T H E P U B L I C AT I O N F O R N U R S I N G A N D R E S I D E N T I A L C A R E H O M E S
W W W. T H E C A R E R U K . C O M
The Carer Digital
THECARERUK
THECARERUK
Issue 96
“Perfect Storm” Sees Social Care Providers Face Turning Down Admissions and Closing Services
Social care providers are facing a perfect storm of workforce challenges and rising cost pressures of service delivery as they are forced to turn down admissions to services and, in severe cases, shut services altogether. This is according to independent research commissioned by learning disability charity, Hft, which found that three quarters of learning disability care providers turned down new admissions to services in 2021 while more than a third had to close their services permanently due in part to an average staff vacancy rate of
nearly 16%. While nearly all providers believe that increases in staff wages could help recruitment and retention challenges, Hft’s latest Sector Pulse Check report found that 80% of those surveyed say the fees they receive from local authorities to deliver care will not be enough to cover their wage bills, forcing them to dig deep into their own reserves to pay their staff a fair rate.
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PAGE 2 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 96
EDITOR'S VIEWPOINT Welcome to the latest edition of The Carer Digital! I’m an avid “ Youtube follower” of the great American economist Milton Friedman! Milton Friedman was an American economist and statistician who received the 1976 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. A 2011 survey of economists commissioned by the EJW ranked Friedman as the second-most popular economist of the 20th century, following only John Maynard Keynes. Upon his death in 2006, The Economist described him as "the most influential economist of the second half of the 20th century ... possibly of all of it". A freethinker who believed in a free market economy and the person I ideally would loved to have met, or at least have sat in one of his many seminars which are available on YouTube. Why do I refer to him? Well, he is best known for his monetarism theory, which states that changes in the money supply directly affect economic growth. Our sister publication which covers the hospitality and licensed on trade sector (www.catererlicensee.com) recently reported that a recent survey had revealed that there now 9200 less licensed premises than there were pre-pandemic. Imagine the loss of revenue. Licensed on trade (pubs/bars) are amongst the most highest taxed industries, so putting alcohol taxes, business rates, PAYE, VAT and possibly corporation tax that is a huge blow to the economy. That is just one sector. We have also seen a very large printer in Yorkshire employing over 600 people close up recently. My point? I think anyone with a modicum of economic knowledge would agree that you cannot have a sustainable adult social care system without a vibrant economy and economic growth. The proof of the pudding is in our lead story on page 1. Providers having to turn down new admissions and close services. As the article points out, research reveals that three quarters of learning disability care providers turned down new admissions to services last year while more than a third had to close their services permanently due in part to an average staff vacancy rate of an alarming 16%. It’s no secret that the whole country has thrown its support behind increased remuneration for care workers who worked and sacrificed so much during the pandemic however report found that 80% of providers surveyed say the fees they receive from local authorities to deliver care will not be enough to cover their wage bills, forcing them to call upon their own reserves to pay their staff a fair rate. We reported earlier in the year that the Local Government Association (LGA), which represents councils, raised serious questions whether the expected £5.4 billion from the Health and Care Levy over the next three years will be enough to pay for their then recently-announced adult social care reforms. The problem is, as Milton Friedman points out, a shrinking economy means a shrinking contribution to the government coffers, which ultimately results in less money for adult
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social care. A shrinking economy means spending reductions which have affected access, with fewer people eligible for care. Reduced spending has also affected the ability of social care providers to deliver high quality services, with the amount local authorities are able to pay towards somebody's care in care homes being less than it costs to provide it. So as we see, operators closing to new admissions and stopping services all together. I read a report in 2020 which identified “three” options to raise revenue: • Increasing general taxation (including from the wealthy) • Taxing or redirecting spend on older people (eg by extending National Insurance (NI) contributions beyond retirement age) • Taxing wealth (eg changes to council tax or new forms of tax on people's estates) • A hypothecated tax for social care. My concern is something Freidman says often in his seminars. Tax too much and the economy shrinks. It reduces/kills incentive and ambition. I still believe funding must be sold to the public whereby, while they accept the need for additional funding, they also accept the responsibility of bearing the costs of funding via a form of insurance, or a pre-funded ‘later life care fund’. We hope in the coming weeks to include some thought led articles from industry professionals on funding future care! Once again we are delighted to have received more heartwarming and uplifting stories from residential and nursing care settings around the country, so please do keep them coming. Oh and one more thing - we have launched our latest “Unsung Hero Award”. Every home has one (and probably more)! That dedicated worker from any department who goes above and beyond, who can sometimes go unnoticed, and deserves a reward! A small gesture on our part but it has been well received so please get nominating! See pages 13 and 21 for details.
EDITOR Peter Adams SALES EXECUTIVES Sylvia Mawson David Bartlett Guy Stephenson TYPESETTING & DESIGN Matthew Noades PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Charlene Fox Published by
THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 96 | PAGE 3
“Perfect Storm” Sees Social Care Providers Face Turning Down Admissions and Closing Services (CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER) “Social care staff should be paid a fair wage, one which is commensurate with the responsibilities of the job and that will help reduce high turnover and vacancy rates in the sector,” says Kirsty Matthews, CEO of Hft. “Despite the introduction of a higher National Living Wage earlier in April, record inflation means that, in real terms, most front-line staff will not see a pay uplift and workforce challenges will persist as employees cope with the cost of living increase” she adds. Concerningly, one in 10 providers will need to cover 20% of their wage bill from their own reserves, rather than through fees paid by local authorities to deliver the right standard of care to those they support, according to the research. On average, each provider surveyed will need to find £640,000 to cover the cost of wages, stretching the already finite resources of providers further.
SECTOR IN PRECARIOUS FINANCIAL POSITION This is at a time when the sector is in an increasingly precarious financial position, with 71% of providers reporting they are either in deficit, with costs exceeding funding, or that their surplus has decreased. This has increased from 56% in 2020. Alongside workforce challenges, Hft’s research highlights that financial pressure is forcing providers into difficult decisions such as handing back contracts to local authorities and offering care to fewer people to remain sustainable. The charity is now calling on the Government to urgently redirect additional funds from the Health and Social Care Levy into social care from year one to ensure there is sufficient funding to cover wages which reflect the real-term cost of living and attract more individuals to work in the sector. Over 20 CEOs of learning disability care providers are supporting this call through a joint letter from Hft to the Care Minister. “To ensure that care staff are paid a salary commensurate with the responsibility of the job, and to alleviate the recruitment and retention crisis in the sector, it is vital that additional funds are drawn down from the Levy this year,” says Matthews. “Only when the learning disability sector is placed on a sustainable financial footing and workforce challenges are addressed will care providers, and the wider health system, thrive together rather than merely survive,” she concludes. Says Jonas Keck, Economist at Cebr: “The last two years have posed an unprecedented challenge to the social care sector, which had already been struggling prior to the pandemic, as a result of poor funding. The increase in the National Living Wage in April will hit the sector especially hard, as a large number of social care staff are paid at the minimum rate. This will put further financial pressure on already distressed providers, as for the majority, the funding received by local authorities will not be enough to cover the additional costs stemming from higher wages.”
CALL TO REDIRECT FUNDS FROM HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE LEVY Dr Rhidian Hughes, Chief Executive of the Voluntary Organisations Disability Group (VODG), says: “This year’s Hft Sector Pulse Report clearly exposes the extent to which rising cost pressures and critical workforce challenges are impacting on social care providers and the essential care and support services they deliver for disabled people and their families. Consequently, voluntary sector services in particular are becoming unviable, and it is people who draw on social care, and the workforce supporting them, who will be hit the hardest. “The provision of high-quality care and support services for people with life-long disabilities is the hallmark of an equitable society that supports and protects its citizens. This must be rooted in a robust and sus-
tainable social care system that has embedded within in it, investment, and support for voluntary sector services. “VODG supports Hft’s call on government to redirect additional funds from the Health and Social Care Levy into social care from year one. This would help alleviate some of the immediate pressures being harshly felt today and go one step towards enabling state-funded services to continue delivering essential services into the future. We strongly encourage government to act on the evidence presented today.”
20 SECTOR CEO’S SUPPORT FUNDING CALL More than 20 CEOs of learning disability care providers have supported this call and have written a joint letter asking the Chancellor. In the letter, they write: "While the government has pledged additional funding for social care through the Health and Care Levy, it does not address immediate financial and workforce challenges. With further cost saving measures such as service closures a likely outcome, this ultimately impacts those who rely on the vital support the sector provides." "It is vital that the social care sector is placed on a financial footing to ensure it can respond to adults with a learning disability who need support. Not only will this ensure better outcomes for individuals who rely on social care, but is integral to the government’s broader reform and integration agenda. Only when social care is thriving will pressure on, and unnecessary admissions into NHS hospital settings be relieved," they conclude. Last month the government announced that local authorities in England will be supported to pay a fairer rate of care to adult social care providers, by £1.36 billion from the Health and Social Care Levy to pay a fairer rate of care to adult social care providers. The “Market Sustainability and Fair Cost of Care Fund” will, the government says, increase the support available for the care sector as part of the government’s 10-year vision for reform set out in the People at the Heart of Care white paper. To ensure the investment makes it from local authorities to care providers local authorities must: • carry out cost of care exercises to improve understanding of how much it costs to provide care in their specific area, including assessing the various costs care providers face in the area • ensure the care market in the area is sustainable and identify and increase rates where a fairer cost of care is needed • spend no more than 25 per cent of funding in year one towards implementation costs to ensure remaining funding goes towards genuine increases in fee rates Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “This is the beginning of one of the most comprehensive reform plans that this country has ever seen in adult social care.” “The Health and Social Care Levy will help fund reforms to social care and the NHS – ensuring everyone who needs support is cared for in the right place at the right time.” “For this to happen we need a thriving adult social care market and this will only be possible if providers receive a fairer cost for care.” “There will not be a set fee rate as the costs of providing care will not be the same across the country due to local market variations.” “During year one local authorities will receive an extra £162 million, followed by £600 million in years 2 and 3.” To read the full report: www.hft.org.uk/sectorpulsecheck To read the joint letter: www.hft.org.uk/spc-letter
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How Social Care Services Should Interpret The National Standards of Healthcare Cleanliness Guidance
By Barry Price, QCS Specialist Contributor (www.qcs.co.uk)
In September 2020, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) commissioned a special report, which looked at Infection, Prevention and Control (IPC) best practice. The study, entitled ‘COVID-19 Insight: Issue 4’ also shared examples of outstanding IPC across the social care and health sectors. Following 300 inspections in care homes, the CQC observed that “very few of these services turned out not to be managing well and requiring a fuller inspection”. In terms of percentages, The CQC reported “90 percent assurance” in IPC. Having worked on the social care sector’s front lines for more than 15 years, maintaining extremely high IPC standards does not surprise me one jot. After all, maintaining world-class standards of cleanliness is one of the things that the social care sector does best. The care sector may not have the funding, the resources and the personnel as the NHS has, but it has always had systemic and systematic processes in place which over time have been deeply ingrained into the culture of the sector. Care services have a dedicated IPC framework, which everybody from the Registered Manager to those making deliveries understands and implements on a daily basis.
THE SOCIAL CARE SECTOR IS GOOD AT IPC Many services, however, go the extra mile and strengthen their already excellent IPC programmes by using a content management platform. Over 140,000 providers have chosen Quality Compliance Systems (QCS), the leading provider of content, guidance and standards for the social care sector, to strengthen their IPC capabilities. Not only does QCS provide its customers with the latest IPC policies and procedures, but also best practice content to help them to stay ahead of the curve. This has been particularly the case throughout the COVID-19 pandemic as QCS has helped providers to manage the constant and sometimes sudden changes in government IPC policy. Despite social care’s dedication and commitment to continuously improving IPC standards, a year ago, the NHS published the National Standards of Healthcare Cleanliness 2021. The 55-page document contains a set of updated standards that all healthcare settings – including acute hospitals, mental health and community services, primary care, dental care, ambulance trusts, GP surgeries, clinics and care homes – must meet, regardless of the way cleaning services are provided. Together with the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations, the National Standard of Healthcare Cleanliness provides an assurance framework to support compliance with the core cleanliness standards and code of practice.
QCS QCS, the organisation that I contract for, has fielded a lot of enquiries from worried providers, who are struggling to understand their new responsibilities. Their concern is understandable. Although the National Standards of Cleanliness was published a year ago, it came in the middle of a pandemic. It is no surprise, therefore, that providers, who were busy caring for service users in the greatest health crisis in decades, were unable to give the document their full attention. Given that they were wrestling with the pandemic, they should have been given more time to implement the changes. That said, it is still unclear when the new guidance will come into force. NHS documentation does not state a clear date, while the CQC guidance is equally vague. My advice to providers is not to panic. Ironically, with the large majority maintaining such a high IPC bar during the pandemic and many exceeding it, they have proved to the regulator – and themselves – that they have what it takes to meet the requirements set out in the National Standards of Healthcare Cleanliness document.
BETTER COLLABORATION
“to meet the cleanliness standards for the whole area”. With the document largely written by NHS staff for NHS staff, this first standard may be a challenge for hospitals, but as I stated earlier, working together as one single entity to strive for even higher IPC standards is something that comes naturally to social care services. Most of the other bullet points relate to auditing. The new guidance calls for every care service to conduct regular internal audits. It also says that providers need to be audited annually by an external organisation. Again, a culture of IPC auditing has been firmly instilled in those who work in the social care sector for many years. Providers using content management systems, such as QCS, have the tools to carry out risk assessments, which immediately highlight weaknesses in an IPC framework. They also have access to highlevel auditing systems, to ensure that they can demonstrate that they are meeting Regulation 15 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008. This requires healthcare premises to be clean, secure, suitable and used properly. The regulation also ensures that providers maintain standards of hygiene appropriate to the purposes for which they are being used.
AUDITS However, that said, I do feel that there are a multitude of smaller social care providers that won’t be able to afford regular auditing, which can run into thousands of pounds. There perhaps needs to be a set of exemptions put in place, as many smaller services are already feeling the pain of a perennial lack of funding, the cost of living crisis and sky-high insurance premiums. Surely providing training and resources would allow smaller care providers to carry out peer-to-peer reviews? Not only is this a cost-effective solution, it is highly effective as those carrying out the reviews would be highly experienced registered care managers. My other major bugbear is that after providers have carried out an internal audit, the new guidance requires them to create posters displaying cleanliness star-rating scores. While this works in hospitals, I’m not sure it translates well to residential care homes where people live. Care homes already have to display their CQC rating and so having to showcase two different posters on windows might cause confusion. Secondly, as I alluded to earlier, the standards must also take into account the fact that care homes are not clinical environments where patients go to get better. They are people’s homes. There is a danger that posters could somehow detract from the rich, person-centred culture that care homes have worked so hard to create.
WHAT PROVIDERS SHOULD DO So, what should providers do? My advice is for Registered Managers to firstly review their Infection, Prevention and Control annual statement. Secondly, they should compare the statement to the new guidance set out in the National Standards of Healthcare Cleanliness 2021 document. Thirdly, Managers should work their way through the document and tailor it to requirements of their organisation. This, I think, is the key point. The responsibilities of each sector and each individual setting within it, should have been clearly laid out in the National Standards of Healthcare Cleanliness documentation. With there being no clear timeframe for implementation other than a plethora of possible dates in 2022, the hope is that the guidance will be updated to better reflect the needs and requirements of individual sectors and settings. It is also vitally important that it the guidance mirrors any additional recommendations provided by the Department of Health and Social Care and the CQC. Watch this space… To access the National Standards of Cleanliness, please see below link: www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/B0271-national-standards-of-healthcare-cleanliness-2021.pdf To find out more about QCS or start a free trial, contact our compliance advisors on 0333-405-3333 or visit www.qcs.co.uk/thecarer-free-trial
So, what are they? Firstly, the guidance calls on “staff groups - both clinical non-clinical…” to collaborate
Former Fitness Instructor Says Care Home Exercise Class has Inspired Him to Walk Again A former fitness instructor, who runs movement exercise classes for fellow residents at a care home, says he is using the boost he gets from it to achieve his own goal of walking again. Ken, who leads the popular ‘Star Moves with Ken’ class at Royal Star & Garter in Surbiton, says the sessions are inspiring him to walk for the first time since December 2020. The 87-year-old made a major breakthrough in realising his dream in February, when he stood for the first time in 14 months, during a session in the Home’s in-house physiotherapy room. The classes are 25 minutes long, supported by a member of staff, and take place six days a week. It now attracts around 10 people a session and staff recently had to relocate the activity to a different part of the Home due to its increasing popularity. Discussing the impact the classes have on him, Ken said: “As I’ve always been a relatively fit and healthy person, it came as a bit of a shock when I was taken ill and my legs gave way in 2020. So it means a hell of
a lot to me that I can do these classes, and that people trust me and are willing to come to training every day – it’s a huge compliment. The classes keep me going and give me the hope I will achieve my goal to walk again. I do a lot of work with the in-house Physiotherapist at Royal Star & Garter and I’ve started to get back on my own two feet, which I’m delighted about.” He said his class has more than a physical impact on residents: “It brings people together as a group. It’s a social thing and a boost for physical and mental wellbeing. We motivate each other. It doesn’t matter if they can’t do everything - I tell them to only do what feels comfortable.” Physiotherapist Nirali said: “Ken is doing a great job. All the exercises are general body warm-up exercises which reduce stiffness and promote circulation. I think it’s a really good idea to do chair-based exercises, and it’s very popular with residents.” Sarah Nunn is one of the Wellness Coordinators who helps arrange the ‘Star Moves with Ken’ classes. She said: “Exercise has always been a big part of Ken’s life. So being able to do these classes now, while in a wheelchair, is really important to his wellbeing. He’s really good at it. He loves it and the residents love it.”
THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 96 | PAGE 5
Cash Shortage Putting Vital Care at Risk Concerns have been raised that the brutal axing of a cash fund set up to help providers through Covid-19 could have dire consequences for the care of our most vulnerable. The Independent Care Group (ICG) has called on the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to urgently reinstate the Infection Control Fund which ended at the start of the month. It had played a vital part in helping care providers both in care and nursing homes and homecare agencies to cope with staff absences due to the virus. In a letter to Secretary of State, Sajid Javid, ICG Chair Mike Padgham writes: “Covid-19 infection rates remain high and social care staff, in common with everyone else in the community, are becoming ill and are unable to come to work. “However, because the Infection Control Fund has stopped, care providers are no longer able to pay those staff for the three days’ sickness that have to elapse before Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) from the
Government kicks in. Because of the tight margins the majority of providers operate under, they cannot make up the shortfall. “As a result, there is a very real danger that some of these staff are choosing to come to work, even though they have Covid-19, because they cannot afford not to be paid. “This will potentially have a devastating impact upon care settings, with the obvious risks of spreading Covid-19 to their residents, homecare clients and colleagues.” He says the country cannot afford further damage to social care providers at a time when hospitals are bursting at the seams. Concerns have been raised that: “A loss of social care provision has dire consequences for NHS care, delaying hospital discharges and adding to the risk of hospitals being overwhelmed this spring and summer,” Mr Padgham writes.
Former Actress Turned Artist Brings Creative Touch to Signature at Elstree One resident at local luxury care home, Signature at Elstree, has been inspiring both residents and team members to pick up the paint brush and begin their own artistic journey. Betty Chapman has always been drawn to the creative side of life. Over the course of a long and successful theatre and film career, Betty performed in the iconic ‘West End’ and toured the country starring in countless productions. With a particular love for comedy, she can recall many fond memories of playing parts in plays such as ‘The Private Ear and Public Eye’, often alongside her husband, a fellow actor and writer. However, it was during this period of her life that Betty began to explore yet another part of the creative realm, painting. Enchanted by the work of those artists painting the sets for her theatre productions, she was inspired to pick up the brush herself and try her hand at something new. And much like her career on stage, it quickly became clear that Betty had a real gift for painting. What started as a mere hobby quickly became a passion and a core part of her life. She has gone onto produce a plethora of wonderful pieces of art, several of which have since been exhibited as part of The Actors Picture Show at the iconic National Theatre, in London. Arriving at Signature at Elstree in July 2021, and aware of Betty’s wonderful talents, the care home team were eager to do their part and allow her to continue to express her artistic flair. Inspired by her talents,
the team decided to introduce an art studio as a permanent area for residents to continue to paint. Betty was quick to embrace this opportunity, and over the past year has spent much of her time working in the art studio. Alongside working on her own pieces of art, Betty has also inspired many residents and team members at the care home to embark on their own creative journey and express their artistic flair. Offering tips and advice, she is always looking to motivate others and is a bundle of creative energy at the care home. Speaking about her love for art, Betty Chapman said: “Art is like dancing into another world. I was absolutely thrilled to have my art displayed at the National Theatre and its fantastic that I can continue to paint now.” Speaking about the importance of activity spaces and opportunities for residents, Vina Bharadia, Activities Assistant at Signature at Elstree, said: “Having spaces created for residents to enjoy what they like doing most is truly a delight. Here at Signature at Elstree we take pride in this, and offer countless activities, classes and sessions for those residing with us. It allows residents to settle and feel at home immediately. The art studio is just one example of that. Every time Betty is there, you can see she is at her best.”
