The Carer Digital - Issue #98

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

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The Carer Digital

THECARERUK

THECARERUK

Issue 98

Scrap Immigration Visa Rules and Pay Care Workers £10.50 Minimum Wage, Government Urged

Care workers should be paid a higher minimum wage of £10.50 and made permanently eligible for work visas under immigration rules to help tackle staff shortages, according to Government advisers.

The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), which briefs ministers on immigration policy, urged the Government to adopt a string of recommendations “as soon as possible” in order to “alleviate the challenges facing the social care sector”.

The fully funded minimum pay rate is one of 19 recommendations in the MAC Adult Social Care and Immigration Report.

Migration Advisory Committee’s (MAC) report into adult social care and immigration The Committee also recommends that care workers be made permanently eligible for the Health and Care Worker Visa and be kept on the Shortage Occupation List until it is next reviewed.

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 3...)

PAGE 2 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 98

EDITOR'S VIEWPOINT Welcome to the latest edition of The Carer Digital!

It is going to be very interesting to see where our lead story goes in terms of government action.

A “straight to the point” report, which recommends that the government scraps UK immigration fees for foreign workers and recommends that the pay rate for care workers in England should be raised above the national living wage, with a minimum hourly rate of £10.50.

Regarding foreign workers, people on UK health and care work visas have to pay significant costs to remain in the UK, and given the current rate of pay this is obviously deterring some from entering the sector.

Medical professionals entering the UK on a health and social care visa can, as far as I understand, take up an eligible job within the National Health Service or adult social care, and after five years working in the UK are eligible to settle. This is referred to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).

However, again from what I can understand, fees for ILR are almost £2400 per person, with dependent family members paying the same fee, which results in a person with dependents applying for ILR seeing a significant share of the salary going into the government coffers in fees. Who on earth comes up with such policies?

I did a little research, and I am open to correction, but it would appear the cost of processing an application for the Home Office is as little is £250, and the difference between fees paid by migrants looking to work in the sector and the cost to process the application is one of the highest in the UK immigration system.

This is grossly unfair! And, as the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) points out in their call for a fully funded minimum rate of pay for care workers at a starting level of £10.50 per hour, “one cannot seriously address the workforce difficulties in social care unless pay is improved. Improving pay is essential to boosting recruitment and improving retention”.

In my 15 years as editor of THE CARER the issue of pay, recruitment and retention has been one of the highest issues on the agenda.

This is not some new revelation, although coming from a high profile body such as MAC, then it is certainly going to add weight to the longstanding arguments that care workers must be paid more.

We have also been getting significant feedback regarding the High Court ruling last week which declared that discharging patients from hospital to care homes was unlawful.

This is something we hope to be touching on incoming issues, I will draw your attention to an article in this issue (page 11) professor Martin Green chief executive of Care England makes the point that the care home sector was seen as the “poor relation to

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EDITOR Peter Adams SALES EXECUTIVES the NHS” and the policy of discharging patients into care homes without tests under-

Sylvia Mawson

mined the care work of the sector entirely placing societies most vulnerable at risk.

David Bartlett

He also makes the point that the sector absolutely caught short when it came to resources. I made a similar point in an issue before Christmas when I attended a semi-

Guy Stephenson

nar where providers and care staff were invited to share their experiences during the

TYPESETTING & DESIGN

pandemic.

Matthew Noades

It was absolutely heart breaking. The whole room with hundreds of people was stunned into silence, as we heard how homes were left to their own devices without any support whatsoever, and the consequences of that lack of support.

How I wished there would have been a government minister in the room to hear these first hand stories!

I'm actually working from home this week. (I have a bit of a bug and didn't want to pass it around the office!) Because of this we have extended our UNSUNG HERO Award until Friday May the 20th so once again please get nominating, a wonderful luxury hamper awaits the lucky winner! See pages 13 and 21 for details and email your nomination to nominate@thecareruk.com Please do keep your stories coming in! We are delighted to publish some wonderful stories from various homes around the country, from birthdays to fund raising, from baking to growing vegetables. Anything you would like to share please do send it to me at editor@thecareruk.com

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Charlene Fox Published by

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 98 | PAGE 3

Scrap Immigration Visa Rules and Pay Care Workers £10.50 Minimum Wage, Government Urged (CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER) Other recommendations include the cancelling or significant lowering of health and care worker settlement fees and the removal of the Immigration Skills Charge.

NO SILVER BULLET MAC Chair, Professor Brian Bell, said: “The Migration Advisory Committee has put forward 19 recommendations which will help alleviate the challenges facing the social care sector. But we are clear that immigration cannot be a silver bullet to solve the fundamental challenges the sector faces. These challenges result from years of underfunding which predate and dwarf any immigration related factors.

“We urge the government to put our recommendations in place as soon as possible – beginning with the introduction of a minimum rate of pay for care workers in England, removing the immigration skills charge and for the occupation to continue to be placed on the Shortage Occupation List for the foreseeable future.”

Vic Rayner OBE, CEO of NCF and member of the social care expert advisory supporting the MAC with this work said: “The Report reiterates some very important issues affecting the social care sector which as an organisation we have been raising for many months. The issues of underfunding and how this continues to exacerbate challenges to providers runs through the entire report, including the effects of increased demand for care, high staff vacancy and turnover rates and the impact of low pay and the care workforce challenges.

CALL FOR INDEPENDENT PAY REVIEW “The report identifies funding and immigration policy as possible solutions to alleviate some of these issues and recommends a broader strategic and whole system approach. The report recommends that the government fully funds a minimum rate of pay for care workers in England that is above the NLW, where care is provided through public funds, at a minimum rate of £10.50 per hour. While a focus on the minimum pay for care workers in this report is a helpful contribution to this issue, the NCF has consistently called for an independent pay review for social care, which involves employers, commissioners, and employee representatives with a view to implementing a new career-based pay and reward structure which is comparable with the NHS and equivalent sectors and fully-funded by Central Government.

“Furthermore, we fully support MAC’s endorsement of the views expressed by the Health and Social Care Committee for DHSC to produce a “People Plan” for social care in alignment with the NHS and echo their recommendation that DHSC, and the comparable bodies in the Devolved Administrations, develop a coherent workforce plan in consultation with the sector for a coherent workforce strategy between health and care. The fact that the Health & Care Bill has been passed today with no requirement for the government to deliver joint workforce planning or both health and social care really is a missed opportunity.

“The findings of this report provides further evidence of the need for the government to act on the recommendations as a matter of urgency.”

Dr Rhidian Hughes, Chief Executive of the Voluntary Organisations Disability Group (VODG), said: “The Migration Advisory Committee’s report offers a further wake up call for government. The Voluntary Organisations Disability Group backs the Committee’s recommendation to fully fund a rate of social care pay above the National Living Wage. A fully funded £10.50 per hour social care rate would be a good start, but we know the true value of care work is much more. We need to be ambitious in rewarding talent for much needed social care.”

UNISON head of social care Gavin Edwards said: “Ministers have cynically made it difficult for high-skilled, low-paid foreign care staff to work in the UK, even though the sector is crying out for workers. This report is yet another wake-up call for a government that’s been dozing at the wheel for decades. No bluster, no slogans, the government must adopt the MAC’s recommendations now, so the Cinderella care sector can attract the new recruits it needs and retain experienced staff too.”

A government spokesperson said: “We would like to thank the Migration Advisory Committee for their continued work on this area. “This report calls for cross-Whitehall consideration including on funding for social care, pay, conditions and workforce strategy, alongside immigration policy. “The government will consider the MAC’s recommendations carefully and respond in due course.”

NEED FOR AMBITION AND REWARDING TALENT Dr Rhidian Hughes, Chief Executive of the Voluntary Organisations Disability Group (VODG), said: “At the heart of social care is the workforce supporting people to maintain their independence and dignity and working tirelessly to make our lives better and our communities stronger. The very best care and support for disabled and older people who need it most in society is provided by a committed social care workforce. Yet, government’s under-funding of social care holds us back in properly rewarding staff for the valuable work they do. The consequences are that we are not recruiting and retaining sufficient talent in the sector and that risks pulling away essential services for those that need them the most.

“The Migration Advisory Committee’s report offers a further wake up call for government. The Voluntary Organisations Disability Group backs the Committee’s recommendation to fully fund a rate of social care pay above the National Living Wage. A fully funded £10.50 per hour social care rate would be a good start, but we know the true value of care work is much more. We need to be ambitious in rewarding talent for much needed social care.

