The Carer Digital - Issue #154

Welcome to the latest edition of The Carer Digital!

Today's announcement that renowned TV presenter Fiona Phillips has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's serves as a poignant reminder of the growing prevalence of dementia in the UK The announcement was even more poignant since Ms Phillips’ own parents battled dementia and she has been at the forefront of raising awareness and the difficulties carers face for many years, and I was very sad indeed to hear the news

As the population ages the number of individuals affected by this devastating condition is projected to rise significantly presenting immense challenges for our society and the adult social care sector in particular

According to estimates from Alzheimer s Research UK the number of people living with dementia in the UK is expected to exceed one million by 2025 and this figure could double by 2050 if no significant breakthroughs in prevention or treatment occur Alongside the personal and emotional toll this disease exacts on individuals and their families there are substantial economic implications for the social care system As we often report here at THE CARER

Future costs in social care are projected to skyrocket due to the increasing demands of dementia care According to a report by the London School of Economics and Political Science, dementia-related care costs are estimated to reach £94 1 billion by 2040, almost tripling the current expenditure Such figures underscore the urgency to address this issue and find sustainable solutions

Is there a solution? That remains to be seen I follow a great American economist named Thomas Sowell who famously said once that there are “no solutions only trade-offs”

I am fearful this may be the case with adult social care There will simply never be enough money or resources/staff to cover the costs of care However we must at the very least mitigate the future burden on the social care system and future generations and in my years of reporting industry organizations and observers have put forth some sensible suggestions:

Invest in research and innovation: Increased funding for dementia research is crucial to better understand the disease develop effective treatments and eventually find a cure Collaborations between academia industry and government are essential to accelerate progress in this field

• Early detection and intervention: Greater emphasis should be placed on early detec-

tion and intervention strategies as they can potentially delay the onset or progression of dementia This requires raising awareness improving access to diagnostic services and implementing appropriate support systems

Integrated care models: Establishing integrated care models that promote collaboration among healthcare professionals social care providers and community support services can enhance the quality and efficiency of dementia care This holistic approach ensures seamless coordination and support across different stages of the disease

Dementia-friendly environments: Designing and adapting living spaces to be dementia-friendly can significantly improve the quality of life for individuals with dementia

This includes features such as clear signage appropriate lighting and supportive architectural design to reduce confusion and increase independence

Public awareness and education: Widespread public awareness campaigns can help reduce stigma, increase understanding, and foster dementia-friendly communities

Educational initiatives should target not only the general public but also healthcare professionals, empowering them with the knowledge and skills necessary for providing person-centered care

The challenge of dementia in the UK is, I believe, a multifaceted issue that requires urgent attention and concerted efforts from all stakeholders

We highlight in our lead article the concerns providers have expressed regarding the government’s Long Term Workforce Plan In particular the lack of reference to adult social care

Policymakers healthcare professionals researchers and society as a whole must work together to address not only the rising tide of dementia but the wider issue of adult social care to ensure adequate support for those affected and seek innovative solutions that can alleviate the future social care burden And it is clear that the sector feels that none of its concerns have been addressed in the government s latest announcement

One more thing! Watch out for our afternoon tea week again we had a wonderful response last year nobody celebrates tradition like those in care homes and we will once again we are delighted to say putting up a fantastic prize for a lucky winner!

Please do keep your stories coming in we are delighted to publish some delightful stories from various homes around the country from birthdays to fund raising from baking to growing vegetables, anything you would like to share please do send it to me at editor@thecareruk com

Editor Peter Adams

Social Care 'Ignored' in Government's NHS Long Term Workforce Plan

(CONTINUED ON FROM FRONT COVER)

“CINDERELLA SOCIAL CARE”

ICG Chair Mike Padgham said We have yet to see the detail of the NHS reform but from what I am hearing so far, it is the same old story, Cinderella social care isn t going to the ball again “Worthy as the £2 4bn strategy is, to carry out NHS reform without giving similar reform to social care at the same time makes a mockery of the whole plan

“The biggest issue in healthcare at the moment is that there isn’t enough care for people in the community so that they can be discharged from hospital or not have to go to hospital in the first place

Unless that is resolved any reform of the NHS will surely be in vain “Without a properly funded and fully functioning social care system, NHS healthcare will be hampered fighting to provide better care with a hand tied behind its back

We urgently need the two sectors to be merged to create a National Care Service bringing parity in funding to both sides of the equation and parity in pay terms and conditions to the excellent staff who work in social care take huge responsibility stress and strain and have never been properly recognised ”

The ICG says long standing underfunding of the sector compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic, the ensuing staff shortages and now the cost-of-living crisis and rapidly rising bills have left a sector on its knees, with some providers leaving the industry

SHORT -SIGHTED

Professor Vic Rayner OBE, CEO of the NCF said: “Today’s delayed workforce plan publication bears no relation to the much-vaunted integrated workforce commission of 2021 In 2021, HEE was commissioned to review the long term strategic changes needed for the health and social care workforce to support patients and the population of the future What has appeared is a plan that only talks to the needs of the NHS and has a glaring gap around professionals within adult social care and any non-clinical professional in health and social care The irony of publication on the day before the first anniversary of the establishment of the Integrated Care Systems should not be ignored It makes repeated reference to integration recognising the importance of stabilising and improving adult social care in making this plan a success but contains no plans for how the government would do this This seems extremely short-sighted and is characteristic of an ongoing deprioritisation of social care which has seen reforms delayed scrapped and reduced in scope over the last few years

“This document as originally scoped should be a tale of two workforces coming together as one yet this plan risks putting yet more strategic and operational distance between the two We should not forget that this year is also the 75th anniversary of social care and yet only the health workforce is getting both a plan and additional funding – funding that is nearly ten times greater than the current plans to address workforce reform across the whole 1 6 million strong care

workforce ”

More importantly the government is missing the opportunity to unlock the full potential of adult social care Social care contributes £51 5bn to the economy in England and proper investment in adult social care, as a key part of the nation s infrastructure, would unlock jobs growth and tackle health and socio-economic inequalities across the country It would be one of the single-most powerful policy decisions a government could make to better the lives of people everywhere “

AGEING POPULATION

Announcing the NHS plan, describing it as a “once in a generation opportunity to put staffing on a sustainable footing and improve patient care”, the government says it is focusing on retaining existing talent and making the best use of new technology alongside the biggest recruitment drive in health service history to address the gap

For the first time the Plan sets out long term workforce projections

Staffing shortfalls have been an issue since the foundation of the NHS and vacancies now stand at 112,000

The growing and ageing population coupled with new treatments and therapies, means that without action, the gap could grow up to 360 000 by 2037

The NHS plan aims to reduce reliance on expensive agency spend that could cut the bill for taxpayers by around £10 billion between 2030/31 and 2036/37

Since its foundation the NHS has relied on the skills and dedication of staff who have come here from around the world and there will always be a place for them

However with demand for healthcare staff rising around the world the Long Term Workforce Plan sets out the path to:

Double medical school training places to 15 000 by 2031 with more places in areas with the greatest shortages

• Increase the number of GP training places by 50% to 6 000 by 2031

Almost double the number of adult nurse training places by 2031 with 24 000 more nurse and midwife training places a year by 2031

Taken with retention measures the NHS Plan could mean the health service has at least an extra 60 000 doctors 170,000 more nurses and 71 000 more allied health professionals in place by 2036/37

Advances in technology and treatments mean that staff numbers and roles will change over time so the NHS will refresh the Long Term Workforce Plan at least every two years to help meet future requirements

This plan will kickstart efforts to address current shortages with an immediate boost in training numbers By 2028 government investment will mean half a million trainees will have begun clinical training on a path to increase by over 60% by 2031

Over the next five years alone medical places will increase by almost a third, nursing degrees will increase by more than a third and GP training places will jump by a quarter

To ensure the NHS can draw on the widest pool of talent, more train-

ing places will be offered through degree apprenticeships so staff can “earn while they learn” – gaining a full degree while ensuring they meet the high clinical standards required by the relevant professional regulators, including GMC and NMC

One in six (16%) of all training for clinical staff will be offered through apprenticeships by 2028 – including more than 850 medical students

The growing number of nursing degrees will be accompanied by a 40% rise in nursing associate training places over five years with increases in other associate roles which will support and free up other clinical colleagues

A renewed focus on retention with better opportunities for career development improved flexible working options alongside government reforms to the pension scheme, should mean that up to 130,000 staff stay working in NHS settings longer

NHS 75TH ANNIVERSARY

Amanda Pritchard, NHS chief executive, said: “This is a truly historic day for the NHS in England – for 75 years the extraordinary dedication skill and compassion of NHS staff has been the backbone of the health service – and the publication of our first-ever NHS Long Term Workforce Plan now gives us a once in a generation opportunity to put staffing on sustainable footing for the years to come

“As we look to adapt to new and rising demand for health services globally this long term blueprint is the first step in a major and muchneeded expansion of our workforce to ensure we have the staff we need to deliver for patients

We will take practical and sustained action to retain existing talent we will recruit and train hundreds of thousands more people and continue to accelerate the adoption of the latest technology to give our amazing workforce the very best tools to provide high-quality care to millions of people across the country each day

Crucially this plan will also ensure there is an NHS career choice that works for everyone now and in the future so if you are interested in working for the NHS, or have loved ones who might be, please do find out more – it is a decision I have never regretted

SYSTEM FIT FOR THE FUTURE

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “On the 75th anniversary of our health service this government is making the largest single expansion in NHS education and training in its history This is a plan for investment and a plan for reform

“In the coming years we will train twice the number of doctors and an extra 24 000 more nurses a year helping to cut waiting lists and improve patient care And we will do more to retain our brilliant NHS staff and reform the way the health system works to ensure it is fit for the future

“This is something no other government has done and will be one of the most significant commitments I will make as Prime Minister – acting as the cornerstone for our vision for a better more modern healthcare system and putting the NHS on a sure footing for the long term ”

Will Emerging Planning Policy Help Or Hinder

The Crisis In Elderly Care Accommodation?

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) the policy document which forms the basis of our planning system has been revised Following a stakeholder consultation, the extent to which these revisions will take effect is awaited

The proposed changes appear to recognise that the planning system is partially responsible for the current under-supply of care homes At Chapter 5: ‘Delivering a sufficient supply of homes’ it adds to existing guidance (that ‘the need the size type and tenure of housing needed for different groups in the community should be assessed and reflected in planning policies ’): including for retirement housing housing-with-care and care homes’

This amendment seems well meant and may result in Local Plans (the documents which determine strategic planning at a local level) being better informed of the care needs of older people

However, the change in policy followed November s rebellion by anti-development backbench Tory MPs who were opposed to top-down housing targets and development on greenfield land As a consequence, if the proposed revisions are adopted it could result in a significant reduction in the release of land for development and the supply of homes, and this will impact significantly on the future development of specialist older people’s housing and care homes

One of the main changes in planning guidance is the prioritisation of brownfield over greenfield site and renewed protection of the Green Belt

The emphasis on maximising brownfield land and building at higher densities will also place a further challenge to developers of care facilities, because such facilities are generally better suited to tranquil rural

By Zoe Curran, Boyer (London)

edge-of-settlement locations than more urban sites Furthermore the high levels of on-site recreational and amenity space and care facilities required by integrated retirement communities means that densities are generally lower than general housing developments, which can become unviable in the case of more costly urban sites Accordingly competition for limited land opportunities in preferred locations will increase

So, unfortunately the consequence of the proposals could be that delivery of older people’s accommodation and homes will be hindered rather than significantly increased as the revised NPPF promises

We would like to see the NPPF amended to include a clear direction that through local plan review local planning authorities are required to undertake an objective and robust identification and understanding of current and forecast needs across the new plan s period (typically 15 years) drilling down into the type of care needed (both general and specialist)

Furthermore local plans should then allocate sufficient numbers of sites in the right locations based on their specific assessment of need Presently where local plans do include for a care home or specialist housing it is usually within a much larger strategic site allocation Local plans should also allocate sites specifically for later living / care which meet the locational needs of the occupants not solely as an add-on to an existing new development

Finally local plans should continue to include at least one policy supporting the delivery of new older persons’ homes – across all typologies It’s important the planning system remains plan-led But it must not become plan-absolute led Local plans cover periods of a minimum of 15-years during which time economic, social and demographic circumstances can change significantly It is important that planning policy, national and local provides for both strategically planned and also speculative applications where the need exists

The revisions to the NPPF proposing to improve the diversity and supply of housing options available to older people are welcomed especially at a time when our population is ageing and there is a documented under-supply of senior living housing units However in order to ensure that the delivery of older person’s accommodation can be delivered effectively there are substantial issues which will need to be addressed first

88-Year-Old Aviation Fan Takes To The Sky In Care Home Surprise

88-year-old aviation fan takes to the sky in care home surprise

A care home resident in Essex has been granted a Magic Moment as part of the home s World War II-themed family event

David Darton an 88-year-old plane enthusiast and resident of the Weald Hall Care Home in Epping, took to the sky in a small plane as part of the home s Magic Moment scheme

The flight took place on Saturday 1st July and was part of Weald Hall s World War II day where visitors friends and families of the home were present to enjoy some educational fun

David was dropped off at the airfield in a WWII vehicle as part of the event and flew in a Cessna C172N - a four-seat single-engine aircraft

The Magic Moment scheme was started by the home s lifestyle team and aims to enrich the lives of residents with meaningful activities or one-of-a-kind events and experiences

Danielle Barham care home manager at Weald Hall Care Home said: “I can honestly and truly say I love my job and I’m so proud to work at Weald Hall Our lifestyle team does the most amazing things for our residents They ensure our residents have an exciting and engaging lifestyle programme that includes activities, events and surprises

“We are so pleased we could make David’s wish come true and look forward to being able to do the same for our other residents

David added: “The experience given to me by the staff at Weald Hall was excellent and I really enjoyed it It was a brilliant day Going in the WWII jeep added to the realism of the experience and brought back memories of when I served in Malaya I used to drive the same jeep

“It was a really enjoyable and great day, I’m happy I got to have this experience

Care Home Workers Walk 26 Miles To Raise More Than £1000

Two care home workers from Reading set out in the night in their finest Glitz and Glamour to complete a 26 mile walk in honour of residents with breast cancer

Care home manager Sonia Da Silva and Tamena

Seymour home coordinator from Aria Care s

Abbeycrest Care Home took part in The MoonWalk

London which is organised by the breast cancer charity, Walk the Walk

With the event this year celebrating its 25th anniversary the pair embraced the ‘Glitz and Glamour theme donning their finest outfits including tiaras to walk the 26 2 miles across Clapham Common

Between them, the pair raised a total of £1534, smashing their original £400 target by over £1000

The ambitious pair previously completed the Windsor Memory Walk in aid of the Alzheimer s Society last October and this was their new challenging venture

Speaking about the event which took place on Saturday, 20th May, Sonia said: “This year’s walk was very special because it was the 25th anniversary The atmosphere was amazing, everyone seemed excited We

about how they won the battle against breast

people ”

The pair had a great time as they took on the challenge with lots of energy excitement and optimism

Tamena said Walking through the streets of London during the night and passing by lit up landmarks such as Battersea Power Station Big Ben the London Eye; Tower Bridge; St Paul’s Cathedral; Buckingham Palace and Hyde Park was incredible

“It was brilliant seeing everyone dressed up and determined to achieve their goals We had family and friends cheering for us at different points throughout the walk ”

It was definitely not an easy task but the two friends supported each other to complete it successfully

Sonia said: “I don’t think we realised just how hard it was going to be walking throughout the night with no sleep I didn’t know it was possible but I fell asleep while walking Luckily I was holding on to Tamena and didn t fall

Tamena said “We became emotional when we passed the finishing line and got our medals What a great achievement and endurance test for us”

They learned a lot throughout the challenge and have advised anyone who attempts it next year to stop and rest” “sleep well the day before”, and “get a steady supply of coffee”

Link Between Hormone Replacement Therapy And Increased Risk Of Dementia Study Reveals

A large observational Danish study has reported that menopausal women who use hormone replacement therapy (HRT) have an increased the risk of developing dementia in later life

The study used data from health registries including detailed history of hormone treatment and diagnosis of dementia cases in specialised memory clinics

The results suggested both short- and long-term use of HRT might have an effect Although the study took certain factors that might influence dementia risk – such as lower socioeconomic background – into account it wasn t able to account for other risk factors such as smoking or social isolation

Dr Susan Kohlhaas Executive Director of Research & Partnerships at Alzheimer s Research UK says;

“Dementia is the number one cause of death amongst women in the UK It affects about twice as many women compared with men, and this difference can t be explained by differences in longevity alone It’s therefore important to understand what contributes to dementia risk as this could help develop prevention strategies for those most at risk in the future

Understanding whether hormone replacement

therapy (HRT) plays a role in dementia risk has been a priority for the research community in recent years Such studies however, have so far been inconclusive and contradictory with some suggesting that HRT reduces risk of dementia and others suggesting it increases risk Reasons for this may be because of differences in age when HRT is given, differences in how HRT is used and different types of HRT used over the years

This large nationwide Danish study has found an association between both short- and long-term use of HRT and an increased risk of dementia

Unfortunately, it doesn t provide a conclusive answer on whether HRT contributes to dementia risk because the study did not consider some of the other factors known to be involved such as social isolation smoking or dietary factors like alcohol

Women need to understand the implications of deciding to take HRT in terms of benefits and risks and at the moment, as far as dementia is concerned we ll need to wait for more research to give clearer answers In the meantime, people should speak to a qualified healthcare professional if they would like to know more about the known benefits and risks of taking HRT to manage symptoms of the menopause

Buying Or Selling A Care Home

The care home industry has seen remarkable growth in recent years to meet the needs of an ageing population At the same time mounting regulations and rising operational costs make running a care home challenging In this article, Paul Davies Head of Commercial Property at Harper James (www harperjames co uk) discusses the key considerations and procedures when buying or selling a care home

ARE YOU PREPARED TO PURCHASE OR SELL YOUR CARE HOME?