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Improving Care Home Staff Retention with Career Growth and Development Due to persistent workforce problems over the last two years, employers and providers of social care have had to adopt a range of strategies to help retain and support their staff. However, staff retention continues to be at an all-time low in the sector. Jacqui White, Group Operations Director of White’s Training, discusses the benefits of employers offering more training courses to care workers in times of crisis. With reports suggesting that many care workers have considered quitting over the last year, as well as suffering from the aftereffects of working on the frontline during a pandemic, the home care industry is facing staff turnover like never before. 66% of home care providers are experiencing more staff quitting their jobs than before the pandemic, with low pay and COVID burnout blamed for worsening the care recruitment crisis. Staff who work in care homes provide care and support to society’s frailest and most vulnerable people. At all times, care home providers must have enough qualified, competent, professional, and experienced workers to meet the needs of the people who use the service. Nonetheless, attracting, recruiting and retaining employees is a constant challenge.
RETENTION REALITY While home care organisations vary in size, service users, staff demographics, and even location, there is no one-size-fits-all approach for snoring employee retention. However, there are a number of key areas that could be improved, including communication and culture, as well as providing professional training opportunities. Investing in employee retention is critical to any company's success.
space of five years. Whilst 59% of the audience believed that if their company appreciated them more, it would have boosted their enthusiasm and career within the sector. Having a care qualification or ongoing training can make carers: feel their profession is more valued and higher status, feel more competent, capable and confident in their role and more likely to stay in social care with their current employer. A training programme can improve the integration of new team members and give management and care workers the opportunity to get to know one another better and strengthen team harmony. Research indicates that staff are 58% more likely to stay 3 years if there is a structured onboarding programme.
BENEFIT YOUR BUSINESS
It promotes high-quality care continuity, a positive workplace culture, employee well-being, time and cost savings and positive Care Quality Commission (CQC) ratings. Employers with a turnover of less than 10% reported that their main activities contributing to staff retention were: • Investing in learning and development (94%) • Embedding the values of their organisation (92%) • Celebrating the organisation’s and individual achievements (86%) • Involving colleagues in decision making (81%)
UNFULFILLED MEANS UNSUCCESSFUL According to a recent study by TotalJobs and Care UK, nearly onethird of social care workers want to leave the industry totally within the
As the industry looks towards a more stable future for employees working in the care sector, we are here to advise and support the employers' next steps. White’s Training provides a variety of courses for home carers from Dementia and Parkinson’s Awareness, to positive behaviour support. These courses are a part of White’s Training's Centre of Excellence, and are currently being delivered virtually, face-to-face or via e-learning. They are also able to help support your in-house training plan by offering Train the Trainer courses and ongoing support. Employers who embrace training courses demonstrate their dedication to their employees' self-worth and value. Offering this as a business makes it more enticing to carers looking for future positions. For more information on carer training, please visit: https://whites.training/courses/
Woodbury Court Chicks Hatch Just in Time for Easter! Residents at Woodbury Court have enjoyed a magical few days, watching their chicks hatch over the Easter weekend. Residents were delighted to welcome ten chicks into their home, just in time for their Easter celebrations. The team thought it would be a wonderful experience for residents to see first-hand the chicks hatch from their eggs. The incubator was put in one of the home’s social areas, and residents sat together eagerly watching as the chicks hatched one by one. By Easter weekend, all ten chicks had hatched and from this week,
residents will be able to hold them. Home Manager, Mel Oliver commented: “Everyone at Woodbury Court was so excited to see the chicks hatch and some residents even stayed up watching and waiting. At Woodbury Court, we love to create and share in truly magical moments for residents, and this really was a great treat for us all. The residents are looking forward to handling and caring for the chicks and watching them grow.”
THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 96 | PAGE 7
‘Disgraceful’ for MP to Draw Parallels Between PM’s Rule-Breaking and Healthcare Workers, says BMA Responding to the MP Michael Fabricant’s comments comparing the Prime
“Some stayed away from home, or kept themselves apart from their partners and
Minister’s Covid rule-breaking to the behaviour of healthcare workers, Dr Chaand
children in their households, desperately putting their families’ safety ahead of their
Nagpaul, BMA council chair, said:
own wellbeing as they coped with the greatest professional challenge of their
“Doctors and their colleagues will be incensed to hear their names being used to defend the rule-breaking of the Prime Minister and the Chancellor. “Throughout the pandemic doctors, nurses and all healthcare staff, after exhausting days, many in full PPE and dealing with some of the most harrowing experiences
lives.“Much like the vast majority of the public, they had no difficulty understanding and complying with the law, driven by their duty to keep everyone safe. “It’s disgraceful and deeply out of touch with the reality in our health service for an
of their careers, were doing all they could to protect themselves, their patients and
MP to draw a parallel between flagrant rule-breaking and the diligence, compassion
their loved ones.
and professionalism of healthcare workers.”
Derrick Gets VIP Treatment as He Turns 95 A VIP visitor made Derrick Corfield’s 95th birthday extra special when the World War Two veteran celebrated his milestone at Broughton House Veteran Care Village in Salford. Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett was touring the new facilities at the care home and made sure he was able to wish widower Derrick a happy birthday in person. The Mayor was accompanied on his trip by Joanne Farrell, head of the City Mayor’s office and Salford Council’s armed forces lead officer. Derrick’s memorable celebrations included a visit from his family, and the home marked the special occasion with a party for residents and staff and a screening of one of his all-time favourite movies, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Derrick, who is from Salford, moved into Broughton House last summer after toppling from his electric scooter and breaking an ankle. He is one of its oldest residents. Karen Miller, chief executive of Broughton House, said: “Derrick has been a major figure in our home since he joined last year, taking a lead role with our Remembrance Day ceremony and always being a delight with our staff and fellow residents. “We were extremely pleased to be able to make this a birthday to remember for him. He truly embodies the spirit of Broughton House.” Derrick was too young to serve in the armed forces before the Second World War so, in 1943 at the age of 15, he joined the Home Guard and was attached to the Manchester Regiment and then the Lancashire Fusiliers. Having previously been a Sea Scout, he volunteered to serve in the Merchant Navy and his mother
reluctantly agreed to let him go to sea at the age of 16. Derrick set sail in February 1944 as a crew member on the ocean-going passenger liner the RMS Orion, which had been refitted to carry 7,000 troops on wartime service. In the run-up to D-Day, Derrick and his comrades ferried US and Canadian troops across the Atlantic to Liverpool for the invasion of Europe. Derrick manned one of the anti-aircraft cannons after undergoing a ‘crash’ gunnery course with the Royal Navy. He had a brush with death while embarking troops in New York, when he was overcome by fumes in the ship’s paint locker and was rushed to hospital. After D-Day, the RMS Orion continued to sail all over the world, ferrying troops to Malta, then from Egypt to Naples, and back to the UK. After hostilities ended, the ship ferried survivors back to North America, Australia and New Zealand. When the ship was returned to its owners in 1946, Derrick stayed at sea aboard other merchant vessels before coming ashore in 1948 because his mother had become ill. Derrick, who has four service medals, was later a fireman for 25 years and had spells working for the probation service and the Ocean Yacht Club charity. City Mayor Paul Dennett said: “I was honoured to visit Broughton House Veteran Care Village to celebrate Derrick’s 95th birthday and see the fantastic job that has been done in building their new state-of-art facility to care for veterans and their families in our city. “Derrick epitomises the true spirit of Salford, working tirelessly for many years to make Salford’s Remembrance Sunday event the success it is today. I know that Derrick is enjoying life at Broughton House and continues to organise special events much to the delight of residents.”
PAGE 8 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 96
The Future of the Laundry in Infection Prevention Simply complete the survey and fill in your details to be entered into a prize draw for a chance to win a Miele Triflex Vacuum Clean at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/5KBMJ3L The laundry room in any care home is a crucial part of the day-today operations. The job of handling both soiled and clean linen normally falls to the front-line care staff as very few establishments are big enough to have a dedicated laundry team or laundry manager. Because soiled linen is a breeding ground for infection, the way this is handled by the care team is crucial to infection prevention and control in the care home and helps to protect both residents and staff alike. As part of the mandatory training that is provided to all care staff on an annual basis, the handling of linen is described at length but in the everyday operation of a care home it can be difficult to ensure that the very highest of standards are being achieved. Space can be a limiting factor as many organisations have very small laundry facilities so being able to effectively separate clean and soiled laundry can be practically quite challenging. Time is also a major factor in the daily workings of the laundry room. Without a dedicated laundry team, front-line care staff are performing the duties of a laundry team as part of their daily tasks so being able to take the time and care over the specifics of the laundry operation is not always a priority. At Miele Professional we understand the challenges that care staff face when it comes to providing the very best in infection prevention and control in the laundry versus the reality of providing high standards of care for some of our most frail, elderly people. Our laundry equipment is designed to help take some of the guesswork out of infection
high enough to thermally disinfect the wash. Another benefit of the Miele Professional range is the connectivity. A new product due to be launched later this year by Miele will mean washing machines can be controlled by a smart phone resulting in no need to actually touch the display to select the desired programme and it can be programmed to 32 different languages, removing any issues with comprehension. They are also really quick too – reducing the turnaround time on laundry items whilst still providing the highest quality clean.
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The Carer and Miele are offering you the chance to win a Miele Triflex vacuum cleaner for taking part. We want to know your experiences of working in the laundry, what challenges you face, what could make your life easier, how the equipment works for you, what could make it better for the sort of work that you do, what training you have access to and how Miele Professional might be able to provide you with more support. Simply complete the survey and fill in your details to be entered into the prize draw at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/5KBMJ3L
Maidstone Care Home Rolls Back the Years to the Roaring 60s ?Residents and staff at a Maidstone care home rolled back the years as its ‘Through the Decades’ theme continues to take speed, this time to the groovy 1960s. With frequent mutterings of ‘Yeah, Baby!’ and ‘You’re Groovy’ serenading around the home, and the music of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones in full swing, residents at Nellsar’s Loose Valley Care Home celebrated the era of peace, love and flower power – with peace decorations hanging proudly in the resident lounge and plenty of tie-dye and flowers on display. Excited to indulge in the iconic era, residents enjoyed a fun-filled day that took them on a magical musical tour of the decade, which included a life-size prop of the famous VW campervan, made by Loose Valley Care Home’s Recreation and WellBeing Champion, Paula Smy. Dubbed ‘Through the Decades’, the second of three themed days across Nellsar’s 13 homes, staff were an embodiment of the famous era, sporting an array of iconic 60s gear including flares and flower power outfits, while Billy the Cat and Bella Bunny also made special appearances. To commemorate an era that saw the birthplace of sunshine pop, a World Cup triumph, and mankind’s remarkable journey to the moon, themed music and entertain-
ment were provided throughout the day as residents engaged in fancy dress, watched some all-time classic movies and shared cherished photos from the decade. Loose Valley also welcomed its very-own singer, Jasmine, who wore a sequin dress and provided entertainment with some fabulous 60s music. Songs from the ‘60s Divas‘ included Dusty Springfield, Sandy Shaw, Lulu and Diana Ross, to name but a few. Whilst Paula acted as backup singer and dancer for the feather boa song ‘Stop in the name of love’ – with the feathers draped around her shoulders. Paula said: “Our latest journey back to the groovy 1960s was an overwhelming success. I really enjoyed making scenic decorations, especially the cardboard cut-outs of the tie-dye and flowers, as well as our very own Loose Valley VM campervan! “Everyone was excited to embrace the culture of one of the most iconic eras in history. It’s a great way for residents to reminisce and relive cherished memories of yesteryear. It was a delight to see so many of our residents fully immerse themselves in some light-hearted fun and we’re so excited to see the same enthusiasm and uptake in our next adventure at Loose Valley.” Nellsar’s ‘Through the Decades’ journey will continue with the 70s due to make an appearance next month.
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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 96 | PAGE 9
NHS Delivers One Million Spring Booster Vaccines Over one million people have received a spring booster in just over two weeks since the latest phase of the NHS COVID-19 vaccination programme kicked off. Since 95-year-old grandad Devraj Jhalam became one of the first people to receive their latest dose on 21 March, 1,023,750 spring boosters have been delivered. As part of the biggest and fastest vaccination drive in NHS history, England’s top GP is urging the most vulnerable patients to book in for their spring boost without delay when they receive their invite. The call comes as the latest ONS coronavirus infection survey showed that infection rates have continued to rise, including in older groups and in every part of the country in recent weeks, with 1 in 13 people infected in the week to 26 March. The NHS is continuing to invite people for their fourth dose as they become eligible, in line with JCVI guidance and more than half a million (570,000) more people will be invited next week. Around two million invites have been sent so far to those who are eligible which includes people aged 75 and over, adult care home residents and those who are immunosuppressed aged 12 and over. Since the NHS made history when Margaret Keenan received the first jab outside of a clinical trial in December 2020, more than 119 million vaccinations, including over 32 million boosters, have been delivered. Dr Nikki Kanani, GP and deputy lead for the NHS covid-19 vaccination programme said: “Thanks to the efforts of our staff, it is fantastic that more than one million people who are most vulnerable to Covid have been quick to take up their offer of a spring vaccination in just over two weeks, giving them the best protection from the virus.
“As infections continue to rise, it is vital that those who are most vulnerable act on their invite as soon as possible, with over half a million more due to land on doorsteps next week. “Those who are eligible can book in online or ring 119 to sort an appointment or visit a convenient walk-in centre to ensure they get the maximum possible protection against Covid-19.” Steve Russell, national director for vaccinations said: “The NHS Covid vaccination programme began rolling out spring jabs just over two weeks ago to those who are more at risk from COVID to ensure they’re given the best possible protection “NHS teams in vaccination centres, primary care and high street pharmacies have pulled out all the stops to get their communities protected and it is a testament to their fantastic efforts that in such a short space of time more than one million people have had a booster. “The NHS will continue to invite people when they are due for a vaccination so please come forward when we contact you”. Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “In just over two weeks, we have made fantastic progress with our Spring booster roll out – it is great to see more than one million eligible people have received their vital top-up dose. “NHS staff and volunteers have made it easier than ever for the most vulnerable to stay protected, with the option to book online, call 119 or visit a convenient walk-in vaccination centre. “When you are invited, please get your jab without delay”. Dr Mary Ramsay, Director of Immunisation at the UK Health Security Agency said: “Vaccination continues to prevent a high number of hospitalisations and deaths from COVID-19 and remains the most important
thing we can do to protect ourselves. “It is extremely encouraging to see such a high number of those eligible taking up their offer of a Spring booster. The NHS vaccine programme is there to protect you and I urge you to take up the offer of the booster as soon as you are invited to do so”. People aged 75 and over, care home residents and those who are immunosuppressed have been able to get their spring booster since 21 March, when the biggest and most successful vaccination programme in health service history expanded once again. Recent research from the UK Health Security Agency showed that the NHS booster programme has helped prevent around 197,000 hospitalisations since mid-December. Meanwhile, a report from the National Audit Office has said the NHS Vaccination Programme met “stretching and unprecedented targets” as it helped save lives and reduce hospital admissions – all while making effective use of public money. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has advised a spring jab should be offered to those most vulnerable to COVID-19 as a precautionary measure around six months on from their previous dose. Thousands of sites including community pharmacies, vaccination centres and hospital hubs are offering spring boosters to those most vulnerable to coronavirus following the updated guidance from the JCVI who advised on an extra spring dose as a precautionary measure. The NHS has made it easier than ever for immunosuppressed people to get their boosters –by providing either a letter from a GP team or specialist inviting them for a vaccine, a hospital or GP letter about their medication or treatment, or a prescription or medication box with their name and date on it. Immunosuppressed people can also self-declare on the NBS.
Icknield Court Celebrates World Health Day with Taste Test and Talk To help share the importance of nutrition for World Health Day, Development Chef Jude Watts of The Fremantle Trust presented residents of Icknield Court, residential care home in Princes Risborough, with an informative talk, an assortment of healthy finger food and delectable smoothies. Using a grand selection of highly nutritious foods, Jude Watts gave the residents an excellent overview of the benefits of essential vitamins and minerals throughout his talk and why certain foods are made available within the environment of a care home. He continued by giving fascinating information about what can be used to fortify foods and drinks in order to help boost intake of calories and protein. Jude commented: “People often misconstrue why we have certain
foods available within care homes and I felt it was important to share this information with our residents. Pineapple for instance contains an enzyme called Bromelain, which helps with good oral health hygiene as well as having a high water content, helping with hydration. It’s harder for older people to stay hydrated, so having foods like pineapple readily available is hugely beneficial within care homes.” After the talk, residents and visitors partook in a tasting session of the food, including cucumber bites with pâté and cream cheese, fruity flapjacks, fruit smoothies and overnight oats fortified with cream. When asked on whether she enjoyed the food, resident Edith commented: “Yes I did but I always prefer a plate of Fish and Chips!”
THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 96 | PAGE 11
Care Home Presents Cheque to Local Charity
Cheverton Lodge care home in Islington recently presented Peninim with a cheque for £750 to be used towards a retreat for women. Peninim supports physically disabled women and girls and those with life-long medical conditions through the provision of accessible programmes and services, designed to improve their lives and promote social integration within the wider community. They offer workshops, retreats, friendship groups and comparison ships and is working towards offering support work place-
ments. The grant had been awarded by Barchester’s Charitable Foundation, a charity that helps older people and adults with a disability or mental health problems across England, Scotland and Wales by offering grants to help people connect or re-connect with others in their local community. The care home welcomed Leah Weingarten from Peninim to a small gathering in the home to receive the cheque and celebrate being awarded the grant. Leah Weingarten, Main Volunteer’ said: “We are so very grateful for the donation from Barchester’s Charitable Foundation, it went towards a retreat we held and was attended by 20 women. For many, it was the first time they had been able to leave their home since being in lockdown.” Earl Elliott General Manager at Cheverton Lodge said: “We are always keen to show as much support as we can to local charities. Charities like Peninim are so important to our local community and has enabled women to meet others, build friendships and enrich their lives.”
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PAGE 12 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 96
Fixing the Recruitment Crisis in Social Care By Lyndsay Chapman, Head of People at Talos360 (https://talos360.co.uk) With around 105,000 unfilled vacancies in adult social care, the UK Government has drafted in help from some famous faces to encourage more people to work in the sector. The campaign focuses on the qualities, personal traits and emotional attributes that make a great carer, rather than qualifications and is costing the Government £162.5 million. No one is doubting the authenticity of the celebrities, but can this sort of campaign make a difference to the crisis currently being experienced in the industry? The pandemic has highlighted the shortage of care workers alongside staff in other keyworker roles, that have been hugely and negatively impacted by Covid. All have all been under immense pressure, covering absent colleagues and managing social distancing rules. Brexit has of course hit the sector hard, as many care professionals from the EU have now left the UK. The Government’s decision to mandate Covid vaccinations for care home staff has also driven people out of the sector. There is an increasing reliance on volunteers to help support the industry. In January, Derbyshire County Council made an urgent plea to its 30,000 employees, asking them to volunteer in its care homes as
existing staff shortages were exacerbated by Covid. Although they are not qualified to give personal care or medications, volunteer care workers are helping plug the gap, supporting professional employed colleagues. This is not a long-term solution. Social Care needs a sustainable employee pipeline, with new recruits attracted into the sector and effective employee engagement to retain them. One of the most obvious issues is low pay. The pandemic may have raised the profile of care workers, giving them keyworker status and highlighting the amazing job they do, but recognition doesn’t pay the bills. The average salary for a Care Assistant is £16,000 - £18,000 a year in the UK, around £8.50-£9.50 an hour. The Government’s published National Living Wage from April 2022 is £9.50 an hour, so the average care worker is really just scraping by. With energy bills and the price of filling up at the pump skyrocketing, minimum wage is worth less by the week. The hours can be long and the work may be physically, mentally and emotionally draining. Many care workers work shifts around the clock and they will also be required to work on weekends and national holidays. So why do people do it? Because they care and want to make a difference. These are people with empathy and a drive to help others, having a positive impact on their quality of life. This may be the key to starting to address the labour shortage. Younger workers, sometimes described as Generation Z, appear to have different expectations of their work and careers than some older cohorts. They want to go to work and do something that matters, building careers that they can feel good about. They are motivated by more than simple renumeration , which doesn’t mean they don’t care about
salary. They want to be paid fairly, but employers can use other benefits to attract young people. Shift working and part-time working are already very much the norm in social care. This flexibility may be part of the employee value proposition (EVP) – the set of benefits and working culture, to attract young candidates. Offering a high standard of training with potential for career development is also crucial. There are lots of other aspects to care work that appeal to Generation Z workers, such as having lots of variety in their working day, and the camaraderie of working in a team. Employers can add to their EVP in a myriad ways, including for example, paying for driving lessons and test fees for young workers. Young people may be part of the solution, but more is needed. Retaining existing staff is perhaps the most important element of sustainably tackling this crisis. One of the strengths of the sector is its commitment to health and wellbeing for its own employees and this is an area where employers can get creative, devising attractive and compelling initiatives that make people feel genuinely cared about and valued. Bonus schemes to encourage further recruitment from friends and family, or a government-backed length of service reward scheme might help. More people will be attracted into the sector when it is given higher status. The public are already aware of how important care workers are, but the profession itself still seems to be a choice of last resort. Beyond salary, developing more specialisms within social care, with more specific training and development opportunities, can help raise the status of the entire profession. It needs to have the appeal of a long-term career path, one that is increasingly important to our ageing population and where professionals enjoy a range of benefits that make them the envy of other sectors.