“We urge government to embrace the Committee’s recommendations. This will require government to release additional funding for the care workforce. At present, charities are prevented from improving pay rates because funding passed down by central government to local authorities falls woefully insufficient.”

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Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS): What Do They Mean, How Can Care Providers Be Ready?

By Rachel Griffiths, Human Rights and Mental Capacity Consultant to QCS (www.qcs.co.uk) Rachel Griffiths, Human Rights and Mental Capacity Consultant to Quality Compliance Systems (QCS), the leading provider of content, guidance and standards for the social care sector, discusses what the new Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS) system means for care providers.

It sometimes feels that the LPS have been hanging over us for ages.

Last scheduled for implementation in early 2022 but delayed, the new safeguards are set to replace the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).

And although we still don’t have an LPS implementation date, it’s looking likely that it will be towards the end of 2023. That gives care providers plenty of time to prepare for the changes. But to do so, they need to be clear what the new safeguards mean.

I delivered a webinar hosted by QCS on 26 April, where I explained the main changes, the implications for different providers and where to find out more. The following is a summary.

THE ‘ACID TEST’ FOR DEPRIVATION OF LIBERTY We need to start by being clear about what this means. A person is deprived of their liberty if: • They lack capacity to consent to the arrangements to give them essential care and treatment (in other words, their care plan) and • They are under complete and effective supervision or control (meaning, do staff know at all times more or less what the person is doing, or often has to stop them doing something they want to do), and • They are not free to leave (they may go out with staff or relatives, or even alone, provided staff allow this, but cannot decide to go and live elsewhere).

PROTECTION FOR PEOPLE’S RIGHTS: A GOOD THING It is an excellent thing that we’re trying to protect the rights of people whose care plans are so restrictive.

The intention behind the current deprivation of liberty safeguards (DoLS) and the new LPS that will take over from them, is to create a clear and understandable process, laid out in law, that governs when and how people can be so restricted in health and care settings. It must also, importantly, allow the person, or someone representing them, to challenge these restrictions, to court.

WHY ARE DOLS TO BE PHASED OUT? Many people find that DoLS are bureaucratic, inflexible, and difficult to use. People might be deprived of their liberty in a range of settings, but the DoLS scheme can’t protect the rights of people who under 18 or who are deprived of their liberty anywhere except a registered care home or hospital.

People in supported living settings, or shared lives or extra-care housing schemes, and young people are excluded, just by the way the DoLS system is set up. Their rights can only be protected by someone, usually the commissioner of their service, applying to the Court of Protection. And this is expensive and can be stressful. So people in a range of community settings, and 16- and 17-year-olds, risk missing out on the protections that will be provided more cheaply and in a simpler way by LPS.

The LPS scheme will apply like the rest of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) to anyone aged 16 or over, who is deprived of their liberty to be given essential care or treatment. It also applies in any setting: this means supported living, shared lives or extra care housing schemes, and also to people in their own homes or living with their families.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR DIFFERENT CARE PROVIDERS? Care providers will have no managerial responsibilities for LPS, they just need to know when and how to engage with the process. For care homes, accustomed to working with DoLS, the changes should be very manageable. Staff will need to learn about the new language and new processes, and they may come across new NHS responsibilities. For example, the ‘responsible body’ for people receiving NHS continuing health care will be the Integrated Care Board, which will take over from a clinical commissioning group (CCG).

Supported living providers, and others who support people in the community, need to get their heads around the concept of deprivation of liberty and how the safeguards will work. Home care services may become aware of situations where a person is deprived of their liberty in their home, perhaps by relatives; these providers need to know how and when to draw the attention of the local authority to such situations.

Children’s homes and fostering schemes will not often be depriving 16- and 17-year-olds of their liberty, but must learn to recognise deprivation, and know how and when to seek authorisation, again from the local authority, if they cannot find a less restrictive way to provide care.

HOW CAN CARE PROVIDERS GET READY? Care providers should remember that LPS are an integral part of the MCA, and make sure they are working within the five principles.

It’s important to recognise restraint (rather than just calling it ‘support’) and think about whether any restriction is both necessary and proportionate. With any restrictions, it’s good practice to brainstorm to think if there might be a less restrictive way to keep this person safe and give the care or treatment they need.

A major part of LPS is the ‘necessary and proportionate’ test: are these restrictions necessary to prevent harm to the person, and a proportionate response to the likelihood and seriousness of this harm? This is a great tool to enable excellence in practice.

LPS are a step forward in protecting human rights in health and care settings. They will enable care providers to balance giving people as much freedom as possible to live as they choose, while finding the least restrictive ways to keep them safe and give them the care they need.

To watch the LPS webinar for free, visit https://www.qcs.co.uk/thecarer-webinar QCS policies on the Mental Capacity Act, including restraint and deprivation of liberty. https://www.qcs.co.uk/the-road-to-liberty-protection-safeguards-lps/ To find out more about QCS and start a no obligation free trial, please visit www.qcs.co.uk/thecarer-free-trial

LPS: SIMPLER, MORE FLEXIBLE, AND A FAR WIDER SCOPE

A £12.5 Million Extra Care Scheme Celebrates a Grand Opening in Stratford-upon-Avon A £12.5 million scheme in Stratford-upon-Avon celebrated its first few months of operating in the community with a grand opening event.

Lavender Meadows is a purpose-built Extra Care development allowing residents over the age of 55 to live independently with the reassurance of an on-site Care Team.

The scheme has been delivered by Housing 21, a national leading provider of Retirement Living and Extra Care, in partnership with Warwickshire County Council and construction specialists, Vistry Partnerships.

Julie Levesley, Extra Care Manager at Housing 21, said: “It has been extremely challenging developing Lavender Meadows in the middle of a pandemic. However, it makes the scheme even more special and to get everyone together for the official opening has been fantastic.

“We have some wonderful residents living here already and a marvelous team. We look forward to working with the wider community to make a difference to the lives of the people that live here, and we hope to have a positive impact in the local area.”

Lavender Meadows offers 75 two-bedroom apartments which are available for rent and shared owner-

ship. The modern apartments are designed to a high standard that allow residents to live comfortably in their own home, with the chance to socialise with neighbours in the communal lounge and gardens.

Darren Beale, Managing Director at Vistry Partnership, said: “We have extensive experience designing and constructing Extra Care schemes and we’re very pleased to have worked successfully in partnership again with Housing 21.

“As one of the country’s leading regeneration specialists we recognise the need to support our partners to build homes across all tenures, particularly homes and care services for older people.

I wish all the residents a happy and joyful time in their new homes.”

David Sherwood, Commissioner at Warwickshire County Council, said: “Lavender Meadows, an Extra Care development commissioned by Warwickshire County Council, is providing high quality housing matched by the excellent Housing and Care Team at the service which has already led to transformational benefits to residents lived experiences.”

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 98 | PAGE 5

Sector Reacts to Health and Care Bill Receiving Royal Assent The Health and Care Bill has (April 28) received Royal Assent by Her Majesty The Queen, enacting the most significant health legislation in a decade into law.

The Act introduces measures to tackle the Covid backlogs and rebuild health and social care services from the pandemic, backed by £36 billion over the next three years through the Health and Care Levy. It will also contain measures to tackle health disparities and create safer, more joined-up services that will put the health and care system on a more sustainable footing.

The Health and Care Act builds on the proposals for legislative change set out by NHS England in its Long Term Plan, while also incorporating valuable lessons learnt from the pandemic to benefit both staff and patients.

It marks an important step in the government’s ambitious health and care agenda, setting up systems and structures to reform how health and adult social care work together, tackle long waiting lists built up during the pandemic, and address some of the long-term challenges faced by the country including a growing and ageing population, chronic conditions and inequalities in health outcomes.

The Integration White Paper published in February will build on the Act to ensure people receive the right care for them in the right place at the right time. It follows the People at the Heart of Care White Paper which set out a ten year vision for social care funded through the Health and Care Levy, and the Covid Backlog Recovery Plan outlining NHS targets to tackle waiting lists. Dedicated plans to tackle health disparities are set to be published in due course.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: The Health and Care Act is the most significant change to the healthcare system in a decade and will put it in the strongest possible position to rebuild from the pandemic, backed by our record funding.

"These measures have broad support and will harness the best ways of working to ensure people are receiving high quality, joined up care."

As part of the measures to deliver more joined up care, every part of England will be covered by an Integrated Care System (ICS) bringing together NHS, local government and wider system partners to put collaboration and partnership at the heart of healthcare planning.

