidelines in the British Dietetic Association (BDA) Nutrition and Hydration Digest (2017) requirements

VEGAN SUITABLE CHOICES

At Anglia Crown we pride ourselves with the array of vegetarian and gluten free dishes that we offer including an impressive range of desserts This was recognised with us being named at the Vegetarian Wholesaler of the Year 2022 at the VfL Awards for Excellence in Veg n Care Catering

All the Anglia Crown hot desserts are suitable for vegetarians Most of the Anglia Crown vegan products have been registered with the Vegan Society including some thirteen of the dessert dishes ” Anglia Crown are here to help take the strain out of your menus throughout the year Visit www angliacrown co uk for further details

Nutritional Support for Effective Diabetes Care for Older People

Diabetes currently affects a whopping 4 9 million people in the UK And with the condition more commonly prevalent amongst the elderly population catering to those with medical conditions such as diabetes is incredibly important

Effective diabetes care for older people requires nutritional support to help maintain healthy blood sugar level and reduce the risk of complications However Bidfood has recognised through customer insight that catering for diabetes within the care sector is especially challenging as care homes continue to operate under tight budgets and are feeling the impact of rising food costs

Consistently creating nutritious and delicious meals tailored to residents’ individual requirements isn’t always easy especially when you are juggling time budgets stock levels and the skill level of your staff So to help navigate these challenges Bidfood has launched Caterers Campus an online learning platform exclusive to Bidfood customers that takes the hard work out of supporting your team – so you have more time to focus on your residents

Designed by our chefs for your chefs the specialist diabetes module includes understanding the causes and symptoms how to cater for diabetes as well as inspiration to help with menu planning all to aid and equip care home staff with the right information and guidance they need Made up of over 30 chapters the unit also features a knowledge test at the end to really make sure everything has sunk in

To accompany Caterers Campus we ve also devised a comprehensive guide to help carers support residents with diabetes Packed full of advice our guide will fill you with confidence when discussing diabetic care with your team members and residents

Bidfood’s Culinary Development Chef for the care sector Wayne Wright has put together a full seven day meal plan to help inspire those in the care setting when catering for diabetes Here are some of his top tips:

* Be careful with the carbs try to not overdo it by adding in too many

* Make healthy swaps like whole grain sweet potatoes wholemeal flour and lean cuts of meat

* Instead of adding sugar and salt for flavour add herbs spices lemon and lime juice

* Lastly, remember to keep an eye on the portion sizes

See the advert on the previous page for further information

Care homes intending to replace existing gas-fired domestic hot water (DHW) systems with more sustainable electric technologies as part of a decarbonisation strategy should invest in data gathering first recommends hot water specialist Adveco

Live Metering is a simple to install non-invasive onsite service provided by Adveco that generates consistent six minute data 24 hours per day from existing hot water systems to accurately understand actual usage including critical peak demands and their profile shape Adveco s specialist engineers will visit to fit the meter and assess the site The data will then be processed and a report generated with design recommendations for a replacement system that meets the exact needs of the building

The most consistent issue we see in healthcare hot water systems is oversizing whether through lack of understanding of application design or concerns over providing suitable back up to ensure system continuity The result of oversizing is always the same, unnecessary capital costs for system supply and installation, and ongoing excess operational costs associated with higher energy demands and therefore greater carbon emissions As the

care sector seeks to adopt greener building operations, replacing old gas-fired systems with like-for-like electric is another guaranteed way to gain an oversized system If the replacement system is oversized operational costs climb as the price of electricity per kW remains high Should demand exceed a building s available amperage of electrical supply project installation costs will inevitably soar or even stall the project This can be avoided by understanding your actual hot water demands and designing the replacement to meet those specific needs This is why accurate data is so valuable

The recommended replacement design by Adveco will show carbon reduction and outline new operational costs Accurate to the actual demands of the property live metered designs avoid excess capital costs associated with oversizing and ensures operation within the limits of the existing electrical supply of the building

Organisations which opt to purchase the recommended replacement system from Adveco will receive a 50% refund on the cost of implementing the initial Live Metering service

Talk to Adveco about booking metering at your property https://adveco co/products/live-metering/ See the advert on page 6 for further details

For any care home, the laundry process is critical to maintaining stringent hygiene standards and is therefore service area that will be closely evaluated upon inspection by the Care Quality Commission In order to ensure that your care home has efficient and CQC compliant procedures in place Forbes Professional advises that imperatives go beyond the need for commercial laundry equipment that provides the requisite disinfection

The CQC state on their website that for care homes to achieve their Good rating there is an expectation of a designated room for storage and managing laundry They will also require that ‘laundry processes follow national guidance and correctly manage’ and clean ‘used and infectious laundry to minimise risk of infection Efficient segregation of clean and soiled laundry is essential at all times with

Bring Joy and Connection to the Lives of Older People

Alive Activities have been engaging Care Home residents training carers and connecting communities for over 13 years With person-centred care at the heart of everything they do all their offerings are tailored to the people that they work with Alive are experts in bringing meaningful engagement to older people From training to activity audits gardening to intergenerational links find out how Alive can support you and your residents

TRAINING

Alive offer a range of inspiring training courses on topics that they know to be essential in providing person-centred care Training from Alive will give your staff the confidence and ideas to cater for individual needs and interests They also offer bespoke courses, including coaching programmes, which will be uniquely built with you, to cater for your home’s specific requirements In person or remotely, a common theme throughout all of Alive’s training

Our Animal World

Our Animal World is an educational and therapeutic mobile zoo providing both informative and therapeutic experiences for care homes disabled residencies hospices parties schools and events in Suffolk, Norfolk Cambridgeshire, Essex, North and East London

Laura runs all the sessions and is a fully qualified teacher with significant SEN experience and an Animal

Assisted therapist diploma

Animal visits to care facilities have shown specifically to decrease the agitated behaviours of residents who have dementia and can help combat depression ADHD schizophrenia loneliness autism and PTSD Therapy increases residents social interactions too

Our Animal World are set apart from other similar companies by their purpose-built van which houses 16 individual animal enclosures Each has their own

light source and heat source as required We can also add our 6m x 3m gazebo to the back to extend the spacethis allows up to 30 different species to be brought out in one go This allows Our Animal World to pull up anywhere without the need of going into a venue, although for most care homes we usually set up in a communal area such as a café or lounge