Care Home Welcomes Kids for Excitable Easter Egg Hunt Residents at a Poole care home shared their Easter celebrations with the community this weekend, hosting their first Easter egg hunt for local children. Upton Bay Care Home, in Hamworthy, Poole, opened its gardens to over 40 guests for the bank holiday, encouraging kids from the neighbourhood to search for the multitude of chocolate eggs hidden within the grounds. Families competed against each other in a fast paced egg and spoon race, before setting off to hunt for the hidden treats. “The Easter Bunny hid 105 eggs around the gardens!” said Karen Grant, Activity Lead at Upton Bay, who donned the bunny suit for the day. “Our residents had a smashing time giving clues to the children – we were shocked
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how quickly they found over 100 eggs!” Winner of the egg hunt, 7 year old Zara, said, “I found 15 eggs and 4 bags of sweets, but I will hide them from my mum!” The care home also raised £48 in raffle ticket sales on the day, with proceeds donated to Caring Canines, the voluntary dog therapy and companion charity who regularly visits Upton Bay. The home welcomed donations for prizes from local businesses, including Purbeck ice Cream, Chestnut Nursery, and Compton Acres. “It was a wonderful opportunity to share our space with the community again – interacting with the younger generations brings so much joy to our residents,” said Home Advisor Sophie Payne.
THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 96 | PAGE 13
Are YOU The Carer’s Next Unsung Hero? Once again we here at The Carer are looking for our next Unsung Hero! A super deluxe luxury hamper will be the prize for the lucky winner!! March 23 marked the country’s second National Day of Reflection, as people from across the country join together in a minute’s silence at 12noon to reflect on those who have died and show support to the millions. No sector was impacted as much as adult social care, and National Care Forum CEO Vic Rayner put it very well when marking the first anniversary last year when she said: “In amongst all of this [ The Pandemic] the country turned its focus to social care – often because that is where the epicentre of impact of this deadly virus has hit home. It has been care workers who have borne the brunt of supporting people in homes and communities – day in day out – seven days a week. It has been care providers who have had to change and flex the way that they provide care to cope with the ever-changing understanding of how to provide care in a COVID-19 environment. Critically, it has been people living in care homes who have lost so much – so many of whom have tragically lost their lives to COVID, while huge numbers have been unable to see loved ones throughout this terrible year.” Regular readers will know we launched our Unsung Hero award 10 years ago when we were celebrating our 10th anniversary, and it proved to be so popular we have been running it ever since. When the pandemic broke, and we began reporting on a daily basis on how COVID and
restrictions were impacting care homes, staff and residents, and we were reporting on a daily basis the dedication of care staff and the difficulties they were experiencing. So, we decided to add on a few more awards! And, we received hundreds of nominations each time, heart-warming, heart-breaking and inspirational stories, making it almost impossible to choose an overall winner, so much so that each time we tagged on runner-up prizes! We are thrilled to announce our latest unsung hero award! Every care home will have somebody who goes that extra mile, which, due to pressures of work can sometimes go unrecognised or rewarded. A small gesture on our part and we aim to put that right! Once again, a luxury hamper awaits our next “Carer Unsung Hero”. No-frills, glitz or glamour, just send us your nomination with a paragraph or two, and please do give a little background/detail of what your nominee has done, and why you think your nomination deserves to be rewarded. Your own Unsung Hero can be from any department, frontline care, laundry, maintenance, kitchen, administration gardening– we will leave that up to you! Nominations close Monday, May 2 please send to:- nominate@thecareruk.com
An Introduction from MSD Independent I would like to introduce myself . My name is Mark Durbidge and I have been in the Distance Learning environment for the past 12years and have built this business to where we are today. I started originally with a market leading Company and moved on to starting my own business finding and enrolling people onto the courses. Our job is to introduce people to our Government funded courses to the Care Sector including Care Homes and Providers. We have enrolled over the years many people , and they have benefited in accomplishing a level 2 NCFE Cache certificate in one or more of our courses. Care Homes and Agencies also benefit as these courses are free through the funding. As with everyone else it took a downturn during the pandemic as we were unable to visit Care Homes or Agencies , so we started doing telephone and online enrolments. This proved very successful and we are continuing this service and now offering the original visits and group enrolments. We had a new website built during this time which has also been a great success as it contains detailed information regarding the courses we have
available from Mental Health, Mental Health First Aid, Autism, Dementia, Medication, Business Administration. Also our partner Colleges around the country supply experienced , qualified tutors to help where necessary students who may struggle a little. This is a great asset to people. Once people are enrolled we always send out a hard copy of their chosen course and they have the option of writing out the assessment or electronically submitting to the relevant College. The courses have been developed to a very high and informative standard and are highly recommended by Care Homes and Colleges alike.. These courses are free to people providing they complete them . Colleges do ask for a small admin fee from those who register and do not complete the course. Please contact me direct if you wish to have more information . I can be contacted on my mobile number 07943 743748 or email me direct on mark@msdindependent.co.uk. Alternatively our web site is www.msdindependent.com
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PAGE 14 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 96
Maintaining Morale and Combating Stress in the Face of Staff Shortages By Sadie Besley, senior operations director, Randstad UK (www.randstad.co.uk) Care homes are suffering epic staff shortages. Staff burnout is sky high; some care teams have been running too hot for too long. A parliamentary report has said staff burnout is now at emergency levels. Brexit made talent more scarce (although, while there are 150,000 care roles vacant at the moment, it’s worth highlighting there were more than 100,000 before the referendum). These short- to medium-term issues are mixing with longer-term demographic trends - everyone is getting older and living longer - with demand for labour far outstripping supply. The shortage is so severe that the care sector is forecast to become one of the top three global growth sectors for recruiters over the next twenty years. The bald numbers are one thing but the consequences are another. Shortages lead to mental and physical health issues, high turnover, and low morale - eventually standards of care will be compromised. Operators know they need to do more to alleviate employee stress.
HOW TO BEAT STRESS What’s the best way to help and support staff experiencing difficulties? We talked to nurse and Love Island star Rachel Fenton about how she handled the stress of the job. She recommended all the classics: meal prep so you can eat clean; incorporate exercise into your routine at work - taking 30 mins to go for a walk, for instance; taking vitamin D if you aren’t getting enough time outside in daylight; drinking a few litres of water a day; and working flexibly. As an employer you should try to facilitate these.
COULD BETTER REWARDS INCREASE MORALE? On the one hand, careers in care resonate with Millennials and Generation Z - age groups motivated more
by wishing to give back and seeking meaningful work and of course. Material rewards are less important to them than to, say, Baby Boomers or to Generation X. Furthermore, the first two years of the pandemic shone a bright light on the enormous value of healthcare and care workers in our lives and their contribution to wider society. Whether they are looking after the practical needs of vulnerable individuals or providing much-needed psychological support to those under their care, the professionals in these roles are often a vital lifeline for those with whom they come into contact. 'Key worker' status was a tremendous advert for careers in care. The prestige of these roles rocketed in the collective psyche, boosting morale. On the other hand, while the psychological income of working in care is strong, it doesn't pay the bills. Almost three in every ten (29 per cent) of healthcare workers received pay rises when changing roles in 2021, seeing an increase of between £500 and £2,000 per annum. If your loyal staff feel underpaid, morale will suffer. So the first thing to do is reevaluate your asking salaries. Are they realistic given the amount of hiring going on? Perhaps not. If there’s no cash available, improving your employer brand can help your payroll bill stretch further. Research has revealed if the reputation of an employer’s brand is poor, a pay increase of at least 10% is needed to entice a new employer to join. This translates to approximately £3,300 per hire. A company with over 10,000 employees or more could be spending £5.3million in additional wages to compensate for its poor reputation. The three factors most likely to wrench your employer brand are lousy job security, dysfunctional teams, and poor leadership. Do any of those sound familiar? There are other rewards you can offer potential employees, other than cash. In the wider workforce, food and drink has traditionally been one means to sustain morale as a social lubricant and workplace perk. Silicon Valley’s tech groups had long competed for talent by providing flashy canteens and free snacks. While we can aspire to offer workplace snacks including dried seaweed and kombucha, a la Google, more realistically for the average care employer, is offering more flexibility. In the UK, the most important thing that potential employees look for when choosing an employer is work-life balance - it’s more influential just - on their decision than an attractive salary and benefits.
Hamberley Agrees £100 Million Sale and Leaseback Deal on Five Care Homes with Rynda Healthcare Care home developer and operator Hamberley Group, backed by Patron Capital, has sold five of its care homes to real estate investment firm Rynda Healthcare. The deal, worth in excess of £100 million, will see Hamberley’s operating company, Hamberley Care Homes, immediately lease back three of its existing care homes under 35-year leaseback agreements and subsequently lease back two further care homes, currently under development in Eastleigh and Enfield. The existing care homes, Elstow Manor (Bedford), Verwood House (Verwood, Dorset) and Upton Manor (Poole) are all part of the Hamberley Care Homes group and will continue to be operated by the award-winning team. Collectively the five homes account for 353 beds out of the current Hamberley Care Homes group of 14 operational luxury care homes. The group will have a total of 28 homes by 2024, once the current pipeline of developments is complete. Daniel Kay, Director of the Hamberley Group, said: “We’re delighted to have agreed this deal with the team at Rynda Healthcare. This agreement builds on our strong track record for developing and operating some of the UK’s leading luxury care homes. This sale will allow us to invest further in the elderly care market and ensure that we deliver care environments that are truly luxurious, safe and homely.
“The three existing homes in this deal are already much-loved services in each of their local communities and the new homes in Eastleigh and Enfield push our design standards yet further with the redevelopment of a 1920s police station and the integration of a leading-edge green energy heat network.” Keith Breslauer, Managing Director of Patron Capital, said: “This is the latest in a number of sale-and-leaseback transactions we’ve completed through Hamberley, highlighting growing investor interest in the later living sector. Having built and sold Gracewell Healthcare, we have a long history of developing exceptional care home properties that meet the needs of an increasingly discerning ageing population.” Michael Walton, Chief Executive Officer, Rynda Healthcare added: “We are delighted to have closed this transaction adding to our portfolio of care homes in Edinburgh, Braintree, Derby and Market Harborough. Each home is centred around providing its residents with the very best care in state-ofthe-art properties. Rynda continues to build long term relationships with a range of selected developers and operators whose business growth we look to support.” In addition to the five homes within the Rynda Healthcare deal the group has a development pipeline of sites in Cambridge, Dorking, Hindhead, Camberley, Basingstoke, Southampton, Bristol, Keynsham, Cofton Hackett and Edwalton.
CleanEx 2022/Hospitality Expo: Not Long to Go! There’s just six weeks to go until Hospitality Expo/CleanEx 2022 opens its doors to the main grandstand at Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire. It’s been four years since the last CleanEx event with ‘you know what’ constantly changing our plans. As they say though, absence does make the heart grow fonder, so expect to find all the exhibitors excited, keen and ready to talk you through and show you all their latest innovations. The brand new Hospitality Expo – will take place at the same time as CleanEx 2022. Same time. Same venue. Hospitality Expo is aimed at procurement managers, care home owners, general managers and housekeepers from care homes and hotels across the country. Hospitality Expo will take place on its own floor at Ascot Racecourse. So those visiting Hospitality Expo will benefit from meeting with specialist industry exhibitors, and also be able to walk the aisles at CleanEx 2022 and
see what the leading industry suppliers there are showcasing about their latest innovations, products and services. Many of the stands will have fully operational equipment and technology and run demonstrations throughout the two-day event so you can see results first-hand. This event is a great opportunity to compare different products or machinery under one roof and talk to leading suppliers directly. Exhibitors will all have their experts on hand on their stands to answer any questions you have. This will help you to plan your visit in advance to make sure you use the time well and gather the research and information you need to make the right decisions for your business. Exhibitors often run event-only promotions too, so there’s potential savings to be made by talking to the specialists direct. Visitors to Hospitality Expo and CleanEx include: If you’re in one of the following businesses or job roles then Hospitality Expo is ideal for you! Care Home owners • Hotels - owners and managers • General managers • Head housekeepers/ managers • Hospitals • procurement managers • Private schools Registrations are open! FREE ENTRY – FREE PARKING – FREE ENTRY – FREE PARKING It’s simple to register your place to attend Hospitality Expo/CleanEx. Simply visit the Hospitality Expo page at www.megevents.co.uk and click on ‘attend the event’ and enter
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Digital Tech Urgently Needed to ‘Level Up’ Dementia Care, Says New Whitepaper A new report echoes mounting calls for the UK government to improve technology-enabled dementia care and prioritise digital tools that can transform the way dementia care is delivered and facilitate a paperless way of working. Published by PainChek the report launches in the wake of the UK government announcing plans to reform the social care sector and achieve digitisation of 80 percent of social care records across the sector by 2024. The whitepaper: ‘Modern Pain Assessment in Aged Care – the challenges, guidelines and practices’ confirms the growing need for digital tech solutions to help support care providers with delivering improved care outcomes and keep pace with technological advances, and highlights the challenges facing UK care homes when it comes to pain assessment and dementia care. Available free to UK care providers and care professionals, PainChek hopes the report will add to the social care sector’s calls for improvements to dementia care at a time when worldwide cases of people living with dementia are predicted to treble by 2050, as its CEO and managing director Philip Daffas, explains: “Dementia has become one of the most important health and social care issues for the UK and indeed across the world. Now is the time to transform dementia care, but this will only be possible if the UK government commits to improving and investing in technology-enabled care.” In a speech at the Care England 2022 Conference and Exhibition, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Sajid Javid, confirmed the government’s understanding of the potential of digital technology for the social care sector. He said: “We know that digitising records brings huge advances, yet 40 percent of providers still have almost
entirely paper-based records. I think digital records are basic responsibility, and that’s why I’ve set the target of 80 percent of social care providers digitising care records by March 2024…we’re determined to support you in that endeavour, supporting providers with the connectivity and digital skills they will need to recover and reform in the years ahead. A lot of this promising technology is already with us. I’m also excited about what machine learning and AI can offer in helping us deliver care that is personalised.” However, the government has wildly underestimated the costs of reform by at least £850m a year, according to analysis by LaingBuisson of a recent report. “We know that around 40 percent of UK care providers are still using entirely paper-based systems,” says Philip, “and whilst we welcome the government’s much-anticipated plans for social care reform in the UK, greater investment is needed to help providers adopt technology and fully integrate it into their everyday work. “Worldwide, cases of people living with dementia are predicted to treble to 153 million by 2050,” he says. “Timely detection and management of pain is integral to ensuring high quality care and quality of life for care home residents living with dementia, and this starts with accurate pain assessment for those unable to self-report their pain. “The right tech solutions support better care outcomes in all people and are usable by every health and social care professional in all settings,” Philip adds. “Point-of-care recording and powerful reporting reduces the administrative burden on care home staff, empowers the whole workforce, and equips them with the means and information to better care for and treat residents.” The whitepaper is free to download from the PainChek website at www.painchek.com/whitepaper-modern-pain-assessment-in-aged-care-uk/
Andover Care Home Celebrates Grand National in Nod to Racing Past At the same time as the Grand National took place earlier this month, Millway House in Andover held its own racing event to honour the care home’s horseracing history. While the annual horse race was happening in Aintree on Saturday 9th April, residents at the nurse-led care home in Andover, took part in their very own ‘race day’, and with Millway once a former racing stables, the event couldn’t have been more fitting. Celebrating a horse racing history that dates back to the early 1900s, and ahead of Saturday’s Grand National event, Millway staff arranged for residents to watch a series of eight horse races on screen. Staff dressed up as horse jockeys and wore ‘race day’ hats, and residents cheered on their chosen ‘champions’. Winners were presented with small trophies, and everyone tucked into strawberries and cream. All then had the chance to watch the ‘real-life’ Grand National later in the day. Claire Lousteau, Home Manager at Millway House, said: “With such an interesting link to horse racing, we always make sure the Grand National is a special date in our events calendar. Today’s ‘race day’ event was fabulous, and it was lovely to see all staff and residents getting involved – it became quite competitive!” Already an established stables at the turn of the 20th century, Millway was bought by jockey Frank Hartigan in 1905. Frank trained at nearby Weyhill and went on to win many races, before retiring the house to a Gerry Matthew Balding. On Gerry’s death in 1957, the business was passed to his son, Toby
Balding, who trained over 2000 horseracing winners at the stables. Toby’s niece is well-known broadcaster, Claire Balding, and his nephew is British racehorse trainer, Andrew Balding. In 1983 the house was sold and Millway became the residential home it is now. And, ensuring the home’s important racing history is recognised, rooms and floors are now named after well-known horses and races, and pictures and plaques are displayed in a coffee lounge, detailing the care home’s ‘famous’ past. What’s more, keeping Millway’s link to horse racing well and truly alive, one of the Andover care home’s current residents, Audrey Stent (95), once had the chance to ride ‘Nickel Coin’, a horse who went on to win the Grand National in 1951 – the most recent mare to win the yearly festival. Millway House is part of Sears Healthcare and CEO Richard Adams is pleased to see that residents have had the chance to celebrate the home’s racing history. He said: “What a great event to recognise Millway’s special horseracing past. It’s wonderful to hear how much fun everyone had today. “At Millway House, we are a nurse-led care home, so our approach focuses on providing a home-fromhome for our residents while we meet their healthcare needs. I’m glad staff are making sure the Grand National doesn’t go unnoticed each year.”
Robby Steam & Vac by OspreyDeepclean®: The Ultimate Cleaning Machine, Proven By Independent Scientific Research The healthcare sector requires rigorous cleaning methods to maintain the highest levels of hygiene to ensure the safety and well-being of patients, residents, and staff. The National Standards of Healthcare Cleanliness, first published in May 2021, outline modern methods of cleaning and infection prevention and control, whilst imparting important considerations for cleaning practices during a pandemic. In principle - healthcare environments should pose minimal risk to patients, staff and visitors. Compliance to these standards are mandatory by April 2022 for all healthcare settings. How can you ensure compliance? Invest in a manufacturer who has been guided by scientific research and medical sector expertise to equip your cleaning team with the right tools for the job. We were the first company to formally assess the efficacy of dry steam cleaning in healthcare environments. Partnering with the NHS and University College London Hospitals, our machines achieve up to a 5log reduction.
The Robby Steam & Vac is an all-in-one machine, ideal for maintaining hygienic standards of housekeeping. The dry steam, delivered at 4.5 bar, eliminates the need for harsh chemicals and the powerful integrated vacuum can be used simultaneously, ensuring surfaces are left touch dry and ready for use, removing harmful pathogens and allergens for fast and effective deep cleaning, every time. To ensure your care home is properly equipped to deliver hospital levels of clean, we have a great offer, exclusively for The Carer readers. Our Care Home Complete Cleaning Bundle includes: - 20% off our Robby Steam & Vac - all 21 accessories incl. brushes and nozzles - a black metal trolley for improved manoeuvrability - a cleaning sign All for FREE! To claim this offer give us a call on +44 (0) 1242 513 123 or email us at info@ospreydc.com quoting “Robby Cares”.
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Barchester Healthcare is Named RoSPA Healthcare Sector Award Winner and RoSPA Finalist in the Sir George Earle Trophy Barchester Healthcare is celebrating after landing two internationally-recognised awards for demonstrating high health and safety standards. Barchester Healthcare has received both a RoSPA Health and Safety Healthcare Sector Winner for working hard to ensure its staff, residents, patients and visitors are safe, and an award for being a Finalist in the Sir George Earle Trophy which honours the strongest entrants from among the Industry Sector winners demonstrating the best health and safety performance during 2021. Organisations receiving a RoSPA Award are recognised as being world-leaders in health and safety practice. Every year, nearly 2,000 entrants vie to achieve the highest possible accolade in what is the UK’s longest-running H&S industry awards. Dr Pete Calveley CEO of Barchester Healthcare said: “The health and safety of our residents and staff is paramount at Barchester, and our staff work tirelessly to achieve the best hygiene and infection control standards possible. I am delighted to
accept these awards on behalf of all the brilliant people who make up Barchester and who have gone above and beyond to deliver the most excellent care, in the most difficult of circumstances over the past two years.” Julia Small, RoSPA’s Achievements Director, said: “This is a fantastic and well-deserved accomplishment. All our award entrants demonstrate their unwavering commitment and passion for keeping people safe at work. By receiving this recognition Barchester join likeminded businesses and organisations worldwide, who represent the very best in their approach to Health and Safety. I would like to add my personal thanks for all the work that it has taken to secure this well-deserved award – congratulations to all those involved, who champion and drive up Health and Safety standards every day. You are a fantastic example to others in your sector.”