As the Health and Care Bill receives Royal Assent and passed into law, Carers UK welcomed the new rights to involve carers and people who use services which run throughout the legislation. The Act will place new duties on NHSE&I and the new Integrated Care Boards to involve carers strategically through public engagement. It also introduces new provisions requiring involvement with carers, where appropriate, in relation to any services for the prevention, diagnosis, care and treatment of the person they care for.

The new law contains key responsibilities for NHS Trusts to involve carers, including young carers, and patients during the process of hospital discharge – which is essential.

Helen Walker, Chief Executive, Carers UK said: “Every time we engage with unpaid carers, we can see how good involvement makes a real difference.

They are the experts who can help shape services and support, and they provide the bulk of care in the community. On an individual level, being involved and then being given the right information and advice,

makes a huge difference. Carers say it enables them to provide better care, improves their health and wellbeing as well as that of the person they are caring for. We are pleased that Government has listened and that these new rights are now becoming a reality”.

“We look forward to working with Government, NHS England and Improvement, and the new Integrated Care Boards and Partnerships to make sure that this works best for everyone, including carers. With the NHS and social care facing unprecedented demand, supporting carers better and giving them the right information and advice can help to prevent other issues further down the line.

“During the passage of the Bill, the Government also promised to involve carers more in its review of the NHS Constitution which has also been welcomed by Carers UK. “Whilst the new rights for carers are positive, Carers UK believes that the system needs adequate resourcing to follow through. Carers, including young carers, need support to work or study properly at school, and to maintain their health and wellbeing.”

The Independent Care Group described the new Health and Care Bill as ‘small baby steps on a huge marathon journey’.

The ICG said it feared the Government believes it has ‘got social care done’ when it hasn’t.

ICG Chair Mike Padgham said: “The Health and Care Bill begins the process of bringing reform to health and social care and is to be welcomed for that.

“But there is a mountain to climb and this is just the beginning.

“Hospitals cannot discharge patients because there isn’t the care available in the community to do so.

Social care is on its knees, with care and nursing homes closing and homecare providers handing back untenable contracts.

“The £36bn is welcome investment but social care needs to see a greater share of that now, rather than in two or three years’ time, by which time it will be too late for many providers.

“We look upon the Health and Social Care Bill as the beginning of a very long journey to reform social care, create a sector that is fit for purpose and properly funded and that recognises, respects and rewards its staff properly.

“If the Government thinks it has got social care done through this Bill then it is sadly mistaken – these are just baby steps on a huge, marathon journey.”

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

PAGE 6 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 98

Reducing the Red Tape THE END OF TEMPORARY ADJUSTMENTS All UK employers have a duty to check that the person they are about to employ has the right to work in the UK, in order to help prevent illegal working. Sarah Croft, head of marketing at digital identity validation specialist TrustID (www.trustid.co.uk), explains: “Traditionally, checks would involve requesting original immigration and right to work documents, checking their validity, making copies to be kept during the individual’s period of employment and for a further two years, with a clear record of the date that the check took place.” She points out that they apply to all prospective employees, not just those who are from outside the UK. During the pandemic many businesses were hiring and onboarding new staff remotely for the first time, disrupting previously accepted practices. Sarah says, “The UK Government sought to make the recruitment process easier for companies and temporary adjusted right to work checks were introduced in March 2020.

These adjusted guidelines permit individuals to send scanned documents via email or mobile app to a potential employer, instead of originals and carry out checks over video call.” However, this temporary arrangement is now due to end on 30th September 2022.

PHYSICAL OR DIGITAL? Before the first lockdown in March 2020, in a predominantly workplace-based environment, employers would require a prospective employee to supply original versions of their documents. This process worked well when the hiring manager could do their own physical matching, seeing and feeling the documents, capturing copies and recording and dating the check. By demonstrating the stringency of their checking process, companies were acting within the law. Even if ultimately, a person was found to be working illegally, where their employer had carried out all proper checks correctly, the business would not face penalties, under the ‘Statutory Excuse’.

The government has issued an updated Employer’s Guide, with new guidance from 6th April, advising that checks on workers with a biometric residence card (BRC) or biometric residence permit (BRP) could only be done online and physical cards will no longer be acceptable evidence of Right to Work. UK and Irish citizens with an in-date biometric passport can also be checked digitally through the new digital Scheme. Further to this, Covid-adjustments will cease from 1st October, requiring employers to either carry out digital checks on eligible candidates, go back to checking physical documents or choose a mixture of the two.

The pandemic saw a massive uptake of digital processes generally and businesses are increasingly investigating digital right to work checks as part of the overall organisational shift. Sarah says, “Digital checking offers employers and their employees a more streamlined and simplified recruitment process, with the added confidence of full compliance around right to work.

“In order to facilitate this, many businesses are setting up relationships with an Identity Service Provider (IDSP) to carry out their digital identity checks. These use images of personal ID documents that are validated using Identity Document Validation Technology (IDVT) and don’t require the employer to check an original document.”

BEST PRACTICE IN TOUGH TIMES HR professionals are facing multiple challenges at the moment. There are well-documented skills shortages in many sectors and an overall labour shortage in the UK, with a growing number of unfilled vacancies.

Brexit has added to the challenges for many organisations that had previously relied on employees from the EU, including sectors such as construction, healthcare, social care, hospitality and IT, among others.

Janette Martin is CEO at Talos360 (www.talos360.co.uk), providers of digital talent technology solutions. She says, “Attracting good talent seems to have become harder than ever. Since lockdown, and the prevalence of remote working, candidates have different expectations of a potential employer. As well as an attractive salary, potential employees are looking at the wider range of benefits on offer, such as health and wellbeing support, a more employee-focused company culture and the option to work from home at least part of the time.”

This means that HR teams are working under great pressure to ensure they can not only attract and hire the best people but can also engage with and retain them. Intuitive, straightforward digital hiring and applicant tracking systems can transform these processes and make hiring, onboarding and employee engagement processes easier and more straightforward. Janette says, “We have partnered with another best practice provider, digital identity validation specialist TrustID, and are now integrating its digital right to work checking solution into TalosATS, our advanced hiring software.”

A SIMPLER HIRING JOURNEY She adds, “It makes sense for busy HR professionals to use digital hiring solutions with integrated right to work checks. These provide the assurance of full legal compliance and protects the reputation of the organisation and its employees. Integrating and automating this process also frees up HR professionals to concentrate on the areas of their jobs that require the human touch, such as interviewing prospective candidates, developing more effective employee engagement strategies to ensure stability and continuity within their organisation, and communicating effectively with their teams. HR is all about people, and no one went into this discipline in order to spend all day at their computer.”

Employers should seek out a solutions and service provider with specialist expertise in hiring and employee engagement, with software that fully integrates right to work checks as a standard part of the process. It simplifies the hiring process, reducing the hassle for HR teams and ensuring that companies are protected.

This lets them get on with the important business of achieving their organisational goals with a compliant, effective and productive workforce.

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 98 | PAGE 7

Call to Bring Back COVID Funding to Safeguard ‘Lives and Livelihoods’ UNISON and the Care Provider Alliance (CPA) have written jointly to Sajid Javid urging him to reinstate Covid funding for social care.

The letter to the health and social care secretary says the government’s decision to end the adult social care covid infection control fund (ICF) – at a time when virus rates are still high – is an ‘incredibly dangerous move’ that will ‘cost lives’.

Introduced in May 2020, the £1.75bn fund gave financial support to care providers so they could continue to pay full wages to staff while they were self-isolating.

However, funding was stopped at the end of March in a move criticised by UNISON and the CPA, which brings together the ten main national associations representing independent and voluntary care employers.

The two organisations say in the letter that it is ‘beyond belief’ that this ‘vital financial lifeline’ has been cut for low-paid staff trying to protect vulnerable people, ‘particularly during the worst cost of living crisis in over 60 years’.

The letter goes on: “The government should be encouraging and rewarding staff for doing the right thing by self-isolating, not making it impossible for them to feed their families.

“Growing numbers of care workers are being forced to turn to food banks as budgets are stretched to breaking point. Others are having to leave jobs they love in search of better paid and more secure work.”

UNISON and the CPA warn in the letter that major worker shortages in the care sector are already ‘undermining the quality of care provided across England’. They also write that this staffing crisis is ‘preventing the

discharge of NHS patients back into the community, consequently limiting access to medical services and piling more pressure on the system.’

The letter also highlights that evidence from studies commissioned by the government shows that the prevalence of Covid was higher in care homes and other workplaces where staff did not receive proper sick pay.