Our Animal World houses over 40 different species of animals including a variety of reptiles amphibians invertebrates mammals and birds We are insured for up to £10 million DBS checked exotic vet and council checked and licenced by Mid Suffolk District Council For the full list of animals or more information visit www ouranimalworld com email us info@ouranimalworld com or call us on 07519 340 788 See the advert on page 5 for details

is encouraging the “whole-home approach” to activities; giving all staff the skills to engage ALIVE ON DEMAND

Alive s newest service Alive on Demand is designed to assist Care Home Staff in providing meaningful engagements both in group and 1-2-1 activities It is a dementia-friendly video streaming platform with supporting materials including quizzes and crafts that easily transforms each topic into well-rounded activity Designed to spark conversation and evoke memories you can easily search for topics of interest or use the filter options to select videos by level of dementia and duration For those living with more advanced dementia Alive offer “calming videos” designed to immerse in relaxation and calm

“It is like having an activities expert in your back pocket!”

For more information, to book in a demo or discuss training options please call 0117 377 4756 or email info@aliveactivities org Visit www aliveactivities org to find out more See page 11 for details

Yeoman Shield Fire Door Ser vices Taking the Guess Work out of Fire Doors

Fire Doors are an imperative part of fire safety and are considerations of the design and maintenance of any building but especially residential Article 17 –RRFSO states fire safety provisions (includes fire doors) must be maintained in a suitable condition order

If you are the Responsible Person it s imperative you appoint a competent person to assist in meeting your duties under the fire safety order to ensure fire safety measures including fire doors are kept in working order

Yeoman Shield’s Fire Door Services can help to take the guess work out of fire door maintenance by providing fire door inspections condition reports, remedial work and fire door installation all carried out by FDIS and/or FIRAS accredited team members Having a good maintenance routine will dispel some needs of fire door replacement therefore being more cost effective

ation of Yeoman Shield Fire ction products can also be in the long term financially beneficial by halting impact damage from the start eliminating many repairs in the future and again will extend door lifecycles

Installing Yeoman Shield door protection products such as door protection panels door edge protectors and PVCu glazing bead units will not affect the integrity of the fire door as all products have been tested in situ to the current standard required

Vulnerable frames and architraves can also be protected from impact with Yeoman Shield to prevent dangerous splintering and splitting as well as abolishing the time-consuming, repetitive need for repainting

For a complete repair and protect service contact the team today frdp@yeomanshield com or visit www yeomanshield com or see the advert page 10

Joerns Healthcare Ups the Anti with Next Generation Stand Assist

Joerns Healthcare s new Oxford Up is a uniquely designed active manual stand aid supporting assisted standing seated transfers and patient rehabilitation Previewed at the Moving and Handling People Conference and OT Show in the latter half of 2022 it commanded a lot of interest and positive review from those who matter

The Up will form part of the Oxford Professional series complimenting the already established Switch Journey and Ascend stand assist solutions Suitable for clients who require some assistance when standing but are able to participate and contribute effort to the process the Up can also be deployed as a useful rehabilitation aid

Manufactured using a combination of steel and aluminium framework the Oxford Up meets or exceeds all applicable design and regulatory standards and unlike other stand assist products it quickly and conveniently dismantles into three separate components This significantly eases storage requirements and facilitates onward transportation in the boot of a car

Reassembly takes a matter of seconds and the Up is ready for use again

Owing to its unique and robust design the Up successfully achieves a safe working load rating of 200kg (31st) Careful attention to component geometry including the single upright mast section, allows for a fully contained footplate, ensuring patients have no risk of toes overhanging the edge and potential conflict with the rear castors or foot opening pedals

Injury reduction fall prevention and ergonomic principles were fundamental considerations during the development phase A large multi-point push handle aids manoeuvrability for the care giver and the foot push pad a common feature on Oxford Professional series products provides a means of generating forward momentum when moving a patient Optimum positioning of the swing-away moulded seat pads and knee support help ensure comfort for the patient Adjustable leg opening allows closer access around furniture promoting improved patient positioning and general ease of use

High-grade castors offer excellent manoeuvrability across many floor surfaces and ensures a smooth and comfortable transfer for both the patient and carer The centralised singular upright mast when compared to comparative products with dual seat posts results in softer transitions over room thresholds and different floor types It effectively serves to dampen the vibration felt through the seat pads culminating in more comfortable and less disconcerting transfers for patients Where additional seated support is required the Oxford Deluxe Standing sling (With Clips) is fully compatible with the Up and available in three standard sizes: small medium and large

order

please contact

Surestop

Making a home safe secure and comfortable can be difficult for those with cognitive impairments long term injuries or medical conditions that cause mobility issues

One of the biggest risks to the home is water damage A brass stopcock is the last line of defence from water damage They are often inaccessible or in a hard-to-reach location What’s more they are susceptible to seizing up If someone is unable to turn off their water in an emergency or when

Just Bowl

When residents enter a care home their daily routine inevitably changes and consequently several forms of physical activity are no longer possible One such activity that is synonymous with older adults is bowls Sadly for many residents when they enter a care home they will no longer be able to enjoy a ‘roll up’ on a sunny afternoon However the Bowls Development Alliance is helping to change that by introducing Just Bowl into the care sector

Just Bowl is a fun easy to play form of bowls that can be used in care homes rehabilitation centres and just about anywhere else Ian McCombes the Just Bowl Manager explains ‘We work with our partners to offer a bespoke training package which is supplemented by our exclusive equipment We provide aftercare support and guidance to ensure that Just

they leave their home even a small leak could cause significant damage to a property

Surestop is a unique device, which works on water pressure No electrics or batteries, enabling the safe management of water use With a flick of the switch, the Surestop instantly turns off the water to a sink, toilet bathroom kitchen or the entire property It is easily installed and a low-cost safety measure that should be considered in every property