Care Home Resident Celebrates Birthday in Classic Jaguar, 76 Years After Beginning his Apprenticeship with the Manufacturer Signature at Banstead resident Joe Bell celebrated his 90th birthday in style with the help of his favourite classic car. Fulfilling a long-held dream, Joe was given the perfect present, where he was surprised with a chauffeur to take him on a scenic drive to the RAC club in Epsom, in a Jaguar XK120, his favourite car. It paid homage to a long relationship Joe has enjoyed with Jaguar where he took an apprenticeship at the age of 14. His career at Jaguar continued, where he eventually progressed to running a garage in Exeter. As part of his birthday celebration, he later
returned to the luxury care home where he lives with his wife Dorothy to continue celebrations over lunch and a champagne party with the help of friends and family on February 22nd. Reflecting on his trip, Joe said: “I had always driven a Jaguar, so to have a birthday treat such as this one fulfils one of my dreams.” Tamara Juckes, Activities Co-ordinator at Signature at Banstead, said: “Joe has been living here since September, and it was lovely to make his first birthday with us a special memory for him and his family.”
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Finding New Ways To Support Older People Who Hoard With Their Move Into Assisted Accommodation The prospect of moving into assisted accommodation can be difficult for any older person but can be particularly hard for older people who hoard. Many older people moving into supported housing have to do so because of health issues or declining mobility, meaning they often have to move house fairly quickly and haven’t had the chance to fully come to terms with leaving their home and sorting through their belongings. This can be even harder for people who have gathered many possessions over the years and have recognised attributes of hoarding disorder and worry about downsizing, losing their independence and even of being ‘locked away in an old people’s home’. Academics from Northumbria University’s Hoarding Research Group already work with many housing providers and charities across the North East to assess the impact of hoarding behaviours. They joined forces with several regional organisations on a study, funded by the Sir Halley Stewart Trust, to find ways to provide better support for people moving from their own homes into supported housing. The researchers met with older people from across the region – both with and without hoarding behaviours – to explore the barriers they faced as they prepare to move into supported housing. They spoke with people who had moved into supported housing over the last six months to learn about their experiences and any advice they may have to offer and consulted with housing professionals working with the older people about the issues they faced before, during and after the moving process. Professor Nick Neave, Director of the Hoarding Research Group, explained: “There are many factors that need to be considered as we age. We know that as we get older and our mobility and health decline and moving from independent to supported housing can bring major benefits.
“We also know that hoarding behaviours can often get worse as people get older, and this can impact on social housing providers and other local services, as well as creating more anxiety for the individual about needing to move to a new home. “We wanted to find out more about the barriers faced by older people both with and without hoarding behaviours, in moving into supported housing to make recommendations for the best ways that local authorities and service providers can assist them during this transition.” Over a 12-month period the researchers worked with people from Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland who were either thinking about moving into supported housing, or who had recently moved into their new home. They also worked with housing and charity professionals who provided advice and guidance to people before and during their move. They found that prior to moving, many had concerns about the moving process itself, and many also mentioned a stigma within their social circle about moving into supported housing. However, the response from participants who had recently moved was overwhelmingly positive, with all reporting they were glad to have
done it. The team have since created a series of recommendations for housing professionals about how to best support people with the transition which will be shared at an online Teams meeting on Wednesday 30 March at 10am. Deborah Ewart, Head of Housing Support at Gateshead Council, has been working with the University for more than five years on social housing and hoarding cases and was keen to contribute to the study. She explained: “As a landlord, working with hoarding cases brings many challenges. We want to support our customers and help address underlying causes and ensure support is tailored to the individuals’ needs. “However, we have to balance this with our obligations to ensure tenancies are managed effectively, tenancy agreements adhered to and that our residents are safe in their home. “Taking part in the research is helping us all to understand this complex issue more. We can use this learning to develop multi-agency approaches that can successfully support people in the long-term.” The research team are keen to encourage anyone interested in the transition journey from independent to supported housing for older adults and professionals working with older adults to attend their online dissemination event on Wednesday. Anyone wanting to attend should email Senior Research Assistant Claire Murphy-Morgan and request an invitation to the meeting Northumbria University’s Hoarding Research Group is a multidisciplinary effort which together brings academics from the North-East universities, stakeholders from the local authorities, housing associations, charities, social care services, mental health services, the NHS and emergency services. The partners work together to develop a better understanding of Hoarding Disorder and explore the impact of this disorder on both the individual and society.
The Easter Bunny Visits HC-One Care Homes HC-One care homes across the UK have been celebrating Easter with a variety of egg-citing and eggs-traordinary Easter themed activities. At Devizes’ Market Lavington Care Home, which offers residential, nursing and residential dementia care, Residents enjoyed Easter celebrations which brought smiles to Residents’ faces. Cards and gifts were exchanged, and Residents and Colleagues enjoyed reminiscing together about what Easter means to them. Resident Rona Bushell, who is originally from the Highlands, said, “My family would take us to church on Easter Sunday. It was of the utmost importance. We would have to walk miles across the highlands to get there, no matter the weather! We didn’t have chocolate eggs, no, but used to paint duck eggs pretty colourful patterns.” Resident Phyllis Shellard had a similar memory, commenting, “I worked on a farm most of my life, so eggs were plentiful and at Easter we used to paint a few of the chicken eggs and leave them on the children’s beds for them to wake up to on Easter Sunday morning. These days though, I prefer chocolate eggs!” Resident Kathleen Cox, who used to be a teacher, recalled, “I remember doing things with the children at Easter, painting eggs and talking about Jesus arising from the tomb. The children were fascinated by that story. I still love receiving Easter cards!” At Clarendon Hall Care Home, in Grimsby, which offers residential and nursing care, Easter celebra-
tions involved arts, crafts and cookery. On Good Friday there was a service held for Residents at the home, which was well attended and thoroughly enjoyed to kickstart the Easter festivities. This was followed by the home’s Easter bonnet parade and an exciting raffle, as well as a beautifully decorated Easter cake for Residents to enjoy. Throughout the weekend, Residents attended the arts and crafts workshops where they could decorate their own Easter bonnets and get fully involved in the Easter celebrations. Nicola Walker, Home Manager at Clarendon Hall commented, “There was such a lovely atmosphere with everyone being involved for Easter. What a wonderful weekend!” At St James’ Park Care Home, in Dorset, which offers residential and nursing care, Residents enjoyed a truly wonderful start to the spring festivities with Easter celebrations. Residents decided to make some fantastic Easter bonnets with Wellbeing Coordinator, Michaela Hunt, which were worn with pride as everyone sang along to Easter themed songs, followed by an Easter quiz and games. The day ended with the home’s Easter Raffle, which saw Residents win a variety of wonderful prizes. Mihaela Barbulescu, Home Manager at St James Park Care Home said, “Easter has arrived, bringing with it one of our favourite times of the year. The hopeful season is marked by warmer spring weather, gorgeous flowers in our garden here at St James Park and a sense of rejuvenation. It was so nice to see Residents and staff enjoying themselves together on this beautiful day.”
The Residential & Home Care Show, 18-19 May 2022, ExCeL London Join us at The Residential & Home Care Show, the UK’s leadership event for delivering outstanding care, returning to the ExCeL London on 18-19 May 2022. Free for all care professionals to attend, the CPD certified conference programme will focus on the big issues facing the social care sector including recruitment and retention challenges, new employment law, personalisation, integrated care, safeguarding, raising quality, dementia, CQC ratings, which technologies work and business development. After an extremely challenging few years for the care profession, this will be the opportunity to come back together and refocus your mind. Promising to arm you with strategies, products and services, The Residential & Home Care Show will help you be in the best position to address challenges and take advantage of the opportunities that lie ahead.
Reasons to attend: • Free for care and healthcare professionals • Take away practical ideas and solutions you can adopt in your own organisation • Join thousands of Owners, Directors, and Senior Managers • Meet and network with 200 exhibitors showcasing their latest products and solutions • Build relationships between residential care providers, nursing homes, domiciliary care providers, NHS, local government, the voluntary sector and suppliers • Learn from 50 expert speakers who will share key case studies and deliver important panel discussions with more industry leaders and successful care business operators Visit the event website: https://www.residentialandhomecareshow.co.uk/TheCarerUK Click here to register for FREE: https://rfg.circdata.com/publish/hpc22/?source=thecareruk
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Music Bridges The Generational Divide
To celebrate Global Intergenerational Week starting on 25th April, Percussion Play (www.percussionplay.com) is highlighting the positive effects of intergenerational music-making and its ability to promote inclusive play and bring benefits to both young and elderly people. The goal of the week is to inspire individuals, groups, organizations, local/national government, to fully embrace intergenerational practice, connecting people of all ages especially the younger and older gener-
ations. It has been proven that when senior citizens take part in cross-generational learning activities with children and adolescents, it can help improve their physical, cognitive and social wellbeing. It can also enhance the quality of life of those suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia. Intergenerational play can also help senior citizens have a renewed sense of purpose, it can also help encourage both children and adults to explore new challenges. Research has shown a wider benefit to communities, helping build a sense of community place-making and improve relations between the elderly and the young. It has been proven in younger people that intergenerational play can accelerate the development of social skills, emotional processing, communication and help improve self-esteem. Percussion Play has created a range of beautiful outdoor musical instruments played across the world in schools, libraries, parks, hospitals, and senior living communities. From the popular Calypso Chimes to the Harmony Flowers., Percussion Play’s instruments are designed to bring people together to create uplifting music. Jody Ashfield, Founder, and MD of Percussion Play, said: “We are proud our instruments can help support intergenerational play and we encourage everyone to understand the important benefits intergenerational play can bring to both young people and the elderly. As world
leaders in the manufacturing of outdoor musical instruments, we aim to champion inclusive play and create instruments that can be used by everyone, regardless of age”. You can read more research on the benefits of music on the benefits of intergenerational play at www.percussionplay.com/play-percussion-post-age-pedagogy/
Barber Mounzer Bowls Over Inverclyde Residents with Free Hair Cuts A BARBER who started a new life in Scotland after escaping war-ravaged Syria has proved he is a cut above the rest by giving out free hair cuts to the local community. Mounzer Darsani trimmed the locks of customers in the lounge of Bield’s Crosshill Gardens development in Port Glasgow in a bid to give back to the community that welcomed him and his family with open arms. Mounzer is well-established after opening his two Orient Salon barbershops in Greenock and the Isle of Bute after moving from Syria to Scotland in 2016. Some of the Crosshill Gardens residents were getting their first haircut since the start of the coronavirus pandemic and were delighted at Mounzer’s free trims. Gordon Coe, 76, resides at the Port Glasgow development and enjoyed his first trim since 2020. Gordon said: “I am really happy to have had my hair tidied up. It’s been so hard to get out to the barbers in what has been a tricky past few years. My
hair was getting so long, I could have put it in a pony tail! “I’m very grateful for what Mr Darsani is doing. It’s a lot of effort to come up to Crosshill Gardens and do this completely for free, we all massively appreciate it.” Mounzer reached out to the Bield development to graciously offer his services and also left his contact details so that he could return to Crosshill Gardens to provide more free cuts in the future. Mounzer said: “The support I had from the local community when arriving in Scotland was astonishing. I felt it was only right to try to give back in a small way. “I get a lot of enjoyment from talking to customers at Crosshill Gardens and hearing all of their stories so it was the least I could do to help make lives easier for them throughout a pandemic.” Mounzer added: “I’ll continue to offer my services to the lovely people at Crosshill Gardens, it’s important to me to always try to make a difference and I hope I have made a positive impact on their lives.”
DO YOU KNOW THE CARER’S NEXT UNSUNG HERO? Regular readers will know we here at the Carer have been awarding an Unsung Hero regularly since 2016! Now, in these unprecedented and testing times we are Say hello looking for another to some Unsung Hero! previous (How we wish we could winners! reward you all!)
Care Home urst of Cloverfield Marion Brockleh
A Super Deluxe Luxury Hamper for the lucky winner!
Court n of Chamberlain Suzanne Goodma
Thelma O’Leary of Fern hill House Care Home
Tina Higginson of Sam brook care home
A no-frills, no glitz or glamour competition - all we ask is for you to send us a paragraph or two nominating your Unsung Hero from any department with a brief description of how they've gone that extra mile and deserve to be recognised.
✓ Do you know our next Unsung Hero? Email your nomination to us by Monday May 2nd 2022 at
nominate@thecareruk.com
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How Pharmacists Can Support The Health and Social Care Staff Shortage By Zeinab Ardeshir, Co-founder and CEO of Pill Sorted (www.pillsorted.com) Pharmacists once used to be the centre of their communities, however, somewhere along the line, their role changed and the pharmacy experience has become much more transactional. I’d even go so far to say that today, many people perceive pharmacists as glorified retail assistants, which, as someone who has worked in the field for nearly two decades, really saddens me. At the same time, globally, we are seeing a shortage of healthcare workers, an issue that’s been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, in which many healthcare workers have left their roles. And, as we look to bridge this gap, there’s a unique opportunity for the humble community pharmacist to step in, support other healthcare workers and provide more integrated care. We’ve already seen the potential in the critical role that pharmacists played in the Covid-19 vaccine rollout. While of course, there were logistical challenges, it showed that in principle, this can be done. Maximising the available workforce means that pharmacists could provide an alternative to those who do not need to see a GP or secondary care. In fact, the NHS Long Term Plan specifically lays out a target for utilising the pharmacist workforce
to support integrated care with this in mind. But, in order to make this shift work, we need to completely change the role - and the perception - of the community pharmacist. As the Long Term Plan highlights, retraining and upskilling is necessary. And, rather than providing the traditional, transactional experience that patients are used to receiving at their local pharmacy, we must instead be building patient relationships, looking at patients’ holistic health, taking a preventative approach to medicine and being a front door to healthcare services, before patients visit a GP or secondary care. Rather than seeing a pharmacist as the person who simply dispenses the medication, we must instead ensure that we are freeing up their time to ensure they are patient-focused and can take on more of a clinical role. Not only does this have the potential to free up workload for other healthcare workers such as GPs, but, when we look at the nature of pharmacists, we can potentially unlock other advantages for patients. Having total access to a patient’s medical records means that pharmacists can conduct regular reviews of medication for patients in their community, can contribute to case-finding, can identify and treat high-risk conditions and can also help in educating patients about dosage instructions. Patients would in theory also be able to get access advice about their medications, prescriptions and treatment quicker. This has the potential to be scaled in care homes and social care too, particularly for patients with major conditions like dementia and cardiovascular disease, where medication reviews are one of the more stressful aspects of a carer's role. This shift could completely transform our healthcare system into one that focuses more on preventative health. We really do have an opportunity to make use of pharmacists’ skills and deliver world class care, but first, we need to shift our perception of what is possible.
Care South Thanks Staff with AFC Bournemouth Stadium Tour Staff at Care South recently attended an exclusive event at the Vitality Stadium, organised in partnership with AFC Bournemouth’s (AFCB) Community Sports Trust. This was an opportunity for Care South to show its appreciation to frontline staff for all their hard work over the last two years. The day started with refreshments on arrival, followed by a stadium tour with Steve Cuss, Head of Community Sports Trust at AFCB. The event was concluded with a fantastic surprise appearance from AFCB Chairman, Jeff Mostyn during afternoon tea and cake, who thanked Care South staff for their hard work and support during the pandemic.
had 35 members of staff in attendance who were nominated by Care Home Managers. We’d like to thank AFC Bournemouth Community Sports Trust for hosting this and another Care South staff event at the AFCB Women’s game against Chesham this month. We have worked closely together for some time now and I am grateful for the support they have provided in enabling us to say a big thank you to our staff who always work incredibly hard to provide the highest quality of care to residents.” Amy Marks, Strategic Partnerships Manager at AFCB, added: “The staff event was a wonderful opportunity for our partner, Care South to show appreciation to its staff and receive a personal message from our chairman. We are delighted to share in more collaborative partnership opportunities and continue helping those in our community.”
Simon Bird, Care South’s Chief Executive, commented: “It was fantastic to welcome our staff to Vitality Stadium for an incredibly rewarding event. We
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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 96 | PAGE 23
Call for Evidence for New 10-year Plan to Improve Mental Health The general public, people of all ages with lived experience of mental health conditions and those who support people with mental ill-health are urged to respond to a 12-week call for evidence to inform a new 10-year mental health plan and a refreshed national suicide prevention plan seeking views on what can be improved within the current service, particularly in light of the pandemic which has led to record levels of people seeking treatment. Around 1 in 5 adults in Britain experienced some form of depression in the first 3 months of 2021, over double pre-pandemic figures. Through the NHS Long Term Plan we have committed to continue expanding and transforming mental health services, and to address the impacts of the pandemic. We have also made £500 million available to support the groups most impacted, including children and young people and those with severe mental illness through our mental health recovery action plan. The call for evidence will now build on this progress, adding to our understanding of the causes of mental ill-health, listening to people who have interacted with services and those who know and support them, to draw on ‘what works’. This will support the development of a plan which aims to prevent and mitigate the impacts of risk factors on mental health and suicide, particularly for groups who experience disparities. The 10-year plan builds on the NHS Long Term plan and forms part of the government’s wider commitments to ‘build back fairer’, working towards putting mental health on a level footing with physical health, and forms a key part of the commitments to address health disparities across the country and to improve the mental wellbeing of the nation by 2030. Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: "The pandemic put unprecedented pressure on people across the country. While we continue to expand and transform our mental health services under the NHS Long Term Plan to meet rising demand, we know we need to go further. "Too many people, particularly our children and young people, do not have the tools and support they need to look after their wellbeing or prevent mental health problems from escalating. We all have a role to play in resetting the way we approach mental health and our new 10-year plan will set an ambitious agenda for where we want the mental health of the nation to be a decade from now. The sooner someone receives support when they are struggling with their mental health, the more likely it is they will recover. The call for evidence seeks views on how the 10-year plan can complement and extend the work of the NHS Long Term Plan to better address how local services can work together, to prevent those at risk from falling into mental ill-health through earlier, targeted help. "The NHS plays an important role in identifying, diagnosing, treating, and supporting people with mental health conditions, and there are also a range of public, private and community services ideally placed to
identify people who may be struggling that can offer support or signpost to NHS services. This may include education settings, housing associations, social care, youth centres, workplaces and job centres." Minister for Mental Health Gillian Keegan said: "Across the country, no matter your background, you should have the opportunity to grow up in, and stay in, good mental health. "I want anyone who needs mental health services to be able to access them. I encourage everyone, especially those who live with a mental health condition, carers and our brilliant workforce, to share their views on how we improve mental health services and reduce disparities across the country." The call for evidence, which opened Tuesday 12 April 2022 and will close on 5 July, seeks to build consensus on the priority actions we need to collectively take to reduce the number of people who go on to develop mental health conditions, especially for children and young people and communities at greatest risk. It’s important responses are reflective of society, include those from people of all ages and backgrounds, to ensure future services work for all. It is actively seeking views on several key questions which will be addressed in the plan including: How can we all promote positive mental wellbeing? How can we all prevent the onset of mental ill-health? How can we all intervene earlier when people need support with their mental health? How can we improve the quality and effectiveness of treatment for mental health conditions? How can we all support people living with mental health conditions to live well? How can we all improve support for people in crisis? NHS England’s National Mental Health Director Claire Murdoch said: "The pandemic has naturally taken a toll on the nation’s mental health, so there is no better time for everyone to have their say on how we as a society can improve people’s mental wellbeing over the next decade. Improving people’s mental wellbeing requires action from all parts of our society, so it is vital that as many people as possible from all walks of life respond to this call for evidence. The plan will also look at how initiatives across government including green social prescribing, online harms and Thriving at Work can work together to ensure people’s daily practical, social and emotional needs are being met, as well as how to fully harness the potential of technology and data to support better mental health, and incentivise the private sector to play its part. "Responses from the call for evidence will also inform the development of a separate national suicide prevention plan which will refresh the 2012 plan. Future detail on this plan will be set out in due course."
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PAGE 24 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 96
Healthy Lifestyle Increases Life Expectancy and Reduces Years Living with Alzheimer’s Results of new research suggest that having a healthy lifestyle increases life-expectancy and is also linked to a reduction in the number of years someone may live with
ease like Alzheimer’s is affected by a complex mix of age, genetics, and other lifestyle factors.
Alzheimer’s disease in the future.
“While research suggests that living a healthy lifestyle can help stave off dementia, it
Scientists used information from 2,449 US volunteers aged 65 years and older. These study volunteers reported what they ate, how often they did activities like reading or doing a crossword, and how much physical activity they took part in. They also told
can also lead to people living longer, which in itself is a risk factor for the condition. In this study, researchers looked at untangling the association between healthy living, increasing life expectancy and Alzheimer’s. While this study cannot fully tease apart cause and
researchers whether they smoked and how much they drank.
effect, it hints that living longer due to a healthy lifestyle does not mean more years living
People with a healthy lifestyle were more likely to live longer than those with an unhealthier lifestyle. On average the number of years lived with Alzheimer’s was less than those with poorer healthy lifestyles. Dr Rosa Sancho, Head of Research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “Alzheimer’s dis-
with Alzheimer’s disease. “There are steps we can all take to keep our brains healthy, stacking the odds in our favour and reducing the risk of developing dementia later in life. Alzheimer’s Research
ease is the most common cause of dementia, a progressive condition with devastating
UK’s Think Brain Health campaign has three simple rules you can follow. Visit
consequences for millions of people around the world. The chance of developing a dis-
www.thinkbrainhealth.org.uk to find out more.”