The ICF must be reinstated immediately as a step towards ‘improving funding and working conditions in the sector significantly’, says the letter. If this does not happen then even more staff could be driven away from the sector, which will ‘put lives and livelihoods at risk’, the letter adds.

UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said: “Care workers earn little enough as it is. Withdrawing this financial lifeline will have devastating consequences for them and the care sector.

“Many are already having to resort to desperate measures. The government must reverse its decision and ensure staff don’t lose out if they’re off work with Covid.”

Care Provider Alliance chair Professor Martin Green OBE said: “Social care services protect some of the most frail and vulnerable people. This is why many of the restrictions that have been eased in the rest of society are still needed.

“The burden on care providers is enormous. They no longer have the resources allocated through the infection control fund, but still face huge costs to comply with regulations.

“It’s essential that the government reinstate this funding to protect people in social care.”

Grove Court Care Home Wins National Award for Outstanding Care Provision providing relaxing and comfortable accommodation and beautifully landscaped gardens to restaurant style dining and service excellence.

Throughout the coronavirus struggle, these extra touches provided the positivity we all needed.”

Julie Armstrong-Wilson, Lead Nurse for GSF said: “Congratulations to all 12 organisations that have successfully achieved accreditation and reaccreditation. The last two years have posed some incredible challenges to the health and social care workforce, so we are very proud of all of our successful applicants that took the time to submit their portfolios of evidence. There has never been a more important time to ensure we deliver quality end of life care, well done to you all!”

Grove Court has been awarded a national Gold Standards Framework (GSF) Quality Hallmark Award for its delivery of end of life care during the pandemic.

Grove Court is one of 42 care homes, primary care, domiciliary care agency and hospitals from across the country that will receive the prestigious GSF quality hallmark at the virtual ceremony. The Gold Standards Framework Centre, provides expert training for frontline staff in health and social care, to enable a ‘gold standard’ of care for people nearing end of life.

Before the pandemic hit, GSF provided face-to-face workshops, but successfully adapted and moved online to adhere to COVID-19 regulations. The training has been a huge success, supporting both families and patients to discuss end of life care planning and what matters to them most.

Emily Tooke, Clinical Care Manager at Grove Court Care Home said: “We have done it again! I am so immensely proud of all of our staff for working together to deliver the highest standard of end of life care. But it isn’t just about the care, it is so much more than that. From

National Seminar for Safety and Health in Care Services

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Striving to promote excellence of safety and health in care services.

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PAGE 8 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 98

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

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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

Malvern Day Care Centre Hosts Its Own Italian Job Back in March 2019, the Mercia Minis Car Club first visited Friends of the Elderly’s Malvern Day Care Centre to celebrate and announce that the charity’s centre was the Malvern car club’s chosen charity for the year, a support that would run until March 2020. However, before they could return, the COVID pandemic struck.

Fast forward to April 2022 when a group of classic, pristine Minis arrived at the Centre with their owners to present Shirley Bradley, the Day Care Manager, with a fantastic cheque for £515.06.

The arrival of Club Chairman, Viv Box – together with seven Club Members – was the cause of great excitement amongst the day care centre clients. The Centre, which supports people living with dementia, ensured the immaculate vehicles took pride of place outside the building and, of course, the classic cars were the day’s hot topic of conversation.

Viv said, “For us, as a local club ourselves, it’s really important to each and every one of our members to support and contribute to local charities, especially those like Friends of the Elderly’s Malvern Day Care Centre, which does so much and gives so much to the older members of our community.”

Shirley said: “It was a real treat to welcome Viv and the Mercia Mini Club members back again after such a long time. Throughout the unprecedented times caused by the pandemic, we had to close the Centre in order to protect our clients, their families and the day care centre team. Together, our team worked hard to ensure the Centre was COVID-WISE for its reopening and it’s so wonderful to see our all clients back and enjoying themselves again. Meeting Vivian and the other members of The Mercia Minis Club really sparked interest amongst of our clients, with many sharing their own motoring stories and memories.”

Linda Gilks, one of the Club Members who also works for Friends of the Elderly as a Day Care Assistant at the Centre, added: “The Malvern Day Care Centre is not only a great place to work, but it’s a club with a family feel. No two days are the same, which keeps things interesting for everyone.”

“It was wonderful to see everyone again after so long and being presented with a cheque was absolutely amazing. We are going to use the money to purchase a large smart TV that we can use for a wide range of interactive and inclusive activities that all our clients can participate in and enjoy,” Shirley concluded.

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 98 | PAGE 9

Bombshell Report Warns Setting Care Home Fees Too Low is “Unlawful”

Councils in North Wales have been accused of acting “unlawfully” for starving care homes of the essential funds they need to look after frail and vulnerable people.

According to Care Forum Wales (CFW), many local authorities are breaking the official guidelines which state they need to “take into account the legitimate current and future costs faced by providers”.

Apart from being grossly unfair, they say, it was also “deeply hypocritical” because they often paid their own council-run care homes substantially more for providing the same level of care.

Their mismanagement of social care over a quarter of a century had led to a postcode lottery of fees and an ever-widening North-South divide.

Relations reached a new low a few weeks ago when CFW resigned from the North Wales Fee Setting Group – which also included representatives from the six local authorities in North Wales and the Health Board – amid claims that the region’s councils were “deprioritising care” even though they has been given more money by the Welsh Government to pay for it.

CFW chair Mario Kreft MBE said some South Walian councils were bucking the trend and starting to offer more realistic fees.

The latest was Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council where councillors had voted for increases of between 16 and 22 per cent.

They agreed the hikes after studying a report by officials of the legal position which meant they were obliged by law to pay sustainable fees to providers.

Councillors were told they were duty bound to comply with the requirements of Welsh Government in setting fees for care homes.

The report said: “Fee setting must take into account the legitimate current and future costs faced by providers as well as the factors that affect those costs, and the potential for improved performance and more cost effective ways of working.

“The fees set need to be adequate to enable providers to meet the specifications set by the commissioners, together with regulatory requirements.

“If a Council deviates from guidance without a considered and cogently reasoned decision it acts unlawfully and in a manner which is

amenable to challenge and judicial review.”

Mr Kreft said: “This excellent report to Merthyr councillors backs up what we have been saying all along and emphasises that the chronic underfunding of social care in many parts of Wales is quite simply unlawful.

“At last we are seeing some councils in South Wales looking properly at their fee structures and recognising the true cost of providing care for the most vulnerable people in our communities.

“Unfortunately, the message does not appear to be reaching the councillors in North Wales and certain parts of South Wales who are living in cloud cuckoo land when it comes to paying realistic fees that will enable care homes to stay open and provide a much-needed service and underpin the NHS. “The only way that care homes can remain viable is by charging top of fees so that they can meet those additional costs.

“Inevitably, those councillors are placing the burden on honest, hardworking families and it all adds up to a stealth tax on them at a time when the cost of living is going through the roof.”

Care Sector Fundraising Ball is Back!

The Care Sector Fundraising Ball is bouncing back following its hiatus during the pandemic.

On 24 September 2022 the sector will once again come together to raise essential funds for both the Care Workers Charity and the Alzheimer’s Society. Nearly 500 guests are expected to attend the event at Grosvenor House in London.

Supporters already confirmed include CareTech, Hallmark, Majesticare, and Precious Homes.

The ball was founded by Avnish Goyal, chair of Care England and Championing Social Care. In its first two years it raised £348,000 for social care charities.

Recognising the importance of sustainability, event organisers will be partnering with Ecologi to offset carbon emissions created by the ball.

Avnish Goyal said: “We are incredibly pleased to announce that the Care Sector Fundraising Ball is making a comeback to the social care calendar of events and will also be going green! “This event will be a great opportunity for us all to come

together as a sector, fundraise in a meaningful way, network and have fun in the process. We cannot wait.”

Kate Lee, CEO of the Alzheimer’s Society, commented: “We’re thrilled that the Alzheimer’s Society has been chosen as a beneficiary of the Care Sector Fundraising Ball. It’s heart-warming to see the sector coming together again to celebrate our incredible care workers, who have been on the frontline throughout the pandemic, and to raise vital funds for people affected by dementia.”

Karolina Gerlich, CEO of the Care Workers Charity, added: “We are excited and grateful to be supported by the Care Sector Fundraising Ball 2022.

With Covid-19 restrictions lifted it will be a wonderful opportunity for the social care sector to get together and celebrate the work and resilience of the workforce over the past two years. We are grateful to Hallmark and CareTech for their friendship and continued support.”