Care homeowners sell for a variety of reasons You may be disposing of an underperforming unit from your portfolio retiring from the industry or pursuing other interests altogether Whatever your motivation take care that it is well-informed and unrushed

Equally purchasing a care home is a huge commitment Reflect on your passion for high-quality care as well as your long-term goals to decide if this is the right field for you

REVIEWING YOUR PERSONAL AND FINANCIAL SITUATION

Before buying or selling assess your readiness for such a transaction

Personally, consider your experience and expertise in the industry, whether you are qualified to manage care home operations or if you ll need support and training Reflect on your strength of character and whether you have the resilience and business acumen to succeed Lastly contemplate the potential impact on your lifestyle including time commitments and work-life balance

Financially consider how much can you afford to invest and your creditworthiness Bear in mind the inherent risks involved in taking on a business and what impact this might have on your personal finances

For sellers ensure financial records are all in order ready to present to potential buyers for scrutiny

DETERMINING THE VALUE OF THE CARE HOME:

The factors that influence the selling price include:

location

occupancy rates

financial performance

• size and capacity

condition and age of the facility

• staffing and reputation

overall market conditions

Well-maintained care homes with higher occupancy rates healthy financial records, and a strong reputation are likely to achieve higher selling prices Freehold buildings tend to be more valuable than leased premises Prices may also be driven up by limited supply and high demand

APPRAISAL METHODS AND PROCESS

Common valuation methods include:

Comparison approach: comparing the care home to similar local properties that have been recently sold

Income approach estimating potential income based on occupancy rates operating expenses etc

Costs approach: estimating the cost to replace the care home with a similar one

Market capitalisation: calculating the total value of a company s equity (often used for care homes that are part of a larger portfolio)

The appraisal process usually starts with an inspection to gather details about the property The appraiser then collects and analyses relevant market data and applies the chosen appraisal method to calculate the care home’s value

PREPARING FOR SALE OR PURCHASE

What steps do you need to take to prepare for a property purchase

First decide whether you are purchasing as a sole trader in a partnership or through a limited company Next, do your market research and define your requirements (location size specialised services etc) Recruit a specialist buying agent to identify suitable options Finally choose a professional advisory team to guide you through the legal and financial aspects of the purchase

Sellers often need to decide between two types of sale:

1 Asset sale - selling specific assets which make up your business

2 Share sale - selling the majority of shares in your business and handing over control

Option two is generally preferred because buyers acquire the entire business and sellers get a clean break EXPLORING FINANCING OPTIONS

There are both traditional and alternative ways to fund a purchase:

Commercial mortgage: this commonly used loan is typically secured against the care home premises

Release built-up equity: this could be in other properties you own or within your portfolio

Seller financing sometimes sellers accept a large downpayment with the remainder via instalments with interest

Equity finance: seek private investment or equity-based crowdfunding

Another option is forming partnerships to share the financial load

Talking to a commercial property solicitor can help you decide which funding method is best for your individual circumstances

NEGOTIATION ADVICE

Effective negotiation techniques for a successful transaction

Applying good negotiation techniques keeps things moving forward and involves: being clear on your overriding objectives for the sale or purchase from the outset; maintaining flexibility for areas that do not impact your overriding objectives; using objective criteria such as market data inspections or appraisals to justify your position; keeping alternative options in mind; and finding mutually beneficial solutions

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE DUE DILIGENCE PROCESS

Due diligence involves investigating what you are about to buy to uncover any potential issues

From a business perspective, assess the financial performance of the care home and verify that it is meeting all applicable operating rules and regulations

Standard conveyancing searches and enquiries reveal important information about the property itself This includes planning restrictions, outstanding charges, boundary disputes and ownership issues Commissioning a property inspection will identify any potential issues such as structural damage, hazards or necessary repairs

During this process commercial property solicitors will seek to negotiate any onerous obligations in the property deeds that may impact its value future use and ongoing costs This includes covenants which restrict certain activities on the property rights of way allowing others to use or access the land, or stringent clauses within leases, such as wide-ranging repairing responsibilities

COMPLETING THE TRANSACTION

Exchange of contracts

Once due diligence is complete negotiations ironed out and funding arrangements finalised - it's time to sign and swap contracts This key milestone makes the transaction legally binding

POST-ACQUISITION CONSIDERATIONS

Ensuring continuity with staf f and suppliers

Following exchange focus on implementing a smooth transition Establish open lines of communication with staff members and engage early with key suppliers to ensure continuity Get to know the residents and be considerate when introducing new measures Making sure you remain compliant with the r ules and regulations related to the care home sector

All care homes are registered and regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) Going forward, ensure the care home continues to meet fundamental standards of quality and safety and that any new measures introduced are compliant SUMMARY

As we’ve seen, buying or selling your care home requires careful planning research and preparation to ensure a smooth transaction Sellers should assess their motivations and ensure their financial records are in order while buyers need to evaluate their personal and financial readiness Seeking legal advice at the outset will help you achieve the best possible outcome

Residents Secretly Film Thank You Messages For Care Home Staff

As part of Thank You Day on Sunday 2nd July, residents and families at Black Swan s The Beeches care home in East Harling South Norfolk made a video to thank the staff at the home Short clips of residents and their families expressed kind comments thanking the staff for their support love and compassion

The video shared on The Beeches Facebook page is viewable at: https://www facebook com/watch/?v 1396047227919039&ref sharing included messages including:

“Thank you very much to all my friendly carers who look after me so well”, You ve made life so much easier for me than I thought possible and from the son of a resident:

Thank you to Chloe and all the staff at The Beeches – they re absolutely

tremendous ”

Thank You Day on Sunday July 2nd was the UK s third annual Thank You Day designed to strengthen bonds and create kinder communities Music for Dementia the charity behind Thank You Day led the music side of the celebrations saying We want to celebrate the hundreds of thousands of people in Britain who change their own lives to care for someone else particularly those living with dementia

This year, they have been supported by singer Tony Christie, who has remade the Andrew Gold classic Thank you for being a friend Tony has been recently diagnosed with dementia but is promoting the known benefits that music brings to people living with dementia

MHA Announces Transfer Of Welsh Care Home

Methodist Homes (MHA) is pleased to announce the transfer of Hafan y Waun care home in Aberystwyth to Ceredigion County Council

The move is part of MHA s strategic review of its services announced in May which has meant the charity withdrawing from ten care homes either putting them up for sale as going concerns or transferring them to the local authority

Councillors at Ceredigion CC agreed to the transfer of the 90-bed home from MHA to the local authority at a meeting on 4 July with the aim of the home, its residents and staff being transferred to the ownership of the council by the end of September 2023

MHA Chief Executive Sam Monaghan said:

Over the past few months we have been working closely with Ceredigion CC and its representatives and are pleased that we have been able to reach agreement to transfer Hafan y Waun to the local authority “We are sad to lose Hafan y Waun from the MHA family but I am certain the home will continue to be a

big part of the Aberystwyth community, as it moves under the ownership of Ceredigion

“I want to thank all my colleagues at the home for their dedication and care to residents and each other over the years

Councillor Alun Williams Ceredigion Cabinet Member for Through Age Wellbeing Care and Support Services said:

The decision made is an important step towards maintaining the future of the care home and it gives certainty to residents and their families

MHA s strategic review, begun in 2019 and paused due to the pandemic looked at several factors These included location and proximity of care homes to other MHA services and those for older people, the physical environment of homes their financial performance and how older people will want care and support providing in future years

Added Sam: “The other nine homes are currently being marketed and there has been strong interest in all of them so we are hopeful all will be sold as going concerns, continuing to provide care and support for older people ”

Fiona Phillips Diagnosed With Alzheimer’s Disease

TV presenter and Alzheimer’s Research UK supporter Fiona Phillips has been diagnosed with young onset Alzheimer s disease

In her newspaper column, Ms Phillips said she was diagnosed last year and has gone public in the hope she can help find a cure for the disease

Fiona lost both of her parents to dementia – her mother Amy died with Alzheimer s disease in May 2006 and her father Neville was diagnosed with the disease shortly after and passed away in February 2012

In an exclusive interview with the Mirror where she works as a columnist she said: “This disease has ravaged my family and now it has come for me

And all over the country there are people of all different ages whose lives are being affected by it – it’s heartbreaking I just hope I can help find a cure which might make things better for others in the future ”

Phillips who is an Alzheimer s Society ambassador said she always feared she would be diagnosed with the condition because her family members had the disease

She continued “It’s something I might have thought I’d get at 80 But I was still only 61 years old

“I felt more angry than anything else because this disease has already impacted my life in so many ways; my poor mum was crippled with it then my dad my grandparents my uncle It just keeps coming back for us ”

Fiona has been a long-standing supporter of Alzheimer’s Research UK In 2013 she attended ICAP Charity Day with the charity, joining brokers on the trading floor to raise funds for vital dementia research In 2016, Fiona appeared on This Morning in support of our Santa Forgot campaign And in 2018 she spoke candidly about her family experience of dementia at the charity’s House of Lords reception celebrating the 20th anniversary of the first grant given by Alzheimer s Research UK

Hilary Evans Chief Executive of Alzheimer s Research UK said: We re sending our love and support to Fiona and her family following her announcement that she s living with Alzheimer s disease It takes such courage to go public with a diagnosis and Fiona knows better than most just how much good that can do Awareness is vital and Fiona s bravery will help untold people who are going through their own dementia journeys

Fiona’s been a friend of Alzheimer’s Research UK’s for well over a decade, and her support has shone such a valuable spotlight on the importance of research in overcoming the diseases that cause dementia

There are around 70,800 people with dementia in the UK who, like Fiona, are under 65 and we’re determined to find a cure to end the heartbreak it causes And we’re so grateful to Fiona for standing with us in our mission ”

104-Year-Old Chislehurst Care Home Resident Takes On Race For Life

Care home resident Annie Hardy, who turned 104 in June, has taken on Cancer Research s Race for Life in Blackheath alongside her fellow residents and staff members of RMBI Care Co Home Prince George Duke of Kent Court, in Chislehurst

Three residents and 12 staff members donned personalised pink tshirts, tutus and sun hats and set off on their Home’s minibus to take part in the 3k event on Blackheath Common on Sunday 25 June

At 104 the event’s organisers welcomed Annie when the team arrived and announced she was the oldest participant in the race

Throughout the race crowds cheered Annie on as the Home s Business Relationship Manager, Fiona Hodges pushed her in her wheelchair Resident Marguerite Brosnahan aged 84 overcame her

battle with cancer over 40 years ago and was determined to walk across the finishing line by herself and ring the bell Collectively the team raised over £1400 with Gift Aid towards Cancer Research’s valuable work

Nina Stephens Home Manager said

“It was a magical day! When Annie s name was called out over the microphone we received huge cheers from the crowds which was encouraging for the whole team to push on through the heat

Resident Annie Hardy said I had a fantastic time People were waving and wishing me luck the whole way around; I was treated like royalty!

Disclosure and Barring Ser vice in the Care Industr y

DBS checks are an important safeguarding measure in the UK, but for most people on the street they re shrouded in mystery To make things even more confusing there are a number of checks available and each reveals different information, depending on the level of check

If you're considering a career in care or you re a healthcare professional looking for a new role understanding the role of the Disclosure and Barring Service in the UK is vital

The DBS performs background checks on individuals to ensure the safety and protection of vulnerable groups such as children and adults in care settings making care workers some of the most important individuals to conduct checks on

To help you understand everything involved we re delving into DBS checks for care industry professionals, along with the legal obligations responsibilities and referrals associated with the DBS in care

WHAT IS THE DBS?

The Disclosure and Barring Service is a non-departmental public body of the Home Office This government agency is responsible for processing criminal record checks and providing information to employers and organisations regarding an individual's suitability for certain roles

By Larry Muzondo, director of Four Oaks Healthcare and a Critical Care Registered Nurse

The DBS helps employers make informed decisions about hiring individuals who will work closely with vulnerable groups While the information on a DBS check will not automatically disqualify an individual from employment, the information can be taken into consideration to ensure the safety and well-being of patients

The DBS has three levels of checks: Basic Standard and Enhanced The level of check required will depend on their role but we’ll explore this more below

DBS CHECKS IN THE CARE SECTOR

Within the NHS framework and other care environments, DBS checks are mandatory for individuals working in close contact with caring for or being responsible for children or vulnerable adults The level of the check required depends on the nature of the role and the level of contact with vulnerable individuals Let s look at this in greater detail

ENHANCED DBS CHECKS FOR CARE WORKERS

Most professional care workers must undergo an enhanced DBS check with the barring list checked for the appropriate groups For instance a pediatric nurse would need an enhanced DBS check with a children s barred list check while a live-in carer working with all groups would require an enhanced DBS check with both child and adult barring list checks

WHAT AN ENHANCED DBS CHECK DISCLOSES

An enhanced DBS check is the most comprehensive criminal record check available It reveals all spent and unspent convictions cautions reprimands, and warnings, providing employers with a thorough under-

standing of an individual s background

DBS CHECKS FOR HEALTHCARE SUPPORT WORKERS

Not all workers in the care industry work intimately with patients Support workers with incidental contact with patients such as maintenance, admin, domestic, and catering staff are generally eligible for a standard-level DBS check This check level does not cover the adult or child-barring lists Instead it shows reprimands warnings cautions and criminal convictions which are spent Some of these may also be filtered if they are deemed irrelevant to the position the applicant is applying for

WHAT ARE THE LEGAL OBLIGATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES?

Professionals who provide personal care to vulnerable adults or children are legally required to have an enhanced DBS check The regulated nature of healthcare activities necessitates the highest level of background checks to ensure the safety and well-being of those in their care

This also means that care homes and providers are legally required to run enhanced DBS checks on all applicants applying for work

CONCLUSION ON DBS CHECKS FOR CARE STAFF

The Disclosure and Barring Service play a really important role in ensuring the safety of vulnerable individuals in care settings It provides employers with vital information about an individual s criminal record enabling them to make informed decisions when hiring staff By upholding this legal obligation employers help maintain the integrity and safety of the care sector

TLC Care Retains World-Class Accreditation from Hospitality Assured

TLC Care is celebrating after successfully maintaining its World Class Accreditation after being assessed by Hospitality Assured The assessment resulted in an outstanding overall score of 84 1%, with a remarkable achievement of 80% or higher in each of the nine areas evaluated Notably TLC Care received the highest scores in Customer Service and TLC culture with an impressive 88 3%

TLC Care owns nine care homes four of which are located in North London - Candlewood House Carlton Court Kailash Manor and Karuna Manor with a further two in Potters Bar; Cuffley Manor and Cooperscroft

Additionally, two of their homes are based in the Cambridgeshire area; Cherry Hinton and Cambridge Manor with Camberley Manor in Surrey completing the portfolio of luxury residential, nursing and dementia homes

Talking about this incredible achievement involving their 9 homes

Paavan Popat – CEO of TLC Care said “I am incredibly proud of our commitment as an organisation to holistic-centred hospitality for all of our residents, making their wishes come true and ensuring that they always are at the heart of all we do The nine principles of Hospitality Assured enable us to benchmark our outstanding approach to resident experience and evaluate the impact of our continuous improvement journey in this area To sustain our World Class Hospitality Assured status and achieve such significant growth in terms of our overall score is a credit to our dedicated team members who provide such wonderful customer care to our residents and their loved ones each and every day whilst living our values of Truth Love and Compassion We will continue to grow in this area and further enhance the lives of others through outstanding hospitality and customer experience ”

Hospitality Assured renowned for its rigorous standards and commitment to excellence in the service industry, requires a minimum score of 60% for accreditation Surpassing this requirement by a significant margin TLC Care has firmly established itself as a leader in the field of luxury care The outstanding score

ATurning Point

In a care home environment, the client, as much as a patient in an acute environment benefits from regular turning Supported by the NICE guidelines it has been proven that regular turning regimes can prevent and in some cases can significantly contribute to the healing process of existing pressure injuries whether presented upon arrival or even acquired at the care home WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO GET A PRESSURE ULCER?

Anyone living in a care home can develop a pressure ulcer, but some factors make it more likely Limited mobility/unable to change position

without help

A loss of feeling in part of the body

in all nine steps of the Hospitality Assured Standard further solidifies TLC Care s position as a provider of world-class service

Max Lawrence, Director at Hospitality Assured, commended TLC Care on their exceptional achievement stating The assessors witnessed the full impact of their careful planning in the post-pandemic landscape The team has worked tirelessly on their vision values and procedures to ensure that their residents are at the nucleus of all they do Through their dedication TLC Care is the second highest scorer using Hospitality Assured criteria which demonstrates their outstanding standards of service This is such a massive accomplishment for the team and trailblazes what can be achieved in the care sector with the right mindset Lorna Russell, COO of TLC Care is delighted “I am absolutely delighted our wonderful TLC team have again achieved World Class Status with Hospitality Assured and significantly increased our overall score showcasing to all the outstanding hospitality and customer service we provide to our residents who are at the heart of all we do It has been an absolute pleasure to work in partnership with our team members and Hospitality Assured assessors on our Hospitality Assured journey and to be a part of an engaging assessment where our team members were able to showcase all they do each and every day to make a positive difference to the lives of others Our highest scoring area was for customer service and organisational culture which reflects how our values of Truth Love and Compassion are at the core of all we do and I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to our team members whose passion for hospitality and enhancing the lives of others is simply inspirational ”

As a luxury care group TLC Care understands the importance of continually exceeding expectations and delivering exceptional service

The World Class Accreditation from Hospitality Assured is a testament to their unwavering dedication to maintaining and enhancing their high standards Additionally the importance placed on providing high-quality care for residents is parallel to the support of team members, reflected in high retention rates across all their homes

implemented in conjunction with an accurate risk assessment of the clients needs

History of pressure ulcers, or having one now

• Not having eaten or hydrated well for a sustained period

Thin dry or weak skin

• A significant cognitive impairment

HOW DOES A PRESSURE ULCER OCCUR?

• Pressure ulcers occur when an area of skin and the tissues underneath it are damaged by being under such pressure that the blood supply is reduced; typically when people spend long periods in a bed or chair BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE TURNING & HOW CAN EQUIPMENT HELP WITH PREVENTION AND THERAPY?

Equipment that offers suitable pressure relieving or pressure redistribution qualities subject to the risk factors can reduce or even remove the prevalence of PI’s provided a suitable Care Plan is written and

All organisations recognise the need for regular turning but the pressures they face from reduced staffing levels in a reducing labour pool means that the demands on reduced staffing levels can sometimes mean that the ideological turning regimes are not always met leading to the risk of acquired pressure injuries

The answer appears simple, invest in highly motivated capable staff, manage the client diligently and offer assistance in maintaining independent mobility But of course, that’s not sometimes possible, staff may be slightly less motivated due to external factors and independent patient mobility is not always the case

Equipment however can assist with that issue especially when a high dependence for repositioning is required The Optima Turn Mattress System by Wellell has been designed to reduce the burden on caregivers aiding repositioning without having to necessarily touch the patient, benefitting all parties: the patient, their family, the carer and the care home

If you are facing these issues and need help? Contact: sales uk@wellell com

New Sur vey Examines “Putting People at the Heart of Decision-Making”

A new survey from the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) looks at how co-production is perceived in the UK today Co-production is about working in equal partnership with people using services, carers, families and citizens According to SCIE, co-production offers the chance to transform social care and health provision to a model that offers people real choice and control

The survey funded by the Department of Health and Social Care explores how the term co-production is defined by staff in the adult social care workforce and service users; looks at individual experiences and the lessons learnt from working in a co-productive way; and examines a potential lack of cohesion between various levels of the workforce hierarchy and people who draw on services It comes at the start of the eighth annual National Co-production Week, organised by the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE)

The survey reveals that 72% of the workforce and 56% of people with lived experience have heard about co-production The results also reveal that leaders and managers have different views and experiences of co-production compared to those on the frontline Managers with the least exposure to frontline working appear to have a much better knowledge of co-production than those working in direct care delivery A third of workers state that the organisational culture of their place of work can be a barrier to successful co-production

The survey has found that 59% of people with lived experience report having had opportunities to be involved in co-producing their own care and support whilst only 37% have been involved in co-producing services or policies Many respondents – both in the workforce and those who draw on services – spoke of a sense of distrust and dis-

illusionment with co-production saying it can become diluted and lose its meaning Key barriers experienced by social care staff when implementing co-production, are time (reported by 47%), organisational culture (31%), cost (26%) and communication (25%) However, results suggest that when workers in the public sector have good opportunities for partnerships with people with lived experiences then co-production is more likely to happen

One respondent responded to the survey by saying: At the moment people can throw the word [co-production] around without any real meaning

FINDINGS FROM THE SURVEY INCLUDE:

72% of staff working in adult social care reported previous familiarity with the term ‘co-production , whilst this figure stood at 56% of individuals with lived experience

It was found that senior leaders with the least exposure to frontline working had a much better knowledge of co-production (95% familiarity) than those working in direct care delivery (41%) at the time of taking the survey

59% of people with lived experience reported previous opportunities to be involved in co-producing their own care and support whilst only 37% had been involved in co-producing services or policies

Respondents voiced issues regarding the inclusiveness and representativeness of co-production, describing instances where we are not reaching out to all and extending participation beyond the ‘familiar voices’

Kathryn Smith Chief Executive at the Social Care Institute for Excellence says: Co-production is a fundamental part of modern day

WWII Veteran Celebrates 101st Birthday

An Air Force veteran has celebrated her 101st birthday at Royal Star & Garter in Surbiton

Phyllis Hales was visited by her children grandchildren and friends and later enjoyed a tea party with other residents at the care home on Friday 30 June

Phyllis has been a resident at Royal Star & Garter since 2017 She was born in London in 1922 and did clerical work at a bookbinders before joining the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) in 1942 at the

age of 19 She continued doing clerical work while serving in the military, and following the war, was stationed for six months in Belgium and Germany She demobbed in 1946 before working for British European Airways, and later as a headmaster’s secretary

She said I ve had a lovely day It was nice to see family and I very much enjoyed my birthday tea party that the Home arranged for me ”

social care and support and this survey is a fantastic opportunity to see what s going on in the sector; both with the workforce and with people who draw on services It is very encouraging that so many people working in adult social care know about co-production and why it is important The challenge now is to see its impact more on the frontline and I hope that the recommendations in the survey report can be acted on quickly so that people who draw on care and support services are put at the heart of the decisions made about their lives Can I take this opportunity to thank everyone who completed the survey and who gave us such rich data on co-production in the UK in 2023

Following analysis of the data and working in partnership with people who draw on services, a number of calls-to-action have been drafted, to see co-production more securely embedded in care services