Braywood Gardens Host their Own Easter Egg Hunt Residents at Braywood Gardens care home have had an eggcellent Easter weekend hosting their egg hunt! In the build up to Easter, residents spent their time lovingly creating twenty beautifully decorated easter eggs, which were then hidden around the homes’ grounds. In addition to the hunt, participants enjoyed a raffle, a delicious cake stall and even an appearance from the Braywood Bunny. Everyone who managed to complete the Easter egg hunt received a chocolate easter egg, kindly donated by Morrisons Community champion in Netherfield. With lovely weather over the Easter weekend, Braywood Gardens’ Easter celebrations were a great success. Customer Relations Manager, Lydia Morris, said:
“We had a wonderful time during the Easter Egg hunt. It was lovely to see the residents’ faces light up throughout the event. They had a big part in creating the Easter Eggs and they had a great sense of satisfaction when they finished the Easter Egg hunt and received their chocolate Easter egg.” Residents, family and friends had great fun finding the eggs they had decorated. For residents, it was a great activity that encouraged movement, a chance to enjoy the fresh air, and to take part in some brilliant Easter celebrations. The team at Braywood Gardens enjoy organising events to mark important celebrations and are already planning activities for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in June.
Ventilation Issues Resolved At Luxury Retirement Development Friary Meadow is a newly-opened luxury retirement development near Fareham in Hampshire. Located by a lake & surrounded with landscaped gardens, it comprises of 86 properties & includes facilities such as its own on-site cinema.
It also has a full-service restaurant served by a new fully-equipped commercial kitchen. The restaurant is looked after by its own on-site chef daily cooking a range of new & exciting dishes. However, the ventilation & kitchen extract system was causing both overheating issues in the kitchen & was noisy, spoiling what was otherwise a great kitchen. So managing agent, Oak Retirement Ltd, contacted Building Ventilation Solutions of Salisbury to help them try & resolve the issues. Following an in-depth survey, BVS quickly identified a badly designed make-up air system, which was both causing the noise & starving the kitchen canopy of air. This also caused draughts from the restaurant & poor extraction from the canopy. A detailed report was provided & approved & BVS then quickly carried out the works, resulting in immediate improvements. Including a considerable reduction of heat in the kitchen, better extraction from the canopy & much lower noise levels. Much to the delight of the chef who commented; “Until BVS resolved our issues, the kitchen was a very hot & stuffy place to work & very noisy. Now it’s like a different world & a very pleasant environment” Oak Retirement director, Stephen Ladyman commented; "We were very impressed that Building Ventilation solutions quickly identified problems that others couldn't resolve. They then retrofitted solutions that cured all the issues, greatly improving the kitchen conditions. We are very pleased & wouldn't hesitate to recommend Building Ventilation Solutions" In addition, each of the accommodations include a whole-house venti-
lation system with heat recovery (MVHR units), manufactured by VentAxia & quite a number of these were also problematic. So Building Ventilation Solutions found & rectified all the problems with these & recommissioned & serviced each system. BVS also resolved other issues being experienced on site with split air-conditioning units in the common areas as part of their comprehensive range of services Building Ventilation Solutions can be contacted at www.bvs-ltd.co.uk
Lakeland Dairies’ Reimagine Colcannon Chef Competition Extended, Offering Winner £1000 Amazon Gift Card Prize The Lakeland Dairies Colcannon Competition has been extended until the end of April. The competition encourages chefs to create a modern twist on Colcannon and simply post an image of their creation and a brief description of the dish on the Lakeland Dairies website. One lucky chef will win an amazing £1000 amazon gift card. Celebrating Lakeland Dairies Irish provenance, Chefs are being encouraged to present their idea of Colcannon and explore Lakeland Dairies range of high-quality professional dairy products; Lakeland Dairies Real Dairy Whipping Creams, Pure Irish Butters or Millac Gold Cream Alternatives for a deliciously creamy finish. Jean Cattanach, marketing controller at Lakeland Dairies says: “We have been amazed at the level of entries to date but there have been a number of calls for more time, due to the recent pandemic,
so we have decided that we will keep the competition running until the end of April. There is still a chance to enter and win this wonderful prize.” To help inspire ideas, Lakeland Dairies have created a free Reimagining Colcannon Inspiration Guide, simply download a copy here: https://bit.ly/3uBbShR Judged by Lakeland Dairies and the Craft Guild of Chefs, the competition will consider the creativity and visual appearance of the Colcannon dishes entered. So, get creative and reimagine Colcannon for a chance to win! Website:
www.lakelanddairies.com/foodservice
Facebook: @lakelanddairiesfoodservice Twitter:
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@lakelandFS
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Health and Social Care Watchdogs Release Guidance to Tackle Mistakes in the Aftercare of Mental Health in-Patients The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) and the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) have released new guidance to tackle common and repeated mistakes seen in the aftercare of patients receiving support under the Mental Health Act. PHSO and LGSCO work together on complaints that involve both health and social care bodies. The guidance brings together common themes seen in their joint investigation work. It includes practical recommendations for councils and Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) to make improvements and avoid the mistakes of others. From July 2022 Integrated Care Boards will replace CCGs, for better joined up health care. This guidance will support practitioners in delivering a continuity of care during this transition. Councils and CCGs have a joint responsibility to provide or arrange free aftercare for adults, young people, and children until they are satisfied the person no longer needs it. These responsibilities are set out in the Mental Health Act Code of Practice. They aim to reduce the risk of worsening the person’s mental health condition and reduce the risk of needing further hospital admission. Through a series of case studies, the guidance draws attention to recurring mistakes seen in the joint investigation work of PHSO and LGSCO when there are misunderstandings between a council and CCG about their collective responsibilities; these include: • care planning for patients
• funding for aftercare • accommodation needs • ending mental health aftercare Rob Behrens, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, said: “The cases outlined in the guidance demonstrate the traumatic and lasting impact mistakes can have on patients and their families when council and CCGs fail to manage mental health aftercare effectively.” “When a person receives treatment under the Mental Health Act, they are vulnerable. Organisations responsible for their care must deliver the best service possible to maximise the patient’s recovery.” “The work of the Joint Working Team is vital in ensuring that the organisations involved are held to account when mistakes are made across the health and social care sectors.” Michael King, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, said: “Where complex cases span multiple organisations and bodies, it is all the more important for those bodies to get things right. We’ve issued this guidance not only to share learning from the complaints we have received, but also to highlight to councils and CCGs our joint working team’s role in investigating those cases. “I hope practitioners in this area will take on board the learning it contains and apply it to their practice to ensure the people in their care are properly supported.”
National Pet Day Sees Furry Friends Bring Delight to Encore Care Home Residents A host of pets and farm animals brought delight to Encore Care Home residents as part of celebrations for National Pet Day. The Wellbeing teams at Encore Care Homes, which includes Great Oaks in Bournemouth, Oakdale in Poole, Fairmile Grange in Christchurch, and Hamble Heights in Fareham, welcomed in a host of dogs, chickens, ducks, and guinea pigs for the national awareness day. The special annual event aims to highlight the positive impact that pets can have on people’s physical and emotional wellbeing. Research shared by Pets for the Elderly explains that pets can increase a person’s fitness, lower their stress level, and bring happiness to the owner. It adds that physical health benefits for older people can include a decrease in blood pressure and cholesterol, decreased feelings of loneliness, and increased opportunities for socialisation. At Great Oaks some of the care team brought in their dogs, Blue and Alfie, to greet the residents and bring a smile to their faces. Meanwhile at
Fairmile Grange, Victoria Thompson, Wellbeing Assistant, brought in her dog, Freddie, to help deliver newspapers to residents and to bring some fur therapy. Over at Hamble Heights, they combined National Pet Day with National Farm Animals Day which saw a host of ducks, chickens and guinea pigs come into the care home to receive a fuss from the residents. Erin Butcher, Wellbeing Manager at Great Oaks, said: “We notice each resident’s spirits lift as soon as the pets walk into the room and a huge smile appears across their face, so we were keen to celebrate National Pet Day. She added: “The team loved being able to bring in their pets to visit the residents for the day. While receiving care, our residents often ask our team how their pets are getting on, so it’s nice to bring them together so that the residents can meet the pets. We even found a ball so that some of the residents on our dementia floor could play a game of catch with Alfie the border collie, which provided great entertainment.”
The Access Group Launches Support For New Care Providers With Care Foundations Access Health, Support & Care, a division of The Access Group, has launched Care Foundations, new software packages to support start-up home care providers in implementing the digital solutions they need to register, establish and grow their business. Health and Social Care Secretary, Sajid Javid previously announced £150 million of funding to support digitisation in social care, with the aim for 80 per cent of social care providers to be using digital care records by March 2024. Used by many of the UK’s leading care providers, Care Foundations is part of the Access care management software suite that helps new and growing care providers register and develop their business. The solution is designed to help home care businesses seamlessly integrate specialist health and social care technology into their day-to-day processes. Ranging from essential to premium, the three bespoke packages include information on various aspects, including policies and procedures, recruitment, and care plans. Steve Sawyer, managing director, Access Health and Social Care, explained that this platform would be a perfect introduction to digitisation. He said: “Access Care Foundations will make the road to implementing digital processes much easier for new and
growing care providers. This tool supports the vision of the recent announcement from Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid and will make that transition to digitising care records much easier. “Providing the best possible quality of care is clearly the main priority for providers. The aim of this tool is to simplify establishing a business as well as provide a space to continue elevating current processes with support and guidance. Each package has different options that can cater to different levels of care, this means there is always an option for each provider depending on their business needs. “If we have learned anything from the past few years, it’s that technology has massive potential to continue to innovate the health and social care sector. Moving forward it’s clear to say that this will become the norm for home care providers. It’s important we continue to create safer and seamless healthcare processes and we believe that can be done with technology.” Access is currently offering exclusive discounts of up to 25% on Access Care Foundations for new startups and unregistered providers only pay for what they need to get registered. Each package is on an integrated system and contains tools which can monitor and improve care quality. For care providers who might be unfamiliar with specific protocols and regulations, this tool provides peace of mind knowing experts are on hand to help. For more information visit http://theaccessgroup.com/carefoundations.
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PRODUCTS AND SERVICES Hygienic Warewasher is Central to Care Home‘s Efficiency When choosing a commercial dishwasher for a healthcare environment there are a number of factors to consider including the plumbing and electrical supply, the financial outlay and the physical space available. Most important however are the industry and individual care-home’s specific hygiene requirements. Forbes Professional always conducts a comprehensive site survey to ensure that the right machines are specified for each site. They are proud partners with Miele, whose commercial dishwashers are fully WRAS compliant and comply with all the necessary industry regulations. For a care environment, Forbes’ latest range of tank dishwashers enable an impressively fast throughput, which is invaluable for a busy kitchen. However, for some care homes a specialist hygiene dishwasher is required in order to ensure that the highest levels of hygiene are maintained. Miele PG8059 HYGIENE freshwater dishwashers deliver a particularly high temperature final
rinse that is maintained for 5 minutes to ensure the ultimate hygienic clean. With a default temperature of 85c they more than exceed the Department of Health’s recommendations of a twominute cycle at 82c. During lockdown, Forbes continued to install and service these machines for a number of NHS hospitals as they meet the most stringent hygiene standards. Forbes Professional’s experienced account managers provide all the necessary advice to ensure adherence to the relevant operating parameters. Under their complete care package, clients avoid capital outlay and the fixed monthly payments are entirely deductible pre-tax profits. Clients also have the peace of mind afforded by a first-class engineer response service, at no extra cost for the duration of the contract. Contact info@forbes-professional.co.uk, 0345 070 2335 or www.forbespro.co.uk or see the advert on page 25.
Cash’s Labels- “The Name Behind the Name”
At Cash's, we aim to capture, reinforce and communicate our clients’ brand equity through quality and innovation, from design to distribution. Our product range fully caters for the needs of both small and large retailers and brand owners alike comprising of woven and printed labels, woven badges, care labels, branded and promotional swing tags, garment accessories, packaging and barcoding. Our ground breaking labelling and security technologies are also able to provide an unrivalled level of protection to our customers' brand
by assisting to combat counterfeiting and grey market activity. Our industry leading eCommerce system is designed to reduce cost, improve efficiency and streamline supply chain management and will fully protect the integrity and accuracy of critical business data. The order entry process is very simple meaning suppliers and vendors can spend their valuable time on tasks other than ordering apparel labelling and accessories. Visit www.cashslabels.com or see the advert on page 23.
Temporary Catering Facilities For Events & Kitchen Refurbishments Mobile Kitchens Ltd specialises in the hire or sale of temporary catering facilities and foodservice equipment. Ideal for events or to provide temporary catering facilities during your kitchen refurbishment, our versatile units and equipment offer an efficient and economic solution to the caterers’ needs. Production Kitchens, Preparation Kitchens, Warewashing Units, Dry Store Units, Cold Rooms and Restaurant Units are available as individual units in their own right or they can be linked together on site to form a complete complex. Alternatively, we can offer modular, open-plan facilities, usually for larger, longer-term hires. We offer a free design service, and project management from concept through to delivery and installation on site, plus full technical support throughout the hire period. The standard specification of our smallest
Production Kitchen unit includes a six burner oven range, salamander grill, twin basket fryer, upright fridge, hot cupboard, single bowl sink unit with integral hand wash basin, plus ample power points to plug in Microwaves, Food Processors, Toasters etc. Internal equipment can be interchanged and clients can effectively specify their preferred layout. We have many tried and tested design layouts and would be pleased to put forward our recommendations for your project. So if you’re planning a refurbishment or need to cater for an event then why not give us a call and we’ll be happy to provide advice and put forward a competitive proposal. For further information or to arrange a site visit, email: sales@mk-hire.co.uk or call us on 0345 812 0800, or visit our website: www.mk-hire.co.uk or see the advert on page 23.
Reduce Your Operating Costs!! The first 10 CARE HOMES to respond will receive a FREE SURVEY to identify potential savings and recommendations for how you can realise: · Precise control of engineering and building services to reduce costs: • Plant room, water tanks, hot and cold distribution, heating and ventilating, lighting · Laundry services to achieve hygienic standards HTM0104 compliant: Optimum processing of bed linen, towels, staff uniforms and residents clothing · Health and Safety standards for your residents, staff and the building(s): HSG220 is the recognised guidance for implementation in CARE HOMES ACoP L8 and HTM04-01 compliance to ensure Legionella control Public Health England Covid 19 guidance on PPE and operational procedures · Sustainability, carbon footprinting to achieve a 'net zero' emissions strategy
Call or Email NOW: 07831 873355 admin@opeque.com Opeque can assist in reducing energy bills, complying with legislation, managing health and safety and achieving a sustainable operation. Over years, Opeque has worked with various industry sectors, from tyre manufacturing to laundries, schools to hotels and hospitals to care homes, optimising their manufacturing procedures and facilities management. Applying industrial engineering principles, we address productivity, resource efficiency, quality control, health and safety and asset management, bringing people, utilities, equipment, and buildings together to realise product excellence. We have worked with many care homes to provide laundry services and water hygiene and it is from these close relationships that we believe we can further assist your CARE HOME to reduce operating costs. or see the advert on page 6.
Just Imagine Being Whisked Away by Rail on an Iconic Steam Journey… Any Time – Any Place! Escape FIRST CLASS by rail through the misty mountains and glittering lochs of the Scottish Highlands OR wind through the Settle to Carlisle railway on one of the most scenic and impressive railways in the UK, all in pure comfort with familiar faces and a cup of tea to hand... “The Jolly Journey” creates a familiar and stimulating environment for residents to be whisked away with friends and family in an exciting steam carriage anywhere in the UK. Get your posh frock on, grab your handbag and enjoy the indulgence of the journey of a life time reminiscing about old times of travelling, holidays and sparking conversations about times gone by. Lunch can be served in the First Class carriage followed by afternoon tea and then a Jolly good SING SONG! The ‘Jolly Journey’ is a complete pod that is supplied and installed by our Little Islands team in just one day. It requires just 5 sqm metres of floor space; we can also theme the area around to create a traditional Victorian railway wait-
ing room. Featuring real wood panelled wall with brass luggage racks, ornate wall lights, gold cushions, antimacassars and period memorabilia. A table with brass lamp, opposite-facing seats which are designed to look and feel just like an oldfashioned travel carriage. A 55-inch 4K TV large clear window shows footage filmed in full HD with sound aboard live railway journeys from around the UK. The result is the residents can all enjoy a nostalgic day out day after day. Visitors will come more often and stay longer when joining in a live experience like ‘The Jolly Journey’. Children would love visiting and look forward to an exciting experience as opposed to being bored just sat in the lounge of the care home! The main thing is that the resident’s wellbeing and mood has been lifted supporting their mental health. Give us a call to find out more information – The Little Islands Team on 0800 093 8499 or visit www.littleislands.org You can view a demonstration at www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEruZVNUV1k
NRS Healthcare Launches New Online Store, Healthcare Pro NRS Healthcare, the UK’s leading provider of independent living aids and associated services, and an official supplier to the NHS and local authorities, has announced the launch of its new online store, Healthcare Pro. Part of the NRS Healthcare family, Healthcare Pro demonstrates the company’s commitment to serve healthcare professionals and the general public online, underlining its unrivalled in-house occupational therapy capabilities and professional expertise in helping people live independently in their own homes. The new online shop, www.healthcarepro.co.uk (previously known as www.nrshealthcare.co.uk), offers over 4,500 independent living aids, from personal care, to bathroom, bedroom, kitchen and mobility, chosen and trusted by professionals. Additionally, the website includes a new range of services, such as the Expert Product Advice and Home Living
Consultations with Occupational Therapists, to better support all its customers with a more complete solution.
The company’s public sector and clinical services divisions remain unchanged and continue to operate under the NRS Healthcare brand and at nrshealthcare.com With a dedicated Occupational Therapy team of 130 professionals, the company offers a go-to source for up-to-date information and guidance on daily living aids, offering peer-to-peer engagement, education and support as well as guiding customers to a ‘right first time’ purchase. Clinical Services Director, Rachel Seabrook says: “NRS Healthcare is delighted to announce the launch of our new online store, Healthcare Pro. Through our 75-year heritage and position as an official supplier to the NHS, NRS Healthcare has a longstanding reputation as a trusted partner for healthcare professionals, who often recommend our website and products to the people they see.” Rachel Seabrook continues: “Healthcare Pro focuses on our high levels of expertise, credibility and professionalism, improves the customer journey and shopping experience, as well as providing easy access to product advice, support and associated services. We trust that this will give all our customers the added reassurance that they are shopping where the professionals shop.”
THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 96 | PAGE 31
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES Gailarde - Wholesale Supplier To CareZips Dignity Trousers The Care Home & Healthcare Sector ™
Gailarde is a family run business established in 1979 to provide household textiles specifically manufactured for the contract trade. Our core principals of putting our customers’ needs first has helped us to grow into one of the UK’s largest suppliers to the contract market. Gailarde have been successfully supplying the care home and healthcare industry for over 40 years, supplying both the public and private sector. We are proud to hold a framework agreement as a supplier to the NHS for wipeable pillows, duvets and flame retardant bed linen. Our best selling bedroom collection includes flame retardant and easy care linen, as well as our core offering of specialist pillows and duvets designed with infection control features. Our bathroom range features superior towelling, shower curtains and bathroom accessories. Our competitive homeware range, features table
linen, tableware, kitchenware and cleaning supplies. We are also pleased to offer inventory, ready-made and build your own packs suitable for housing associations and supported living schemes. For refurbishment plans and new build projects, we supply a wide selection of furniture, including beds, mattresses, sofas, chairs and dining tables all compliant with care home and healthcare regulations. Our Soft Furnishings collection is ideal for transforming rooms. By using fabric from the leading suppliers, we can supply cushions and bedspreads through to runners and curtains, in a variety of styles and designs. As a customer you will have a dedicated account manager, on hand for any questions. For all enquiries, please give our friendly team a call on 020 8905 2776. Alternatively, please email our care home and healthcare specialists directly: jo@gailarde.com or shelley@gailarde.com www.gailarde.com or see the advert on page 8.
Wall & Door Protection for a Caring Environment For 55 years Yeoman Shield wall & door protection systems from Harrison Thompson & Co. Ltd. have been delivering healthcare providers with a solution to costly and unsightly impact damage to interior walls & doors. This proactive approach to impact damage can show a year on year saving on maintenance time and budgets. Offering a comprehensive range which includes, protection panels, protection rails, handrails and fire rated door protection systems, offered in over 48 colours, gives customers a wide choice to realise functional and aesthetic requirements. The ability to incorporate colours, signage and images, into Yeoman Shield’s core products can be beneficial to mental health environments be that creating a calming atmosphere or a practical
assistance in wayfinding. The Guardian Handrail can also be supplied in an anti-ligature option safeguarding service users. Fire doors are never more important than in a residential setting catering for those more vulnerable. Yeoman Shield offer a full fire rated door protection system that when installed can prevent compromising impact damage and by doing so extends the functioning lifecycle of fire doors. To complement these products is the company’s newly launched Fire Door Services giving reassurance to the building’s responsible person by offering fire door assessments, remedial and door replacement works all carried out under FIRAS & FDIS accreditation. More information on Yeoman Shield’s range of product and services can be found at www.yeomanshield.com or see page 10.