The Surestop can be installed by itself or with a remote switch

The Surestop is WRAS approved and is limescale resistant so will never seize

A Surestop is peace of mind for you and your home

Telephone 0121 280 1685

Email enquiries@surestop co uk

See page 19 for details

Bowl is being utilised to its full potential

The team have also been working with Sheffield Hallam University to conduct research to identify what impact Just Bowl has had on residents The findings showed that Just Bowl encouraged inclusivity as 83% of the participants had a disability and 75% of the participants were aged 81-101 years of age It also helped to increase physical activity levels with research showing the average levels increased by 40 minutes per week Just Bowl also created a sociable and fun atmosphere as residents were able to bond whilst playing the game which subsequently lead to an improvement in mental wellbeing and happiness and a reduction in anxiety

Additionally the research established that exercise self-efficacy increased following participation in Just Bowl, which suggests that participants felt more confident in their ability to be physically active

For further information on Just Bowl please visit us at UK Care Week at stand E40 or contact Ian on 07741873233 or ian@justbowl org

Alternatively see the advert on the front cover of this issue

Consort Claudgen Includes Wi-Fi Enabled Heaters in LST Range

Consort Claudgen’s low surface temperature heaters range now includes heaters that are Wi-Fi enabled These heaters connect directly to Wi-Fi and heating can be controlled from the digital control panel on the heater or Consort

Connect app Features include a 7day timer with 24 heating periods per day lock function open window detection and custom automations Users can also view the energy consumption statistics of all connected heaters Additionally LST heaters with Wi-Fi and occupancy sensor have a self-learning control ability which uses in-built occu-

BIOFROST® Cold Therapy Gels for Drug-Free Natural Pain Relief

BIOFROST® Cold Therapy

Gels are natural drug-free topical cold therapy gels for muscular and joint pain

chronic arthritic pain postactivity muscle tension general aches and overuse disorders Easy to use and fast acting BIOFROST® Cold Therapy Gels relieve pain reduce inflammation and swelling without drugs and drug-related side-effects

BIOFROST® Gels:

BIOFROST® Relief Cold Gel for pain relieving cold therapy

• BIOFROST® Active Dual-Action Cold Gel w th Heat Sensat on comb ning cold with heat to treat back pain

BIOFROST® Relief provides instant pain relief and activates body’s own healing through an optimal combination of natural ingredients including ethanol menthol eucalyptus peppermint and MSM Reported benefits of BIOFROST® Relief include lasting pain relief, improved joint movements, comfort during sleep, fewer cramps calmed nerve pain reduced joint and muscle discomfort and faster post-activity recoveries

BIOFROST® Active is a dualaction fast-acting cold gel with heat sensation for effective relief of muscular and joint pain Containing 10 natural herbal extracts (i e Arnica Burdock Roman Chamomile Garlic Watercress Ivy White Nettle Pine Rosemary Menthol)

BIOFROST® Active relieves chronic pain releases muscular tension loosens stiff joints and effectively treats back pain Benefits of BIOFROST® Active include easier joint movements effective pain relief in treated areas discomfort-free sleep fewer cramps and reduced post-activity muscular and joint fatigue

BIOFROST® Cold Therapy Gels are usable standalone or alongside other pain relieving therapies (i e medication physiotherapy etc ) BIOFROST® Cold Therapy Gels are suitable for people of any age including elderly and disabled people living independently or in nursing care

BIOFROST® Cold Therapy Gels are Class 1 Medical Devices made in Finland

Win Health Medical Ltd: T: 01835 864864866

E: biofrost@win-health com

W: www win-health com

See the advert on page 3

pancy sensors to detect and learn a user s weekly presence in a room It then creates a heating schedule and automatically warms the room according to the detected or predicted occupancy When the room is unoccupied the heater will conserve energy by switching to a setback temperature or frost protection mode

BIM objects are available for download from Consort s website

01646 692172

sales@consortepl com

www consortepl com

See the advert on page 9 for further information

Cash’s Labels- “The Name Behind the Name”

At Cash s we aim to capture reinforce and communicate our clients brand equity through quality and innovation from design to distribution

Our product range fully caters for the needs of both small and large retailers and brand owners alike comprising of woven and printed labels

woven badges care labels branded and promotional swing tags garment accessories packaging and barcoding Our ground breaking labelling and security technologies are also able to provide an unrivalled level of protection to our

Do you know someone who struggles to find shoes or slippers to fit? Cosyfeet, the specialists in extra roomy footwear, can help Wider and deeper than anything on the high street their British designed footwear is expertly crafted to fit and flatter extra wide and swollen feet

Now spring has arrived Cosyfeet s newest collection boasts a fabulous

customers brand by assisting to combat counterfeiting and grey market activity

Our industry leading eCommerce system is designed to reduce cost improve efficiency and streamline supply chain management and will fully protect the integrity and accuracy of critical business data The order entry process is very simple meaning suppliers and vendors can spend their valuable time on tasks other than ordering apparel labelling and accessories

Visit www cashslabels com or page 9

Skopos has 50 years’ experience of supplying specialist contract fabrics and soft furnishings to Care interiors With new collections launched each year, many Skopos fabrics are antimicrobial coming under the umbrella of Skopos ProtectPlus including waterproof upholstery options (specifically for care) soil and stain resist fabrics and printed fabrics for all types of Care environments Skopos can offer a fabric-only service or a full service; with site measure product manufacture and installation The Skopos team produce approximately 25 000 made-up items each year including bed-throws cushions and pairs of curtains all manufactured by a highly-skilled team of machinists cutters and pattern makers; items that are delivered and installed into different contract environments

As with all Skopos prints customers are able to order designs across base-cloths for upholstery curtains and bedding Qualities include waterproof upholsteries velvets drapery linen-effect qualities and

blackout/dimout fabrics

With a target reduction of energy consumption at the forefront of everyone’s agenda Skopos are also pleased to have included a new wide-width double-sided blackout lining into their core offer As an optional choice on all Skopos made-up curtains the Reflection lining can be used in 2 different ways depending on the environment it is specified for On the most-part in the UK the lining will be used with the silver side facing inwards towards the room minimising any heat loss through the curtain With the silver side facing out the lining helps to reflect heat thereby keeping the room cooler The lining can facilitate a substantial reduction in energy bills

Skopos also offers a Bespoke design service for statement interiors that are unique to your environment or brand