Those wishing to attend or sponsor the event can visit https://championingsocialcare.org.uk/care-sector-fundraising-ball/ for more information.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 98 | PAGE 11

High Court Ruling on Unlawful Patient Discharge Policy 'Must Leave a Positive Legacy' Care England has called that the high court ruling on the Government’s ‘unlawful’ patient discharge policy must leave a positive legacy.

On April 27 a the High Court ruled that the government acted unlawfully by discharging untested hospital patients into care homes during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The case was brought by Dr Cathy Gardner and Fay Harris whose fathers, Michael Gibson and Donald Harris, died after testing positive for coronavirus.

In its ruling, Lord Justice Bean and Mr Justice Garnham concluded that policies contained in documents released in March and early April 2020 were unlawful because they failed to take into account the risk to elderly and vulnerable residents from non-symptomatic transmission of the virus.

Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, says: “The High Court Judgment on the Government’s hospital discharge policy clearly shows that the decision to discharge patients to care homes without COVID tests at the start of the pandemic was illegal. In the first phase of COVID, the Care Home Sector suffered terribly due to be seeing seen as the poor relation to the NHS. This undermined the care work of the sector and placed thousands of society’s most vulnerable at risk of infection. The outcome of the discharge policy ultimately produced an excess of 32,000 reported deaths in care homes during the pandemic. Care England calls on the Government to recognise the hardships the

adult care sector endured and commit to supporting the care sector to rebuild and grow following the Covid pandemic.

In a High Court judgement handed down by Lord Justice Bean and Mr Justice Garnham found that the decisions of the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to make and maintain a series of policies contained in documents failed to consider the risk to elderly and vulnerable residents from non-symptomatic transmission. The judges found that it was irrational for the DHSC not to have advised until mid-April 2020 that where an asymptomatic patient (other than one who had tested negative for COVID-19) was admitted to a care home, he or she should, so far as practicable, be kept from other residents for 14 days.

Martin Green continues: “More resources should have been allocated to the social care sector once the decision was made that the care sector was to relieve some of the NHS pressure in the early months of the pandemic. Care England was telling the Department of Health and Social Care from the very earliest stage of this pandemic, there was serious issues in the care home sector around discharge, PPE supplies and staffing. In addition to what we were saying, the Government’s SAGE advisory committee also raised issues around asymptomatic transmission. Care England is determined that lessons will be learned from this pandemic within the forthcoming Public Inquiry.

Runwood Homes Launch their Annual Blooming Marvellous Competition The beginning of May marks the launch of Runwood Homes’ Blooming Marvellous competition; a key initiative encouraging residents and team members alike to work together to create vibrant gardens and outdoor spaces.

Each Home is asked to brighten up their pots, gardens, pathways and front entrances to give that extra ‘Wow’ Factor.

Across the Group, the competition sees much excitement every year, and everyone within the home loves getting involved, competing to create the very best garden.

Gardening is an immensely popular and social pastime for residents, enhancing wellbeing and purpose, working together towards a common goal which helps build a sense of togetherness and unity within the home. Home teams are encouraged to set up their gardening club over the course of the competition, so residents, relatives and team members all have the chance to take part, even if it is just to sit and watch and enjoy the fresh air and warm weather.

Every home shows unique ways to enhance their outdoor spaces, growing their own fruit, vegetables and herbs from seed, planting bright and beautiful flowers and creating comfortable outdoor seating areas to enjoy a

moment of calm under the sunshine.

Over the years, home teams and residents have shown inspiring determination and teamwork throughout the process, something that is sure to be evident again this year too.

Homes must send in before and after photos of their garden, along with descriptions of what they have done by the closing date, 29th of July. The home will also be judged in person during garden visits. The priority and focus on entries should reflect residents’ involvement.

The competition links in with Runwood Homes Dignity theme for May: ‘The Great Outdoors – We are all gardeners’.

A spokesperson for Runwood Homes said: “The competition really is a great way for residents, team members and relatives to spend time in the home’s gardens during the summer months, working together to create something they can all be proud of. The garden is a relaxing place to spend time, whether that’s to enjoy a quiet morning tea or coffee, a chat with friends, or doing a spot of gardening. Every year we are so impressed by the standard of entries, and we are very much looking forward to seeing what homes do this year as well.”

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 98 | PAGE 13

Deadline Extended to Nominate 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 20th 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

Fully Funded Nationally Recognised and Accredited Qualifications

We are a Company that finds learners for Colleges and Learning Providers. MSD Independent offer market-leading fully funded

Courses for a wide range of Certificated Health and Social Care qualifications.

These cover a diverse mix of subjects, such as Autism, Mental

Health, Mental Health First Aid, Dementia Awareness, and the

Safe Handling and Administration of Medicines as well as many more. Also we have fully funded courses in Safeguarding, Business Administration, and Digital Services.

The courses are available

through several Colleges we work with so staff will get

access to qualified tutors to help them if needed, plus longer submission times than many providers.

Learners are able to further their own continuous professional

development which may also improve their career prospects and can then progress on to further qualifications in Health & Social care or other related subjects.

Visit our web site www.msdindependent.com Email mark@msdindependent.co.uk

Call us on 01656 502059 and speak to one of our dedicated Team We are here to help

PAGE 14 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 98

Vayyar Care Presents Gerentology Author Keren Etkin in 11th May Webinar We are thrilled to share that Vayyar Care will be hosting a webinar on May 11th featuring Keren Etkin, leading gerontologist and thought leader in the Senior Care space, and bestselling author of “The AgeTech Revolution”.

Keren will address the hot-button issues of personalization, proactive care, and privacy and will be discussing how care communities can gather vital data withoutcompromising residents’ dignity.

This webinar is scheduled to be held at 11AM EST (US) and 5PM GMT (UK).

Would you please help us spread the word by sharing this link to invite your readers, colleagues and contacts. https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/993107911812302347

Berkshire Care Home Residents and Guinea Pigs Become Best Friends Residents and staff at RMBI Care Co. Home Lord Harris Court, in Berkshire, recently took part in their own Guinea Pig Name Unveiling Ceremony. Acknowledging the benefits of pet therapy to support the residents’ mental health and wellbeing, the care home have adopted and named a couple of guinea pigs, which are now very popular among the residents.

The residents have started to produce guinea pig related artwork, and they hope to start a guinea pig life drawing session soon. One of them is 99 year-old resident Joan Parr. She said: “They are so nice to look at and hold. I have enjoyed drawing them in Art Club!”

The staff also enjoy the company of these new furry friends. Sharon Fletcher, one of Home’s Activities Coordinators, said: “The guinea pigs have been a fantastic addition to the Lord Harris Court family. Tummy tickles, back stroking and little chats have helped residents recall happy events and memories from the past!”

RMBI Home Lord Harris Court, in Berkshire, is run by RMBI Care Co., part of the Masonic Charitable Foundation. The Home is currently recruiting for new staff to join.

For more information, please visit: http://www.rmbi.org.uk/

Local Councilor Visits Northamptonshire Care Home for Special Event A special event aimed at recognizing staff achievements has been held at a Kettering care home.

Thorndale hosted a celebration to mark the achievements of its staff throughout the pandemic, recognizing four employees in particular for their long service.

Deborah Turner, Debbie Ellis, Stephanie Stevenson and Yvonne Taylor have dedicated much of their working lives to supporting local care home residents – 26 years, 27 years, 29 years and 31 years respectively.

They received certificates to mark their impressive milestones, and were given chocolates, prosecco, wine and a large bouquet of flowers as a thank you for their on-going commitment.

The home, which is operated by Shaw healthcare, welcomed councilor Keiron Fallows and Cllr Larry Henson – Vice Chair of North

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Northamptonshire Council – to join the celebrations while local MP Philip Hollobone sent a letter of thanks to the team at the home to praise them on their commitment and hard work to the service.

Service manager, Heidi Brown, said: “I will be forever grateful to all the staff for how they pulled together at the beginning of the pandemic.

Each and every member of the team, from cleaners and cooks to care staff, continued to give everything 100 per cent.”

Chief executive Russell Brown, chief operating officer, Mike Smith, and regional director, Stacey Meredith also attended the event and thanked staff personally.

Ms Brown added: “We thoroughly enjoyed welcoming our local councilors and representatives of Shaw to our home – it was clear that not only did our staff enjoy the celebrations but our residents did too.”

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 98 | PAGE 17

BMA ‘Utterly Dismayed’ as Health and Care Bill Passes Without Workforce Guarantees Responding to the Health and Care Bill for England being passed with no further amendments after, despite numerous challenges, peers accepted that the Government was not going to move – meaning it will now become an Act of Parliament – BMA council deputy chair Dr David Wrigley said: “The BMA has said consistently that this is the wrong bill at the wrong time, which completely fails to address the main problems the NHS and our members are facing: too few resources, a crisis in social care and crucially, a huge shortfall of staff.