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AKW Launches Upgraded Doc M Range and Installation Compliancy Guide AKW, one of the UK’s leading providers of accessibility solutions, is pleased to announce the launch of its ugraded Doc M sanitaryware range for public-use accessible toilets and washrooms. Committed to ensuring that compliance is as straightforward as possible, AKW has also launched a design advice guide alongside the range, to make compliancy as straightforward as possible. Ensuring toilets and washrooms conform to Document M of the UK Building Regulations involves buying and correctly installing the appropriate products. As well as giving examples of how a fully compliant Doc M washroom or toilet area should be designed and installed, the guide also includes the latest AKW Doc M pack options. There are 10 AKW Doc M packs to choose from and they range from fully compliant Doc M washrooms (including hand dryers, soap dispensers Etc.), to individual toilet cubicles. As well as traditional styling, there are two contemporary Doc M packs that feature stainless steel rails to fit in with any modern design aesthetic. Designed with hygiene in mind, the packs include an AKW Navlin Doc M close-coupled or low-level
rimless, raised-height toilet pan, a water-saving cistern and direct flushing system. The ergonomic, soft-close toilet seat and the grab rails are also available in a range of colours, to enable high colour contrast between surfaces for those with visual impairments. All of the Doc M packs feature either fixed or fold-up rails, and the washroom options are available with easy to use taps and British Standard BS 8300 wash basins. Stuart Reynolds, Head of Product and Marketing at AKW comments: “Our upgraded AKW Doc M packs offer specifiers even more choice when it comes to installing a public-use accessible toilet or washroom. Each pack has been designed for maximum comfort and ease of use and also comes with recommendations for how and where to fit the products to ensure compliance. Our Doc M guide has also been created to help make the whole process even more straightforward and can be downloaded at www.akw-ltd.co.uk/documentation/catalogues-brochures-guides” For more information, please contact AKW on01905 823298, email: sales@akw-ltd.co.uk or visit www.akw-ltd.co.uk.
CareZips™ preserve dignity and privacy of people receiving care during diaper changes. CareZips™ make diaper changes easier and faster, reducing workload, saving efforts, and saving time! CareZips™ help to deliver better standards of care! Fitted with unique 3-zip fastening system, the CareZips™ make changing of incontinence diapers more dignified and comfortable for the patients and easier and faster for the carers. CareZips™ feature 3 strategically positioned zips, 2 of which run from the waist to the knees on both sides of the body. The 3rd zip goes from the inside of one knee up to the crotch and down to the second knee on the inside of the other leg. This zip facilitates total opening of the trousers at the crotch during diaper changes. The 3-zip system ensures fast and easy access to the abdomen and crotch without having to undress the patients or pull their trousers down. CareZips™ are suitable for men and women. They
are available in 7 sizes for perfect fit. CareZips™ are soft and wrinkle resistant with stretch and give for extra comfort. Practical, durable, washable and noniron, the CareZips™ trousers are the perfect choice for daily use. Contact Win Health Medical Ltd - 01835 864866 www.win-health.com or see the advert on page 5.
Herriot by Skopos – A Timeless Wool-Look Collection for Care Upholstery Skopos recently introduced the launch of the new upholstery collection, Herriot, perfect for upholstery solutions within Care. Four timeless designs brought together in a woollook quality, developed specifically for the contract sector with the added benefit of a waterproof layer, antimicrobial protection and soil resist. Inspired by the natural wilderness of the Moors and Dales, Herriot is a nod to the simplicity and beauty of the Yorkshire countryside, with a natural texture and favoured classic design cues, which bring sophistication and class to contract furniture. Herriot is one of many Skopos upholstery collections specifically developed for Care Interiors and has been developed using new
back-coating technology, minimising the use of chemicals in a move towards a more sustainable and environmentally friendly flame retardant contract upholstery solution. Herriot upholstery fabrics achieve 40,000 + Martindale rubs for inclusion into high traffic contract areas, across all sectors. Sitting under the new Skopos Pro-tect Plus umbrella, with the added benefit of an antimicrobial finish, this collection supports best practise hygiene goals within caring interiors. Free samples of all of our fabrics are available via our website, or by calling our sales team 01924 436666 or visit www.skoposfabrics.com or see page 11.
Consort Claudgen launches Consort Connect app Consort Claudgen have launched Consort Connect app which allows users to have complete control over their heating remotely via their smartphone or tablet. The app is free and downloadable from Google Play or Apple Store. It can control Consort’s Wi-Fi enabled heaters and SL heaters connected to an SLPBWIFI wireless controller. It gives quick access to four operating modes and provides a 7day timer with twenty-four heating periods per day. It is easy to set up and users can configure the settings of all connected heaters on
the app. Users can also view the energy consumption statistics. Other features include a lock function, open window tracking and response capability, and custom automations. There is a selflearning control ability utilising occupancy and temperature sensors, however, this is only available on the SLPBWIFI controller and Consort heaters with Wi-Fi and occupancy sensor. For more information, contact our sales at 01646 692172 or visit www.consortepl.com or see the advert on page 6.
Safeguard Your Care Home with InVentry Care homes are crucial for our society, so it’s important to ensure they’re a safe setting to help staff carry out the best possible care. With many family members and friends visiting their loved ones daily, InVentry is essential to track who’s entering and leaving your care home. Visitors are met with a simple signing in process and their information is stored directly in the system. This not only allows you to track who is onsite at any given time, but it ensures an even faster sign in during repeat visits. You can also ensure that the contractors you have onsite have the skills to do the job safely by asking custom questions before they sign in, with options to include documents they may need to read upon arrival, ensuring health & safety and the security of
your site is always maintained. InVentry can even help you become CQC and Care Inspectorate Compliant as our software allows you to receive star-rated feedback from those who have visited your care home. You can store this feedback within your system and note any actions taken to improve your processes and procedures! Head to our website: www.inventry.co.uk or see the advert on page 11.
Renray Healthcare Renray Healthcare has been producing high quality furniture for over 50 years and is one of the UK’s largest and leading suppliers to the healthcare sector. Whether you require a fast efficient delivery of quality furniture or a full room installation and fitting service, we have the experience and resources to handle your contract. We manufacture and assemble our products in our own purpose built factories in Cheshire and Europe to British Standards. Hence we are able to ensure your furniture is produced to the highest quality, working with you to plan and meet your projects time schedule and budget. We understand you are purchasing furniture that is fit for purpose, stylish and will continue to perform well into the future, which is why we design and build our furniture with you in mind. Telephone: +44 (0)1606 593456,
Email: info@renrayhealthcare.com, www.renrayhealthcare.com or see the advert on page 3 for details.
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CATERING FOR CARE
Catering for Your Residents with Bidfood An estimated 70% of residents in care are affected by Dementia. The term actually describes a group of symptoms, including memory loss, confusion, mood changes, and difficulty with day-to-day tasks. It’s more likely to occur as we age. It’s a difficult phase of life for residents affected by dementia, and it is important to help them maintain their independents, dignity and a daily routine. The reduction in cognitive function caused by dementia can make eating and meal occasions difficult and it can be challenging to serve the right food in the appropriate way. Some top risks and challenges include: • Risk of malnutrition • Not recognising food • Resisting being fed • Limited manual dexterity • Change in temperament Creating uplifting resident mealtimes tailored to those who are living with dementia is so important as mealtimes are a familiar, stimulating and important part of the day. However, for those who have problems holding a knife and fork, or holding their attention for a period of time, mealtimes can be stressful and challenging. Some of the tips that can make a real difference are: • Stimulating the senses: if residents can hear the sound of food preparation, or the table being laid, smell the food as it’s being prepared, and see activity in the kitchen, the familiar sounds, smells and sights as well as tastes may prompt their memory and help to stimulate the appetite. • Introducing finger foods: these are an ideal way to help residents retain independence and dignity, making it easier for them to eat with their hands or to eat on the go, whilst walking about. Introduce finger foods over a few days to get the person used to a new way of serving food. • Think smaller, frequent meals: these can help maintain nutrition levels and are easier to eat than three big meals a day. • Create memories with meals: themes and celebrations not only lift the spirits, but can help your residents recover memories. Music is a great way to engage residents at mealtimes and spark nostalgia and memories. • Two finger food recipesFinger foods are an ideal way to help residents maintain their independence, dignity, and a daily routine.
SMOKED KIPPER SCOTCH EGGS: These scotch eggs are a perfect snack to provide your residents. Delicious, and a great
finger food for your residents with dementia. Serves 10 40 minutes Ingredients: Free range medium eggs x 12 Hot & cold mix mashed potato 150g Water 50ml Whole milk 600ml Boned Scottish kipper fillets 200g Natural breadcrumbs 300g Plain flour 100g Method: 1. Bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the eggs for 8 minutes. Then cool the eggs down as quickly as possible before taking the shells off carefully. 2. Place the other 2 eggs in a bowl with 200ml of milk and whisk together. Set to one side. 3. Place the rest of the milk and water in a pan and bring to the simmer. Place the fish in and poach until just cooked. 4. Then flake the fish into a bowl and add the mashed potato mix. Combine well, and then add the warm milk to the bowl until the potato swells and becomes firm. Allow to cool. 5. Wrap the potato and fish mixture around the eggs and allow to chill. 6. Place the bread crumbs on a tray along with the flour. Firstly, roll the eggs in the flour, then dip into the egg mix, then roll in the breadcrumbs (this process may need to be repeated). 7. Then place the Scotch eggs on a tray and either deep fry until golden brown and reaching temperature, or place in a hot oven until cooked.
BRIE AND BLUEBERRY TART: This brie and blueberry tart is a perfect combination of sweet and savoury. An easy recipe guaranteed to satisfy any resident's taste buds. Serves 10 30 minutes Ingredients: Puff pastry sheets 280g Brie 200g Frozen blueberries 100g Thyme 5g Squeezy clear blossom honey 20g Method: 1. Defrost pastry and blueberries. 2. Preheat the oven to 180° then grease a muffin tray. 3. Lay the puff pastry out and
cut into 10 equal squares, then place into a muffin tin. 4. Cut the cheese into 10 equal parts and place on top of the pastry, then top with the blueberries. 5. Wash and pick the thyme and sprinkle over the blueberries. 6. Place in the oven and bake until the pastry has a crisp base and the cheese has melted. 7. Then allow to cool slightly before drizzling with honey and serving.
DYSPHAGIA We all love to sit down for a nice meal, but when you have dysphagia, the meal itself can be a danger. Dysphagia is more common amongst the elderly but can affect people of all ages. It affects our ability to swallow which can lead to food or drink entering the lungs leading to significant risk of choking or pneumonia. It can be a common reason for hospital admission for care residents and can even be fatal. Catering for those living with dysphagia means helping them stay safe when eating and drinking as well as helping them retain pleasure in mealtimes. Modifying meals, for example by pureeing, means running the risk of losing up to 50% of the nutritional content, and they aren’t always pleasing to the eye. Specialist ranges of texture-modified dishes can help here, for example Simply Puree which is available through Bidfood. This range is individually created for people with dysphagia, and each meal complies with IDDSI textures. This means that you can prepare them safely and with reassurance that each one has consistency in nutritional content. Having dysphagia may mean a person consumes less, so a pureed diet should be fortified to maximise the calorific value of each spoonful. Instead of using water therefore, try full fat milk or cream, melted butter or oil, sauces, gravy, honey, or juice for dilution. The first taste is with the eye, so to ensure meals are also visually appealing, make up modified consistency foods separately, then pipe them onto the plate while still hot and serve immediately. Use stronger flavours so that the food is still tasty when diluted and pureed, and make sure you taste food before servingwould you like to eat it? It’s also vital to make sure you’re regularly monitoring residents’ intake closely, including a nutritional assessment and weight check weekly to ensure that they are not losing weight, and are receiving sufficient nutrients. Make sure those who are preparing food are fully trained and aware of the risks related to swallowing difficulties, and the correct way to prepare modified consistency foods, and to thicken fluids for patients with this need. The International IDDSI Diet Standardisation tool is a global standard with terminology and definitions to describe the texture modified food and thickened liquids used for individuals with dysphagia of all ages, in all care settings and for all cultures. The Simply Puree IDDSI guide is a free easy to use tool to help you understand and cater for the different IDDSI textures. Read the Simply Puree IDDSI Guide at https://tinyurl.com/bddvdwxj
You Are What You Eat: Chef With Michelin-Star Experience Embeds Person-Centred Meal Times In Care Home
By Ross Baxter, Chef at Exemplar Health Care (www.exemplarhc.com)
For many of us, mealtimes are an important part of daily routine. They’re often much more than satisfying our appetite - they give us the chance to sit down with loves ones and catch up on the day’s events. And that’s no different for people who live in care homes. A good dining experience helps to increase nutritional intake and enhance social interaction. Ross Baxter is the head chef at Exemplar Health Care’s Tyne Grange care home in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. He joined the home at the start of 2021, switching from a role in the hospitality sector. Ross’s previous experience at a luxury resort has helped him to embed a person-centred approach to meal times in the home. His commitment to promoting choice and providing nutritious meals that meet people’s dietary needs, earned Ross a win in the ‘Care Home Chef’ category at the 2021 North East Great British Care Awards regional finals. Here, Ross explains his journey from the hospitality industry to the care sector and how he’s changed meal times at the care home to promote choice and independence which leads to overall improved health and well-being for the residents.
A FRESH START
I joined the team at Tyne Grange in 2021 after seven years as a chef in the hospitality industry. I was inspired to make the move from the hospitality sector to the care sector because of my mother, who lived in care home. When I visited her, I saw the impact that food has on those living in care homes, and it struck me that I had the capabilities to make a difference in people’s lives with my cooking. I’ve always wanted to do something meaningful with my skills, so this was an extremely important factor for me to consider when making such a move. My past experience saw me working under the guidance of a head chef who had experience in Michelin star restaurants. I am always grateful to him for his mentorship and for teaching me my current skillset. Through working at luxury resorts and hotels, I have gained experience of creating delicious and luxurious meals, based on what customers want. When starting at Tyne Grange, I thought that the meals should be no different to the top-tier quality that I had been producing in my previous role. While I knew that working in the care sector would be different than working in a restaurant, I wanted to provide a restaurant-style experience for residents, and this is what I have done at Tyne Grange.
IMPORTANCE OF CHOICE Tyne Grange supports 20 adults living with complex care needs. Our approach to care focuses on supporting people to maximise their independence, build their everyday living skills and live their best life! In the catering team, we promote choice and independence at meal times, as much as possible. We have set up our mealtimes to replicate a restaurant-style environ-
ment. Our meal times span an hour and a half which gives people ample time to come and enjoy their meal without feeling they’re stuck to a regimented schedule. This makes the environment and experience more relaxing. Our colleagues provide hostess service, taking people’s orders and serving their meals and drinks - just as would be done in a restaurant. The menu consists of two choices and a third ‘weekly special’ which is chosen by our residents. We develop our menu based on feedback from weekly meetings. We have an open and transparent culture in which we listen to people’s thoughts and feedback, and use it to make meaningful change. This ensures that our menu is based on what people like and enjoy! We have designed menus on each table, as well as a menu board, so people know their choices. We also produce menus in different formats, such as using coloured graphics and images, to meet people’s communication needs. We make all the food fresh to order and have a choice of handmade desserts to follow. If someone doesn’t want what’s on the menu that day, we ask them what they’d like and do our best to accommodate their request. We’re proud that our approach to meal times has people at the heart of it. I take great pride in cooking healthy and comfortable food that people love! I’m so glad that I chose to start a career in social care. It’s extremely rewarding and I’m glad that I can use my skills to make a difference to people’s lives.
Support Vegetarians This Dementia Action Week: 16–22 May 2022 This Dementia Action Week, Vegetarian for Life, a charity supporting vegans and vegetarians in later life, is encouraging carers to consider how they support people’s beliefs. What happens to the beliefs and values of those with dementia? If a person struggles to remember ideas that mattered to them, how do they continue to practice their values? This year, Dementia Action Week coincides with National Vegetarian Week – a time to reflect on how carers can and should support people to maintain their beliefs. The charity Vegetarian for Life (VfL) works with vegans
and vegetarians in later life. Many have been committed to meat-free diets for decades, often motivated by ethical desires to prevent harm to animals. Many fear, if they need care, that they may lose their ability to choose diets free from animal products. This fear is not unfounded. An Inquiry by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Vegetarianism and Veganism highlighted many instances where dietary practices linked to beliefs were not supported in care. In some instances, people who had been vegan for decades were regularly being fed
meat. In many ways, this concern goes beyond just respecting a person’s past wishes. Recent dementia research has considered the ideas of identity and personhood. Simply because a person struggles with memory, does not mean that their beliefs, and right to hold values, have disappeared. Dementia research begins to suggest that even when the condition is advanced, people should be supported to interact with ideas and concepts that are important to them.
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CATERING FOR CARE Support Vegetarians This Dementia Action Week: 16–22 May 2022 (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28) This may support them to retain a sense of identity in a care setting, especially when interacting with carers. In such cases, the carer actually supports the person to retain a sense of themselves, even as their condition progresses. Practically, the question remains over how carers can be aware of the values held by those they care for. In some cases, people have families to explain beliefs that have guided a person’s life. However, VfL strongly recommends that people document their future wishes. In its Self-Advocacy Guide, VfL provides a template Statement of Wishes, allowing people to document their dietary beliefs. This statement includes sample wording, clearly explaining to carers how to support people on meat-free diets if they appear to be choosing meat based dishes. This may involve offering alternative meals and fortifying foods with plant based alternatives. Alzheimer’s Society also provides a template advanced statement to allow individuals to document their values. When values are documented, it is important that care providers reference these views and act accord-
Halo Hydration More than 70% of us are dehydrated at some point during the day - this can cause drowsiness, lack of focus, tiredness, confusion, muscle soreness and a dry mouth. We know water is boring, but it’s one of life’s necessities…there is however an alternative. Adding just one HALO sachet to your glass of water makes it not only delicious, but makes it highly nutritious, and makes your water work harder for you! Instead of trying to drink the recommended 2 bottles of water per day, simply mixing one sachet of delicious HALO Hydration to your glass of water gives you the
ingly. To support providers, VfL has produced a Memory Care Pledge, encouraging people to investigate and acknowledge individuals’ dietary beliefs. The pledge consists of five simple good practice points that care establishments can follow to ensure that vegetarian and vegan residents experiencing capacity issues or cognitive losses will be offered a choice of meals, drinks and snacks that uphold their ethical beliefs. Good practice recommendations include offering a resident the opportunity to eat at a vegetarian-only, or vegan-only table when possible, and in the event of an ‘accidental’ choice to eat meat, offering an alternative that upholds their philosophical beliefs. These recommendations are suggested because Vegetarian for Life is aware of vegetarian residents experiencing issues with capacity or cognition, who may otherwise pick meat from others’ plates. Beliefs are central to our identity and personhood. Dementia Action Week should be a time to focus on how providers can best support those with limited capacity to maintain beliefs and values that define them as people. For more information, visit www.vegetarianforlife.org.uk or call 0161 257 0887. same amount of minerals that drinking 4 litres of mineral water does! Each HALO Hydration sachet contains a daily dose of Vitamin C, B Vitamins, magnesium, sodium, zinc, potassium, calcium, and an array of trace minerals, with only 1g of natural sugar and ZERO artificial ingredients. These are the nutrients that your body needs to hydrate properly, which, in these amounts, are not found as readily in a modern-day diet. Sir Andy Murray is a huge HALO fan and says: “HALO is the healthiest way to hydrate”. If there was ever a person to listen to, it’s 2 time Wimbledon Champion and father of 4, Sir Andy Murray. With summer fast approaching and dehydration becoming a factor for everyone, why not try HALO to help boost your hydration. Visit www.HALOhydration.com
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HYGIENE AND INFECTION CONTROL
Robust Testing for Airborne Illnesses Urged Across the Care Industry to Protect Residents and Staff Airborne illnesses beyond COVID-19 and influenza must be part of prevention strategies in care homes to reduce hospitalisation of residents this winter, according to healthcare company Abbott. While the nation is increasingly familiar with COVID-19 symptoms, as well as influenza, there are airborne diseases that are also putting people at risk. Respiratory Syncytial Virus – known as RSV – is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. While COVID-19 and influenza testing are becoming common practice, visitors entering care homes with RSV may go undetected. The vital role testing plays in protecting both care home residents and staff is supported by Care England, the leading representative body for care providers in England. "It is helpful to raise awareness of other airborne diseases that care home staff, residents and visitors might be unfamiliar with. Before the pandemic, not many people had heard the term ‘coronavirus’, but increased awareness has helped most understand why safety precautions and testing are of paramount importance in the care sector," commented Professor Martin Green, Chief Executive at Care England. "We are fully aware of the immense pressure care homes are under as we head into the winter season, but the first line of defence against lesser-known airborne diseases – like RSV – is ensuring care staff are aware of it, increasing education on the symptoms, and ensuring testing is in place wherever possible," added Green. RSV symptoms may include a runny nose, cough, temperature, sore throat, and wheezing[i]. For those aged over 65, RSV accounts for 175,000 appointments with general practitioners, 14,000 hospitalisations and 8,000 deaths per year in the UK[ii]. There are currently no specific treatments for RSV infection and management is purely supportive through oxygen sup-
plementation; therefore, prevention of contracting the disease is essential. To detect RSV, care home providers should look to utilise kits that scan for airborne diseases – like Abbott’s ID NOW – a portable instrument used for front-line testing in health settings. It quickly provides results for COVID19, influenza A & B, strep A and RSV, with positive results shown in a little as five minutes, and negative results in 13 minutes. Gabriela Zackova, director of Dementia and Wellbeing at Loveday & Co Care Homes has recently added an ID NOW testing device. Gabriela said: "We’re excited to be using this point of care test for our staff, residents and their visitors. Last year, winter was one of the hardest times for our sector, not only due to the increased pressure to keep people safe, but also for our residents, who were separated from the people they love which had a significant impact on their wellbeing and mental health." "ID NOW is a small, lightweight machine, about the size of a toaster, that will allow us to make even better decisions about risk levels for numerous viruses, enabling us to provide a more robust screening process for everyone at the facility." Abbott has been a global leader in COVID-19 testing throughout the pandemic. "While many staff and visitors will self-test for COVID-19 at home before entering the premises, it is vital precautions are taken for other airborne illnesses. By utilising a diagnostic testing device onsite, we can slow the spread of illness, better protect vulnerable residents, and minimise the risk of catching potentially life-threatening illnesses this winter," added Sam Lloyd, general manager, Infectious Diseases at Abbott’s rapid diagnostics business in the UK and Ireland. For more information on Abbott’s ID NOW testing instrument, visit: www.Globalpointofcare.abbott/idnow
Fragrance Solutions for Care Home Environments At Oxy-Gen Powered®, we understand the sensitivities and challenges associated with the caring business, especially when it comes to providing a clean, safe and odourless environment for your valuable members. The Oxy-gen Powered range is designed to counter the unpleasant, tough odours that can present themselves despite a thorough cleaning regime. They are effective for odour elimination, yet safe for health. The Oxygen-Pro uses patented technology that ensures a precise dose of fragrance oil is released consistently and continuously, guaranteeing the same level of freshness throughout the cartridge life, silently and discreetly. Oxygen-Pro is a true nonaerosol, continuous Fragrancing and Odour Elimination System. Our air-care systems contain the proprietary odour neutralising agent, Neutra-Lox, which eliminates malodours rather than masking them. We can offer nonfragrant cartridges that simply eliminate nasty odours or a fantastic fragrance range that will not only eliminate those bad odours but will emanate continuous, clean, fresh-smelling fragrances into the air. The system is easy to use and is Carbon Footprint approved. In an independent study, the product has
been assessed and verified for emissions and energy consumption and was found to have a significantly lower carbon footprint compared to aerosol products on the market. Changing cartridges is hassle-free and, more importantly, they are recyclable at the end of the cartridge life. The Oxygen-Pro system is an ideal replacement for environmentally harmful aerosols, gels, liquids and other fragrance systems. There are no allergens, no added VOCs, no propellants, no solvents, no alcohols, just continuous, clean fresh fragrance all day, every day! Email: fdtuk@oxygenpowered.com or tel: 01270 766676.