RECOMMENDATIONS FOLLOWING THE SURVEY INCLUDE:

It is crucial that sufficient resources are allocated towards co-production ensuring staff have protected time to carry this out Investment in such areas will equip staff working in adult social care with the necessary tools and resources to engage in co-production effectively and meaningfully and ensure services are fit for purpose

There is a need to prioritise comprehensive training and education for every staff member working in adult social care empowering them with the knowledge of co-production, what it is and how to apply it across diverse roles in the sector

To avoid instances of misinterpretation and misunderstanding a consistent definition of co-production needs to be shared widely with practical examples that bring the skills values and behaviours of coproduction to life

Block On Overseas Workers Would Be Disastrous

BLOCKING overseas workers from coming to the UK to provide care would be a disaster for our ability to look after older and vulnerable people providers warned today

They warn that harming social care delivery would have a devastating knock-on effect on NHS healthcare

And they have called for those putting forward the idea to come and do a shift in a care or nursing home themselves

The New Conservatives Group wants to stop overseas workers taking up social care posts – even though there are 165,000 vacancies in the sector

The Independent Care Group (ICG) says such a move would be a disaster and many care and nursing homes would not be able to provide care if overseas workers were stopped

ICG Chair Mike Padgham said

This really is a ridiculous suggestion and one which has been put forward without thinking of the consequences

Care providers fought long and hard to get access to visas so that overseas workers could come and help us ease the 165,000 care workers shortage we are suffering

It would be an absolute disaster if that was now stopped and many care and nursing homes including my own would struggle to fill our shifts and the care of the most vulnerable would suffer

“At the same time the impact on the NHS would also be horrendous NHS care delivery is already being hampered by a lack of available social care If this went ahead the NHS would seize up too

If those suggesting this think that we can manage without overseas staff, maybe they should think about rolling up their sleeves and coming to do a shift in one of our homes – they might think again then

The ICG says long standing underfunding of the sector compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic has left the sector in its worst ever staffing crisis

Providers fought to get the Government to allow care workers to get visas to come to the country to try to alleviate the crisis which is threatening the delivery of care

Social care provision is on its knees Mr Padgham added The last thing we need is someone cutting the lifeline of overseas workers that we have been thrown

“Long term we have to find a way to get more people – from this country and from overseas – into the social care sector and that should be the Government s real priority not hampering us from functioning today

“They need to reform social care and give the sector parity with the NHS They must properly fund the delivery of care so that we can give social care workers the pay terms and conditions they deserve and that match those of their counterparts at the NHS

Then we might see a reduction in the 165 000 workforce shortage that is threatening proper safe care delivery

“Until the Government wakes up and delivers on that long overdue promise we will need all the help we can get to keep providing care and not unwanted interference

Armed Forces Day: Royal Star & Garter Veterans

Receive Medals, Raise Flags and Enjoy Outings

Forces Veterans Badges in recognition of their

Royal Star & Garter is a charity which provides loving compassionate care to

Armed Forces Day flag was raised by Army veteran Jack Keith There was live music to mark the day

There was also live music in Solihull with jazz and rock n’ roll singer Jeep Johnson and the Armed Forces Day flag was raised by Brian Bucknall who enjoyed a 36-year career in the Army Some residents also attended the opening of a Poppy Path at the Armed Forces Community Garden

In High Wycombe residents were VIP guests at a Salute to our Forces fun day at The Crown pub in Hazelmere

Armed Forces Day commemorates the service of men and women in the British military from currently serving troops to Service families veterans and cadets

Care Homes Set To Save Thousands Of Pounds Thanks

To Free Training From Health Education England Anenta plays key role in developing healthcare waste training module

The roll-out of a free new e-learning module on healthcare wasteset up by Health Education England - is set to bring major benefits to the care home sector says leading independent healthcare waste management company Anenta

The training - developed in association with Anenta to help all healthcare professionals - is seen as key to building better understanding of waste management in care homes which have long struggled with managing healthcare waste effectively

This is backed up by detailed compositional audits of care home waste undertaken both by Anenta and separately by the EA which have proven that a significant amount of contamination exists in the various waste streams produced by care homes

Worryingly, the findings show that 70% of care home waste is consistently put in the wrong waste channels including 90% of clinical waste and 35% of offensive waste, which is regularly contaminated with recyclable materials

Further analysis of over 2 500 primary care Duty of Care audits by Anenta has also shown that 58% of healthcare professionals with responsibility for waste management are unfamiliar with the Healthcare Technical Memorandum the latest iteration of which came out in March 2023

This has resulted in inadequate training and waste management policies contributing to poor segregation and spiralling levels of waste being incorrectly disposed of costing the care home sector heavily, and hampering sustainable waste targets

The new e-training module aims to address this and is being provided free to remove all barriers and gaps in understanding that currently exist within care homes and the primary care sector

Created with the help of Anenta the new 30-45 minute training module, available here, is accessible free of charge via the Health

Education England online portal

It outlines what waste should go into which waste stream correct segregation practices and other important waste related guidance

This helps prevent low-risk items, which should cost £300-£500 per tonne for disposal as offensive waste, from being disposed of as infectious waste costing upwards of £800 per tonne

Vitally the training also helps avoid the risk of waste contractors refusing to make collections from care homes due to their non-compliance which could put care services at risk of disruption This is avoided through the correct completion of a Pre-Acceptance Audit (PAA), which in the case of most care homes needs to be undertaken every five years - unless waste produced on site changes in its nature

Where a care home produces more than five tonnes of clinical

waste annually a PAA will need to be undertaken every 12 months remaining valid until renewal date or unless waste types undeclared in the pre-acceptance audit are discovered

Commenting on the roll-out of the new free training Graham Flynn Director at Anenta said: We ve worked hard on the development of the new e-learning training module alongside NHSE IPC Local Commissioners and industry experts The result is a course that’s accessible by all, and a risk assessment that can be used by all care homes to inform the way in which their waste is segregated

The adoption of the training and correct segregation is critical if the care home sector is to cut costs and achieve Net Zero targets Changing waste disposal habits and practices prevents the unnecessary and expensive disposal of waste via inappropriate and environmentally damaging waste streams such as incineration; instead ensuring that the majority of clinical waste is disposed of using either alternative treatments or energy from waste processes that render healthcare waste safe ”

Graham Flynn added: “On average care homes are wasting £8,000 every year through poor waste management process and procurement The training will play a big part in cutting that figure by improving waste management among staff Importantly it will also help care homes with their PAA audit without which their healthcare waste cannot be collected potentially resulting in enforcement action by the Environment Agency ”

For more information about Anenta and its care home audit app which gives care homes the ability to conduct compulsory clinical waste pre-acceptance and duty of care audits without the need for third-party on-site visits, in just 40 minutes, visit www anentawaste com or call 033 0122

Managing Vital Communications: Mass Notification Systems In Healthcare Settings

Chris Thomas, Infrastructure Manager at Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, shares insights into why and how to adopt mass notification systems in your care settings

With communication being such a pivotal part of delivering the best outcomes for patients, it’s clear that driving effective communication is one of the most important pieces to the NHS s organisational puzzle

At Mid Cheshire one of the core challenges was establishing a system through which IT could quickly and easily alert all staff regardless of whether they are in front of a device and regularly looking at emails and messages

Clinicians and other staff who are not desk-based often find it difficult to closely monitor their emails as at best they only intermittently have time to sit in front of a computer This means that important messages can be missed The advantage of mass notifications systems is that these messages are displayed on a wide range of devices, even those that are locked or include digital signage - bringing them immediately to the attention of the intended recipient

By introducing a mass notification system in addition to our standard communication channels we can communicate efficiently with staff about network maintenance system maintenance critical infrastructure updates IT system failures and emergency planning This system has helped to reduce the impact to the IT Service Desk by not overwhelming them with calls and tickets raised by staff discovering problems during a maintenance window, or problems we are already aware of Instead, as a team we can focus on resolving outages as quickly as possible

Mass notification systems also offer advantages in terms of supporting emergency and lockdown procedures with some even offering pre-set “emergency response” alerts triggered by a hot-key combination to

facilitate their use in time-sensitive situations Routine alerts – such as fire drills –can be automatically scheduled in advance Additionally, in situations where a mass response is required from staff – such as major trauma – staff can be notified instantaneously giving staff as much precious time as possible to prepare

Mass notifications can also support forward planning for staff giving them advance notice of system outages and technical upgrades

As with adopting any amendments to protocol, bringing staff along with you is crucial to ensuring a smooth implementation It s likely that there will be an appetite amongst your colleagues for adopting such a system; at Mid Cheshire, colleagues were extremely receptive and co-operative due to the evident need to improve communication delivery

Having a clear chain of prioritisation of messages additionally will allow the system to work most efficiently Allowing too many people to access the system or issuing messages too regularly dilutes its effectiveness as the service should be reserved for critical messaging An overload of messages is likely to result in people not taking notice in the messages themselves rendering the service less effective Mass notification systems, available in many forms, are a readily available tool to help you create clear lines of communication in a care setting By streamlining the transmission of key messages you can alleviate pressures on your colleagues at all levels ultimately allowing you to deliver the best care outcomes to clients and patients

Care Group’s 75th Birthday Gift To NHS

A North Yorkshire care provider is sending a ‘thank you gift to our local hospitals GPs and ambulance stations to mark the NHS’s 75th anniversary

Saint Cecilia’s Care Group is delivering more than 60 Botham s hampers to hospitals in Scarborough Whitby Malton and Bridlington to 10 local GP surgeries and to Yorkshire Ambulance Service’s stations in the area to mark the milestone

It is the care group’s way of thanking local NHS partners for the excellent support it enjoys from them when delivering care to its communities on the Yorkshire coast and Ryedale

Saint Cecilia’s Managing Director Mike Padgham said:

Ever since we began as a single care home in 1989 right through to today, we have enjoyed amazing support from our NHS partners here in Scarborough and over the years we could not have delivered care to many thousands of people without that help

Whether it is our network of GPs who are always so helpful and supportive to our care and nursing homes the ambulances that respond to our calls and of course the hospitals that we work with so closely

we could not be more grateful

“I think it was clear to the public just how vital that partnership is during the Covid-19 pandemic though we have always known the value of us all working together to provide care

Through this gesture we wish our local NHS network a very happy 75th anniversary we thank them for everything they do and look forward to maintaining our very special relationship for the next 75 years and beyond ”

Maya Liversidge Community Fundraiser York and Scarborough Hospitals Charity said:

“Simply saying thank you to staff is lovely enough but a hamper is amazing and very generous The staff work relentlessly and all for their patients, so a donation of a hamper to wards and departments is very much appreciated and will no doubt make break time that bit more enjoyable!”

Saint Cecilia s Care Group has six local centres: a nursing home two care homes and a day care centre in Scarborough a care home in Pickering and a nursing home in Whitby

Athena Care Homes Takes Another Step Towards Zero Waste

Athena Care Homes is taking another step forward in their mission to reduce their environmental impact The East Anglian care home company has committed to using eco-friendly, non-hazardous cleaner OdorBac across all of their homes

Manufacturers 2Pure, who produce the multi-use cleaner in the UK using renewable energy sources operate a refill scheme They use LoopBox to reuse the five-litre containers – with customers simply repacking the empty containers in the boxes they were delivered in and returning them to be washed and refilled meaning it is a zero-waste closed-loop system

Athena made the decision to switch from multiple other products to the multi-use OdorBac after seeing how progressive 2Pure is in its approach to protecting the environment The fluid is delivered as a concentrate and diluted on site to reduce transport costs and emissions, and it is 100% biodegradable

The solution can be used as a cleaner degreaser sanitiser fabric

Holmes Care Worker Takes To The Skies

A Fife care home worker has braved a skydive to treat residents at Preston House, part of the Holmes Care Group, to new garden furniture

Tracey Sayle manager at Preston House challenged herself to take on a skydive to help deck out the home s garden with a suite of new furniture ready for the residents to enjoy in the summer months with many residents looking forward to spending time outdoors chatting and basking in the sunshine

Tracey was able to raise over £3000, and a celebration was held by residents relatives and staff at the home after she came back

from her adventure

Preston House has recently received glowing feedback in a Care Inspectorate report achieving 4s and 5s across the board for the high standard of care and positive environment at the home The staff were recognised for their commitment to delivering compassionate and person-centred care

Tracey said “I’m delighted that I was able to raise this much money for the residents – it surpassed my expectations! I was definitely nervous before the skydive, but it was all worth it in the end to see the smiles on the residents faces

cleaner carpet shampoo and odour eliminator making cleaning processes more time efficient for housekeeping teams while still giving them the reassurance that they are cleaning effectively OdorBac provides 99 99% protection against coronaviruses and inhibits the growth of germs

Athena Care Homes is committed to protecting our environment and leaving a lasting legacy for their residents; planting five trees for each resident that moves in to one of their care homes

Katherine Foley Group Operations Director at Athena Care Homes said

We are constantly reviewing our operations and looking at more ecofriendly options that allow us to continue providing a high level of service while also protecting our environment

“For us, OdorBac was an obvious choice It provides the effective cleaning in a variety of scenarios while also reducing waste and offering efficiencies around our homes ”

For more information on Athena visit www athenacarehomes co uk

More details about OdorBac can be found at www 2pureproducts co uk

Adult Social Care ‘Poor Cousin’ to the NHS, says Charity

Adult social care sector remains the poor cousin to the NHS says learning disability charity

The adult social care sector remains the poor cousin to the NHS amid the Government’s long-term workforce plan

This is according to Kirsty Matthews, Chief Executive of the learning disability charity, Hft, who explains: Today s landmark plan could be a watershed moment for the NHS If the plan is fulfilled, it could provide our essential health service with the increased stability and sustainability it so desperately needs to respond to patient need long into the future

“However even though the adult social care sector is inextricably linked to the success of the NHS (as is recognised in the plan) our depleted workforce has received little to no attention from the Government says Ms Matthews

The staff vacancy rate in adult social care has risen to the highest rate since records began in 2012/13 According to 2022 figures from Skills for Care the number of vacancies increased by 52% on the previous year to 165,000 and the vacancy rate in 2021/22 was 10 7%

Indeed our Sector Pulse Check research conducted in partnership this year with Care England reveals the detrimental impact of this; as a result of staff shortages over a half of providers turned down admissions and nearly a fifth closed services

“Rather than a substantial plan to revitalise and stabilise the adult social care workforce we instead receive reductions in investment – from the £500m pledged in the 2021 social care white paper, to just £250m announced in April this year

It is worrying that the Government still does not understand that the workforce challenges facing our sector have a direct impact on the NHS with unmet care need contributing to admissions and delayed discharges Without a plan for adult social care I am concerned that efforts to support our heath service will fail

“Our staff, and particularly adults with learning disabilities, deserve more and I urge the Government to step forward with a plan to address the challenges we face and ensure our workforce stability long into the future ”

Care Worker Set For Degree In Medicine Thanks To Nor wich Care Home Experience

A medical student is set to take a place at university thanks to her experience at a Norwich care home

Maddie Robert took a gap year after her A levels to work on her application to join medical school and pursue a career in medicine Without any experience in healthcare she took the positive step of approaching Black Swan Care s Heathcote care home on Unthank Road in Norwich

Maddie takes up the story: “I’ve always wanted to pursue a career in medicine but realised that I had no experience of working in healthcare I felt that I needed this to support my application to medical school I know that elderly people make up a significant proportion of the people treated by the NHS, so it made sense for me to work in a care home to gain some experience with this

“I approached Heathcote care home in October 2022 and was warmly welcomed by the team at the home especially the residents I’ve learned so much working alongside the whole team at the home I’ve been brilliantly supported including the opportunity to work closely with one of the GPs who support the home This has given me a much better insight into a career in medicine

I am very grateful to have joined such a supportive team who

have been so welcoming and given me the confidence as a young person new to the role, and an aspiring medical student

Their belief in me meant that by January and February of this year I felt confident enough to attend my university interviews with a far better knowledge about elderly care within the community all gained from my experience at Heathcote

I’m delighted that thanks to this experience I secured three offers for medical school placements and have accepted my place at the University of Birmingham where I will start my studies in September 2023

Sylvie Ames Manager at Heathcote is proud of Maddie “From the day since Maddie literally knocked on our door looking for work in a care home, we have all been supporting her with gaining experience giving her the chance to learn all the different aspects of a care home We’ve seen her confidence grow and watched her develop and learn new skills which will all help with her future plans

“We have watched her mature into a lovely kind young lady and we are all very proud of how well she has done She will be greatly missed by all staff and residents at Heathcote, and we wish her every success with all she does in the future

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Sur vey of Doctors with Long Covid Reveals Debilitating Impact On Health, Life And Work

Lost jobs lost income debilitating symptoms that render even the most mundane tasks near-impossible, and huge barriers to accessing treatment: these are the repeated stories of UK doctors living with Long Covid, in response to a major survey from the BMA

Carried out in partnership with the support group Long Covid Doctors for Action it is the first comprehensive survey of doctors with post-acute Covid health complications (often referred to as Long Covid ) More than 600 doctors suffering the continuing effects of Covid-19 were asked about the impact the condition is having on their health daily lives employment and finances

In a report the findings paint a stark picture of the devastating impact Long Covid is having on this group of people who were doing their job during the pandemic and deserved to be better protected – and for whom many feel completely let down by a system that they say has turned its back on them

KEY FINDINGS INCLUDE:

Doctors reported a wide range of symptoms, including fatigue, headaches muscular pain nerve damage joint pain ongoing respiratory problems and many more

Around 60% of doctors told the BMA that post-acute Covid ill health has impacted on their ability to carry out day-to-day activities on a regular basis;

Almost one in five respondents (18%) reported that they were now unable to work due to their postacute Covid ill-health;

Less than one in three (31%) doctors said they were working full-time, compared to more than half (57%) before the onset of their illness;

Nearly half (48%) said they have experienced some form of loss of earnings as a result of post-acute Covid;

54% of respondents acquired Covid-19 during the first wave of the pandemic in 2020 and 77% of these believed that they contracted Covid -19 in the workplace;

A small minority of doctors had access to respiratory protective equipment (RPE) around the time that they contracted Covid-19 with only 11% having access to an FFP2 respirator and 16% an FFP3 respirator;

More than 65% of doctors responding said their post-acute Covid symptoms had not been investigated thoroughly and effectively by an NHS long Covid clinic or centre And almost half of doctors reported not even being referred to an NHS long Covid clinic at all

At a time when health services face huge staff shortages, the loss of doctors from the workforce because they were not adequately protected has serious implications for the ability of the NHS to meet patient demand and ensure safe patient care

For those well enough to return to work the BMA says that the Government and employers not only have a moral duty to support them but failing to do so risks making staffing problems worse

The BMA says there must be better protection for healthcare workers, who remain at risk, ensuring adequate workplace risk assessment as well as infection prevention and control processes in healthcare settings, against airborne transmission of Covid-19 and other pathogens This means providing clean air everywhere in healthcare by improved ventilation and air filtration and the provision of respiratory protective equipment (RPE)

THE BMA REPORT OUTLINES A NUMBER OF KEY ASKS, INCLUDING:

Financial support for doctors and healthcare staff with post-acute Covid;

Post-acute Covid to be recognised as an occupational disease in healthcare workers with a definition that covers all of the debilitating disease’s symptoms;

Improved access to physical and mental health services to aid comprehensive assessment appropriate investigations and treatment;

Greater workplace protection for healthcare staff risking their lives for others;

Better support for post-acute Covid sufferers to return to work safely if they can including a flexible approach to the use of workplace adjustments

Professor David Strain BMA board of science chair said: We know that throughout the pandemic Covid-19 had a profound and often tragic impact on healthcare workers but now this report and the heart-breaking accounts within it lay bare the debilitating effect that the virus continues to have on those doctors living with longterm symptoms

“Contrary to what some may associate with the term ‘Long Covid these doctors are not just a bit tired nor are they withdrawn due to the isolation of lockdowns’ They are living with a range of serious health conditions caused by their initial Covid-19 infection most likely caught while they were caring for others on the front line

Many describe not being able to do basic daily tasks like brushing their hair, cooking for their children or the basic arithmetic required to pay for items in shops let alone go to work as a doctor with gruelling hours and frequent complex decision-making that patients’ safety hinges on