For samples of any of our collections www skoposfabrics com or see advert on page 5

Raising the Standard of Stair Climbing Solutions

The Stair Climbing Company is one of the leading providers of powered Stair Climber solutions which have been specifically designed to assist those struggling with mobility and independence issues facing people with disabilities

The Stair Climbing Company offers an excellent range of compact easy to use powered Stair Climbers that are ideal for use in both home and commercial settings Offering innovative designs all of the company s Stair Climbers can be separated into two pieces for safe storage and are easily transported and charged In addition all of its Stair Climber’s come with a two year manufacturer s warranty

The Stair Climbing Company maintains one main

C&S Seating Ltd

C&S Seating Ltd have provided postural control equipment to residential homes hospices medical equipment services and NHS trust hospitals nationwide since 1991

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

mission; to improve quality of life through its range of high-quality and custom devices with built-in seats

The safety and comfort of its customers is of the utmost importance to the company and it ensures that each wheelchair carrier model is designed to cater to individual customers’ specific needs and works with all stair types Furthermore the company provides Stair Climbers for all ages making them suitable for everyone and offers a free assessment for customers

If you would like to find out any more information, please see the details below T 01787 379160 www thestairclimbingcompany com

See the advert on page 15

C&S Seating Ltd is the sole manufacturer of the Alternative Positioning Support – also available in two sizes which has removable side cushions and middle pommel for when more control of the abducted lower limb is required

Our popular and vibrant range of Soft Knit covers in a choice of 5 colours, provide a softer alternative, ideal for the colder seasons and are designed to fit snug over our waterproof rolls for maximum protection and comfort

Contact us on 01424 853331 or visit www cands-seating co uk to request or download a brochure pricelist or order form request an individualised quotation speak to an advisor or to place an order See the advert on page 19

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

Haigh Engineering

Haigh Engineering is excited to share the success of the latest iteration of bedpan machine, Panaway DS, following its initial roll out across multiple healthcare facilities The feedback received from both users and facilities managers has been overwhelmingly positive and we are pleased to see that the Panaway DS is delivering great value for money through improving sluice room up time and the niche but critical matter of ensuring patient waste disposal compliant Users consistently commented on the Panaway DS s ease of use and dependability when it comes to disposing of medical pulp items and patient waste With the intuitive interface and easy-to-follow instructions sites can perform routine maintenance tasks in house reducing the need for specialist technicians allowing for more efficient timely and cost-effective maintenance Additionally the backward compatibility of the machine has made

the transition from older models seamless with little or no need for costly sluice room re configuring and staff retraining

Facilities managers have been particularly impressed with the Panaway DS s focus on ensuring sluice room up-time With simplified installation maintenance costs and Haigh's well known product reliability the Panaway DS helps departments hit challenging SLAs that are critical to keeping the ever present infection risks associated with waste management under control With the alternative being washing bedpans pots and bottles with steam and hot water high energy costs are meaning that the benefits of bedpan macerators have never been greater Haigh s online cost calculator has been an eye opener for many customers seeing just how many thousands of pounds a year they benefit from by using these types of machine instead on top of the core infection prevention benefits

Complementing Haigh s movables approach to sluice room equipment Panaway DS is proving to be the logical step forward for existing and new customers alike meeting the demanding needs of everything from busy NHS acute wards to private elderly care sites where immobile at risk residents require the highest standard of care The team at Haigh Engineering is looking forward to continued developments in providing our clients with the best for the sluice room

If you would like to find out Haigh's Panaway DS can improve your site please contact the team on info@haighmed com or call 01989 763131 - Option 2

www haighmed com

Buyer Beware Specify CHSA Accreditation

By Lorcan Mekitarian, Chair of the Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association (www CHSA co uk)

Buyers and users of cleaning and hygiene goods and services in the care sector need products that are fit for purpose They need to know product claims are legitimate, realistic and relevant and that ‘what’s on the box is what’s in the box’ They also want to do the ‘right thing’ and move towards environmentally and ethically sustainable solutions But those working in the care sector already have many challenges to deal with, including staff shortages, higher demand and tighter budgets Low-cost solutions are tempting but buyers lack the time, resources and expertise to audit their cleaning and hygiene suppliers and the products they manufacture and sell The Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association represents manufacturers and distributors supplying cleaning and hygiene products in the UK Our Accreditation Schemes can provide the solution Our Standards, Your Guarantee

The commercial pressures we all face today are immense Interest rates have steadily increased in recent months and the Bank of England may have to go further to control inflation The war in Ukraine continues It’s impacting the cost of energy, which may have stabilised but is still relatively high This adds to the pressure on care homes, increasing their need for low-cost solutions At the same time it is hugely increasing costs for our members particularly our manufacturing members The opening up of the Chinese economy is also hitting prices Its growth rate may not have bounced back to pre-pandemic levels but the rapid opening up has put pressure on raw materials, driving up the cost

Balancing these economic pressures with delivering good quality fit-for-purpose products is not easy In the past the unscrupulous squared the circle by cutting corners A few sheets shorter or a little narrower with the soft tissue Thinner plastic for the sacks Lower absorbency for the cotton mops Our Accreditation Schemes were set up specifically to protect buyers of cleaning and hygiene products from this type of sharp practice and over the 26 years since the establishment of our first Scheme their impact has been impressive

There will always be rogue traders operating outside our Schemes who are more interested in making a quick buck than in trading ethically It’s a problem made worse by the pandemic, particularly when it comes to cleaning chemicals Extraordinary claims were made for these products, for example that they kept an area clean and sterile for days if not months The truth is different A product may keep a surface sterile for days but only in laboratory conditions with very specific testing protocols In the real world inhabited by people it’s not possible New methods of application were also developed Misting was proposed as quick and effective, but the truth is it is more suited to applying cleaning chemicals in operating theatres than care homes These claims are still made today

The fog created by these misleading claims is now being added to with all sorts of environmental claims that often amount to nothing more than greenwashing A typical example is claims of biodegrability Given the right conditions everything biodegrades into its natural elements but it could take thousands of years The claim means nothing without information on conditions and timeframe Chemical-free cannot be true because everything on earth is comprised of chemicals Non-toxic is meaningless The toxicity of a cleaning product relates to its effect on humans when in direct contact In the real world this depends on what they are for and how they are used For instance, toilet bowl cleaners tend to have higher levels of harmful chemicals than all-purpose kitchen cleaners but because of where and how they are used there is no increased risk to the user

How are hard pressed buyers in the care sector supposed to navigate these challenges and get fit-for-purpose product with good environmental credentials at the right price?