“While we have seen some concessions from the Westminster Government – responding to our calls for greater protection from private providers influencing commissioning decisions via membership of NHS decision-making bodies, and safeguards to help prevent undue political interference in the running of local health and care services – we are utterly dismayed that ministers have ultimately failed to listen to frontline workers and demonstrate its commitment to safely staff the NHS and care services.

“More than 100 expert health and care organisations, Royal Colleges, charities and think tanks, as well as MPs and peers from across the political divide, supported amendments that would have held the

Government legally accountable for providing regular assessments over the staffing numbers that we need now and in the future. The BMA estimates that England is already short of more than 45,000 doctors, and without a transparent, nationwide stocktake, it is impossible to plan for the future.

“Throughout the Bill’s journey, peers and MPs have expressed their dismay at the Government’s refusal to accept the amendments and provide these assessments, forcing further scrutiny of their failure to commit to ensuring we have enough staff to meet the health and care needs of our growing population.

“We are therefore forced yet again to ask: what does the Government have to hide?

“Having missed this vital opportunity to prove how seriously they take the safe staffing of the NHS and social care, it will be ministers who have to answer when patient care continues to suffer.

“As the Bill now becomes an Act we will continue to campaign for a publicly funded, publicly provided and publicly accountable NHS that gets the investment it needs, is properly staffed and protects the health and wellbeing of its workers so they are able to provide the high quality and timely care that patients deserve.”

Ed Balls Confirmed as UK Care Week Keynote Speaker UK Care Week Live has announced Ed Balls will take to the stage at this year’s event which takes place from 6-7 July at NEC Birmingham.

The former Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer will join other noted names from the care sector in this summer's CPD accredited seminar programme. Ed will be joined on the keynote stage by the likes of Claire Johnsen, Head of Innovation at Hallmark Care Homes, Vic Rayner OBE, CEO of the National Care Forum and Jane Townson, CEO of The Homecare Association.

Since leaving politics, Ed Balls has established a new public role affording him the opportunity to be open about his personal passions including raising awareness of the care crisis. Ed’s BBC documentary, Inside the Care Crisis, gave him first-hand experience of what it is like to be on the front line for those working in the care sector.

UK Care Week provides a platform for the sector to collaborate and seek support on solving staff recruitment and retention challenges, providing staff support, accessing finance, offering training and promoting employee wellbeing. Further sessions include CPD accredited content on nutrition, dementia, care development, sustainability, technology and digital transformation.

The event, expected to host more than 3,000 visitors, will feature the Virtual Dementia Tour, CQC Inspector Hub and the Activities Arena in association with NAPA. UK Care Week will host companies such as, PCS, Zero Suicide Alliance, Kepler Vision Technologies Vayyar Imaging, Alarm Radio Monitoring, Arquella and Specsavers as they share their innovative solutions to the challenges faced by the sector.

UK Care Week Group Director Steve Clarke said: “We’re delighted that Ed has agreed to speak at UK Care Week, campaigning for carers and the sector. Having recently appeared in a BBC documentary on Care in Crisis, Ed has gained first-hand experience of the sector which coupled with his political background provides a unique perspective on the future of adult social care. We are thrilled to add Ed to the programme for UK Care Week.”

To hear about Ed Ball’s first-hand experience of social care, connect with like-minded care professionals and hold a collective voice for change this July, register free at https://tinyurl.com/bdhx6vsw

PAGE 18 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 98

The Huntington’s Disease Association Launches Huntington’s In Mind The Huntington’s Disease Association (HDA), backed by their celebrity patron and actor George Rainsford, has launched a new campaign, Huntington’s In Mind, to raise awareness of the complex mental health needs of people living with Huntington’s and the disconnect in access to mental health services.

The campaign has been developed with the community and centres around the stories of three families affected by Huntington’s disease.

The powerful films will be released through the month of May, and each serve to tell the story of the mental health impact, of the challenges accessing mental health support and of some encouraging and inspiring reflects of hope and advice.

The actor George Rainsford (Casualty, Call the Midwife), a patron of the HDA is supporting the campaign, “Having met many amazing families, I’ve seen the impact that Huntington’s disease has on the mental wellbeing of those living with the disease and their families. The hereditary nature means no member of the family is left un-touched and therefore all those affected should be able to access the right mental health services and support they need. Whilst every individual and family situation is different, they all have one thing in common, their incredible strength and resilience.”

This campaign launches as new research identifies substantial gaps in the numbers of specialist centres being able to access mental health professionals. Centres treating Huntington’s disease describe access to services as “inadequate”, with many centres reporting that less than 25% of people living with Huntington’s disease are able to access psychologists, psychiatrists, or counselling when required.[ii] Many services also report limited access to community mental health support, with some people living with Huntington’s disease excluded due to lack of awareness by health care professionals.

Professor Hugh Rickards, Consultant Neuropsychiatrist and Chair of the Huntington's Disease Association, is passionate about ensuring equitable access to mental health services for people living with Huntington’s Disease. “I see first-hand the challenges faced by patients, who must firstly deal with the psychological

issues of their diagnosis but then the complex mental health impacts that the disease itself causes. This is not widely recognised or understood and at an institutional level, so we need to do more to ensure people living with Huntington’s disease and mental illness have the same access to specialist mental health services as people living with other conditions like schizophrenia.”

The multi-faceted nature of Huntington’s disease and the complex testing process means that even if not directly impacted by Huntington’s symptoms, the mental health burdens can ripple across families. The psychological and emotional impact goes beyond diagnosis and is complicated by the aetiology of the disease itself, which impacts mental health as it progresses.

A Huntington’s disease community survey carried out last year highlighted that 69% of those who are symptomatic have experienced significant problems with their mental health, with 71% of carers feeling that their mental health has been severely impacted as a result of their caring responsibilities. It’s not just those who have the condition who are affected - 72% of family members who tested negative for the gene felt guilt or shame about relatives who do, or who may, have Huntington’s.[iii] Cath Stanley, Chief Executive of Huntington’s Disease Association, said: “Many find it difficult to receive equitable access to information and specialist services leading to limited physical and mental support following diagnosis. We know people living with Huntington’s disease can often fall into a referral loop due to a lack of understanding of how their condition affects mental health. We need to do more to educate health care professionals to recognise and provide the right mental health support at the right time for people living with Huntington’s disease. That is why we are determined to raise awareness around particularly the mental health issues around living with the condition so that those affected feel they are adequately supported. The Huntington’s in Mind campaign marks the beginning of a longer journey to ensure equitable access to mental health services” More on the Huntington’s In Mind campaign can be found on the Huntington’s Disease Association website at https://www.hda.org.uk/huntingtonsinmind. The patient films will be released throughout the month of May. [i] Huntington’s Disease Association. What Is Huntington's Disease. Available at: https://www.hda.org.uk/huntingtons-disease/what-is-huntingtons-disease/symptomsof-huntingtons-disease [Accessed 25 April 2022]. [ii] Research funded by Roche supported by UKHDN, HDA, SHA and HCD Economics [iii] Family Matters Community Survey. Conducted online 23 March to 21 April 2021 [iv] Huntington’s Disease Association. Impact Report. 2019. Available at: https://www.hda.org.uk/media/3014/impact-report-2019-final-3.pdf [Accessed 25 April 2022].

Residents at Okeley Follow the Yellow Brick Road The people living at Okeley Care Home were transported to the land of Oz recently as they celebrated National Tell a Fairy Tale Day. The team working at the home wanted to make this an immersive experience for all, so they transformed the reception area at Okeley into the land of Oz. To do this, they laid down a yellow brick road, made their own hot air balloon and used themed banners and balloons to add colour and set the scene.

To complement the theme, team members dressed up as characters from the original film aired back in 1939. They also had a variety of props on hand, which included hats, wigs and masks so residents could get involved in the fancy dress antics. A member of the team then went around with a camera and captured pictures of people dressed up, surrounded by team members in full fancy dress.

Everyone had smiles on their faces seeing the people who care for them dressed as recognisable characters from the film and certainly made for many comical moments throughout the day.

Another feature of the day that delighted residents of the home, was the welcome addition of Miah the dog. Miah belongs to Okeley’s Home Manager, Hayley, but on this day, she was dressed as Toto from the Wizard of Oz. She made her way around the home with the team and enjoyed getting a stroke and pat from the people living at Okeley. All of the residents love spending time with animals, so seeing a friendly dog dressed up certainly helped to boost wellbeing!