Even within the medical community it s clear from the survey findings that there needs to be much more awareness of the range of symptoms that Long Covid encompasses and far better availability of specialist care and support for those living with it ”

Professor Raymond Agius BMA occupational medicine committee co-chair said During the Covid-19 pandemic doctors were left exposed and unprotected at work They often did not have access to the right PPE In particular many doctors were denied effective Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) – ie respirators which would have considerably reduced their risk of contracting this airborne disease Too many risk assessments of workplaces and especially of vulnerable doctors were not undertaken

This report underlines the devastating consequences of this lack of protection Doctors still living with continuing symptoms have once again been left at risk with little to no support from the system that they gave so much to

“Those well enough to return to work need support in doing so while those who are still too sick need adequate financial compensation to ensure they are not driven to bankruptcy by an illness they caught in the line of duty

“Those doctors who may never work again due to the long-term effects of Covid are a huge loss to the workforce when we can least afford it

“The Government has a moral duty to look after healthcare staff who were put at risk throughout the pandemic as well as to ensure they are never put in the same position again

Dr Kelly Fearnley, Long Covid Doctors for Action chair, said:“From the start of this pandemic, UK healthcare workers have been risking their lives and health caring for Covid patients without adequate protection A significant number are now disabled following preventable occupational exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and are being managed out of the door with no support system in place and without means to financially support themselves and their families Not only have they lost their health and independence they have lost their careers and livelihoods, with many now facing financial destitution

One would think given the circumstances under which we fell ill and current workforce shortages NHS employers would be eager to do everything to facilitate the return to work of people with Long Covid However NHS employers are legally required to implement only reasonable adjustments and so things such as extended phased return or adjustments to shift patterns are not always being facilitated Instead an increasing number of employers are choosing to terminate contracts We feel betrayed and completely abandoned

“Infection control guidelines are fundamentally flawed SARS-CoV-2 is airborne It is outrageous that three-and-a-half years into this pandemic staff and patients are still knowingly and repeatedly being exposed to a level-3 biohazard – a virus known to cause brain damage and significantly increased risk of life-threatening blood complications even in those recovered Healthcare workers must be provided with respiratory protection and the air quality in hospitals be monitored and improved through the installation of ventilation systems and air filter units ”

Revitalise Respite Holidays Launches 2023 Summer Season

Revitalise the national charity providing respite holidays for disabled people and their carers is celebrating its 60th anniversary with the launch of their 2023 summer season

Revitalise is a unique provider of respite holidays for those who need 24hour care, supported by skilled care and nursing staff All centres are fully accessible with specialised facilities and equipment The group has two centres, based in Southport and Chigwell, and caters for adults with a variety of different disabilities

Revitalise centres offer breaks in a relaxed holiday-style environment in which guests can unwind in beautiful settings with access to a wide range of daily activities and evening entertainment There are opportunities to visit new places make new friends participate in wellbeing activities like manicures and reiki or just enjoy some much-needed time off

Emily Sheardown Reservations Manager says A Revitalise holiday offers an important lifeline to disabled people and carers who need a break and deserve a proper time away from the day-to-day

Summer prices start from £680 for a three- or four-night break Care support packages are priced additionally based on individual support needs

Revitalise are launching a campaign in May to highlight the lack of respite care on offer and the urgent need for funding so that more people can take a break

Booking:

Call: 0303 303 0145

Email: bookings@revitalise org uk

Book online: www revitalise org uk/book-now/

High Praise for Bristol Care Home by Care Quality Commission

A Bristol care home that supports people with learning disabilities has been praised for being “exceptionally well-led” by the Care Quality Commission (CQC)

Following an inspection Wood House Care Home in Southmead received an outstanding rating for being well-led and a good rating for its safety

The home celebrated with a party for staff residents and families which included a buffet lunch and entertainment from the Special Occasions mascots and a balloon entertainer Food including a hog roast as well as Filipino and Bangladeshi cuisine

In the report the home was highlighted for particular praise by CQC inspectors for promoting a positive culture that is person-centred open inclusive and empowering which achieves good outcomes for people

It added that people were completely at the heart of the service and the staff team worked together under the direction of the management to support people to gain new skills, build on their confidence and to lead the life they wanted Service manager, Jacqueline Ryan, commented: “Only 5 per cent of adult social care services throughout England have been rated as ‘outstanding’ in this category and the achievement is testament to the hard work of the staff I know that each member of the team at Wood House is incredibly proud of the care that we provide and I am delighted that all their hard work has been recognised ” Wood House is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care for 16 people with learning and physical disabilities

Care Home Celebrates Pride Month With Lasting Pledge To LGBTQ+ Community

Signature at Reigate Grange team members residents and their loved ones united to conclude their Pride month celebrations which a BBQ which saw the home additionally set out its firm commitment to being an LGBTQ+ ally

The Pride BBQ also marked the appointment of its Hospitality Services Manager, Penka Velikova as the home’s first LGBTQ+ ambassador

In their role, Penka will lead year-round discussion sessions, film nights and coordinate activities featuring songs from LGBTQ+ artists Additionally, they will lead training sessions for current and future care home recruits, all of which is designed to ensure Reigate Grange is an LGBTQ+ advocate and an inclusive environment

Commenting on the home’s celebrations and their appointment Penka Velikova Hospitality Services Manager and LGBTQ+ Ambassador at Signature at Reigate Grange said: “Everybody has the right to be accepted and included in one way or another regardless of our gender or sexuality

But for LGBTQ+ individuals the fear of rejection exclusion or discrimination is a

lot greater as most of us face those on regular basis in our everyday lives And that goes not just for employees but residents too

“Feeling safe and being able to be myself at work being able to express myself in the way I do gender and what my sexuality means for me has helped me to actually focus on my work be as productive as I can be and love what I do with all of my heart

Velikova continued: “As an ambassador for the home I am proud to work with current and future colleagues to ensure we continue to be an inclusive environment for residents their loved ones and team members

Maggie Broderick an LGBTQ+ Resident at Signature at Reigate Grange said: Our home was full of colour and celebration throughout June! It was great fun and it also set out an important message aroud why it is vital that we and wider society are inclusive

As the saying goes love is love and it should not discriminate

Marching 100k in Memor y of Margaret

Hannah McIntosh Reward Manager at Care UK and her three-year-old dachshund Benny set themselves the challenge of walking 100 kilometres – the equivalent to 62 2 miles - throughout the month of March in memory of her late grandmother Margaret

The power-walking pair raised funds for Dementia UK the specialist dementia nursing charity The charity holds a special place in Hannah s heart for the support they provided her family whilst Margaret was living with dementia

Admiral Nurses are specialist dementia nurses who are continually supported and developed by Dementia UK, to provide life-changing advice and support to anyone affected by dementia, whenever it’s needed They work on the free national Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline, in face-to-face and virtual clinics, and in the community, in GP practices, hospitals, and care homes

Hannah recently joined Care UK starting her new adventure in March 2023 After spending most of her career in financial services she decided she wanted a change and to be in a role where she felt like she was giving back She said In my role our focus is our colleagues I couldn t think of anything more perfect than working to fulfil the lives of our those who in turn do an incredible job of fulfilling the lives of our residents and communities The values at Care UK really resonate with me and so many homes offer dementia care which is very close to my heart I knew I d love working for Care UK

Hannah’s gran Margaret was 84 years old and lived with dementia for two years before she passed in 2015 She remained at home with Hannah s grandad and parents looking after her but was additionally supported by Admiral Nurses from Dementia UK As Dementia UK is close to Hannah’s heart she has

fundraised for them for many years raising funds mainly through baking and getting involved in Cupcake Days and Baking for Dementia before discovering the 100-kilometre walking challenge in 2021

Every three minutes someone in the UK develops dementia: a progressive and complex condition that can be devastating for the whole family It s a huge and growing health crisis and is the leading cause of death in the UK

Hannah and Benny raised an incredible £307 50 alongside getting their steps in and later applied for Care UK’s Matched Funding scheme which matches colleagues fundraising efforts up to £1,000 With matched funding approved, Hannah s final donation to Dementia UK was £615

The money raised can enable 15 families living with dementia to receive free, life-changing advice and support from a specialist dementia nurse on their Helpline

Joanna Sullivan Head of Community Fundraising Events and Innovation at Dementia UK said: We are so grateful to Hannah for taking on this incredible challenge for Dementia UK

One in three people born in the UK this year will develop dementia in their lifetime Thanks to the hard work of our amazing fundraisers like Hannah more families than ever will be able to access the life-changing support offered by our Admiral Nurses

Hannah said: We often do this challenge in memory of my gran as I just don t think anyone can really appreciate how much of an impact dementia can have on you or on your whole family until you experience it I just think what Dementia UK and our carers at Care UK do is incredible The least I can do is try and raise a little money and awareness by walking with Benny ”

Ipswich Artist Hosts Exhibition Thanks to Fair ways Staff

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An aspiring Ipswich artist with a brain injury was able to showcase his creative talents at a Suffolk art exhibition which was arranged just for him by Cygnet Social Care staff

Mark Keir is a current resident at Fairways, a Cygnet Social Care-run specialist residential service supporting adults with learning disabilities and complex needs He is passionate about art and craft and during his free time he likes to engage with different type of creative art including painting sketching and embellishing objects

To showcase his creativity and passion for art, staff at Fairways organised for an exhibition to be held at Suffolk County Council s Endeavour House over the course of three days

Talking about his love for art Mark who has an acquired brain injury said: I think I would try to explain by saying it s a sense of freedom to replicate what we see and feel and a true honour to be able to do this from time to time

I got my interest in art from my dad who was a fantastic artist His paintings and drawings were superb and he could sculpt to a high level as well My brother and sisters all had the same talent in art so, thank you

The hard work

Mark put into his art really impressed staff who were keen to give him a platform to show off his work Mark was able discuss his work and his interest in art with the public and received many compliments

Visitors to the exhibition shared their feedback including: “Stunning work really beautiful Thank you for sharing your talent ”

Fairways service manage Suman Dewan thanked the Adult and Community Services (ACS) at Suffolk County Council for enabling the art exhibition to take place

She added: “All of us at Fairways are incredibly proud of Mark and what he has achieved with his artwork Across all Cygnet Social Care services staff enable residents to fulfil their potential and to see this happening with Mark is so pleasing

“Every day I witness the difference our motivated compassionate and value-driven teams make for our services users like Mark which enables them to achieve their goals

“Mark is exceptionally talented and to be given a platform to showcase his talent meant so much to him ”

Forbes Professional Helps Care Homes Ensure Optimal Protection

Laundry equipment is a critical investment for any care home extending way beyond the delivery of immaculately pressed shirts for discerning residents By choosing specialised commercial appliances the healthcare sector can efficiently process the requisite wash volumes whilst maintaining a safe environment and adhering to stringent regulatory requirements The Association for Applied Hygiene and Robert Koch Institute stipulate that combining disinfection programmes with appropriate segregation of clean and dirty laundry is required for infection control Care homes must also choose a reliable partner for the provision service and maintenance of laundry equipment If a machine breaks down it is imperative to know it will be repaired or replaced urgently as machine downtime can be highly impactful Forbes Professional carefully select manufacturers in order to deliver the highest standards of product and service A national distribution partner to Miele they install and maintain laundry and dishwashing machines to care homes across the UK Miele is renowned for producing highly energy water and user efficient appliances Their heat pump dryers reduce energy consumption by an astounding 70% when

compared to standard vented dryers making them a great choice for any care home

Furthermore the employment of impressive array of hygiene and safety functions enables Miele’s intelligent appliances to continually monitor the parameters that are crucial to disinfection Miele washing machines offer thermal and chemo-thermal disinfection programmes and recent models have received the highly coveted Seal in Black as a testimony to exceptional hygiene standards, with special recognition for deactivating more than 99 9% of all viruses

Forbes works closely with clients to deliver a hygienic efficient solution that meets budget and space requirements and fully complies with WRAS and CQC regulations Their inclusive maintenance and repair services eliminate unexpected expenses and reduce machine downtime Forbes enables invaluable support and adaptability so that care homes can respond to changing resident populations or regulatory guidelines and focus on providing high-quality care knowing that their equipment is in capable hands forbespro co uk

All Clouds Have A Silver Lining At The Official Opening of The Redcot Arms

Despite the grey clouds and raindrops falling at Redcot the residential care home in Haslemere Surrey which is managed by charity Friends of the Elderly spirits were not dampened as The Redcot Arms was officially opened The honour of cutting the red ribbon and serving the first drink went to The Mayor of Haslemere Councillor Jerome Davidson and the internationally renowned, The Folding Lady, Sophie Liard

Prior to the opening of The Redcot Arms Sophie presented the charity’s Care Home Director, Cheryl Rothschild with a cheque for a staggering £8 268 10 Sophie raised this extraordinary amount for Friends of the Elderly by conquering this year’s London Marathon completing the exhausting and exhilarating challenge in six hours

It was a really special moment being able to present the cheque to Friends of the Elderly I’m so grateful to everyone who donated and supported me every step of the way from training through to crossing the finishing line I must say I m also

pretty proud to have finished the Marathon and raised so much for such a worthwhile charity ” said Sophie

I m so very proud of Sophie for taking on the London Marathon on behalf of Friends of the Elderly I couldn’t be prouder as Sophie is my Niece and for her to do such a fantastic thing for our charity is amazing added Cheryl

Before braving the weather The Mayor and his wife Penny enjoyed a special performance by The Redcot Residents’ Choir who sang Somewhere over the Rainbow and Show Me The Way To Tipperary

Then with the grey clouds still floating overhead the Mayor and Sophie braved the drizzling rain and cut the red ribbon officially opening The Redcot Arms 98-year-old Joyce Douglas who has lived at Redcot for two years, was the first resident to christen the pub, enjoying a delicious glass of fruit punch specially served by Mayor Davidson

Brampton Manor Celebrates 2 Years Enriching Lives

Brampton Manor by Boutique Care Homes has joyfully commemorated its second anniversary in June as a haven of exceptional care and vibrant community by hosting a summer garden party

The anniversary party celebrated the thriving community at Brampton Manor that uplifts the lives of residents every day and celebrated the contributions of residents families and team who have helped create such a popular home

Speaking after the event, founding resident, Jean Aves who has lived at Brampton Manor shortly after the opening in June 2021 spoke of her joy to celebrate the anniversary, “There are no words to say, it was just amazing ” Jean continued by highlighting the positive experience she has had since moving to the care home “Brampton Manor just keeps getting better and better The team are like the children I never had; they are so kind I really can’t speak more highly of Brampton Manor

Home Manager Zoe Kirk, who has been in post since its launch, expressed

her pride in reaching this anniversary stating It fills my heart with immense pride to celebrate Brampton Manor's second anniversary We have created a haven where the ladies and gents who call Brampton Manor Home can truly thrive

The dedicated team at Brampton Manor have worked tirelessly over the last two years to ensure that every aspect of the community reflects a genuine commitment to enhancing the well-being and quality of life of residents The result is a community that radiates joy embraces diversity and embodies a true sense of home where residents feel a strong sense of belonging and connection

Admissions Manager James Chandler highlighted the inclusive nature of Brampton Manor stating Our anniversary is a testament to the strong bonds we have formed with residents and their families who have become an integral part of our extended family "

The Care & Occupational Therapy Show, 12th July 2023, Westpoint Arena, Exeter

The Care & Occupational Therapy Show is the ultimate destination for healthcare professionals from across the UK looking to learn about how the industries are changing This event provides a platform to explore the latest advancements in care and occupational therapy From technology innovations, to the latest hygiene products, this event has it all

Taking place on the 12th of July at the Westpoint Arena in Exeter, and is a must-attend event for anyone in the industry

With over 100 exhibitors showcasing the latest products services and technologies attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the newest and most innovative healthcare solutions available The show is designed to connect healthcare professionals carers and occupational therapists with experts in the field providing a unique opportunity to network share knowledge and gain insights into the future of the industry

The Care & Occupational Therapy Show is also set to feature an extensive CPD-accredited seminar programme with presentations from leading experts in the field

The event will also feature a range of live product demonstrations providing attendees with hands-on experience of the latest technologies and products This is an excellent opportunity to learn about the latest advancements in healthcare and gain practical experience in their application

The event is expected to attract a large audience, including occupational therapists, physiotherapists, care home managers, nurses, and other healthcare professionals This provides an excellent opportunity to network with like-minded professionals and build valuable connections within the industry

The Care & Occupational Therapy Show is an unmissable event for anyone in the healthcare industry Whether you are a healthcare professional looking to stay upto-date with the latest advancements in the field or an exhibitor looking to showcase your products and services to a highly engaged audience this event is not to be missed

Head to www careexhibition co uk to learn more and secure your free tickets for the 12th July at Westpoint Arena Exeter

A Marathon Effort For A Good Cause!

At Care UK we believe in supporting colleagues who go out of their way to raise money for those in need

Christine Bond the Team Leader at Care UK s Property Service Helpdesk wanted to raise money for a cause close to her heart She set herself the challenge of running a marathon – a total of 26 2 miles - throughout April for Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) These funds are to support the charity building a new cancer unit for children

Great Ormond Street change the lives of thousands of children every single day supporting patients, families, and staff through some of the greatest challenges a child can face Christine knows this all too well as her son was treated at GOSH between 2007 and 2019 following a condition he had from birth She said: “GOSH means the world to me I feel like we were extended family with every visit and they were always so supportive of us I feel like I owe them everything ”

Christine has worked with Care UK for 25 years turning her hand to many roles in our Colchester-based Support Centre throughout her career including rising through the ranks in the Support Team before moving over to the Property Service Desk Team in 2020 Her determination at work is mirrored in her personal life and she knew that taking on a marathon was the best way for her to support GOSH

Christine has no cartilage in her right knee and as a result of this she was advised not to take up running by a physio, but she knew she could do anything she set her mind to To train she worked with a physical trainer at her local gym who suggested due to her knee condition not to run outside but to complete the miles on a treadmill instead She started to ease herself into running prior to April by walking at a fast pace

first She said: The hardest part was pushing myself out of my comfort zone and actually going for a run every day and the calf cramps afterwards!”

To help keep her motivation up Christine s partner her personal trainer and her son all hopped on a treadmill beside her to encourage every step She said: “I was very emotional having my son complete this beside me as he is the main reason for completing the challenge My heart just felt so warm ”

Christine raised a total of £459 thanks to her efforts and later applied for Care UK s Matched Funding scheme, which matches colleagues’ fundraising efforts up to £1 000 With the additional funding approved her final donation to GOSH was £918 She said “Care UK matching my donation means everything to me I really feel humbled to have such a great support network surrounding me

Christine has discovered a newfound love for running and will be including it into all her future gym sessions She said: “If you had asked me to run five miles in one hit back in March I would have laughed but here I am doing it It helps to watch a TV series at the same time!”