We can help Setting and maintaining standards is in the DNA of the CHSA We set up our first Accreditation Scheme in 1997 and now have six They are for manufacturers of paper-based products plastic-based products cotton-based products and cleaning chemicals for general manufacturers and for distributors of cleaning and hygiene products

The Schemes integrity is maintained by the Independent Inspector In 2022 he conducted more than 139 audits In the process, he inspected over 1,500 labels, tested over 507 product lines and physically tested 4 170 individual products

Every CHSA member has also signed the CHSA’s rigorous Code of Practice, which incorporates the Competition and Markets Authority s Green Claims Code It requires them to “maintain a high standard in the conduct of its business”

The combination of our Code of Practice and Accreditation Scheme membership means ever y member:

• Trades ethically and sustainably; Provides quality, fit for purpose products; and Makes sure what s on the box is what s in the box

Our advice to buyers who want to avoid these problems is simple ‘Be cautious ’

1 Be sceptical It if sounds too good to be true it probably is

2 Ask for supporting evidence The manufacturer should be willing and able to show you data sheets or other relevant evidence to support claims

3 Ask for the CE declaration and any other test reports to show conformance to specification

4 Buy from a reputable supplier with a track record

5 Finally specify CHSA Accreditation Our Standards Your Guarantee

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 ava lable One monitor works with two sensor pads Integrates with most nurse call systems

A variety of opt ons including: Call button Pager

Floor sensor mat

Wireless door/w ndow exit alerts

TREADNOUGHT ®FLOOR

Lotus Care Technology

The NurseAlert pressure mat has been one of the most successful floor pressure mats due to it being non slip and carpeted which makes it feel very natural under a residents foot Lotus Care Technology Ltd have many other fall saving devices that can give you peace of mind whilst caring for this at risk of falls

Having many years of experience in fitting and maintaining

Nurse Call Systems helps the guys at Lotus Care Technology understand that every home is different and has different needs They can specify not only the best system for the environmental factors in the home but also take into consideration the best products that will make your carers and nurses jobs that little bit easier

Visit www lctuk com for details

MONITORING

Medpage Falls Management Products

Medpage is a family ran company with a huge heart and resources gathered over our 38- 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

See the advert on page 5 got details

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 separate 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

www.nursecallsystems.co.uk

TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE

Mainteno is a complete cost-effective CAFM software solution designed to simplify the day-to-day maintenance of any organization Whether you're managing planned maintenance or dealing with fault repairs Mainteno streamlines every aspect of the maintenance management process saving you time and money With Mainteno, you can keep everyone in the loop and archive all your communications and documentation in one place, allowing for total control of your organization's assets The software also seamlessly incorporates asset management and tracking for added convenience

Mainteno s interface was designed with practicality in mind allowing basic operation to be learned in minutes and making it easy to become a power user in just one afternoon Despite its elegant usability Mainteno is surprisingly affordable with no set-up fee or lengthy contracts

Mainteno adapts to any organization's maintenance needs and offers a FREE TRIAL so you can see how it can benefit your organization before committing Try Mainteno now and experience the time and cost savings it can provide for your facilities management With Mainteno, you can enjoy a complete CAFM software solution that simplifies your maintenance processes and saves you money, all while providing the flexibility and ease-of-use you need to stay productive

Visit www mainteno com

Digital Employee Recognition Scheme Increases Morale and Productivity

Terryberry offer an all-in-one benefits reward and recognition platform including milestone and service awards lifestyle savings salary sacrifice cycle to work 24hour GP helpline and pension contributions in an easy-to-use platform

It is commonly accepted that workplace morale is intrinsically linked to productivity and retention With the current cost-of-living crisis rocketing basic food and energy bills Terryberry is helping UK businesses ride the storm

The 360 Employee Recognition software and platform incorporates four aspects into one integrated digital hub: employee benefits milestones and service awards social recognition and wellness

The employee benefit section allows managers and HR staff to incentivise staff through a range of benefits from private healthcare life insurance and GP helplines employee perks such as retail discounts and wellbeing schemes such as cycle to work schemes

We all want to know we re doing a good job; positive recognition bolsters self-esteem and super-

chargers dopamine It s a win-win scenario: employees feel good will stay in their jobs and continue working hard Managers benefit from a happy workplace with staff who feel valued and will go the extra mile

The last section is wellness with Terryberry offering services to support an employee s physical mental and financial wellbeing Through support with Mental health and wellness to online gym classes and help with managing your finances

The 360 Employee Recognition software and platform offers HR departments and business leaders an integrated digital hub to look after the basics: everyday workplace morale with customised calendar events for Christmas Birthdays and retirement occasions This leaves more times for managers to come up with valuable team building sessions whether that s in the boardroom or in the pub!

To start prioritising your employees’ wellbeing today, see the details below

T +44 03448262008

www terryberry com/gb

TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE

workflows were a key factor in their decision to select PASS

Self sufficiency: With a relatively young IT literate workforce they were keen to work in an environment where they could make simple changes to their digital care management system inhouse without having to go back to the supplier each time

They therefore particularly liked the Document Builder function in PASS which gave them the option to build and customise documents and assessments themselves

THE IMPACT

everyLIFE technologies was founded on a passion for empowering care agencies to deliver the highest standards of personalised care easily and efficiently

Through a secure cloud-based digital care software solution PASS was designed with the input of the industry and now supports over 80 000 people With complete care plans, care plan tracking, care records and online as well as offline alerts we work to make critical data accessible secure and usable for your team

THE COURT NURSING HOME BENEFITS FROM THE INTRODUCTION OF PASS

As well as offering care for older people The Court Nursing Home also supports those with dementia, learning disabilities, mental health conditions physical disabilities and sensory impairment Amongst their staff they employ four registered nurses

WHY PASS?