Angloplas Dispensers Help Reduce the Risk of Cross Infection Angloplas are a UK manufacturer who specialise in producing dispensers for the health and hygiene industry. Although these are designed to keep the workplace tidy and uncluttered they are, more importantly, built knowing the control of healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) are a priority for healthcare providers, and who are employing a combination of infection prevention and control strategies, including hand hygiene, cleaning, training and the adoption of new technologies, to tackle the problem. As a result, a wide range of infection control products and technologies are emerging on the market, including antimicrobial technology. Angloplas’ range of dispensers are produced in the world’s first proven Antimicrobial PVC with silver ion technology and which
is exclusive to Angloplas. This helps reduce the risk of cross infection by stopping the growth of bacteria and mould and works continuously for the lifetime of the product, reducing levels of bacteria such as MRSA, E Coli, Legionella, Salmonella and mould by up to 99.99%. For non-clinical environments Angloplas has recently launched its new Budget Range of products which are made to the same exacting standards as the antimicrobial protected ones but with lower price tags. You can order Angloplas products directly from its website by going to www.angloplas.co.uk and clicking Hospital, Health and Hygiene or by using the Quick Response code.
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CONTINENCE CARE
Top Tips for Managing Incontinence from Ontex FLUID INTAKE
SMOKING
Drinking sufficient fluids each day is essential for maintaining a healthy bladder. If you don’t drink enough your bladder will become overly sensitive. You should try to consume at least 1.5-2 litres (or 6-8 glasses) of fluids each day.
There are a number of health risks associated with smoking. A ‘smokers cough’ can place extra pressure on the muscles of the pelvic floor, increasing your chances of experiencing stress incontinence.
DRINKS TO AVOID
If you don’t drink enough your bladder will become more sensitive to smaller amounts of urine, which means you will go to the toilet more frequently.
It is advisable to avoid certain types of drinks, such as tea, coffee, cola and chocolate, as they contain caffeine which can irritate the bladder. An irritated bladder becomes overactive, which makes you feel as though you need to empty your bladder when it is not full.
HEALTHY EATING Your diet should be balanced, not too high in fat, with plenty of fibre, and contain at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day. Healthy eating is also important because being overweight can make bladder problems worse.
DEHYDRATION
INFORM YOUR GP
It is a good idea to notify your GP if you are experiencing bladder weakness for the first time or if you already have bladder weakness and it has become worse.
RECOMMENDATIONS: KEEP A BLADDER DIARY Maintain a record of every time you experience bladder weakness.
Ontex Launches New Odobin Incontinence experts Ontex have launched the innovative new Odobin for use in care homes. Odobin removes bad incontinence odours in order to improve the experience of those living, working and visiting your care home. The Odobin has many important features, which make it the perfect partner for your establishment.
FIVE KEY FEATURES Ergonomic – Odobin allows you to throw away incontinence waste easily and ergonomically. Fast – It is quick and easy to handle the Odobin – think of it as your personal assistant for removing incontinence waste fast.
Note the activity you were performing at the time, the types of beverages and the quantity you consumed beforehand, as well as the extent of the leakage. Limiting fluid intake may actually increase the frequency of incontinence. Drinking a total of 6 to 8 glasses of water throughout the day is recommended. Unless advised to do so by your health professional, never restrict fluids to control incontinence.
RECOMMENDED DIET* • 40% Fruits and vegetables • 30% Bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods • 12% Meat, fish, eggs, beans • 8% Milk and dairy foods • 1% Oils and Spreads * https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-eatwell-guide
Hygienic – Odobin provides the most hygienic way to remove incontinence waste. Odourless – Odobin is adept at removing up to 75 litres of the unpleasant odours of incontinence waste to ensure they don’t hang around the care home. Silent – The wheels on Odobin have been designed to ensure a silent operation, which is particularly important for those working a night shift who don’t want to disturb residents. For more information email Ontex at salesandmarketing@ontexglobal.com
Introducing The World’s First Movable Bedpan Disposer Panaway® M1 A game-changing evolutionary step towards transforming waste management in elderly care, hospices and hospitals. Haigh, a respected leader in waste disposal technology, is launching Panaway® M1 – the first-of-its-kind movable bedpan disposer helping hospitals and care homes safeguard their patients, offering a mobile, cost effective, energy efficient and environmentally friendly solution to medical waste disposal. Originally developed to deal with issues relating to sluice room flexibility, site access and maintenance response caused byCOVID-19 restrictions, the innovative design has been a game changer helping healthcare organisations rethink their infection prevention strategies. An estimated 95%* of the UK NHS sites now use disposable medical pulp products for managing patient waste, with disposable (single-use) systems rapidly becoming established worldwide as best practice to prevent infections and crosscontamination within the healthcare environment. Panaway® M1 gives care organisations all the convenience, accessibility and benefits of a modern sluice room where and when it’s most needed - without compromising on safety. Easy to set up and relocate, Panaway® M1 is supplied with all fixtures and fittings required to use in a wide range of locations. Leading the way in performance, versatility and ease of use, the Panaway® M1 is economical and energy effi-
cient, using less energy and water than other washing systems. With no hot water required, it is good for the environment - and the paper pulp is eco-friendly, hygienic and highly cost effective. Quiet, quick and easy to use, the Panaway® M1 disposes of pulp product and contents in less than a minute. It aims to make the life of the user as straightforward as possible, freeing up time for patient care. Panaway® M1 is an invaluable addition as an emergency stand-in when a bedpan machine or washer is unavailable or as a cost-effective temporary solution whilst migrating a site to a disposable system. Jacob Shepherd, Managing Director at Haigh, said “We have been bowled over by the overwhelmingly positive feedback from Panaway® M1 trials. This is the tool site operators wished they always had when it comes to patient waste and the associated infection prevention procedures. Even sites that do not currently use disposable pulp can see benefits without having to switch from washing systems all in one go. We’ve already seen some neat ways Panaway® M1 has been used that were completely new to us and we are genuinely excited to see how this further develops over time.” For more information about renting, purchasing or a trial of Panaway® M1 contact Michelle Marriot on +44 (0)7500 626463 or email info@haighmed.com
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CONTINENCE CARE Help To Manage Your Incontinence Issues Independently The Bendi Bag is ideal for wheelchair users who can sometimes find toilet access difficult The Comfort Leg Bag range comes in variety of materials from velvet smooth, real cotton and flock backing The Children’s Bag with smaller capacity and proportions comes with a discreet and secure twist tap that will not open accidentally while moving, or out and about
Urinary incontinence affects millions of people in the UK. Although a widespread problem, incontinence remains a taboo topic. Embarrassment often stops people from talking about it, let alone feeling able to access products and services that can help them. So, without the correct help and support, the problem often remains unsolved, which has a negative impact on people’s lives.
COMFORTABLE AND EFFECTIVE
IQ CATHETER
Since 1976 Manfred Sauer have provided a range of innovative urology products to help sufferers of urinary incontinence. But unlike other providers, our products are often designed and tested by both end users and healthcare professionals to ensure effective and user-friendly solutions that work. This means your incontinence issues can be managed independently, without worrying about frequent emptying or toilet access and do not impinge on your ability to live life to the full. Read about four of our most popular product ranges, which are all available on prescription.
SHEATHS We offer 5 types of urinary sheath to facilitate the drainage of urine away from the body into a drainage bag. They are made from either latex, or synthetic materials and available in a range of sizes. We also offer skin friendly tapes, straps and adhesives, hair guards, measuring tape as well as Preventox, which cleans and protects the skin, so you are always comfortable and have the best fit possible.
LEGBAGS
We supply four main types of leg bags with varying capacities. Perfect for being outdoors, and packed full of unique features and benefits, you now have a choice when it comes to managing your incontinence issues. The shape of our Discreet Thigh Bag allows for it to be worn high up on the thigh area and can even be hidden under shorts, skirts and even swimwear
Thousands of people across the country must perform Intermittent Self-Catheterisation (ISC) to effectively empty their bladder and having something that is simple to use, soft, flexible and easy to lubricate is essential. That’s where our IQ-Cath shines, plus, new for 2022 are male/paediatric and female single-use hydrophilic catheters which are immersed in saline and ready for immediate use. Nephsys For people who have had a Nephrostomy, and tubes are already in place, our NephSys system can drastically improve their lives. As well as providing a secure and sterile solution, which consists of an adjustable, elasticated belt; drainage bags and suspenders to secure the bag to the belt in the chosen position, the system is also comfortable and discreet. For help, support and advice, call 01604 595696, email helpline@manfred-sauer.co.uk or visit www.manfred-sauer.co.uk for more information about each product, or to order a free sample.
Texible Wisbi Smart Care Support Monitoring incontinence of a resident is often difficult and undignified. If that client also has dementia or is liable to fall out of bed, ensuring that they are safe is also challenging and time-consuming. The innovative Texible Wisbi Home Smart Incontinence and Bed Exit Sensor Mat will detect if the bed has been wetted and send a notification via the free Texible app to the caregiver. This allows the caregiver to change the bedding as soon as possible, preventing pressure sores caused by laying on soiled sheets. The Smart Incontinence and Bed Exit Sensor Mat also detects if the person has left the bed, allowing the caregiver to monitor someone at risk of falling out of bed. The Texible Wisbi Smartphone app connects the bed pad control box to your smartphone via Wi-Fi. You can download the free app (suitable for both Android and Apple devices) and you will be able to see both the continence and occupancy status of your loved one at all times, wherever you are. This gives you
peace of mind and allows you to carry on your day, or get a good night’s rest, without constantly stopping to check your resident or worrying if they are ok. For bed users who can toilet themselves, the app allows you to adjust the amount of time that your resident is out of the bed before it alerts you, so that it only sends the caregiver a notification if the user has been out of bed for more than the normal time. Texible Wisbi is hygienic, washable and very easy to use. The sensor mat can be machine washed at 95°c, and each mat has a lifetime of 100 washes. The pad will absorb up to 700ml/m², providing excellent absorption. See the advert below or visit www.willowdesign.uk.com for further details.
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NURSE CALL AND FALLS MONITORING
Smart Synergy: Why Two Leading-Edge Technologies Are Set To Transform Care By Stuart Barclay, UK Sales Director, Vayyar Care (info.vayyar.com/careTC2) COVID-19 derailed the plans of many start-ups and for a technology supplier serving the nursing home sector, the challenge might well have proved insurmountable. Unable to physically access care homes, Arquella was prevented from piloting or deploying their cuttingedge nurse call system, the only such solution featuring a unique embedded care app. Fortunately, the company was able to use the enforced hiatus wisely, by integrating Vayyar Care’s transformative touchless technology. Arquella instantly saw the value of Vayyar Care’s unprecedented fall detection accuracy, its ability to gather rich activity data, and easy interoperability. The convenience of its app-based functionality was also key. It would allow carers to receive real-time updates on their mobile devices, allowing them to work more efficiently and react more rapidly to emergency scenarios. In fact, enhancing staff effectiveness is a core purpose of the integrated offering. Since the start of the pandemic, care providers have had to do much more with severely limited resources. Vayyar Care’s recent survey of the sector confirmed that staff recruitment and retention is the most significant challenge for two-thirds of care providers. Data revealing response times and how long staff spend in rooms will allow them to receive the support they need to do what they do best, increasing long-term employee satisfaction.
The response from Arquella’s customers has been exceptionally positive. They intuitively understand the benefits and appreciate the opportunity to replace legacy devices such as floor mats that trigger frequent false alerts, wasting time that frontline carers can ill afford. That’s why the accuracy of Vayyar Care’s fall detection is a true game changer — for both staff and residents. Older adults are far more safety-conscious and technologically aware than they were just a couple of years ago. They now demand fall alert and monitoring solutions that ensure safety without compromising their dignity, privacy and independence. What’s more, they’re no longer willing to settle for solutions such as hard-to-reach buttons and cords, wearables that often cause embarrassment, or cameras that inevitably intrude on their personal spaces. The pace of digital transformation in care is increasing, partly thanks to the efforts of CQC and the government, and partly due to the challenges presented by COVID. Communities must ensure that care is person-centred and enables proactive interventions and to do so, they need solutions that automatically gather real-time data which can easily be shared between caregivers. That data will also be used to demonstrate the quality of care and its outcomes. The sector requires data-driven, digital alternatives to outdated analogue technologies and Arquella is a key player in the ecosystem we’re enabling. The company is looking forward to its first in-market installation in the coming months, supported by distributor Panacea Healthcare Group. The offering will play a pivotal role in transforming operations for care homes across the UK and unlocking true personalised outcomes for residents. To find out more, please email me at stuart.barclay@vayyar.com
Why 4,438 Daily Falls in UK Care Homes Deserve Our Attention A’ “Responding to falls in care homes: two innovations” report by Dr Mark Hawker and River Rea from Involve, discussed how best practice in post fall management can provide time and cost savings to the wider health and social care system. Combining benefits of assistive lifting technology and video-based clinical support could return costs savings of up to £3,911 per fall, whilst also safeguarding residents’ lives. Across the 15,000 + care homes registered by the Care Quality Commission there are between 270,000 – 1,620,000 falls per year. As one of the most frequently reported accidents among residents, falls represent a pressing issue for providers of care, particularly as demand for places is expected to rise as the population ages. Author, Dr Mark Hawker says, “the risk factors for falls in care setting are diverse and the multiplicity of elements influencing the likelihood of falls makes them incredibly difficult to eliminate entirely. For the individual, the consequences of a fall are numerous and distressing, while the repetitive lifting requirement of carers puts them at risk of musculoskeletal injury. “The pilot studies we’ve examined demonstrate that by giving care home staff the tools to empower
safe lifting reduces the time residents spend on the floor after a fall waiting for an ambulance and help to arrive. Organised and safe post fall care is better for the resident and more cost effective for the NHS.” The report goes on to discuss the importance of reducing the risk of spreading infectious diseases by eliminating avoidable contacts. There are clear benefits of using technologies that reduce the number of external contact such as those that would be required to pick up a resident following a fall. While difficult to quantify, the reduction of contacts with healthcare workers such as paramedics, GPs and district nurses with residents is seen as essential during a pandemic. Mangar Health CEO Simon Claridge adds, “we have been working with NHS Ambulance Trusts for nearly 20 years and yet this report has been incredibly eye opening for us. We know lifting fallen care home residents is a daily challenge to prioritising ambulance calls, yet equipment and technology could easily lift the considerable pressures they are under and save the NHS millions annually. “We would like to call on NHS England, NICE and CQC to review the dynamics involved in a resident fall detailed in this report and consider alternative care models in a post pandemic environment.”
Falls Prevention Programme Features in World Health Organization Report A trailblazing programme designed to reduce falls in older people has received international recognition after being highlighted in a World Health Organization report. The Falls Management Exercise programme (FaME) targeted those at risk of falls in Leicestershire, Rutland and Derby, delivering specialist classes led by postural stability instructors over the course of 24 weeks. The classes were shown to improve balance, walking speed and reduce fear of falling, all the while helping to increase physical activity and reduce falls. Those taking part were also provided with techniques for getting down and up from the floor, should they have a fall. The success of the initiative, which saw the number of falls reduce over time, led to a blueprint being developed to allow health providers roll out the programme across the country. Now the FaME project has been given a global platform after being featured in the World Health Organization’s Step Safely report, which is designed to support practitioners, policy-makers and researchers in the prevention of falls and fall-related injuries. It identifies that each year in England, more than 200,000 emergency hospital admissions and four million bed days result from falls and
fractures among those aged 65 years and over, costing the health service approximately £2b. With the NHS facing pressure as a result of falls, researchers from the University of Nottingham put together an Implementation Manual for Commissioners to allow the FaME programme to be rolled out across other areas. They estimate widespread adoption of FaME could save the NHS more than £700m. The research was funded by National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) East Midlands. Following publication in the WHO report, those behind the FaME programme are delighted the initiative could have a far-reaching, global impact. Dr Liz Orton, Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham and Consultant in Public Health, said: “We couldn’t have asked for a better platform to share the impact of the FaME classes, which have been several years in the making and have shown such positive, encouraging results. “Exposure in the WHO report is hugely beneficial - the more people working in this field who hear about this preventative programme, the better.”
Professor Adam Gordon, Professor of the Care of Older People, University of Nottingham and Lead for the Building Community Resilience and Enabling Independence theme for ARC East Midlands, added: “We’re extremely proud to have been part of a project which is now receiving world-wide recognition and is being showcased to clinicians and researchers working at the forefront of this field. “With the blueprint now in place for other areas to implement FaME, we look forward to seeing its impact on those vulnerable to the often debilitating effects of a fall.” NIHR ARC East Midlands funds vital work to tackle the region’s health and care priorities by speeding up the adoption of research onto the frontline of health and social care. The organisation puts in place evidence-based innovations which seek to drive up standards of care and save time and money. NIHR ARC East Midlands is hosted by Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and works in collaboration with the East Midlands Academic Health Science Network. It has bases at University of Leicester and University of Nottingham.
PAGE 44 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 96
NURSE CALL AND FALLS MONITORING Silent Running Assistive Technology Tranquility in Care Homes Solutions from Medpage
Medpage t/a Easylink UK is a company who have designed, manufactured, and distributed Assistive Technology solutions to aid independent and assisted living for over 35 years. We introduced the first wireless bed and chair leaving detection alarms into the UK market more than 25 years ago. During the Pandemic, against all odds, we
launched a new brand of fall prevention and detection products. TumbleCare. TumbleCare products are simplistic, but effective, people sensors. The sensors detect a person in or out of their bed or chair, or physically falling. A warning notification is transmitted by radio signal to radio pagers, nurse call station, or over the internet to alert designated carers. Our philosophy over the years has not changed. To deliver quality, reliability, and performance at realistic prices. We are key suppliers to the majority of Local Authorities throughout the UK and the NHS of fall prevention products. Our systems operate as stand-alone solutions or can integrate with most commercial nurse call systems. We offer attractive sales discounts for trade and volume buyers and provide free advice and help in developing a falls prevention strategy. Visit our website www.easylinkuk.co.uk and view our guide on wandering and falls or telephone our sales office on 01536 264869.