To celebrate her success of running 26 2 miles for GOSH Christine and her partner relaxed in a hydrotherapy pool at a local spa and enjoyed a takeaway with a glass of fizz Speaking about her feelings after completing the challenge she said: I was very emotional, and overwhelmed with the support and donations I received My target was initially £150 but we exceeded that and raised a total of £459

Care Home Residents Reminisce About The NHS

I remember the NHS had matrons on the hospital rounds, and I was treated fabulously”

Care home residents across the UK are celebrating the NHS’ 75th anniversary and have shared their memories of the service with leading care home reviews website carehome co uk

For most of us the NHS is something we take for granted, that is just part of being British But hearing care home residents reminisce about the time it was founded 75 years ago makes you realise the huge difference it made to people’s lives ” commented Sue Learner editor of carehome co uk

Margaret Wates aged 86 a resident at Royal Star & Garter care home in Solihull, said: I remember the NHS being founded very fondly My father was a doctor in the RAF and he was overjoyed that all could receive free treatment He was a radiographer and I just remember so clearly how pleased he was for everyone

“Now when I see the NHS it seems to be struggling and I find that sad I still receive very good treatment and the staff are excellent but you hear that they re struggling with staff shortages or that they’re unable to treat people the way they want them to I find that sad

Doris Chavasse, aged 100, also a resident at the Royal Star & Garter Solihull care home, said “I remember there being very long queues to be seen because everyone thought everything was going to be free from the NHS

I remember when I was in my 60s going in for an operation and the NHS was amazing They had matrons on the hospital rounds and I was treated fabulously It was so different to a recent admission I had It had changed a lot and not for the better and I found that very sad I want to see improvements to the NHS and I really hope the problems they have now can be resolved

88-year-old Brenda Reed who lives at Rivendell View care home in Stoke Bardolph shared her memories of working in the NHS for over 40 years in honour of the service s 75th anniversary

Brenda began training to be a nurse with the NHS at the age of 17 in 1951 at Nottingham General

Hospital three years after the service was founded Once qualified, Brenda became a theatre nurse, later moving to London in 1957 where she could attend in-depth lectures and learn new skills

After a few years of working as a theatre nurse Brenda made the decision to become a midwife at Guy s Hospital seeking a more ‘family orientated environment

Brenda said: I m particularly proud of my work as a midwife, delivering the babies of a new generation It felt very special to see how they developed and watch midwifery evolve over the years ”

At the age of 26 Brenda returned to Nottingham to marry her childhood sweetheart John who she met in school and start a family While in Nottingham Brenda continued her work as a midwife whilst also offering her skills as a district nurse before becoming a Night Sister at City Hospital in Nottingham

“I worked as a Night Sister covering five wards for about a year because it was more convenient for my family life at the time

“After about a year I decided to retrain as a health visitor for our local GP covering vaccinations and visiting families in their own homes I did that until I retired at 58 to take care of my own family

I really enjoyed working in the NHS I think that the service they provide is second to none As a nation I feel we are very lucky to have access to this amazing service ”

To celebrate the NHS 75th Anniversary the residents and staff at Rivendell View are throwing an NHS Big Tea Party to fundraise for NHS charities All are welcome to come along from 10:00-12:00 for delicious, homemade refreshments

Sue Learner, added: “Care home residents have first-hand knowledge of how our universal health care system evolved through the decades and its founding principles remain the same – being free at the point of use and funded by general taxation However many have recently experienced for themselves an NHS that has become overwhelmed with waiting times spiralling for routine and emergency care

Yet it is still a health service that many are justifiably proud of and on its 75th anniversary the government needs to take action, end the strikes and make sure the NHS lives to see 100 ”

Gibraltar Nursing Home Unveils Relaxing Sensor y Garden

Gibraltar Nursing Home in Monmouth is proud to announce their newly developed sensory garden designed to give its residents who are affectionately referred to as family members, a place to relax under the parasols socialise and get back to nature in a way that engages all the senses

The garden incorporates a variety of wonderful features crafted from upcycled materials and is a true collaborative effort between the team and family members From a handmade babbling brook that incorporates pebbles the family members painted together, a beautiful marigold fountain to a pristinely kept flower and vegetable garden that family members have helped sow the seeds of the garden offers

a multitude of different elements for the community here to enjoy They also have a range of gardening tools for family members who want to engage in meaningful occupation out in the fresh air

One of the highlights of the garden is an upcycled chandelier that team leader Bridget saved from a skip which she then took apart to hang individual strands from the herb greenhouse, creating a mesmerising rainbow effect when the sun bounces off the glass and a comforting song as they tinkle in the breeze

Extra care has been taken to ensure the garden is wheelchair friendly and accessible to all so everyone living here can enjoy every aspect this garden has to offer

Cornerstone Healthcare and PremaLabs

Collaborate to Test Staff for COVID-19 Antibodies

Award winning specialist care provider Cornerstone Healthcare has announced a collaboration with PremaLabs Diagnostics a leading provider of Point of Care Test (POCT) solutions to test their staff for COVID-19 antibodies This joint effort is aimed at gaining a better understanding of the virus and its impact on health and social care workers and the wider community

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact the world healthcare providers have been at the forefront of the fight against the virus Understanding the prevalence of COVID-19 antibodies among their staff is critical in ensuring their safety and the safety of the residents that they care for

PremaLabs’ Chief Scientific Officer Gary McLean, Professor Emeritus at London Metropolitan University and Honorary Senior Research Fellow at Imperial College London and his team will utilise its state-of-the-art testing capabilities to screen the staff at Cornerstone for the presence of COVID-19 antibodies The results of these tests will be used to gain insight into the prevalence of the virus among healthcare workers and help identify potential areas for enhanced infection control practices

We are excited to welcome the PremaLabs team to our services and to be collaborating with them on this important initiative said Johann van Zyl Cornerstone CEO By testing our staff for COVID-19 antibodies we can gain a better understanding of the virus We look forward to the valuable insights that this agreement will provide

We are honoured to be working with Cornerstone Healthcare on this study said PremaLabs CEO Adam Martin Our advanced portable testing services will enable us to provide Cornerstone with accurate data on the prevalence of COVID-19 antibodies among their staff which will be crucial in implementing effective measures to keep their residents and employees safe

The collaboration between Cornerstone Healthcare and PremaLabs is a significant stride forward in the ongoing battle against COVID-19 Through this joint effort to gain a deeper understanding of the virus, these two organisations are at the forefront of safeguarding the health and welfare of both health and social care workers and their vulnerable residents Cornerstone who cares for people with challenging behaviours associated with complex neurological and mental health needs, employs over 350 people across its three services - South Africa Lodge and Kitnocks House in Hampshire and Marula Lodge in Surrey

PremaLabs Diagnostics is a global medical device company offering advanced and comprehensive Point of Care (POC) diagnostic solutions This technology used in the care home environment can aid early and quick diagnosis of various conditions such as anaemia cardiovascular diseases and diabetes For more information visit their website at www premalabs uk

Public Worried About NHS Future-Sur vey Reveals

As the NHS prepares to celebrate its 75th anniversary new polling data from Ipsos and the Health Foundation shows that despite the health service making people most proud to be British the public are worried about its future

Among those in Great Britain who identify as British citizens the NHS ranks highest with 54% of the public saying this is what makes them most proud to be British higher than our history (32%) our culture (26%) or our system of democracy (25%) Among members of the public who say the NHS is something that makes them proud to be British, the aspect that makes people most proud is it being free at the point of use affordable and paid for via tax (55%), followed by being available to all and treating everyone equally (36%)

However despite being the main source of pride nearly 3 in 4 (71%) believe the NHS s principle of free at the point of delivery will be eroded to at least some extent over the next 10 years Half (51%) expect to pay for some services currently free at point of use while 13% think most services will need to be paid for upfront and 7% anticipate charges for all services

THE DATA REVEALED THE PUBLIC ARE ALSO PESSIMISTIC ABOUT THE NHS’S ABILITY TO MEET KEY FUTURE CHALLENGES:

77% believe the NHS is not prepared to meet the increasing health demands of an ageing population

61% believe the NHS is not prepared to respond to the impacts of climate change

• 51% believe the NHS is not prepared to keep up with new technologies to improve patient care

The public are more confident in the NHS s preparedness for future pandemics with 47% who think it is well prepared compared to 46% who believe it is not prepared

Nearly 3 in 4 of the public (72%) think the NHS is crucial to British society and that everything should be done to maintain it (as opposed to thinking we probably can’t maintain it in its current form – 26%) This represents a small but statistically significant change from 12 months ago (77%) and while support remains stable among people intending to vote Labour (86%), there has been a significant decline among those planning to vote Conservative (50%) Other (59%) and undecided voters (64%)

While the NHS s founding principles command majority support across the party-political spectrum the findings reveal that people intending to vote Labour are more than twice as likely to say the NHS makes them most proud to be British (71%) than Conservative voters (31%)

People intending to vote Conservative are also more likely to expect user charges for some services (66% vs 51% of Labour voters) But those planning to vote Labour are more likely to expect to pay for most1 or all services2 that are now free at point of use There was also a political difference in the ideas on what was causing the strain on the NHS, with Conservative voters more likely to single out NHS management (43%) and inefficiency (32%), whereas Labour voters tend to point to lack of funding (58%) and government policy (52%)

The majority (80%) continue to think that the NHS needs an increase in funding compared to just 17% who think that the NHS should operate within its current budget While the public generally favours paying for this through tax rises rather than increasing borrowing or cutting spending elsewhere people remain divided on what specific taxes they prefer The most popular options are an additional tax earmarked specifically for the NHS (31%), an increase in National Insurance (22%), and an increase in Income Tax (21%)

Tim Gardner, Assistant Director for Policy at the Health Foundation, said: ‘After 75 years, the NHS remains fundamental to what it means to be British – but there is real concern among the public about whether the principles on which the health service was founded will endure

‘People’s concern about the current state of the health service should not be interpreted as an appetite for radical change to its founding principles Our polling consistently shows that the public wants a better health service, that can respond to changing health needs and continue to provide equitable access for all, and backs the investment and policy action needed to bring that about

‘The government has chosen to mark the NHS anniversary by finally publishing the long overdue workforce strategy but this should be just the start of a longer-term and sustained process of investment and improvement – not a one-off event

Abbeyfield Provides Valuable Experience For GCSE Student

Northfield Court a sheltered housing scheme for older people in Taunton has been providing work experience for Year 10 student from The Castle School

Noah Rowntree who is studying for his GCSEs next year worked for a week at the scheme, which is managed by The Abbeyfield Taunton Defendamus Society and is home to 12 residents

Northfield Court is part of the worldwide Abbeyfield Family, comprising of hundreds of care homes sheltered housing schemes and independent living complexes for older people across eight countries

Northfield Court Manager Sam Corrie gave Noah a range of responsibilities where he assisted the staff in preparing meals running activities ensuring the house was clean and tidy, and maintaining the garden

Sam said Noah also had a great many opportunities to talk to the residents He is fantastic company for them, as many of them don t get to see their own grandchildren very often

The week has clearly been an invaluable educational experience for Noah who now has first-hand experience of what life is like in the social care sector

We wanted him to spend the week gaining a greater insight into the mechanics of working in a setting such as Northfield Court ” Sam explained

He has had ample opportunity to learn about the different roles our staff undertake and has completed e-learning modules in safeguarding GDPR and health and safety all of which are critical aspects of knowledge when working with older people

Noah said, “I thoroughly enjoyed my work experience placement at Abbeyfield I think it is a very valuable place to do work experience as you get the feel of a real work environment build up your confidence working in and around other people and learn how to properly take care of and work with older people ”

Fiona Forbes Noah’s English teacher was invited to observe him at work

The Abbeyfield work experience placement is a wonderful opportunity for young people to understand and experience a career in social care,” she said Noah is learning so much about others and how to be sensitive caring and patient

It is clear that Noah is being well looking after at Northfield Court It was great to see him happy and I was so impressed with how he conducted himself with the residents – it was clear they also enjoyed having him in their home

We will definitely be contacting Sam in the future about the possibility of work experience for more of our students ”

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 acronymSAS - 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

Directors Take On Bushtucker Trials For Charity

A group of directors from across the county have taken part in the ultimate challenge to raise money for a charity that supports unpaid arers

On Friday 30th June fourteen directors took on I’m a Director Get Me Out of Here with the Red team and White team battling it out in various Bushtucker trials to raise funds for Crossroads Care Surrey a charity that provides crucial support to unpaid carers in Surrey

The event was held at Home of Compassion a Grade II listed care home in Thames Ditton part of the Aria Care Group Contestants faced their fears in a series of challenges; ranging from handling giant reptiles and tarantulas provided by Tom s Talking Reptiles to eating some of the most unappealing foods the chefs at the home could create They also took part in a series of physical sports day challenges by Team Activity Group and concluded with the losing team being gunged by the winning team Mick Newton, Aria Care’s Business Development Director, and contestant said When we first heard about the fabulous work that Crossroads Care Surrey do in supporting unpaid carers, it was an easy choice to get behind and offer to host the first I m a Director

event Home of Compassion was a fitting venue and the day was a huge success, which I felt very privileged to be part of ”

Mick also announced the work doesn t stop there and having got to know more about the charity and the people that make the magic happen – I am delighted our CEO Caroline Roberts has announced Crossroads Care Surrey as our charity to support for the coming year ”

Over £19 000 was raised for Crossroads Care Surrey which will help to support some of Surrey s 130,000 unpaid carers through their team of skilled Carer Support Workers and volunteers who work tirelessly to provide high-quality care services that support carers of all ages with various health conditions and disabilities

Crossroads Care Surrey’s David Annand commented “For a firsttime event I couldn t be more pleased The competitive camaraderie between the 14 directors taking part was something special and what they managed to fundraise, so far was truly amazing It’s an amount that will make an enormous positive life changing difference to unpaid carers and those they are caring for I can’t thank everyone involved enough

Chocolate Treats From Parley Place Care Home

Staff and residents at Barchester s Parley Place care home in West Parley had a great time ahead of National Chocolate day on 7th July by visiting our local nursery to deliver goody bags of treats for the children

The residents prepared the bags by putting a variety of different chocolate treats into each one and then headed out on the mini bus to Mighty Oaks Day Nursery to surprise the children We were greeted with smiles which only got bigger when we revealed our reason for visiting!

Ivor resident at Parley place said It was so lovely to see their smiling faces they were so polite and thankful and promised they would share the treats with their friends!”

General Manager Tracey Aldin said: We are very pleased with our relationship with our local Day Nursery it s lovely for the children to visit the home and to be able to surprise them today with a visit from our residents was really heart-warming Our residents and the children get a lot from the visits and we look forward to continuing to build our links Parley Place care home is run by Barchester Healthcare one of the UK’s largest care providers which is committed to delivering personalised care across its care homes and hospitals Parley Place provides residential care and dementia care for 68 residents from respite care to long term stays

Andover Care Home Resident Celebrates 70th Wedding Anniversar y With Childhood Sweetheart

A resident at Millway House in Andover has just celebrated 70 years of marriage to his childhood sweetheart

Graham Guppy (91) and his wife Val (92) met when they lived opposite each other as children and married in Cardiff in 1953 Marking their milestone anniversary at the nurse-led care home last week the happy couple have enjoyed tea and cake and a weekend get-together with family and friends

The husband and wife who journeyed to Guernsey for their honeymoon in the early 50s on a small eight-seater plane continued to satisfy their joint love for travel by visiting numerous countries across the world during their marriage –the Caribbean America and Canada to name just a few They have three children, five grandchildren and a great-grandchild on the way, and said their secret to a happy marriage was to always work as a team

Millway House Home Manager, Claire Lousteau, said it was heart-warming to be part of the couple s anniversary celebrations She said: 70 years is just remarkable and it s been wonderful to see Graham and Val celebrating with

everyone here A huge thank you to Millway s excellent activities team for organising everything Graham joined us at Millway in May and it s lovely hearing about his and Val s life together ”

Millway House is part of Sears Healthcare and CEO Richard Adams is pleased to hear that the care home arranged such a special celebration for the long-time married couple

He said: I m delighted to hear about Graham and Val s 70th anniversary celebrations 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 It’s great that staff have arranged such a special few days for the couple Congratulations to them both!

When Graham and Val marked their 50th wedding anniversary in 2003, they were thrilled to receive a card from Her Majesty the Queen Now 20 years on they have had a very similar card through the post but this time from King Charles III

Athena Care Homes Extends Dementia Training To Local King’s Lynn Day Centre

Lucy Hoddy Learning and Development Manager at Athena Care Homes, was speaking to one of the team from Forward Day Centre Kings Lynn while they worked with one of the residents at Goodwins Hall on a one-to-one basis While the Forward team were working with residents the Athena team were busy delivering Dementia Awareness Training to their friends and family The event was well attended and the Forward team mentioned they would be interested in taking part in something similar in the future

Fast forward a few weeks and Lucy booked five dates with Forward Day Centre to deliver training on Dementia Safeguarding and Mental Health Areas which will benefit all areas of the Kings Lynn community not just care homes

The first training session which focused on Dementia was recently completed with staff from the Forward team who were presented with a certificate of completion and box of chocolates as a thank you from Athena for all they re doing for residents and the local community

Lucy Hoddy Athena s Learning and Development Manager said When I heard about Forward DC's interest in our training sessions, I was really excited The team do an amazing job supporting a wide range of people within our community and this training will benefit lots of people locally not just in our homes

We received thanks from the CEO of Forward who commented Athena is well known for their high standards of care, so we were delighted to be able to benefit from some of their training Our Staff were very enthusiastic about Athena’s dementia training and fed back that it was well presented very informative and in depth Our Staff are looking forward to working closely with Athena in the future and taking part in more of their training

The two companies hope that this will be the beginning of a long and fruitful partnership where the adults at Forward Day Centre and the residents of Athena Care Homes can exchange visits ideas and grow together!

Blueleaf Promotes Learning and Best Practice In Continence Care with Launch of a New Whitepaper, and Launches Blueleaf Bingo!

Blueleaf the nationwide business that helps care homes deliver better outcomes is promoting learning and best practice in continence care with the launch of its new whitepaper and Learning Circle sessions to coincide with World Continence Week (19-23 June)

With two out of three people in care homes requiring continence care, it is a widely prevalent condition that can affect residents in numerous ways eroding their dignity and self-esteem and increasing the likelihood of further health complications

Therefore it is vital that care homes are aware of the latest treatment products and technologies for providing the highest quality of continence care These are the key issues discussed in its new paper – Best Practice in Continence Care –which aims to set the standards for individualised continence care now and in the future

The solutions discussed in the whitepaper are also designed to ensure that care homes better target the time and money spent on continence care while also reducing the waste and environmental impact through the adoption of digital tools

Blueleaf is also marking World Continence Week by hosting the first in a series of Learning Circle sessions planned for the year at care homes across the UK, with one of the first sessions being held at Exemplar Health Care s Bennet Court care home on 20 June

The Continence Care Learning Circle sessions are being delivered in partnership with experts from TENA and Ontex The sessions will provide tailored advice for each care home, helping them identify ways of making continence care easier, improving residents well-being while also reducing waste and cost

In addition to the audit and training element of the session for the care home staff Blueleaf will also host a Blueleaf Bingo session for the care home s residents to support the home’s commitment to encourage social engagement and support the residents cognitive functions

Ellen Brown Sales and Marketing Director of Blueleaf says that raising the standards of continence care will remain a priority for Blueleaf beyond World Continence Week: Incontinence is one of the biggest drivers for people moving into care Yet, it sadly remains a taboo topic in the wider community

World Continence Week is a much-needed event for breaking down the stigma attached to incontinence and an opportune moment to raise awareness and educate on the best treatment for a very common condition Through our whitepaper and our Learning Circle programme which care homes can take advantage of throughout the year we’ll continue to work with care homes to ensure that residents receive the highest quality of continence care

To download the whitepaper, or to book an expert Learning Circle session please visit: https://www blueleafcare com/our-services/products/continence-care-2

Bournemouth Care Home Hosts Local Care At Home

For Afternoon Tea To Celebrate National Picnic Week

Residents from Care South s Castle Dene care home and clients from Care at Home Bournemouth both part of the not-for-profit Care South Group enjoyed an afternoon tea together in Castle Dene s landscaped garden to celebrate National Picnic Week

Castle Dene care home a purpose-built home for residential and dementia care in Bournemouth welcomed clients from local Care at Home for plenty of Food Fun and Friendship over a delightful afternoon tea live entertainment and garden games

Residents and staff members made fruit scones for the afternoon tea, with everyone enjoying them with clotted cream and jam whilst listening to the Amethyst Choir in the sunshine, which was organised by staff member from Care at Home Jane Legg Residents and clients also participated in games of giant connect four which saw some friendly competitiveness between everyone

National Picnic Week which took place from 17th – 25th June aims to encourage people to get together over a picnic As picnicking is one of the UK’s most enjoyable summer traditions it is a great way of taking advantage of any open spaces during the warmer months of the year

Lesley Wheal Activities Organiser at Castle Dene said: What an incredible day this was for residents in our care One of the great things about being part of a group that encompasses Care at Home is that we get to organise wonderful days such as these It was lovely watching everyone interact with one another and all residents loved making new friends with the Care at Home clients Everyone is already asking when the next one is going to be ”

Tracie Gregory Care at Home Manager at Bournemouth commented: “This was a wonderful day for all clients in our care who thoroughly enjoyed the event Thank you to Lesley and the team at Castle Dene for hosting us We can’t wait to see what event is next on the cards ” One resident from Castle Dene said I really enjoyed the day It was lovely meeting new people whilst enjoying some yummy food and listening to great entertainment ”

A client from Care at Home added: Thank you to Jane and Lesley for organising this wonderful day I had a great time making new friends with residents at Castle Dene ”

Bearsden Care Home Celebrates a Decade of Quality Ser vice

A care home has celebrated its 10th anniversary providing high-quality care to older people and those living with dementia