After a busy morning, everyone relaxed in the afternoon and watched the original Wizard of Oz film, with drinks and snacks available.

Robby Steam & Vac by OspreyDeepclean®: The Ultimate Cleaning Machine 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”.

The Care & Occupational Therapy Show 2022 A brand new show is set to take the care sector by storm this year.

Inspired Motive acquired the ‘South West Care Show’ during the pandemic and have rebranded the show to make it more encompassing.

With over 30 years of experience in the event industry, Inspired Motive will be hosting the Care & Occupational Therapy Show. The visitors will include buyers from Care Homes, Domiciliary care companies, Care Groups, NHS, Trusts, Individual Carers, and Individual Practitioners also. Attracting 3000+ visitors, it will truly be a festival of business for the care community.

Their goal is to enable companies across the UK to exhibit innovative products that will aid care sector professionals to enhance their brand/services, with 175+ Exhibitors, 30+ Industry Leading Speakers and a Live Demo Area, the show is perfectly positioned to put you on the road to success.

The show will also be appealing to Occupational Therapists as there will be services exhibited by those that cater to that market too, making it by far the largest care event in the South West.

The show has already confirmed impressive keynote speakers from the likes of Care England and Care Quality Commission with more to be announced in the coming weeks. They already have some great exhibitors at the show, from the likes of - Albert Goodman, Motor Tech, Appetito, Nourish, Oysta Technology and Reval Continuing Care. All of the show’s seminars are CPD accredited so you can also earn your CPD points whilst attending the show.

All tickets for the show are free and will be released over the coming weeks. You can keep an eye on show announcements and ticket availability via their website www.careexhibition.co.uk If you are interested in exhibiting your own products/services at the show, please contact Luke Outram on 02045 178 888 or email - luke@inspiredmotive.co.uk.

Driven By Health With care are official show media partners and we very much look forward to seeing you all there.

PAGE 20 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 98

Why Infection Control Is Just One of the Benefits of Outsourcing Laundry the past. Residents have their own dedicated bags, into which garments are placed, so Elis knows exactly where each resident’s items are in its fully tracked service.

Care homes are facing many challenges, from infection control and Covid, to staff shortages and rising energy costs. Richard Page, UK Head of Care Homes at Elis (uk.elis.com), explains how making a simple change to how laundry is processed can have benefits that extend far beyond infection control.

How the laundry is managed can have a bigger impact on the care home than is sometimes realised. It may impact infection control standards and compliance but also staff availability, running costs and capital expenditure, how smoothly the care home can operate, the satisfaction of residents and families, space availability and even the quality of the bedlinen and towels.

While traditionally care homes often handled the laundry themselves, many are now recognising the advantages of outsourcing to a specialist, as is the norm in many other sectors, including the NHS and hotels.

Here are the top six ways that care homes can benefit from outsourcing to a specialist care home laundry provider, like Elis.

Using the Elis service can be a more cost effective approach to care home laundry. It can free up care home capital, as there is no equipment or linen to buy and can provide efficiencies and cost savings because Elis operates on an industrial scale and passes savings on to customers. With competitive fixed priced contracts and no risk of unexpected laundry costs, the service also helps with cost control. The usage of linens is tracked to provide complete cost transparency and there is flexibility to adjust quantities if demand changes.

Care homes can benefit from taking a look at their in-house laundry costs, including staff, water, electricity, gas, detergent, machine rental and breakdown costs and comparing with the cost of an Elis laundry service.

1 – INFECTION CONTROL AND COMPLIANCE

4 – FREEING UP TIME AND SPACE

It is essential to maintain high standards of infection prevention and control; an important part of care homes’ CQC inspection. However, when laundry is done on site it can be difficult to consistently follow the strict procedures that help prevent cross infection and ensure compliance with the Department of Health’s HTM 01-04 regulation. Requirements such as the full segregation of clean and soiled items, the validation of wash processes and the stringent handling and transportation procedures can sometimes be difficult to maintain, especially when space is limited.

Outsourcing to Elis ensures immediate compliance, both now and in the future. With experience of working for hospitals and care homes across the UK and the world, Elis ensures that infection control is built into every process. It is accredited to the highest European standard in infection control (BS EN14065) and expert at laundry compliance, so care homes don’t have to be.

With staff shortages and illness, outsourcing laundry can also have the benefit of freeing up staff to focus on other tasks. It also significantly reduces the time that management need to focus on laundry. It takes away the hassle and provides a simple, reliable solution.

The removal of in-house laundry equipment also frees up space for other activities or even for another bedroom.

2 – RELIABILITY, SIMPLICITY AND PEACE OF MIND When a care home runs its own laundry it can be hard to avoid machine breakdowns, or even fires, and unexpected staff absences. They all create extra pressure and make it hard to maintain standards.

With a network of laundries across the UK, each with multiple state-of-the-art machines, back-up facilities and stock and its own delivery fleet, Elis provides a guaranteed, reliable service, day after day. The local Elis laundry collects soiled items, hygienically launders and maintains them and returns them to an agreed schedule.

Elis uses the latest technology in all aspects of its service, with tiny 2d Barcodes on linens and on special residents’ clothing bags, enabling meticulous tracking of items and meaning lost items are a thing of

3 – COST REDUCTION AND CONTROL

5 – HOTEL QUALITY Items are provided on a cost effective rental basis, with no large up-front costs. High quality linen creates the perfect centrepiece for each resident’s room and fluffy white towels create a homely feel. Bed linen and towelling are professionally finished using specialist driers, ironers and folders, to give a hotel-like quality, while every item of residents clothing is carefully washed and fully CQC compliant.

6 – EFFICIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY Elis is able to use gas, electricity and water more efficiently than individual homes, and so partnering with Elis means that care homes are choosing a more sustainable approach to laundry. Elis is Carbon Trust accredited and the first laundry and textile services company in the UK to state its intent to attain Net Zero carbon emissions by 2045.

Elis partners with thousands of care homes around the world. From small independent homes and hospices to large care villages. Elis provides solutions for linen and residents’ clothing, workwear and uniforms, chefs’ wear, table linen and kitchen cloths. Elis also provides washroom, mats and floorcare services.

For a trial without commitment email uk-carehomes@elis.com or call 0808 1969160 or for more information https://uk.elis.com/en/sectors/health-social-care/care-homes

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!)

A Super Deluxe Luxury Hamper for the lucky winner!

Care Home urst of Cloverfield Marion Brockleh

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 20th 2022 at

nominate@thecareruk.com

PAGE 22 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 98

‘Out of Sight But Not Out of Mind’ to Raise Awareness of Charles Bonnet Syndrome

By Judith Potts is the Founder of Esme’s Umbrella, which is the campaign to raise awareness of Charles Bonnet Syndrome (www.charlesbonnetsyndrome.uk) Esme’s Umbrella (www.charlesbonnetsyndrome.uk) launches ‘Out of Sight but not Out of Mind’ to raise awareness to caregivers of Charles Bonnet Syndrome – the extremely common, but little recognised condition which affects 1 million people in the UK. Esme was in her early nineties. She lived a totally independent life, looking after herself and completing the Telegraph cryptic crossword every day.

Glaucoma was removing her sight but she was extremely good at compensating for her diminishing vision – that was, until the vivid, silent, visual hallucinations began.

She talked of faceless people sitting on her sofa, a wandering Edwardian street-child, a gargoyle-like creature which jumped from table to chair and sometimes the whole room morphed into an alien place. I had no idea what could be wrong with her.

After much internet research, it transpired that Esme had developed Charles Bonnet Syndrome – or CBS for short – which was linked to her loss of sight and was not a mental health condition. This was fifteen years ago and CBS was not discussed, nor was there any support available.

Having watched Esme living with this distressing condition, I founded Esme’s Umbrella in 2015 at the House of Commons in memory of her – www.charlesbonnetsyndrome.uk The condition is now very much centre stage, is discussed in eye clinics and support from the network of Esme’s Friends groups is available.

However, there are still too many healthcare professionals of all specialties who are unaware of CBS. I am particularly anxious about residents of care homes, who have sight loss. All too often, CBS is not known among the staff and should a resident with sight loss mention

visual hallucinations, the door to the mental health pathway opens. This not only wastes precious NHS resources but causes even more distress to the person.

IF IT IS NOT A MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION, THEN WHAT IS IT? CBS develops when someone of any age – children too – has lost over 60% of sight. This loss can be caused by one of the many eye conditions, cancer of the eye, an accident to the eye, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, or another condition which damages the optic nerve.