Edison Telecom - Specialist Solutions For Your Nurse Call Systems We here at Edison Telecom Ltd have been providing specialist solutions to your call system requirements tailor-made to each customers needs for over 25 years, says director Bob Johnson. Is your current Nurse Call “legacy”, obsolete, so full of software bugs or commercially not viable for your current supplier/maintainer to maintain?
We may have just the part and expertise that you are looking for to give your nurse call a further extension to life, adds Bob, “Edison will treat your nurse call with the same compassion that you give to those in your care. There will come a time when your equipment is beyond repair but Edison are experts in extending the life of obsolete systems.” www.edisontelecom.co.uk
Quiet and calm care homes ensure that residents are able to live in a more relaxing and pleasant home environment. Similarly, carers and staff find that they too benefit from reduced stress when working in a home where noise levels are kept to a minimum. There are many environmental factors that can affect those sensitive to their surroundings, particularly those suffering from dementia, these can be fluctuations in ambient temperature, light, and of course noise. Repetitive and high levels of noise can originate from a number of internal and external sources, for example, telephones ringing, loud conversations in corridors, and call bells sounding, often one of the largest contributors to increasing the levels of stress and discomfort in residents. A published study by the University of Stirling stated that unanswered Nurse Call (Call Bell) alarms can be one of the most common causes of stress in dementia sufferers. The University recommends “fitting call alarms which alert nurses but do not resonate throughout the whole building. Alarms can be particularly disconcerting as they may encourage the person with dementia to respond or investigate what the matter is. At the very least the loss of sleep will compromise a person’s ability to concentrate. It can affect their attention levels and capacity to
cope, as well as being detrimental to their overall state of wellbeing. Personal paging systems are preferable to bells and buzzers.” Modern Nurse Call systems can incorporate a number of methods to reduce their impact in a care home. These include zoning whereby there are separate alarm types used depending upon the location of the call. In these circumstances, dementia sufferers and those vulnerable to noise can be located in one “zone” whist less vulnerable residents live in an alternative “zone”. Each “zone” can operate different call tones, warning lights or other methods to alert when help is required Reducing noise levels is essential to create a tranquil environment for residents. Pagers have been around for many years, are a relatively simple and cost-effective measure in reducing the levels of noise, and can be added to most Nurse Call systems. Smart Mobile Devices are now becoming more commonplace for care home staff and hold a variety of apps for care planning, e-medication, etc. Many Courtney Thorne clients are now utilising the “Go” app with their Nurse Call system. With the “Go” app, nurse call alarms are delivered immediately and silently straight to the handsets, alerting the individual carers to all Nurse call alarms without creating any general alarm sound and rarely disturbing the rest of the residents in the home. Calmer residents ultimately means that staff are less stressed also, this creates a happier workplace where morale is greatly improved, staff are retained and CQC ratings improve. Clearly, the positive ramifications of a quiet Care Home run deep. Get in touch today to find out how we can help your home become a quieter, calmer, and more tranquil environment. For more information email us at: info@c-t.co.uk
www.nursecallsystems.co.uk
THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 96 | PAGE 45
NURSE CALL AND FALLS MONITORING Fall Savers - Affordable Fall Monitoring Solutions Fall Savers®, are an experienced market leading healthcare provider of resident safety solutions for over 15 years.
FALL SAVERS ® WIRELESS MONITOR
Eliminate all cables with our new generation falls management solutions! Upgrade your falls programme with the latest technology from Fall Savers®. The NEW Fall Savers® Wireless eliminates the cord between the monitor and sensor pad. This results in less work for nursing staff, improved safety for patients and reduced wear and tear on sensor pads. Wireless advantages include the ability to use one monitor with two sensor pads simultaneously and support for many new wireless devices.
Benefits include:
Safer for patients; less work for staff Bed and chair pads available One monitor works with two sensor pads Integrates with most nurse call systems A variety of options, including: Call button Pager
Floor sensor mat Wireless door/window exit alerts
TREADNOUGHT ®FLOOR SENSOR PAD The TreadNought® Floor Sensor Pad is built to last with a durable construction that far out lasts the competition. Our anti-bacterial floor sensor pad is compatible with most nurse call systems or can be used with a portable pager to sound an alert when a person steps on to the sensor pad. Caregivers typically place the sensor pad at the bedside, in a doorway or other locations to monitor persons at risk for falls or wandering. An optional anti-slip mesh reduces the potential for slippage on hard surface floors.
Features include:
Nurse Alert Mats Designed to combat the problem of residents who are inclined to walk undetected, the Nurse Alert Mat can help protect residents especially at night that are at risk of falls and accidents. When connected to a Nurse Call system or the mobile Floor Sentry Monitor it will then alert staff, sounding the alarm with a small amount of pressure thus enabling staff to investigate.
• Nurse Call Systems • Fire Alarm Systems • Door Access • Staff Attack • CCTV • Infection Control • Dementia Care • Electrical Contracting
Connects directly to most nurse call systems High Quality anti-bacterial Floor Sensor Pad Large Size Pad: Measures (L) 91cm x (H) 61cm Options (sold separately): Anti-slip mesh for hard surface floors See the advert on this page for further details or visit www.fallsavers.co.uk.
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.
In addition The Floor Pressure Mat has a heavy non slip backing, It comes professionally sealed so can easily be cleaned for liquid spills and is fully serviceable.
INCLUDES A 12 MONTH GUARANTEE
sales@lctuk.com 0800 8499 121 www.LCTUK.com
PAGE 46 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 96
TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE
44% of Care Employees Are Considering a Job Change This Year Close to one in every two care sector employees are thinking about a role change this year, according to new research published by workforce software company Sona. In a survey of 750 staff working in care in the UK, 30% said they are looking at a new role within care, and 14% could quit the sector entirely. Given the existing employment gap in care, these figures suggest that providers should be looking to ease the burden on their recruitment teams by prioritising programmes to increase employee satisfaction and retention. Respondents were asked which aspects of their work they feel are very important in any decision to switch employers. Salary (62%) came third, after relationships with residents and patients (63%), and more flexible schedules (62%). The research showed a clear correlation between working patterns and satisfaction at work. 54% of staff with more unpredictable hours are considering a job change this year, compared to 39% of those with predictable hours. Almost 20% of respondents who work unpredictable hours are considering leaving the sector. The findings were revealed as part of Sona’s Rethinking Retention report, which also looked at the factors most likely to make staff feel happy about working for their current employer. More recognition from management (92%), better internal communication (91%), having more freedom to choose their working patterns (90%), and better mental health support for employees (90%) were top of the list.
Intelligent Care Software (ICS) If you are looking for a care management system which answers all of your quality, monitoring and compliance needs, then looks no further than Care is. Care is provides the intelligent software solution for care home and domiciliary care managers and owners looking to roll all of their care and management functions into one electronic platform. We know this to be true because unlike some other CMS’s Care is was conceived, designed, built and is managed by nurses, registered managers and care home owners.
Richard Upshall, Product Director for Health and Social Care at Sona, said: "The possibility of more staff leaving the sector is very concerning given that recruitment is already a big challenge. However, our research shows that the most important contributors to happiness at work are all things employers can control. The status quo is clearly not sustainable, so providers should give themselves permission to radically rethink how they support, engage and motivate their staff. That includes looking at the role technology can play in creating more flexible working patterns, enhancing team communication and recognition, and supporting staff wellbeing.” For more information, please visit www.getsona.com/rethinking-retention
ABOUT SONA Sona’s mission is to put technology in the hands of frontline staff that transforms how they manage their work and engage with their employer. Designed for the specific needs of modern care organisations, Sona’s ‘people operating system’ combines powerful productivity tools with a sleek, simple and intuitive user experience. Features include live schedule view, absence management, instant messaging, and an innovative shift booking platform that matches shift vacancies with employees willing to take on more hours. Trailblazing providers are revolutionising the way they manage, engage and retain their staff with Sona. Customers include Advinia Healthcare, Creative Support, and Praxis Care. www.getsona.com The ‘CARE is’ suite includes care and support, care planning platform, our policy app with over 200 high quality policies which are updated regularly and which also includes our supervision, appraisals and training record apps and our audit app which templates all the essential audits and includes a record of inspection visits. At Care is we can get you started on your journey from paper or another care management system with minimum fuss, plenty of support and all for what we believe to be good value for money. With eMAR, mandatory training and a complementary care certificate coming in 2022, there has never been a better time to get on board. https://careis.net
PAGE 48 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 96
TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE
Autonomy and Consent in Care Sam Hussain, Founder and CEO of the care management platform Log my Care, delves into the importance of consent in social care. Too often in care settings we hear the question “Why did no one tell me?” No care provider wants their clients to feel unheard or uninformed, that’s why autonomy in care is so important. In many care situations, service users may already feel like they’re losing control simply because of the circumstances that led them to seek support. Involving them in decision-making around their care can help them retain as much autonomy as possible.
REDUCE RISK Although there’s an element of risk with every activity in care, by giving consent, a client accepts those risks. For care providers, a signed record of this consent can be invaluable, should those risks become reality. Not getting consent right can lead to complaints, criminal liability and more. However, consent obtained correctly can protect those providing care.
IMPROVE CARE QUALITY AND BE PERSON-CENTRED
Consenting to care means that people are at the heart of the plans put in place to support them. This is an opportunity to initiate discussions with clients about the care that might benefit them, and help tailor care plans to suit them.
LEGAL REQUIREMENT Finally, having a record of consent is a legal requirement that regulatory bodies, like the Care Quality Commission or the Care Inspectorate, check diligently, and will affect how they evaluate a care service as a whole.
HOW LOG MY CARE CAN SUPPORT YOU TO MANAGE CONSENT Log my Care’s consent management feature allows care providers to easily manage their clients’ consent records. Service users can digitally sign consent and lack of capacity forms directly on the platform and reminders can be scheduled to review these records at a later date. See the advert on this page for further details.
Bizimply Helps Care Homes To Spend More Time Caring For Residents As a healthcare professional, your goal is to deliver exceptional healthcare to your residents, but it can be hard to focus on them when you’re struggling to fill the soaring vacancy levels. It’s never been more important to have the right people, working in the right place, at the right time so you and your team can deliver quality care to residents. Conor Shaw, CEO of workforce management specialists Bizimply, says: “Most care homes are currently running with 10% fewer employees than they’d like, so the challenge is to achieve 100% capacity from the staff team you have. It’s not about working harder, but smarter, with the support of helpful technology.” Bizimply’s software allows managers to create staff rotas and complete payroll quickly, freeing them up to spend more time working with their
teams and caring for residents. The result is more motivated staff who provide higher quality care and are less likely to leave. In addition, by creating rotas with Bizimply’s software, managers can give staff members their shift patterns further in advance, putting an end to the last-minute requests that cause stress for so many. Shaw adds: “Nobody chooses a career in care to spend hours on administration. By automating routine tasks, care home managers and staff can concentrate on doing what they love - caring for residents.” A growing number of care homes across the UK and Ireland are now using Bizimply’s software to create staff rotas, payroll and more. To find out more visit: https://www.bizimply.com/health-care/
Please Please mention mention THE THE CARER CARER when when responding responding to to advertising. advertising.
THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 96 | PAGE 49
CYBER SECURITY How To Prevent Phishing Cyberattacks In Your Care Facility are because of actions inadvertently taken by employees. Cybercriminals have become more sophisticated than ever and email recipients are finding it increasingly difficult to spot imposter emails. Whilst you have little control over what’s happening externally with BEC, there are some steps that you can take to help prevent this cyberattack impacting your business. Implement the five tips below to help prevent Business Email Compromise in your care business:
1 MULTI-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION
Cyberattacks are on the increase and a favourite and growing approach is via email, which we call phishing. Cyber security company Nexor reported that there was a 31% increase in cyber related cases across May and June 2020, with the healthcare sector amongst one of the most targeted industries. According to the Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2021 carried out by Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, among the 38% of small to medium sized businesses identifying a breach or attack, 83% had phishing attacks, 27% were impersonated attacks and 16% had malware (including ransomware). There are many forms of email phishing, but they all have one thing in common – to cause disruption to your business. One form of phishing attack known as ‘business email compromise’ uses compromised email credentials or imitates a legitimate email address in order to encourage the recipient to take action. It’s usually targeted at an individual or small group and relies upon the ability to look like someone in a senior position within a company or a trusted external provider. The aim of the attack could be to transfer funds, make a payment or share sensitive information – patient data for example. It’s exceptionally easy to fall prey to business email compromise or any phishing attack. In fact a report by Beazley PLC, highlighted that a staggering 90% of data breaches occurring in the UK in 2019 were caused by human error! This means that most incidents that occur in a business setting
Introduce multi-factor authentication into your systems. This is an authentication method that requires a user to provide two or more verification factors in order to gain access to a resource such as an application or online account. MFA will protect the user and therefore your business from an unknown person trying to access data, such as patient data, personal information or financial details. In addition to this, you could also create a rule for all new emails that come into the business from external sources. With this in place all external emails would be clearly identified, acting as an additional prompt for the recipient to make sure it’s a legitimate email.
SET UP Take a close look at the procedures in place for the set-up of new accounts. How do you verify their details and address? Look at how you manage any changes they request, to ensure that they are genuine.
IS IT TIME TO REVIEW YOUR CYBER RISK?
2 STAFF TRAINING Carry out staff training on how to detect and avoid phishing emails. The Barnes Risk Management Hub has online learning resources that can be utilised for this purpose, and is an easy way to educate staff in what to look out for.
3 REINFORCE FUND TRANSFER/PAYMENT PROCEDURES Review and reinforce your fund transfer and payment procedures to identify areas that may be vulnerable. This could involve an authentication requirement for people or businesses that are not within your network.
At Barnes Commercial, we can help with a comprehensive risk review, including your vulnerability to cyberattacks and create a programme of covers that are best suited to your needs. As an independent broker we provide completely impartial advice on the best solution for your specific needs. Telephone 01480 272727 Email: enquiries@barnesinsurancebroker.co.uk www.barnesinsurancebroker.co.uk
4 LIMIT USERS Reduce or limit the number of people that can authorise financial transfers and payments. The fewer people with the ability to carry out these tasks, the lower your risk of compromise becomes.
5 REVIEW PROCEDURES FOR SUPPLIER/CUSTOMER ACCOUNT
Specialist care home insurance We arrange tailored insurance programmes for care and nursing homes, hospices and domiciliary care providers, for both staff and business owners. Our extensive knowledge of the care market will help to ensure you have the right protection in place for now and, for the future. Secure robust cover that’s right for your business. CALL NOW FOR A QUOTE
01480 272727
Impartial advice from experienced advisers
Exceptional service from a dedicated account executive
Let us help you to protect your business with a no obligation risk review today!
Market-leading products from A rated insurers
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Guidance on risk management solutions including H&S and HR
enquiries@barnesinsurancebroker.co.uk www.barnesinsurancebroker.co.uk/care /barnes-commercial
Barnes Commercial Insurance Broker is a trading style of Barnes Commercial Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, FRN: 844370. Registered address: 3 Fenice Court, Phoenix Park, Eaton Socon, St Neots, Cambs, PE19 8EW. Registered in England and Wales. Registered number: 11909011.
PAGE 50 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 96
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES & TRAINING
THEMA Healthcare
"I have got 12 years experience in the care industry working in different settings as a nurse or nurse manager. During this time I have realized and understood what clients expect from a truly reliable healthcare professional. "With this in mind, we aim to provide to our clients the people for the job. Our goal is to create long term business relationships with our clients based on trust and providing high efficiency services as we will take time to listen and understand what is important to our clients. "Understanding the importance of flexibility, continuity and stability we will always have the best interest of both client and our staff at heart. Claudiu Nicolae Burtica, Director, Thema Healthcare THEMA Healthcare Ltd. supplies Registered Nurses and Healthcare Assistants to Care Homes, Rehabilitation Centres, Hospitals, Private Clinics, GP
Surgeries and Domiciliary Care Providers. At THEMA Healthcare we complete full checks on all our staff and we make sure their mandatory training is up to date. We offer exclusive contracts which means you will get the same staff. We cover short notice calls (without a contract with us) but we also offer the option for lock booking our staff for longer periods, days, weeks or even months in advance. THEMA Healthcare covers for short notice sickness, summer holidays period, annual leave, long term sickness and we help care providers until they recruit their own staff. 07894070385 info@thema-healthcare.co.uk www.thema-healthcare.co.uk
Why Train Beyond the Care Certificate? It can be tempting to think that once the Care Certificate has been achieved it’s the end of training. The Care Certificate can demonstrate that staff have the minimum level of required training. Training to Level 2 and beyond will therefore improve abilities to cope with the challenges presented by working in a difficult sector. Obviously one of the most significant challenges was dealing with Covid but there will be new and different challenges ahead However, it is the clients who will benefit from the improvement that additional training will bring. Whilst these may include advances in the treatment of dementia, or changes to the legislative framework, there will undoubtedly be any number of other issues that will create new and complex problems that need to be dealt with. So, if you think the Care Certificate completes all the training, it might be time to think again.
Please Please mention mention THE THE CARER CARER when when responding responding to to advertising. advertising.
So why choose Step Up Training and Care?
We provide training services that will build implicit trust, leading to confidence by clients looking to use your services. At Step Up Training and Care, we know people are busy, work long hours and that a set 9-5 timetable will not work for most care homes and providers. We can tailor our learning programmes to meet individual needs, time our training to meet business commitments, working shift patterns and around family life. Zoom Boom is here to stay, and we can accommodate teaching and learning through blended learning such as classroom, remote, assessor based, one to one training sessions. Our trainers have personal experiences of working in the health and social care sector, hence our flexible approach. We empower people to learn. Training beyond the Care Certificate - Can you afford not to? T : 0121 794 1532 or 07384 698553 W : www.stepuptrainingandcare.co.uk E : info@stepuptrainingandcare.co.uk
STEP UP Training and Care At Step Up Training and Care we offer: • Tailored learning journeys and programmes • A flexible blended approach of one to one, in-house, classroom, practical assignments and online assessment methods • Training that will lead to higher quality of care delivery • Training led by tutors and assessors who are specialists in health and social care • Level 3 diplomas that are accredited to Highfield Qualifications
T : 0121 794 1532 or 07384 698553 W : www.stepuptrainingandcare.co.uk E : info@stepuptrainingandcare.co.uk
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PROFESSIONAL SERVICES & TRAINING 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?
Solicitude Training Training packages are engaging and bespoke to individual organisations to ensure that they are relevant to that particular service and therefore optimise learning and include accredited as well as awareness courses. Solicitude Training is a registered centre with Qualsafe. Training can be delivered virtually, face to face or via e-learning or through a combination. The benefit of using a blended approach is that it can reduce delivery time (and therefore cost), but knowledge can be checked during the face to face delivery, to ensure that not only have the staff gained the knowledge, but that they can apply it to practice. E-learning courses are flexible, can be done from the comfort of the individual staff members own home and at a time that suits them. This enables all individuals to learn at their own pace, without any pressure, to keep up with other staff. The on-line courses are designed to be engaging, interactive and
• We have very minimal processing fees. • We assist you to get a sponsorship license. • Qualified and experienced candidates from overseas. Tel: 01704 809756 www.jjcarerecruitment.co.uk admin@jjrecruitment.co.uk relevant to the individual to help staff learn and retain knowledge and so content is designed to enable staff to relate theory to practice. A well-trained workforce is an essential requirement to enable outstanding care to be delivered and these e-learning courses are designed to support the whole employee life cycle from induction through to career development, which in turn empowers staff to feel valued and continue their personal and professional development. E-learning enables services to ensure that all staff are compliant with their training in a cost effective and timely manner. With multi-buy discounts available, this enables services to reduce costs and budget for the years training. Packages can also be purchased that facilitate blended learning, enabling all learning styles and needs to be accommodated. For further information you can contact Solicitude Training on: Tel: 01256 242272 Email: info@solicitudetraining.co.uk Website: www.solicitudetraining.co.uk
Care Home Finance from Global Business Finance
Global assists clients throughout the U.K. who specialise in the healthcare sector to achieve their objectives of purchase, development and refinance. We have organised over £1.8bn for clients in the past 30 years, providing clients with competitively priced funding to refinance existing debt, ease cashflow and develop businesses further. From helping clients make their first purchase through to allowing groups to grow significantly in size
we assist at every stage of your business expansion. Every proposal is individual and deserves to be treated that way, so we hope you will allow us to be of assistance to you and call us to chat through your plans and requirements, I am sure we will be able to tailor a facility to your requirements. Call us on 01242 227172 or e-mail us at enquiries@globalbusinessfinance.net