Owned and operated by the Meallmore Group Antonine House held an outdoor party for residents relatives and staff to mark the milestone occasion on Thursday (29 June)

The anniversary celebrations involved a garden barbeque prepared by the kitchen team There was an Elvis entertainer in attendance who performed for the residents, relatives and guests Over 80 people attended in total Antonine House’s deputy manager, Paula Ritchie, was part of the original team when the home opened a decade ago Paula along with four other members of staff who have also worked at Antonine House since it opened were all presented with a bouquet of flowers to commemorate the anniversary

Paula Ritchie commented: “At Antonine House we’re one big family and the fact that most of our staff have worked at Antonine for over six years tells it all I ve been lucky to spend the last 10 years of my career with Meallmore and ever since the care home opened, I’ve found it nothing but a beautiful place to work I feel honoured to be employed somewhere with such a great culture and team of professionals It’s a pleasure to care for the residents and welcome them and their families into our

home ”

Amanda King area manager for Meallmore added The anniversary party was perfect and we had a brilliant turn out; the residents their families and our whole team really enjoyed themselves Elvis – aka John – completely stole the show and had people dancing and tapping away with big smiles on their faces The staff did an excellent job at organising everything and I m so thankful to them all I d also like to say a big thanks to the kitchen team for putting on a great meal for everyone ”

Resident Margaret Goodwin who has lived at the home since it opened in 2013, also received flowers

Margaret s daughter who attended the anniversary celebrations said: “I would like to thank all the staff at Antonine House for looking after my mum so well for the last 10 years It is clear that my mum enjoys interacting with the staff and the other residents and she feels safe secure and content

I have been very impressed with the standard of care given to her and the warmth and friendliness of all the staff The fact that she is nearly 95, and still in good spirits is testament to the overall standard of care Along with my entire family we are so grateful and we would be happy to recommend Antonine House to anyone ”

Care Home Choristers Are On Song For Community Concert

Singers from three New Forest care homes took over the garden of a

Commercial Kitchen and Laundr y Solutions (CKLS)

Commercial Kitchen and Laundry Solutions (CKLS) are one of the UK s leading suppliers of commercial kitchen and laundry equipment Whether you are a small sized residential home or large scale nursing home group, CKLS has the expertise and equipment

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

Cash s Apparel Solutions have been trading since 1846 and have built up a reputation for superior value for money quality personalised and non-personalised items for many different outlets We supply to Nursing and Residential Homes Schools Scout Cub Guide and Brownie Groups as well as to the small or large business entrepreneur Our range of Designer name tapes add a professional look to garments crafts or other hobby items

Many of us have loved ones relatives or friends who need specialist care in a Nursing or Residential Home In this busy environment clothes and personal items can easily get misplaced if they are not

named, otherwise this can become very stressful for the resident relatives and the Care Home itself

Our woven clothing name tapes are extremely robust and are sewn on to garments to ensure that they stand the rigorous washing processes necessary Self-adhesive labels are easily applied to name shoes and books and make marking treasured items effortless to most other non-fabric items

We have recently introduced several new items such as magnetic name tags and personalised hi-vis jackets along with updated gifts such as personalised mugs and mousemats Check out the ad on page 9 for our offer code

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Essential Insurance Covers For Your Care Home

often determined by best practice to ensure the resident or patient is as comfortable as they can be Unfortunately this means mistakes can creep in A single mistake can result in a negative impact on your patient whether that be from medical treatment or advice This can lead to a potential claim for medical malpractice

Medical malpractice cover is not only a legal requirement to anyone providing professional healthcare services but also offers peace of mind by covering the cost of any losses that arise from defending and settling a claim This means that during a claim, your business can continue to operate with as little disruption as possible

BUILDINGS AND CONTENTS INSURANCE

As a care home owner or manager you will offer a variety of services to meet the needs of your residents

Typically the care you provide is likely to vary with anything from basic care and accommodation through to respite end-of-life and specialist care for dementia patients

Providing the very best care for your residents will be at the heart of everything you do, but the care you deliver is not without risk and therefore having the right insurance in place is something that should be high on your list of priorities Not only does your insurance need to be tailored to protect the care services you provide but you also need to consider the regulatory bodies you adhere to protection for your staff as well as covering the premises and its contents

Here are some covers you must consider

LIABILITY COVER

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) states that all care and nursing homes require insurance, and without it they are unable to operate The mandatory insurance requirements from the CQC are Public and Employers Liability cover Any additional covers will depend on the type of care facility you own Public Liability Insurance will cover the cost of compensation to third parties in the event of death bodily injury or damage to their property which occurs because of your business activities for example if a resident’s family member slips on an upturned carpet

Unlike Public Liability Employers Liability cover is a legal requirement for anybody employing staff including volunteers It covers you financially for any compensation costs or legal fees that may occur because of company negligence Employers Liability Insurance will also cover you for employees that have long left your business and may only now bring a claim against you

MEDICAL MALPRACTICE

Your carers will be skilled in what they do and usually have several qualifications but their decisions are

Of course your business is home for your residents or patients Ensuring ample furniture is provided should be a necessity If they are accidentally damaged you may need to replace them The building itself is just as important If, for instance, the premises suffer a flood, how would the building hold? In extreme cases such as a fire or explosion a total rebuild may be necessary which would cost a considerable amount

Buildings insurance covers the cost of repairing damage to the structure of your property and provided that accurate sums insured are declared it should cover the cost to rebuild the entire property Contents insurance covers the cost of replacing or repairing your possessions if they are damaged, destroyed or stolen It includes everything you would take with you if you moved premises for example your furniture kitchen appliances and computing equipment

ARE YOU AT RISK OF UNDERINSURANCE?

If a business is underinsured in any capacity it could leave them with a financial burden should a claim be made While large corporations may be able to recover from the financial losses incurred because of underinsurance small to medium sized businesses may feel the effects of the loss more keenly owing to their sometimes already tight profit margins

Underinsurance may happen for many reasons e g using out of date estimates of your building sums insured having inadequate or unrealistic indemnity periods or not reviewing your level of cover as your operating models change

The most effective way of overcoming the risk of underinsurance is by talking to an experienced and knowledgeable insurance broker

The friendly team at Barnes Commercial can review your policy and make sure you have the correct level of cover in place

Send an email to enquires@barnesinsurancebroker co uk or call 01480 272727 to make an appointment

UNIFORMS AND WORKWEAR WHEN QUALITY AND MAINTENANCE IS VITAL

The social care and care home sector in the UK is an essential industry that provides care and support to some of the most vulnerable members of society Within this sector, uniforms and workwear play a vital role in maintaining a professional and hygienic environment In this article we will explore the importance of uniforms and workwear in the UK social care and care home sector highlighting appearance comfort design branding health and safety infection control contamination care, maintenance, and laundering

APPEARANCE

One of the primary functions of uniforms and workwear in the social care and care home sector is to ensure a professional appearance Care workers wearing a uniform can help to establish a sense of authority and professionalism which can be reassuring to patients and their families A uniform also helps to create a sense of unity and can help to build a strong team spirit

COMFORT

Care workers spend long hours on their feet and engage in a range of physical activities that require a high degree of mobility As such, it is essential that uniforms and workwear are comfortable and allow for ease of movement The materials used should be breathable lightweight and flexible ensuring that workers can move freely and remain comfortable throughout their shift

DESIGN AND BRANDING

The design and branding of uniforms and workwear play an important role in creating a sense of identity and promoting the values and ethos of a care home or social care provider Uniforms can feature the company logo name and colors creating a visual representation of the brand A well-designed uniform can help to establish a sense of pride and belonging among employees and can also help to create a positive impression on patients and visitors

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Uniforms and workwear must adhere to strict health and safety standards to ensure the safety of care workers and their patients Materials used in uniforms and workwear must be flame-resistant non-toxic and non-allergenic Clothing must also be designed to minimize the risk of injury, such as by incorporating reflective strips to enhance visibility in low light conditions

INFECTION CONTROL AND CONTAMINATION

Infection control and contamination are critical concerns in the social care and care home sector Uniforms and workwear must be designed with infection control in mind with materials that are easy to clean and disinfect Clothing must be able to withstand frequent washing and must not shrink or lose its shape over time Uniforms and workwear must also be designed to minimize the risk of cross-contamination with separate clothing for different areas of a care home or hospital, such as clean and dirty areas

RECOMMENDED LAUNDRY TEMPERATURES

The temperature at which uniforms and workwear are laundered is an essential factor in preventing the spread of infections and crosscontamination The recommended laundry temperature for healthcare uniforms and workwear is typically between 60-90 degrees Celsius Washing at these high temperatures can help to kill bacteria and viruses and prevent the spread of infections

PROFESSIONAL LAUNDRY SERVICES

To ensure compliance with legislation and maintain high standards of hygiene many care homes and social care providers opt to use professional laundry services These laundry services have the necessary equipment and expertise to handle the laundering of healthcare uniforms and workwear Professional laundry services use specific deter-

gents and washing programs that are designed to kill bacteria and viruses

SEPARATING CLEAN AND DIRTY UNIFORMS

It is essential to separate clean and dirty uniforms to prevent crosscontamination Dirty uniforms and workwear should be placed in designated laundry bags or containers and clean uniforms should be stored separately Staff should be trained to handle soiled uniforms and workwear with care to avoid spreading any potential infections

PRE-TREATING STAINS

Pre-treating stains is an essential step in maintaining clean and hygienic uniforms Staff should treat stains as soon as possible to prevent them from setting in It is best to use a pre-treatment product that is safe and compatible with the type of fabric used in the uniform or workwear Pre-treatment can help to remove stubborn stains and prevent them from becoming permanent

CHOOSING THE RIGHT DETERGENT

Choosing the right detergent is critical to maintaining clean and hygienic uniforms It is best to use a detergent that is effective at removing stains and bacteria and is safe for the environment Many detergents contain antibacterial agents that help to kill bacteria and viruses It is also essential to choose a detergent that is compatible with the type of fabric used in the uniform or workwear

LEGAL REQUIREMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The UK social care and care home sector is subject to a range of legal requirements and recommendations related to uniforms and workwear The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provides guidance on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), including uniforms and workwear in healthcare settings Care homes and social care providers must also comply with infection control guidelines set out by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)

In conclusion uniforms and workwear play a critical role in the UK social care and care home sector ensuring a professional appearance promoting comfort and mobility, and ensuring the safety of care workers and their patients Uniforms and workwear must be designed with infection control in mind and must be properly cared for and maintained to ensure cleanliness

UNIFORMS AND WORKWEAR WHEN QUALITY AND MAINTENANCE IS VITAL

CiCLO® Fabric Technology

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CiCLO® is an invisible sustainable additive blended into the garment fabric at the manufacturing stage The non-toxic technology is permanently embedded, so will never wash out

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ACCESSIBLE BATHING

Introducing The New Pressalit Matrix Height And Sideways Ad justable Washbasin

In any accessible bathroom space is key and with Pressalit s new height and sideways adjustable MATRIX washbasin, creating space quickly and hygienically has just got easier

The world leading manufacturer and designer Pressalit has introduced the MATRIX washbasin bracket with a choice of integrated basin styles the MATRIX MEDIUM or MATRIX ANGLE DEEP featuring a new simple to use discreet adjustment for both height and sideways movement

The ultimate in functionality and hygiene the MATRIX washbasin makes the best use of space in the bathroom whilst accommodating the changing needs of both users and caregivers Supporting self-reliance space optimisation and a sense of security in the bathroom the new adjustable washbasin has been designed for use in a wide variety of installations from a private home care setting institution or a hospital

Whether for a seated or standing user or when a carer is assisting the new MATRIX washbasin offers a flexible solution and safe working environment offering the commitment to quality practicality and design that Pressalit makes its priority

The easy-to-move washbasin can be adjusted smoothly sideways to a range of 500mm to create greater access when using the shower or toilet for a wheelchair user and carer, by means of a discreet handle located underneath the basin Adjustment can be carried out safely with one hand and requires very little hand strength to operate

The vertical rise and fall allows for a variation of 300mm with options available for either a manual han-

dle or intuitive electric power button

The latter is recommended for a care or hospital setting where frequent adjustment is required, offering huge time saving benefits and improved working conditions for staff whilst the manual solution is suitable for a bathroom where there’s only one user or multiple users with the same needs

The MATRIX MEDIUM AND MATRIX DEEP ANGLE washbasins both feature integrated handles for additional user support

With both hygiene and aesthetics in mind the discreet MATRIX bracket s operating panel fits tightly against the wall and snugly against the washbasin, preventing dust and dirt from settling in hard-to-reach places All surfaces are large smooth and easy to wipe

Andrew Lowndes Sales Director for Pressalit in the UK says Some people need a lot of help in the bathroom others little or none

The new MATRIX basin bracket is a flexible solution taking into account the specific needs of the user at any given time By simple adjustment for height or to create space sideways for greater access to the shower or toilet for wheelchairs this helps create situations that boost self-reliance and help provide a greater degree of freedom ”

Pressalit has many years of experience and expertise in the field of designing accessible bathrooms The company will provide advice on everything from space optimisation to rules and guidelines for design and the choice of solution and installation creating the best conditions for the user and where needed a carer or health professional

https://pressalit com/en-uk/products/matrix-adjustable-washbasin-solution/

Reval - Leaders in Assisted Bathing

Reval have been manufacturing assisted bathing and showering products for more than 46 years Reval has a wide and varied range of high-end equipment uses and available and used extensively is all healthcare sectors Our range includes

Assisted bathing systems

Ceiling track and mobile hoists

Assisted showering appliances and wet room equipment

• Shower and sluice systems

Hydro-therapy pools and changing room

As a manufacturer, we can offer a direct service - delivering best value for our customers All services are delivered by our highly trained product specialists and tech-service teams Our aim is to deliver a seamless service based on careful planning process expert-

ise and our unravelled “Know How”

The truly unique thing about Reval is its business model To explain; unlike all other equipment providers in our sector Reval strategy is based on delivering quality products designed to be long-term-reliable which only require preventative maintenance annually

Our three year no-quibble warranty policy provides clients with peace of mind Reval and ensure your costs are minimised We are not interested in tying customers into expensive service contracts This is not our strategy! Our strategy means we can be leaner and more controlled thanks to Just – in – Time parts sourcing process making parts immediately available improving our service to our clients

Reval design and manufacture highly innovative products to improve lives outcomes, and working environments This approach to design-manufacturing enables care operators to limit their risks and optimise their services and patient outcomes Our team of fieldbased product specialists are highly trained and competent in all the disciplines required to conduct holistic product assessment technical building surveys and commercial aspects of product provision

Our strategy and emphasis are on undisrupted service over the lifetime of your appliance Reval s spare parts business is less than 10% of its total business proving further our company’s commitment to quality and reliability and we are constantly working to develop new ways to reduce our aftersales business because in doing so we pass on savings and service continuation to you over the lifetime of your product

Most of all; Reval is renowned for its innovation and its ability to design products that make a difference To improve your service and profitability or if you are looking for that products which truly makes a difference give us a call today there nothing to lose

+44 01656 721 001 | sales@revalcc com | www revalcc co uk

Adapting Cleaning and Infection Control Practices for the Residential and Social Care Setting

By Liam Grimshaw (BSc (Hons) MSc by research)

Legionella Risk Assessments

generally be flu-like and may dissipate without treatment The more serious illness can involve hospitalisation including ICU and even death Public Health England confirms there were 503 cases of Legionnaires' Disease in 2019 for England and Wales – an average of almost 10 cases a week (Latest available data)

and then a suitable water management scheme is put in place and followed This will include monitoring of outlets and water tanks and may include regular water sampling and disinfections The Legionella risk assessment needs to be carried out to BS8580 by a competent, i e trained person

The bacteria is ingested by human beings in the form of an aerosol and then infects the lungs the symptoms are similar to flu and also Covid 19 The mild illness is called Pontiac fever and will

The most common sources are from showers or other equipment such as cooling towers that produce an aerosol Stagnation is also a major factor in increasing the risk to mitigate this any low use/seldom used outlets should be run off weekly Temperature monitoring is also advisable both of these actions MUST be recorded

In summation: A current Legionella risk assessment and appropriate water hygiene management and monitoring scheme will prevent the bacteria proliferation within the systems and therefore significantly reduce the risk to Staff and public health Steve Dillon

(Advanced WMSoC Legionella Risk Assessor) Managing Director Stokefield Water Treatment Ltd

See the advert on this page for details

HYGIENE & INFECTION CONTROL

Omnitex Hygiene Products

Omnitex represents all round protection and hygiene products Launched in 2015 it has quickly become a brand synonymous with high quality used everyday by thousands of individuals and healthcare facilities throughout the UK and Europe

All products are manufactured in ISO9001 and ISO13485 certified facilities Omnitex Body Cleansing wipes are a large size, which the ideal thickness for a comfortable cleaning experience Bulk pack of 80 wipes, with our unique enriching formula and microwaveable Microwaveable for a warm bed bath Lightly fragranced and with a honeycomb texture on

Angloplas Dispensers Help Reduce the Risk of Cross Infection

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

Swiftclean Support for Care Homes

Running a care home

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 you are protected from any liability for negligence

Contact us now to book in your free care home assessment on 0800 243 471 or email info@swiftclean co uk www swiftclean co uk

Chiltern: Expert Water Ser vices, Tailored To Your Needs

Legionnaires disease is caused by Legionella Pneumophila bacteria This is found in nearly all water systems but is normally limited to low safe levels However, in domestic or man-made water systems, legionella bacterial levels can rise and become unsafe possibly causing infection to those exposed

Duty Holders of all commercial and public building premises are legally required to assess the risk from legionella to anyone using the water systems and put in place legionella control measures if required

At Chiltern Water & Environment, we offer legionella control services nationwide including:

A legionella risk assessment that can identify and assess the risk from each open water system

If significant risks are identified then we offer:

• A control scheme must be established to monitor the r sks remediate any issue identified and ensure the system is adequately maintained to prevent future risks

• A competent, responsible point person is nominated to ensure the above is carried out effectively

Some systems may require additional water sampling especially where susceptible people are present, there has been a history of legionella issues or the control scheme cannot be adequately maintained

For further information visit www chilternwater co uk or see the advert on the following pages

HYGIENE & INFECTION CONTROL

Sustainable Products Inter view with High Green Development Trust

High Green Development Trust manages The Campus which is an inclusive community centre and business hub for people to go and meet others do business learn and participate in sports and other leisure activities

Recently the Trust came to Killis for help about their need to improve their sustainability

Both Lucy Whitehouse Killis Janitorial Sales Manager and Gail Sutton HGDT Campus Manager worked alongside each other to ensure that needs were met and that High Green were able to incorporate the sustainable products without any difficulties

Lucy caught up with Gail about the new products installed how they were getting on with them and how it’s helped contribute to their sustainability and environmental policy to reach their goals

Did the focus on sustainability following the government sustainability targets speed up the deployment of such solutions?

No it didn't I already had a plan that when I took over here and saw some of the products we were utilising It didn't fit in with my sustainability plan or the environmental pol cy we developed as a leadership team As such I wanted to progress as quickly as I could so the government sanctions

didn t come into it

Can you tell us why you chose these products over other less sustainable alternatives?

I have chosen the products two-fold One the relationship that predecessors had with Killis wasn t what I d call working in a business partnership which I want to develop Two I wanted to utilise Killis products in their portfolio that fit in with our environmental policy and what we want to achieve as a charity campus for the community

Why are these sustainable products impor tant to High Green Development Tr ust?

We are a charity working in the community on-site, we have respite centres, sense schools and nurseries We must lead by example to develop the environmental plan sustain our planet and do our part to play and support our local environment

What benefits have you had switching to these sustainable products?

How has High Green benefitted from switching?

By moving over we have the confidence that the items we ve had are either from recyclable sources or recyclable or they don t damage the local environment

Did you have any reser vations about switching to all sustainable products?