In moving from paper to digital Court Nursing was seeking a solution that would allow them to streamline their working practices and realise improved operational efficiencies

Flexibility: The powerful core functionality of PASS, along with its flexible approach that supports customisable alerts documents assessments and

With the introduction of PASS Court Nursing has benefited from:

Realtime access from within PASS to their service user s GP records without having to contact the surgery or pharmacy

All of their service users documents stored electronically together in one place

• Ability to create and populate documents from within PASS

• Creating their own bespoke documents

• The Smart Observations function within PASS, making use of the Fluids observations feature for example

"GP Connect has provided continuity of care between ourselves and the GP, giving us access to up to date notes regarding the care of our users

In short PASS GP Connect helps us to cut out the middleman meaning that as nurses we can work more efficiently giving us more time for direct patient care

Rebecca Knight Registered Manager For further information visit www everylifetechnologies com

TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE

Don’t Get Lost On Your Digital Journey

The next 12 months is going to see big changes in the residential care sector With around 50% of homes still using a paper system to plan and record care, The NHS Transformation Directorate have big ideas which whilst exciting are daunting to those without the proper tools to make these ideas a reality

So where to begin? Finding the right software provider might appear to be the ideal starting point Will the provider meet all your requirements within budget and customise the software to fit with your own processes? It s only once you have made this decision that your journey will really begin

There is little information and guidance out there on how to implement a new system into a residential care setting, where do you start? As

unique to our customers and are committed to working together to provide the best service for them We understand that the care landscape is always changing and improving, whether via new processes or new technologies We keep up to date with what our sector needs to ensure we are providing the best and most cost effective service possible

Again, let’s ask: So where to begin? Now we know the answer Find a system provider who will share their experience and knowledge with you and get you to your final destination smoothly and safely

From implementing systems into homes for over 20 years we not only know how to help plan your journey, but we ll be there as your co-pilot too Every step of the way So jump on board and get ready to take off!

For further information on the Blyssful Cloud Care System visit www ablyss co uk

Getting Digitisation Right, Ever y Step Of The Way – Top Tips From The Access Group

Care providers across the UK are digitising their records and processes to free up time improve safety and care quality and even staff satisfaction

When selecting and implementing a piece of care software it is easy to be wowed and carried away by all the advanced features, the impressive analytics, the powerful automation and all the potential that unleashes

However, unleashing that potential requires successful selection, implementation and ongoing use of the system

Care providers often tell us that the involvement ‘buy-in’ and enthusiasm of staff across their care services was crucial to achieving this

Here are a few tips on what to do help you get this right at each stage of the process

SELECTING A SYSTEM:

People working in different roles can offer very different perspectives For example a care worker may spot potential flaws and issues or hidden benefits that might not be apparent to management until it is too late

Create a working group involving staff from different roles within your organisation especially those that will have day to day use of the system you are procuring

You don’t need to involve everyone of course, just at least one representative from each role in your service that will have direct contact with the system you are selecting

From these working groups, draw up a checklist of your must-haves and red flags from your new system It doesn’t need to be an overly complex or extensive piece of work that saps your time and causes delays You just need something that outlines:

What our key goals/objectives are – what we want to get out of using this piece of software

Any key functionality or features any system we choose must have

Any characteristics of a system that we feel would not be a good fit for us BEFORE IMPLEMENTATION:

Once you’ve chosen the right system it is crucial to communicate regularly and openly with everyone across your care services Make it clear why you are implementing this new system, which should come out of your list of goals and objectives

How will it benefit service users, your care service and staff themselves? How will it enable them to provide better care and make their jobs easier or less stressful?

Communication should be two way Be open to questions and concerns from staff Listen as they may have thought of a potential hurdle you haven t spotted yet Respond because often these concerns are shared by colleagues and addressing them properly will help people feel comfortable and confident about the change in ways of working

DURING IMPLEMENTATION

During the implementation of your software maintain the approach to communication outlined above You should also identify ‘champions’ people who are especially enthusiastic about the software and the change it brings Often it s best if champions are care workers especially when care workers are using the software directly

These champions should not only act as an advocate of the software to colleagues, but also as a person who can confidentially hear the concerns or challenges that people are having and work with management and/or the software supplier to address them

YOUR NEXT STEP:

If you want to learn more about the full range of care software available to you then we can help At The Access Group we provide a complete ecosystem of care management software with everything you need to improve efficiency safety and care quality in your services

Contact us for an informal conversation whenever you are ready

See the advert on the facing page for further details

The CAREAudits System

The CAREAudits compliance auditing tool is now being used throughout the UK and Ireland in numerous locations by all care service providers Carers and managers are checking everything from CQC Compliance and Safety to Medication Audits Training and Maintenance as well as service users quality and wellbeing

The system allows care providers to audit or check just about everything and manage all areas requiring actions (or non-compliances) in its Web Portal Encrypted date and time stamped evidence including photos is seamlessly auto attached and recorded in the system Management see in real time exactly were best to focus their attention and resources and how they are meeting their compliance requirements

The system has over 150 easy to use example audits to select from which you can easily add to or edit your own audits in minutes ensuring simple instant updates of ever-changing requirements App care auditors can use CAREAudits

with virtually no training it’s that simple The Care Auditor s Hands Free Operation guides the user through each audit each question and answer with its own help text standard answers and standard actions required ensuring

The UK has seen a rise in Social Prescribing Services with many NHS Trusts and local authorities now offering services that connect patients with community activities and voluntary groups

Social prescribing is an alternative to traditional healthcare models, which aims to improve health outcomes by connecting people with the wider community It is also a preventative treatment that can be used alongside other treatments to reduce the need for medication

Social prescribing is one of the most effective ways to provide healthcare to people struggling with mental health problems and it s a practice that has been growing in popularity for the past few years However it s also a relatively new field and there aren t a lot of people who have been trained in this area

If you re looking for a new job or are planning to retrain a career in social prescribing this article will give you an overview of what s involved and how to get started

WHAT IS SOCIAL PRESCRIBING?