Absolutely not Firstly it s about the environment and also it's about the space-saving of products particularly of the soaps How did these new sustainable products integrate with your cleaning team?

edencleen from Cleenol

Over the course of our history we at Cleenol have always produced products that offer a perfect balance between cleaning performance and efficiency with an attention to reducing the environmental impact that our products may carry edencleen our latest brand reaffirms our commitment to our credentials for environmental guardianship and represents an evolution of what has been an integral part of our DNA Edencleen has been designed to reflect in part our vision for a cleaner safer world that touches not only the environmental aspects of sustainability but has as an aim a social ambition to leave the planet in the safe care of and for future generations As such with edencleen Cleenol looks to ensure transparency in our approach which may on occasion result in some counter intuitive elements

The range covers the essential needs to cover 80% of daily cleaning and include a washroom cleaner and toilet gel cleaner and urinal deodoriser an all-purpose surface sanitiser a degreaser and a washing up liquid a no rinse floor degreaser a window cleaner and a laundry detergent and fabric softener edencleen products have been developed around the following principles and ingredients

• RSPO certified palm oil derivatives

With over 30 years of experience, CWE can help you provide safe water systems for your care home, including:

• Water sampling

• Legionella compliance

• Asset inspection – tanks, calorifiers etc.

• Remedial works

• Swimming and spa pool testing

Tel: 01844 347678

Email: info@chilternwater.co.uk

www.chilternwater.co.uk

They ve really taken to them They were a little apprehensive at first, thinking particularly of the soap How can a small item deliver the cleanliness of what we need and the hygiene in our toilet environments they were amazed What's your favourite sustainable product that you buy from us?

I think my favourite has to be the soap It saves space cuts costs, the packaging it comes in and that s from a recyclable source and it s recyclable So it s a one-stop-shop It completes the circle

In addition to the soap being a favourite product I also have to add Zoono In a community campus environment, it's essential to have confidence in the products Zoono sanitises touchpoints and is available at hand sanitising stations It is user friendly and kind to hands while providing longlasting protection against germs

What would you say to other organisations considering using more sustainable alternatives?

Personally I think it s a no brainer It supports the environment and if as a business you have sustainability and environmental policies then decreasing the amount of chemicals that you use throughout the business is a winwin

If you would like any further information, a little guidance or advice on the best products to help reach your goals and how your organisation can benefit from more sustainably conscious cleaning products and alternatives please reach out to Lucy Whitehouse at lucy@killis co uk

Lastly, we would like to thank Gail at High Green Development Trust for taking the time to take part in our interview

See the advert on the facing page for full details about Killis

No animal derived products

Cruelty free

Minimal petrochemical derived products

No parabens formaldehyde, CMI/MIT triclosan, phosphates, chlorine bleaches, optical brighteners quaternary ammon um compounds

VOC free and phosphate, EDTA, NTA free

Recyclable / recycled packaging

100% bio-based surfactant - made by using bio-based ethylene oxide which is manufactured from biomass ethanol

Bioethanol, naturally der ved acids, sugar-based surfactants, bio-based solvents, low impact preservatives

Combining carefully formulated products with appropriate packaging, using recycled material or recyclable componentry, the range’s mostly colourless liquid and low fragrance usage are designed to convey a transparency and straightforwardness of our approach which will be a hallmark of all edencleen products and associated services

Careful use of enzymatic formulations and more traditional chemistry brings a portfolio of products that’s finely attuned to delivering effective cleaning which when used as instructed helps maintain a neutral environmental impact edencleen s new range represents just the start to a fully refreshed solution to meet the most demanding of customers expectations See the advert below for further information

Re-booting Dementia Care DEMENTIA CARE

Orchard Care Homes has long been an advocate of quality innovative Dementia Care Lately it has set the bar even higher with the introduction of its group-wide Dementia Promise This sets out to provide equitable care for those living with the condition and level-up training for all staff – using evidencebased practices Hayden Knight CEO of Orchard Care Homes discusses the importance of pioneering change for those living with Dementia

The issue of dementia provision across the care sector has never been more prominent The number of those living with dementia in the UK is growing Sadly more people are arriving at our care homes with acute levels of dementia and increasingly complex needs – many having been referred from social settings who are unable to support them As a result of this trend and concerns from families seeking support for loved ones we have made it our mission to help and guide by setting the wheels in motion for genuine change to dementia support

Our Reconnect communities don t cater to mass needs – instead our activities and care plans are finely tuned to the personal requirements and interests of each person We believe in equitable care for all and those with Dementia should be no different By putting an element of positive risk in place we can fully support people with hobbies and tasks that keep them meaningfully occupied – be it gardening assisting with small tasks in the kitchen like washing up or visiting the local pub for lunch

Our Dementia Promise is not a token gesture – but a group-wide commitment to change With a background as a specialist having previously worked in expert Mental Health Provision my ethos for the group is to widen our offering to become the very best in our sector

Generally, the care sector is making a shift towards training staff in dementia support needs, but there is still a gap Orchard s strong team and capabilities aim to fill that We are currently implementing a ‘Step Up to Dementia Support Worker’ programme, which follows the success of our ‘Step Up to Seniors’ model With a shortage of carers coming to the sector with the required abilities needed, we have devised an intensive training model which will see a greater number of recruitment prospects for us and opportunities for our existing team to develop their chosen careers

For several years now we have recognised these growing needs

Over 55% of those arriving at an Orchard Care Home have some level of dementia support need – and this figure is on the rise Whilst we will always cater to the regional demographic of our homes we can t ignore these statistics Earlier this year our Dementia Promise was launched with both specialism and understanding in mind The initiative doesn’t merely pay lip service to progressing our dementia care offering It’s a huge investment for the group with over £500 000 spent annually on dedicated training programs and mentoring of our staff benefitting everyone from domestics to the CEO

We are also committed to investing in our clinical support team Again with a shortage of workers in this field coming to care we want to be able to offer the very best chances and to develop quality staff across our group By rewarding them for their skills and dedication both with an uplift in pay and options to advance their careers with Orchard we are hoping to further strengthen our support across the group For example we have just brought in two care and clinical practitioners to deliver face-to-face clinical training to up-skill staff and provide supervision and support with revalidation

When people arrive at care homes with complex needs it can be a very daunting experience

To address this and to provide a solution for local authorities and Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) who have limited quality provisions to support people with higher levels of acuity, we have introduced specialist Reconnect Communities We now have five Reconnects amongst our 23-strong group, with more planned later this year With an expert care team, offering individualised support, we can be truly people focused

To further invest in our staff and create career progression models we have introduced a new Student Nurse Strategy Allowing new nurses to the sector to learn from our experienced staff will bring a huge benefit to our homes by allowing clinical placements to be fulfilled which will strengthen our team and the level of care available Student nurses working in conjunction with their university will gain valuable mentoring from our homelevel nurses who will also provide sign-off for coursework The outcomes of these partnerships will not only develop new nurses in the sector, but it’s hoped that they will encourage newly qualified nurses to join the Orchard team long-term

Continuing to challenge ourselves and others will only build on the momentum of our Dementia Promise

After a positive response from families and healthcare professionals, we feel confident that our work will make a significant impact both for our group and eventually the wider sector

Recognii Offers New Way To Entertain Residents With Later Stage Dementia

The first film created especially for people living with later-stage dementia is offering care homes an inexpensive and accessible new way to entertain residents

‘Treasure Box by Recognii is an hour-long series of uplifting plot-free and visually engaging short clips all set to some of the nation s best-known music songs and theme tunes

Each scene has been designed to capture short attention spans and specially adapted to overcome the common visual and cognitive processing problems associated with the condition

The company s founder Sarah Harrison says Treasure Box was designed to be an essential resource for dementia care providers providing safe engaging entertainment for communal relaxation areas or a flexible tool for more focused one-to-one or group activities

She explained “Treasure Box can be enjoyed as a complete film, but there are also deliberately slow transitions between each of the clips to allow for sensory readjustment and to give staff time to pause the film and reminisce or chat with residents about what they have just seen ”

Recognii contains the sort of content the company’s research showed had most universal appeal among sufferers from happy children appealing animals and gentle humour to musical interaction the natural world iconic people and places puppetry and lots more

Treasure Box is available on USB stick for use in Smart TVs and laptops and also in traditional DVD format They retail at £23 99 for the USB stick or £19 99 for the DVD

Dr Lucy Pollock gerontologist and author of bestselling The Book About Getting Older said This is just lovely Treasure Box is the sort of thing that can be watched over and over by people living with significant dementia In the same way that small children like replaying their favourites these images with music become very soothing with familiarity Even those with significant dementia can find repeated routines comforting

To accommodate the visual processing problems experienced by many people with advanced dementia the team took a deliberate approach to the way the content is filmed

Sarah explained: “To make everything as visible as possible we filmed against plain backgrounds, with high

colour and tonal contrast and predominant use of red and those primary colours research shows are most easily recognised We also took care not to feature unnecessary detail busy patterns shadows or reflective light sources ”

Each plot-free clip contrasts strongly from the last to draw wandering attention back to the screen and in keeping with the visual approach music and vocal arrangements are simple and dialogue is kept to a minimum

CASE STUDY:

Acacia Lodge Care Home in Oxfordshire is a purpose-built residence in the centre of picturesque Henley-On-Thames with 55 en-suite rooms and beautifully landscaped gardens

It is part of The Future Care Group a leading residential nursing and dementia care provider with 18 high-quality homes across the UK

Acacia Lodge lifestyle assistant Alex Owens purchased Recognii to use on their dementia floor after read ng about the innovation in The Daily Telegraph

Lifestyle lead Wendy Fricker said At Acacia Lodge quality of life is at the heart of everything we do and we are continually looking for new and varied ways to ensure each of our residents stays engaged happy and relaxed

“We were very impressed with the Recognii concept The short, simple clips helped a great deal, holding our residents attention and keep ng them watching eagerly for the next scene The content is very well thought out, and they loved the mix of singalongs, smiling children, animals and bright, colourful images Thirteen out of our 16 residents with dementia engaged and joined in with every sequence which was just amazing to see ”

Wendy now uses Recognii as part of a cinema-style’ experience handing out popcorn tea cakes and fizzy drinks for residents to enjoy while they settle down to watch with care staff She also uses t as a discussion and reminiscence tool with smaller groups or for focussed one-to-one activit es

Wendy said: Recogn i is a welcome addition to the stimulating and diverse programme of activities and events at Acacia Lodge We can t wait for the next volume and will be putting in our order asap!

More information and demos are available through the Recognii website at www recognii co uk

Focus Games - Game Based

Training for Ever y Situation

Focus Games are the leading game developers focused on education for healthcare staff and patients

Game-based learning is an innovative approach to education that leverages the principles of games to create engaging and interactive learning experiences This approach has gained popularity in recent years due to its ability to motivate learners and improve retention rates Healthcare staff can benefit significantly from game-based learning as it can help them acquire new knowledge and skills in a fun and engaging way The key benefits of game-based learning for all healthcare staff are:

1 Enhanced engagement

2 Improved knowledge retention

3 Safe learning environment

4 Customizable learning experience

5 Collaborative learning

With over 20 years of experience we have developed games aimed at improving knowledge and outcomes and have won numerous awards for our innovative approach

Visit our website to learn about over 150 existing games or get in touch to discuss creating a unique game or simulation to meet your needs We also have a unique commercialisation model which means your game idea can also be a revenue generator Find out more at www focusgames com Or email melvin@focusgames com

Designing for Dementia: How to work with decorators to create supportive spaces

same colour as the walls so that they blend in, helping to avoid unauthorised access

• To highlight obstacles such as pillars, handrails and radiators, use brighter colours to make them stand out

• Outside of the realms of paint and colour, floors should avoid high sheens and patterns to prevent disorientating residents

Calming colours

As well as colour, the specific type of paint used should be a key consideration Care home managers should speak to their decorator to identify the types of paint that will be needed in different areas as products are optimised for varying purposes

Each year, the Alzheimer ’s Society holds Dementia Action Week – an awareness campaign that aims to highlight the indicators of dementia and the support available to all impacted by it This year, the campaign is running from 15th – 21st May, with a focus on raising awareness and encouraging people to get a diagnosis

Last year ’s Dementia Action Week resulted in a 43% rise in calls to its dementia support line during the week Campaigns like this are therefore vital to raise awareness of the symptoms of dementia and support available to those living with the condition and their families

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, demand for larger and betterequipped care homes has increased According to studies by building and construction market researchers AMA, “the demand for additional capacity within the care home market is likely to start rising again within the next couple of years ” For this reason, care home managers need to consider how to accommodate more residents and ensure premises are effectively designed to meet their needs

Perfecting the palette

Correct colour choice and location can aid independence and wayfinding for those living with dementia It is therefore crucial that care home managers work closely with decorators to ensure the right colours are chosen for the space

Dulux Trade, alongside the British Research Establishment, created the Dementia Friendly Colour Palette Following years of experience in design and medical research, it is recommended for use in spaces catering for those living with dementia The palette recommends the following:

• Soft, calm tones should be used on main walls, with only small hints of colour to help aid wayfinding

• Critical surfaces – including walls, floors and doors –should have contrast between them To make doors obvious against neutral walls, bold hues such as navies, sage greens and burgundies should be used

• More saturated colours such as yellows, muted purples, oranges and teals may be used on feature walls to add interest, such as in a living room, or walls that need to be highlighted to support residents with wayfinding, such as the kitchen serving areas or end of corridors

• Staff areas and supply cupboards should be painted in the

For example, Dulux Trade Scuffshield is a tough, waterbased matt emulsion containing ultimate scuff-resistant technology to protect walls against scuff marks made by shoes and bags This makes it ideal for high traffic areas such as corridors, stairwells and hallways It is also cleanable, with great stain resistance, keeping walls in top condition for longer

In addition, Dulux Trade Diamond Matt includes stainrepellent technology that is ideal for settings like dining areas that often need cleaning The Diamond Matt paint formula has been tested to ensure it can withstand up to 10,000 scrubs, meaning walls can withstand daily wear and tear and regular cleaning

On the other hand, Dulux Trade Sterishield Diamond Matt and Dual Active Matt contain additives that reduce populations of harmful bacteria – key for environments occupied by vulnerable people Dulux Trade Sterishield Diamond Matt is a quick drying, water-based coating with an in-film bactericide which reduces populations of MRSA and E coli Additionally, Dulux Trade Sterishield Dual Active contains in-film antimicrobial additive, which inhibits bacteria and viruses within the paint film, and thus reduces populations of MRSA, E coli, Coronaviruses and Human Herpesvirus Using both paints alongside appropriate cleaning practices helps to promote more hygienic, safer environments

On-site conduct and considerations

Care home managers should work closely with the decorating team to ensure works are completed in a timely manner – and cause minimal disruption to staff and residents For example, the care home staff should be aware of what areas are out of bounds and ensure residents are relocated to other areas of the premises It is also important to work with the decorating team to schedule deliveries and ensure staff and emergency services can access the site as needed

For more information on best practice when it comes to decorating care homes, please visit www duluxtradepaintexpert co uk/en/content/occd-hub

To help find the best decorator for your job, please visit: www duluxselectdecorators co uk or https://connectdirectory dulux co uk

Fall Savers® are an experienced market leading healthcare provider of resident safety solutions for over 15 years

FALL SAVERS ® WIRELESS MONITOR

Eliminate all cables with our new generation falls management solutions!

Upgrade your falls programme with the latest technology from Fall Savers® The NEW Fall Savers® Wireless eliminates the cord between the monitor and sensor pad This results in less work for nursing staff improved safety for patients and reduced wear and tear on sensor pads Wireless advantages include the ability to use one monitor with two sensor pads simultaneously and support for many new wireless devices

BENEFITS INCLUDE:

Safer for patients; less work for staff Bed and chair pads available One monitor works w th two sensor pads Integrates with most nurse call systems

A variety of options including Call button Pager

Floor sensor mat

W reless door/window 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

CALL AND FALLS MONITORING

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

Blaucomm Ltd - Telecommunications & Networks

Blaucomm’s Nurse Call Messaging Service (NMS) is the market leading solution to remove the dependency on noisy nurse call panels and pagers through its intelligent software which delivers the alerts straight to the care staff who need them

Care homes are rapidly introducing smartphones for digital care planning and eMar - now, the same devices can be used to receive the nurse call alerts they need for the residents under their care

Furthermore, Blaucomm NMS is deeply linked into Person Centred Software MCM so call bell data is linked straight to care plans This unlocks a huge benefit to care homes to enhance the staff performance with how they accept and respond to residents which ultimately promotes better response times and visibility for management to audit their performance

The best part is that Blaucomm NMS links into your existing nurse call system - we work with all major brands such as Aidcall ARM Courtney Thorne C-TEC ENS Intercall Medicare SAS and TeleAlarm

Care operators are constantly recognising Blaucomm NMS for its reliability and dependability to their care operations which is why we ve been chosen time and time again over other solutions

Head of IT Trudi Harrow at WCS Care had this to say about Blaucomm

NMS:

“We find Blaucomm is a genuinely fantastic company with a reliable product

We have a range of nurse call systems at different sites and the NMS system integrates to them and allows us to compare response times between sites In addition the integration to Person Centred Software is revolutionary We would highly recommend this to anybody who wants to replace expensive pagers and silence those annoyingly loud nurse call screens!

To find out more about Blaucomm NMS, visit www blaucomm co uk/healthcare

Ssee the advert on the front cover for more details

www.nursecallsystems.co.uk

Locàite.me - The Latest Personal SOS and Fall Alarm Solution from Càite Ltd

Locàite me is the latest personal SOS and fall alarm solution from Càite Ltd that helps you support care for and communicate easily with loved ones enabling them to live independently at home for longer

Designed at every stage with the wearer in mind the simplicity of Locàite me is one of its key strengths Simply press the large SOS button to make a two-way voice call to a family member or carer if help is needed Other alarms including the fall alarm are activated automatically You and others with whom you choose to share access receive smartphone notifications for all alarms and can instantly see whereabouts on the map along with recent movement history Then saved emergency contacts are dialled in turn until one answers

With the familiar appearance of a key fob for the wearer coupled with our exceptionally user-friendly app for carers

Medpage Falls Management Products

Medpage is a family ran company with a huge heart and resources gathered over our 38year 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 7 for details

as possible There’s no in-home installation required as the small battery powered Room Locàite beacons are simple to place in as many rooms as you need The Locàite me pendant records the nearest beacon and the app records and displays this on a handy 7 day chart Locàite me gives reassurance and peace of mind to families who support loved ones to live independently It costs £129 99 and the associated monthly SIM plan is just £14 99 which includes 100 minutes of SOS voice calls and 60 optional SMS messages each month It s a straightforward 1 month contract and you can cancel any time from within the app Our accessory Room Locàite beacons come in packs of 3 for £49 99 Visit www Locaite me for further details or to contact us and be sure to read our 5 star reviews on Trustpilot and Amazon to hear how Locàite me has helped so many other families

Frequency PrecisionSensors and Pressure Mats to Monitor Those in Care

Technology has made people more connected with the world around them and the revolution in assistive care devices has made it possible for the elderly to spend their last years in a comfortable and familiar environment These devices have also made it easier for home carers to provide quality care for their loved ones while managing their own lives They allow you to care for your elderly whether they are travelling in the city for errands, staying alone at home, or staying in the same home as you They are also helping nursing homes provide better care for them with discrete monitoring and quick responses to emergencies

If you re looking for these kinds of assistive care devices for your loved ones or nursing home Frequency Precision produce some of the best systems available to help you with elderly care and

mobility monitoring ranging from bed chair and floor sensor mats through fall monitoring and GPS tracking to fully integrated nurse call plug or wireless systems Contact us or come and see us at the COTS on Stand 36

Phone: 01837 810590

Email: contact@frequencyprecision com

Website: www frequencyprecision 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 with any journey you need a route plan

At Ablyss, we know one size doesn’t fit all We understand there are requirements

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

Digital Social Care Appoints The Access Group to the Assured Supplier List Intended to Help Care Providers Meet 2024 Digitisation Target

Digital Social Care the membership organisation tasked by NHS England to create and manage a list of assured suppliers who can help care home providers roll out a digital social care record (DSCR) by 2024, has appointed The Access Group to its roster

The company s care management solution Access Care and Clinical (AC&C) has been assessed against NHS England’s criteria and accredited against their three key categories; core capabilities and standards; ongoing assurance to required standards; and local assurance

The list launched in April 2021 by the NHS Transformation Directorate, is intended to help providers navigate the supplier market and identify organisations and their digital social care record solutions that have already undergone comprehensive due diligence

In turn giving them peace of mind about the functionality and capability of the technology in achieving their digital goals and making it quicker and easier to make purchasing decisions