Social prescribing is a form of community-based health care that helps people with social or emotional problems improve their health and well-being It involves the assessment of someone's needs, matching them with appropriate services and then supporting them to use those services effectively

Social prescribing has been shown to help people access the right support at the right time and can help to reduce the use of acute services It also improves outcomes for patients as they are more satisfied with their care and experience fewer repeat visits to the hospital or A&E

Social prescribing is a way of helping people access services and support they need but may not know about or have the confidence to access alone It can be used as a treatment for people with long-term conditions or mental health problems such as depression or anxiety Social prescribing can also address loneliness and isolation amongst older people in the community

Social Prescribing is an opportunity for GPs and other health professionals to work with local organisations, such as community groups and voluntary organisations, to help their patients improve their health and well-being The aim is for patients to maintain good health by accessing meaningful activities and meeting their needs

There are three main components: the person who makes the referral; the link-worker who helps the individual choose what kind of help they need and where to find it; and the activity itself

One of the biggest challenges in social prescribing is finding people who are knowledgeable qualified and willing to do it It s also important that they have a good understanding of their local area as well as being able to work with other agencies and professionals

Social prescribers are trained to assess the needs of their patients and connect them with services that can help them address those needs

It s a holistic approach to healthcare that focuses on not only physical symptoms but also mental health financial stability and other factors

If you re interested in becoming a social prescriber yourself there are three steps you should take:

1 Learn about social prescribing and its principles so that you can understand what it means to be a social prescriber and how it differs from other approaches to healthcare

2 Complete an accredited training course from Need2Succeed this will ensure that you know what your role as a social prescriber is and how best to serve your community

3 Look for opportunities within your area or network with others working toward similar goals this will help you build a support system while also helping others become interested in social prescribing themselves!

If you d like to learn more about our online distance learning courses or specialist training opportunities don t hesitate to contact us today!

Visit https://need2succeed co uk/national-qualifications/level-3-certificate-in-social-prescribing

& RECRUITMENT

Appreciating Our People

By Jarrod Kelly, Consultant and Trainer, Meaningful Care Matters (https://meaningfulcarematters com)

Without a doubt, the success of a team rises or falls on the people who make up that team Of course, there are other factors which can affect a team’s success; lack of resources, understaffing and a stretched budget to name a few I ve seen teams pull together in incredibly tough circumstances and hit goals or targets that seemed almost impossible I ve also seen teams who are over staffed and very well resourced yet they struggle to achieve even the most basic targets that their roles demand

In the Five Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace Dr Paul White found that 79% of employees who quit their job cite lack of appreciation as a key reason for leaving Why is it then that so many managers and leaders fail to show meaningful appreciation to their teams? Well in my experience most are trying to show appreciation in one way or another but it is often completely ineffective A failure to understand how to appreciate people well can be frustrating for the leader and soul destroying for the team members

Here are four tips to help make sure your appreciation hits the mark

KNOW THE INDIVIDUAL

Some people respond well to a small gift but others just want to be told they’re doing an amazing job I know people who feel on top of the world when their boss sets aside a few minutes to have a coffee with them and show an interest in their life It won t be the same for everyone but an effective leader will take time to learn what makes their individual team members feel valued

MASS APPRECIATION HAS LIMITED EFFECT

Saying well done to your whole team is great and we should do it but it doesn t acknowledge the achievements or contributions the individuals have made In some cases where there are one or two lazy team members, it can actually lead to resentment from their high performing co-workers Why should lazy employees be rewarded in the same way as hard-working ones? Don t fall into the trap of thinking that a gesture of mass appreciation (like a staff Christmas party) will make the whole team feel valued

THE LAW OF DIMINISHING RETURNS

What works today will be less effective tomorrow

For example if you give your team members a £100 gift card at the end of the year to say thank you it’s likely to be well received the first year If you do it again the next year they’ll be appreciative but not as much as the year before By the third year they’re expecting that £100 gift card and it s now considered an entitlement rather than a bonus Make sure you mix things up so appreciation remains unpredictable and comes as an unexpected surprise rather than a scheduled entitlement

GIVE APPRECIATION, NOT JUST RECOGNITION

Recognition is given for a job well done What about appreciating someone for who they are not just what they do? This is much less common but so much more powerful It might sound like this; I so appreciate the enthusiasm and life you bring to the team We really value your energy, and the team would be poorer without you Comments like that don t just make people feel appreciated they buy loyalty like you wouldn t believe

Apprenticeships Partnership Could Help Create ‘Managers Of The Future’ For Care Sector

The co-founder of an award-winning management transformation programme believes a new class of apprenticeships could help create managers of the future for the care sector

Laura Ashley-Timms Chief Operating Officer of Notion, believes apprenticeships that increase people management capacity in learners could be transformational for the future of care sector management

Speaking at the start of National Apprenticeship Week Laura says: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) now requires a specific ratio of manager level staff to patients in each care setting But there is a shortage of care workers with the required Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Adult Care This reduces capacity in care settings which means hospitals are unable to discharge patients into those appropriate care settings which increases

demand for NHS beds If more care workers were able to access that qualification via an apprenticeship, it would increase care setting capacity and alleviate pressure on the NHS

“These areas are strategically important for the UK economy and for UK society as a whole Creating more and better managers, especially in the adult care sector has the potential to relieve pressure on the NHS Announcing their partnership Qdos Training Ltd and Notion have been working together to integrate STAR® Manager into their management and leadership apprenticeships that are the first to fully embed Notion’s innovative (and now research-backed ) Operational Coaching™ and management approach into selected Level 3 and 5 management and leadership apprenticeships

The partnership is initially focused on three apprenticeship programmes Level 3 Team Leader / Supervisor Level 5 Operations / Department Manager and Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Adult Care ”

Speaking of the partnership, Laura Ashley-Timms said

We ve always wanted to partner with a quality apprenticeship provider because we see apprenticeships as a powerful way of unlocking untapped talent and potential within organisations of all types Qdos

Do you have team members who struggle to work together?

Often it can seem team members are poles apart and have different objectives. As we ’ ve worked in the care industry over recent years, we ’ ve found the Ever ything DiSC tools to be a game changer for teams

Training is an exceptional provider and has a very impressive programme completion rate

Deborah Johnson Engagement Director at Qdos Training says of the partnership:

“We share Notion’s absolute passion to create the managers of the future Most of us are accidental managers and may not have ever been shown how to manage people let alone learned how to communicate in a way that invites the highest levels of collaboration in the workplace STAR® Manager is a unique approach that enables our apprentices to put into practice the people management and leadership theories they re learning The programme enables them to be more than just managers and instead become brilliant people leaders ”

STAR® Manager was recently subjected to one of the largest academic studies of its type The study carried out by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and the Government s Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy found statistically significant proof that the programme improves retention rates and transforms management capability at scale in as little as six months

Website: https://starmanager global/what-is-star/ Contact: hello@STARmanager global

Meaningful Care Matters can assist in developing leadership skills in a person- centred, feelings first, and emotion- centred way MCM is the only health and social care provider registered internationally as a partner with Everything DiSC It has Leadership Coaches ready to support individual needs in becoming aware of emotional intelligence factors to enhance leadership skills.

Ever ything DiSC helps people to understand themselves and appreciate the differences in other team members We may have different motivators and stressors, varying priorities, ways of interacting and working styles

Check out the three tools we can use to help your team work together in a more cohesive way

How

does it work?

Each participant completes an online questionnaire which then produces a comprehensive personalised report helping us to tailor the training to your team’s needs Contact us today to discuss how we can help you through individual coaching via Zoom or group training sessions in person using the Ever ything DiSC tools

Contact us today to find out how we can help your team admin@meaningfulcarematters.com

01273 242335

Check out more information on our Website: www.meaningfulcarematters.com/coaching-tools/

PROFESSIONAL , TRAINING & RECRUITMENT

Braemar Finance Business Barometer – Care Homes

Braemar Finance recently conducted its latest Business Barometer research which examines current Care Home sector trends and the view of business-owners about a range of issues, from the cost of doing business to recruitment and retention

In this piece, we get under the skin of the data to find out more

COST OF DOING BUSINESS

The cost of energy has had – by some distance – the most impact on Care Homes’ income with 56% selecting this option Staff pay rises (16%) supply costs (12%) and fuel increases (10%) are the next most cited

Unsurprisingly 89% of Care Homes said they were taking measures to reduce their energy use, including, in order of most popular measures:

Turning off the lights overnight

Replacing equipment with more energy-efficient alternatives

• Looking at alternative heating and energy sources

Lowering the heating

Changed energy supplier

Insulating your building

Unfortunately, a quarter of Care Homes confirmed that they had considered closing their business as a result of rising costs and 33% said that they had made redundancies because of the impact of rising costs

Seven out of 10 firms surveyed admitted to passing on additional costs to their customers either partially (60%) or fully (10%)

RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION

Looking at staff vacancies and the impact of the recruitment and the retention crisis 61% of Care Homes replied that they currently have a

vacancy to fill the highest of all the professions polled A further 49% said they ve struggled to fill vacancies in the past 12 months

When asked how long it took to hire a candidate results indicate it typically takes up to four months:

Less than a month

Sixty percent of Care Homes say there is a skills crisis in the sector and a similar number are currently finding it more difficult to fill vacancies

Looking ahead to recruiting in the future, respondents said:

I won’t have a problem recruiting adequately skilled staff 33 50%

I will struggle to recruit because there is a skills gap in my sector

43 00%

I will struggle to recruit because there is a skills gap in my region

10 50%

I will struggle to recruit because there is a skills gap in the UK

13 00%

THE UK’S ECONOMIC OUTLOOK

The majority (93%) of Care Home businesses surveyed responded that they were either very (43%) or somewhat (50%) concerned about the UK s current economic performance Despite this 16% expected to expand in the coming 12 months against 21% who think they will contract; 62% hope to stay the same – only 1 5% think they ll close their door permanently

The Eden Alternative - What Is It?

The Eden Alternative is a modern philosophy of care designed to enhance the wellbeing of residents and staff in care settings the quality of their ‘lived experience and their fulfilment

It aims to build a truly positive culture; underpinned by close partnership working between residents the team and family members

How does it work? It provides training to Care Homes manage-

ment and staff and encourages Homes to train their own ‘in house trainers to run the training

Eden has been running in over 20 countries on 5 continents for nearly 30 years and started in the USA It began operating in the UK in 2005 Eden UK runs both face-to-face training and online courses, which both lead to the accreditation of candidates as Certified Eden Associates of which there are over 2,000 in the UK and 20 000 worldwide

The Certified Eden Associate Courses online course run over 7 weeks x 1hr each week using the same material as the 3-day Eden Associate courses and comprise 5 elements (online training with Eden trainers digital workbooks video clips assessment of learning and development of a project to develop implementing innovative ideas)

Over nine in 10 (91%) of respondents confirmed they d been impacted by rising inflation and 70% admit it s likely they ll apply for funding within the year

THE ENVIRONMENT

Despite the economic headwinds they re facing 67 5% of Care Homes are working to limit their environmental impact and 77 5% have considered climate change and other environmental factors within their business plans

82% believe that they can help tackle climate change and a further 18% believe they can achieve carbon neutrality by 2050

NEW TECHNOLOGY

Half of respondents are looking to invest in new technologies over the course of the next year and 65% of Care Homes stated they feel keeping up-to-date with modern technologies is a key differentiator for customers and a reason they may choose their Care Home over a competitor 80% of Care Homes are confident about being able to keep ahead of technological developments within the profession

Braemar Finance has been established since 1992 and offers a range of tailor-made finance solutions to the Professions, including Care, Dental, Veterinary, Optical, Legal, Accountancy, Medical, Pharmacy and Funeral

For more information visit https://www braemarfinance co uk/care

Courses run continuously and a new one starts at the beginning of each alternate month e g March May July etc

For Homes or Services that choose to become an Eden Accredited Home annual validations of how Eden features with the life of the Home/Service are undertaken In recognition of the progress achieved by the care provision, an award of Platinum Gold, Silver or Bronze can be achieved

Eden UK is based at 11 Plantation Terrace Dawlish Devon EX7 9DS and can be contacted on 01626 868192 or 07483359472

The key advantages to the Eden approach are:

• It improves occupancy

It improves recruitment and retention

It improves team and resident wellbeing

Geoffrey Cox LLb MSc ,

We shall at the Health Care Plus show at Excel London on 26th-27th April 2023