Providers have the ability to filter suppliers based on their specific needs to ensure they select the right care planning tools for them And with AC&C tried and trusted by over 500 care providers it s well placed to help care homes meet the government s ambition to digitise

records by next year

On the appointment Steve Sawyer Managing Director Access Health Support and Care said: Care home providers can feel like they are facing a daunting task, navigating the supplier landscape and determining which solutions are best for them and their staff The assured list is vital in streamlining this process, making it simpler, easier and more cost-effective for the individual provider to make decisions

“As a leading provider of care management solutions across the UK and one of the few assured suppliers on the list that offer solutions specifically tailored to residential care home providers, we’re delighted to be appointed and to have the opportunity to support care homes on their digital journey ”

Care providers can also benefit from central funding via their Integrated Care System to support their transition to digital health and care records if one of the assured suppliers is chosen from the list

Further details on The Access Group and AC&C are included on the supplier assured list and can be found at www theaccessgroup com

TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE

Pass Profile 2023

PASS supports over 1 000 care providers every day giving them access to market leading care management tools hand in hand with unlimited 24/7/365 support from our dedicated and friendly PASS team

• Improve the quality of care

Deliver better outcomes

INTEGRATED HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE

Our commitment to the continual evolution of PASS is further illustrated by the addition of GP Connect

The first product of its type to offer this feature PASS is still one of only a handful of digital care management solutions to have completed this NHS Digital integration and is the only one offering it to the home care market

Assured by NHS Transformation Directorate PASS provides a secure platform that allows you to plan record and evidence the care you deliver The only assured solution built specifically for the home care sector, it provides comprehensive real-time functionality and allows you to share progress against outcomes with customisable exportable reports

CARE PLANNING AND ROSTERING FROM A SINGLE PLATFORM

To meet the wider needs of the PASS community All-in-one PASS has recently been launched bringing advanced rostering functionality to our established digital care planning platform As a result advanced staff scheduling payroll and invoicing functionality is now seamlessly linked with care planning and reporting, reducing the technical complexity, risk and overhead associated with integrating two separate systems

As a result PASS now provides an all-in-one suite of digital care management tools available from a single platform designed to

Save you time

Increase the efficiency of your teams

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

PASS GP Connect provides authorised social care staff with realtime access to their client s GP records It makes medical information available when and where it is needed leading to improvements in both care safety and outcomes:

Visibility of allergies vaccinations and medications especially useful for clients unable to reliably share their personal information

• Using medical information to inform care planning

Ensuring that the right medication is delivered to the right person in the timeliest manner In one case, this allowed the administration of antibiotics on a Friday evening aiding the service user s swift recovery from infection

Available to all PASS users at no additional cost, PASS GP Connect is significantly more efficient than waiting for a GP response It’s also a positive step forward on the path to the DHSC’s goal for widespread digitally enabled care and is in full alignment with their ambition for joined up care for everyone

Get in touch:

www everylifetechnologies com

hello@everylifetechnoloiges com

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 that the least skilled operative becomes the care expert

WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS SAY

Steven Tegart from Talbot Group likes reporting and says “I wish all my other systems were as easy to extract data for management reports as the CAREAudits Excel links

Andrew Wood of Wood Care Group says “It is easy to use and our management team complete audits daily which and very customisable giving you the reporting and monitoring you require to ensure risk mitigation in our services

Customer support is excellent and we have never had any issues

Steve Smith regional manager at Care Homes UK says “We were able to implement the system ourselves and are now benefitting from management having all the information we need at our fingertips in real time wherever we are”

CAREAudits apps are a part of the Care Plus Innovation Group

Users can download the app for a free trial and be up and running with the full system in minutes w: www careaudits co uk e: care@careaudits co uk t: 01482 238887

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Phlebotomy Training: Who Needs It?

12 years ago when she started Phlebotomy Training Services Alison had a slide in her original course the Basic Phlebotomy Toolkit that read

Blood tests are usually requested by a doctor for diagnosis or for the management of long term medical conditions”

Blood was traditionally drawn by nurses but now we train Doctor s receptionists and Healthcare Assistants to take blood to support their clinical colleagues and we also train people who need to take blood for research purposes to produce PRP for use in aesthetic procedures and in dentistry and for a range of other purposes

Traditionally phlebotomy training was provided on the job by employers and while some phlebotomists in practice today are highly skilled others are less so

We deliver a standardised phlebotomy training course – every learner, wherever in the country they are and whenever they train with us will be trained in the same way

Before writing the course Alison went to the manufacturers of the blood collection systems and asked them how they expected their equipment to be used and wrote her training around that, and CHS 132 the Skills for Health Guidelines for obtaining venous blood samples

Many practicing phlebotomists had never inserted a needle into anything before they took their first sample and we do not think that is right – we aren t saying that on the job training is wrong – we think it’s essential - but we know that individuals who have acquired a base level of skill and knowledge before taking their first sample go on to make better phlebotomists

They have a sound repeatable technique and understand why they are doing what they do

On our courses you won t be asked to take blood from each other you’ll use pads and prosthetic arms to hone your skills so that when you come to take your first sample the only thing that gives you pause will be inserting the needle into real skin rather than a prosthetic

THE REST:

Identifying the patient obtaining informed consent washing your hands checking if the patient has had any problems before when having blood taken applying the tourniquet, palpating correctly, swabbing the site if required, changing the bottles whilst keeping the needle still removing the needle disposing of it safely applying pressure to the site to stop any bleeding checking for allergy to plasters applying a plaster to the site once the bleeding has stopped inverting the samples checking the patient s ID labelling the samples correctly and offering them aftercare, will all be second nature

YOU DON’T NEED ANY PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE TO TRAIN WITH US

Our introductory phlebotomy training course Understanding and Applying Phlebotomy Skills and Techniques will give you all of the skills that are required to begin a career in phlebotomy

There isn’t any “Recognised NHS Training” whatever some training providers may claim and no training organisation can give you a “NHS Certificate of Competency” – you can only earn one of those by being supervised in a place of work over a period of time while you are taking blood

What we are proud to say is that we have been providing accredited phlebotomy training for 12 years and there are thousands of phlebotomists working in doctors surgeries hospitals (and all sorts of other places too) up and down the country who hold our certificate

What are they earning as phlebotomists??

The simple answer to that is “It depends” but most phlebotomy jobs in the UK are on NHS bands 2 or 3 which equates to between £17 652 and £20 765 per annum full time dependent upon experience

But many phlebotomists work part time which will reduce that income dependent upon the hours worked

See the advert below for further details

W&P Training

W&P Training supply comprehensive sets of CQC care policies and procedures that are personalised to your business Whether it s Residential Care Homes Domiciliary Homecare Nursing Homes Learning Disabilities or Supported Living – We cover it all

RESIDENTIAL CARE HOME POLICIES

Are Your Current Policies Up To Date?

There have been many recent changes to employment law vaccinations covid-19 guidance plus the CQC’s new strategy and regulatory approach W&P s team track these changes for you to ensure customers receive up to date CQC compliant documents

DOMILICIARY HOMECARE POLICIES

Over 130 comprehensive Domiciliary Care Policies and Procedures for Homecare / Domiciliary Based Services that are researched and written to meet all the CQC regulatory, legislative and good practice guidance within the Health and Social Care sector

CLINICAL PROCEDURES FOR NURSING HOMES

CQC compliance for new and established Nursing Homes

W&P’s clinical procedures include 70 comprehensive and up-to-date documents for your nursing home These clinical procedures complement our full set of Care Home Policies and Procedures

SUPORTED LIVING / LEARNING DISABILITIES POLICIES

Designed for Supported Living and Domiciliary providers that deliver CQC regulated activities to adults with Learning Disabilities and/ or Autism W&P’s Policies and Procedures for Supported Living Services will assist with your CQC compliance

Looking for Supported living Policies with NO Personal Care? Visit https://www wandptraining co uk/policies-andprocedures/non-registered-care-policies/ W&P s policy and compliance team are constantly scanning and reviewing all the statutory websites and regulatory publications to track the very latest developments in the Health & Social Care Sector

Policies and Procedures are updated every 4 months or immediately if there is a critical change to regulation good practice guidance case law outcomes or just feedback from customers

To find out more about what we offer go to www wandptraining co uk or see the advert on page 2

Ever ything You Need To Know About Mock CQC Inspections

When you redecorate your house, you quickly get used to your new environment Sometimes it takes a visit from a friend you haven’t seen for 6 months to remind you that, yes, you spent a lot of time and effort finding the right curtains to match your sofa

The same principle applies to mock CQC inspections When you live and breathe your business you simply don t see it the same way as someone who s just walked in the door

While it feels great to be complimented on your great taste 6 months after redecorating it doesn t feel so good if that same friend spots a stain on the rug that you’ve stopped noticing

Luckily we’re not all rating each other on interior design What you are being rated on, however, is your care business Specifically, how safe effective, caring responsive and well-led it is

IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES TO BE OUTSTANDING

A mock CQC inspection is carried out by a current or former inspector They’ll use the latest methodology and criteria to assess your business in line with CQC requirements – ie against those five quality statements

They gather evidence based on client experiences feedback from your team and other stakeholders observation paperwork and process reviews CQC inspectors play a vital role in keeping vulnerable people safe and setting high standards for care Naturally, that’s something they take very seriously

But if you’re focused on managing your team and taking care of clients, it can be hard to know whether you re ticking all the boxes that the CQC will look at That’s why a mock inspection is a great way to benchmark your business and find out how you’d be rated if the inspection was done today Your inspector will highlight what you re doing well so you can keep doing it and find opportunities where you could improve your service

If you re aiming for Outstanding

re on the right path in the future

So if you don t have any further questions all that s left to do is book your mock CQC inspection and get your care business on the journey to Outstanding

www

co uk to book

BIOFROST® Cold Therapy Gels for Drug-Free Pain Relief

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

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

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

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

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

BIOFROST® Cold Therapy Gels are natural drugfree topical cold therapy gels for muscular and joint pain chronic arthritic pain post-activity 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® Rel ef Cold Gel for pain relieving cold therapy

BIOFROST® Active Dual-Action Cold Gel with Heat Sensation combining cold with natural heat effects 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

BIOFROST® Active is a dual-action 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

See the advert on page 3 and the front cover

New Vision Signs and Graphics Ltd

environment

We offer a full survey service with designs drawings, location plans, manufacture and delivery or installation of door signs, lift directories, as well as directional and wayfinding signage

Kodak

New Vision Signs and Graphics Ltd are a leading supplier of innovative dementia-friendly signage and visual tools that are especially suited for use in hospitals and care homes

Our Dementia-friendly signage is available in different styles and colours and we take great pride in working closely with clients to create bespoke solutions that are suitable for their particular healthcare

and

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-

C&S Seating Ltd is the sole manufacturer of the

Raising the Standard of

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

See the advert on page 13

Stair Climbing Solutions

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 13

Make First Impressions Count with Major Plants

to do without trying to remember whether the flowers have been watered, fed, or tidied up Calling in the experts like Major Plants Limited means that you can get on with your business while we ensure that outside your plant arrangements and presentation never let you down

Besides our regular floral display services we also offer a full package maintenance plan for your grounds and gardens

Major Plants Limited specialises in providing costeffective and visually striking hanging basket maintenance services This means we design plant arrangements to suit your business using a combination of hanging baskets and window boxes

We know that busy businesses have enough work

Whether you are seeking an alternative quotation to compare with an existing supplier or are looking at external flower arrangements for the first time our flexible agreement and personal service will give you a piece of mind reliable support for your business

Please get in touch!

0800 111 4014 – info@majorplants co uk

Or see the advert on the front cover

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 or see the advert on page 9

Making the Most of the International Recruitment Fund

By Tijen Ahmet, business immigration expert at law firm, Shakespeare Martineau (www.shma.co.uk)

Care providers need to act quickly to secure their share of the £50 million International Recruitment Fund which is only available across England until 2024 This fund has been created by the Government to help ease the costs of hiring from overseas and cut unnecessary red tape and whilst it might seem like a short-term solution to the longstanding issue of crippling staff shortages, care providers should seek to understand exactly what it covers to maximise the opportunity 88 per cent of home care operators and 87 per cent of care home providers have reported recruitment challenges

These challenges have been caused by a multitude of factors including the end of free movement following Brexit the lasting effects of the global pandemic, poor long-term planning from the Government and the cost-of-living crisis are piling pressure on the sector As a result, existing staff are having to take on more internal responsibilities as the scope of their role stretches potentially placing those who need care at risk The Health and Social Care Committee predicts that if staff shortage trend continues 500 000 jobs will need to be filled by 2030

The International Recruitment Fund plans to alleviate these pressures and can be used for administrative costs that will help facilitate a person’s move to the UK, including support with sponsorship licences and

worker visa applications In addition it can also be used to help with the logistics of settling the employee in a new country including finding them affordable housing helping to pay for a UK driving licence DBS check or National Insurance number

The funding will be granted by local authorities who in collaboration with care partnerships will distribute it to care providers in their areas Care providers should therefore proactively reach out to Local Authorities to ensure that they will be considered for funding, as while a £50 million sounds plentiful with thousands of care providers across the UK competing over the same pot it ultimately may not stretch too far The first round of funding has already been allocated across regions with the South East and North West assigned £2 5 million and £2 million respectively

The Fund itself is not unlimited and the government is yet to announce further measure beyond 2023 if at all This means it is vital to for care provider to understand the the financial support available to them to increase the chance of being successful Care providers should consider seeking professional immigration advice to help their international recruitment drive to ensure that the legal immigration requirements are met first time to avoid costly mistakes

The International Recruitment Fund is intended to give the sector a boost by cutting bureaucracy and unnecessary complexity within the process The biggest hope however is that it attracts the talent that the sector so desperately needs by making the positions more appealing if employers can help with settling an employee once they have relocated While the Fund will certainly go some way to support the sector in the short term more needs to be done to ensure there is a long-term strategy that will lift the burden from the sector and help to end the shortage

In Dire Need Of Experienced Health Care Assistant, Senior Carer Or A Nurse?

JJ Recruitment has the large database of well qualified applicants with experience in the health-care industry such as health care assistants senior carers and nurses from overseas We also have an expert team of solicitors for the necessary legal proceedings and advices

WHY JJ?

We have very minimal processing fees

the healthcare sector is invaluable We can provide end to endsolutions for nurses and clients across the country due to our many offices across the country (Liverpool Sheffield Burton on Trent and our head office on the Wirral) We have our own in-house training facility and are leading the way in OSCE preparation with innovative and proven strategies which result in first time passes This allows us to now offer a complete service ensuring all the requirements needed to join the UK NM register are met as quickly and effectively as possible

Whether you require 1 or 100 nurses we will ensure that they meet all your requirements and are ready to interview as soon as you need them with emphasis being on the quality and relevant experience of the nurses Our online courses are consistently being updated to reflect the changes made to the OSCE practices To ensure all our clients, have access to the most suitable candidates we work with reputable recruitment partners around the globe With the advanced systems we have in place we can track each individual nurse every step of the way providing all our clients with regular updates on the nurse’s progress We monitor and check in with all our candidates every step of the way making sure they have been given excellent training and support throughout their journey This allows us to ensure that we can provide you with a candidate that will pass their OSCE journey first time

SERVICES

WE PROVIDE

We will help arrange your sponsorship license

We will source the best candidates

We will fully screen each candidate

We arrange accommodation

What to Consider When

When considering whether to buy a care home business while you will no doubt have taken account of apparent profitability and potential, it is vital that you establish as far as possible likely costs (e g legal fees due diligence costs, post completion costs (tax, investment)) during and after the buying process as well as having a realistic idea of the timescales involved

INVESTMENT

It may sound obvious but you must always check the numbers carefully Has the bottom line been enhanced by underinvestment? This will go hand in hand with the due diligence exercise but what will the business require going forward whether it be property repairs/renovation (whether in terms of practicalities or statutory requirements) or investment in staff and facilities? You need to establish what needs to be spent after completion of the purchase in order to sustain and/or enhance profitability

This will no doubt form part of your business plan which, where funding is being obtained, your lender will want to look at

FINANCE

If you need to obtain finance for your deal consider the additional steps and costs that will be involved

An investor or lender will likely have specific requirements in terms of structure (creation and/or involvement of group companies) documentation (occupational leases) and/or due diligence (additional searches/checks) that may affect timing and expense

ASSET/SHARE PURCHASE

In most cases, a care home will be owned and operated by a limited company rather than an individual

Therefore usually one of the initial critical decisions to be made is whether to proceed by way of an asset or share purchase Advice should be sought on a case-by-case basis as there are a number of things to consider in terms of for example tax or financial implications Essentially with an asset purchase you are buying those “items” (e g the property the employees etc) which you consider to be vital to the continued running of the business With a share purchase you take on all assets and liabilities of the owning company

a Care Home Business

DUE DILIGENCE

While the documents dealing with the specific transaction are important, these will be negotiated in line with the due diligence exercise This process like other aspects takes time and costs money Where possible obtain an indication as to costs up front

Existing and potential future liabilities need to be considered whether in terms of property repairs tax considerations disputes etc

If development of the property is required (e g to extend the property) you must obtain advice from a planning perspective and your solicitor needs to advice on any title issues that may affect any intended development and/or the required use of the property (e g and covenants or restrictions affecting the property)

If the property interest you are taking or inheriting is leasehold, your solicitor will need to advise on any consents that may be required (in terms of the transaction (so that the lease may be transferred to you or the lease contains “change of control” restrictions) or your future plans (e g consent to carry out alterations) and any obligations and/or restrictions in the lease that may affect your plans Is the length of the lease sufficient? Do you have rights to renew the lease at the end of the term? Are you inheriting costly repair obligations?

PROFESSIONAL AND FINANCE

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, management 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

Phoenix Learning and Care Set For Future Growth Following £20m Bespoke

Loan from OakNorth Bank

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) 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

OakNorth Bank, the digital bank for entrepreneurs by entrepreneurs, has provided a £20m loan to Phoenix Learning and Care, a leading provider of specialist education and residential care for children and young adults with a range of additional needs

Established in 2006 and now employing over 500 people, Phoenix Learning and Care Group operates 41 sites including residential children s homes specialist education schools & colleges and ongoing adult care (in the form of residential homes and supported living settings) across the South of England and Wales Its mission is to meet every individual’s social and educational needs enabling young people to flourish by always putting them at the centre of its thinking and practice Regulated by Ofsted CIW Estyn and CQC the Group supports children and young adults cope with their life experiences providing them with the skills to be effective productive and valued members of society The business is also backed by Ashridge Capital who specialise in partnering with ambitious management teams and providing private equity capital Founded in 2009 by David Sherratt Ashridge Capital has a proven track record in helping build successful and market leading businesses

The £20m loan from OakNorth Bank will be used to support Phoenix Learning and Care Group s acquisition of new residential care and education sites as well as refinancing existing debt Situated throughout the South West of England, South Wales and having recently increased its presence in Berkshire

recent new sites include the Grange, Neptune and Ty Monmouth Schools located in Thatcham Bristol and Newport respectively

François Delbaere CFO of Phoenix Learning and Care Group commented: “Every member of the team at Phoenix is passionate about improving the quality of life and outcomes for the people we support From our headquarters in the South West of England we continue to grow across the South of England and Wales, this bespoke funding from OakNorth will help further accelerate our growth This was our first time working with OakNorth Bank and we found their approach dynamic and entrepreneurial throughout the entire lending process It was great to see Stewart and his team take time to really get to know our business and its key drivers – an approach we haven t seen from other lenders we’ve worked with previously ” Stewart Haworth Director of Debt Finance at OakNorth Bank added “Following the launch of Phoenix Learning and Care 17 years ago it has built up such a positive reputation across the South of England and Wales The level of experience that the business has to offer coupled with its hugely talented team puts it in the perfect position to capitalise on the growing demand for specialist education and care services With over 260 children and young adults benefiting from Phoenix’s services we re delighted to have been able to support such a wellrenowned and established provider of specialist education and residential care and we look forward to watching their growth story going forward

For further information on Oaknorth Band see the advert on the facing page

Care Home Finance from Global Business Finance

Global assists clients throughout the U K who specialise in the healthcare sector to achieve their objectives of purchase development and refinance We have organised over £1 8bn for clients in the past 30 years providing clients with competitively priced funding to refinance existing debt ease cashflow and develop businesses further