As sight diminishes, the brain is left with nothing to interpret.

Consequently, it fires up and creates its own images. These range from disturbing to terrifying. Even if the images are not unpleasant, the frequency and unpredictable nature of CBS episodes impacts negatively on quality of life.

Sight loss is more prevalent among the older population, which means that this is the group of people in which CBS is most commonly found.

MIS-DIAGNOSIS OF THE UNINVITED IMAGES Unless the person is aware of CBS before the first hallucination appears, self-diagnosis tends to suggest a mental health issue.

Frightened, the person confides in no one and lives in a stressful world of uninvited images.

If the person decides to confide in family or caregivers, they can also assume the visual hallucinations are due to a mental health condition.

Unhelpful suggestions can make the situation much worse. It is essential that the person who develops CBS should be believed and reassured. The visual hallucinations are extremely vivid and, as age takes its toll, it becomes more difficult, cognitively, to understand that the image is not real. Repeated reassurance is needed, particularly if the images are distressing.

CBS Research during lockdown has proved that isolation, stress and fever exacerbate the number of episodes of CBS and make the images much more frightening.

‘OUT OF SIGHT BUT NOT OUT OF MIND’ The majority of GPs and hospital doctors are unaware of CBS and, for Care Home residents, it is essential that the staff of each Home understands CBS and can explain the condition to residents and relatives

alike.

‘Out of Sight but not Out of Mind ’is the new campaign from Esme’s Umbrella, which focuses on Care and Nursing homes, to ensure that no resident has been mis-diagnosed and everyone working or living in the Home knows about CBS and understands how the condition impacts on each person who develops it. Everyone’s experience of CBS is different but support is essential.

Esme’s Umbrella – which is already training ophthalmic nurses to become Specialist CBS nurses - will be offering a one-hour training session on-line for all staff of Care and Nursing Homes, after which badges and certificates are awarded. Each Home is then encouraged to display a ‘Charles Bonnet Syndrome’ notice to show that the Home is CBS-friendly and any questions about the condition can be answered by members of staff.

The course covers an explanation of CBS, how to broach the subject with residents, how to reassure and comfort, what images are seen, case studies, coping strategies, medical information about medication which can be tried and medication (taken for other conditions) which should be avoided because it makes CBS worse and current CBS research – with a Q and A at the end.

NEW UNDERSTANDING OF CBS Since 1760 – when Charles Bonnet documented his grandfather’s experience of CBS – doctors have assumed the condition was incredibly rare, only happened to the elderly and (probably because the patients only mentioned it once) disappeared after 18 months. We know now that none of those facts is true.

Until recently, the World Health Organisation believed the same, but – with the help of two ophthalmologists – I persuaded the WHO to give CBS a coding in ICD 11. The code is 9D56. This means CBS is now considered a condition it its own right and not just a side effect of sight loss.

For more information about ‘Out of Sight but not out of Mind’, please contact me on judith@charlesbonnetsyndrome.uk CBS stayed with Esme for the rest of her life but now no one should be left to cope alone with what Charles Bonnet himself described as ‘The Theatre of the Mind’.

Charity number 1197087

Farmyard Memories for June as Chicks Spring Into Life A Dorset care home hatched a plan to celebrate springtime by hosting the birth of some fluffy chicks.

After team members at Colten Care’s Avon Reach in Mudeford put a heated incubator with embryo eggs centre stage in the home’s lounge, residents waited eagerly for the new arrivals.

They were transfixed as, one by one, the eggs hatched over the course of several days with, eventually, eight chicks welcomed into the world.

Companionship Team Leader Megan Castell said: “It was the most magical time and our residents were totally fascinated.

“It was so interactive when the chicks arrived as residents could get up close and hold them.”

Among those enjoying the births was June Chandler who grew up on

a farm in Wiltshire and loved being surrounded by animals.

June said she knew exactly what to expect when the chicks were born, recalling happy girlhood memories of looking after poultry, lambs and piglets.

“The chickens were no trouble,” remembered June. “The ones we owned had a little run but had to be wired in because of the jackdaws.

“We also had a little lamb named Larry and when the piglets were born we used to bring them home and warm them up by the fire. They were little devils really, very wriggly.”

All eight chicks born at Avon Reach have now left to go to good homes, either free range farms locally or to people with existing hen flocks.

Manager at The Lakes Care Centre Returns to the Trust Which She Credits for Over 20 Years of Career Development Michelle Hearn (Shelley) joined The Lakes Care Centre in South Cerney, near Cirencester, Gloucestershire, as its new Home Manager in March 2022.

She accepted this position in a move that sees her return to The Orders of St John Care Trust (OSJCT), 27 years after commencing her career with the Trust.

Shelley originally joined the Trust as a weekend housekeeper and progressed through the Trust becoming a training lead where she travelled to many OSJCT homes. Latterly she became the Head of Dementia care at Windsor Street Care Centre in Cheltenham, then Deputy Manager and finally Home Manager.

In 2019, Shelley left her role as Home Manager at Windsor Street Care Centre to work for another care provider in Cheltenham. A year into the role and after much hard work and collaboration with the employee team she achieved a solid Good rating at their CQC (Care Quality Commission) inspection (a first for that home). Three years after leaving OSJCT, Shelley returned to the Trust and was appointed as Home Manager at The Lakes Care Centre.

Shelley said: “The Trust is a great place to be, with established central teams and so many people to call on for support, so I'm delighted to be back.”

“This wealth of support and experience to call on leaves me free to concentrate on running the home, nurture positivity at The Lakes Care Centre and focus on providing the best care for our residents.”

“The training for our teams within the care home is thorough, and employees have many opportunities to progress, learn new skills or take on responsibilities.”

Another positive for Shelley is the team of Admiral Nurses at OSJCT, which means extra support is available for employees and families of residents who are living with dementia. The Trust is one of only a few care home organisations which has a team of Admiral Nurses, supported by Dementia UK, who oversee extra training as part of an organisation wide strategy to offer high quality care for those living with dementia.

Shelley reflects on what motivates her: “I go to work to care for vulnerable people. It’s important that we create a safe environment for them in the place they call home and focus on giving residents a quality experience each day. I enjoy helping residents to live fulfilling lives. Finding out what makes each individual shine takes time and patience, and I enjoy sitting with them to chat, find out about their likes and dislikes and observe their body language.”

As a people manager, Shelley focuses on being upbeat and positive with team members. This includes explaining decisions, inviting input from the team, and understanding their concerns. She said: “The Lakes Care Centre is our residents’ home, and I want it to be a happy environment. When the staff are happy, the home is a happy one.”

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 98 | PAGE 23

Care Home Residents Join Global Celebration of Dance with Strictly-Style Fun

Dozens of residents and staff at 21 care homes in the south devised, rehearsed and staged their own dance routines as entries in a Strictlyinspired competition.

The gentle, good-natured rivalry at Colten Care homes in Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire and West Sussex proved the perfect way to celebrate International Dance Day. The contest featured performances in various styles to music including Tchaikovsky’s Sugar Plum Fairy, Abba’s Mamma Mia, the Latin pop hit Macarena, Barry Manilow’s Copacabana, tunes from Bollywood movies and traditional Scottish dances such as the Dashing White Sergeant and the Gay Gordons.

As well as those stepping out on the dance floor, chair-based residents had the chance to participate through upper-body movements.

To add a splash of visual colour, there were costumes and props on

show ranging from Mexican hats and pom poms to penguin suits.

In the run-up to Dance Day, Colten’s Care Music and Arts Partner Fiona Pritchard went along to each home, collecting video recordings of the various competition entries.

One, from Whitecliffe House in Blandford, was even filmed on board a minibus trip.

On the Day itself, residents at each home sat back with glasses of bubbly in the comfort of their respective lounges - decorated partystyle with disco lights - to enjoy a compilation of the pre-recorded footage aired via Zoom video.

The viewers were invited to vote for their favourites via the interactive polling tool Kahoot.

Fiona said: “It was amazing to see so many of our residents get involved in the rehearsals leading up to the filming of the entries. They learned their moves so quickly and so well.

“And when Dance Day arrived, it was a joy for everyone to watch how the various homes interpreted their routines.

“It served to underline the fact that dance is an ideal way to express your emotions and feelings and enjoy your body.”

Among those enjoying the show were Eve Walsh and Margaret Webster, residents at Abbey View in Sherborne.

Melissa Siat Caparros, Companionship Team member at The Aldbury, a dedicated dementia care home in Poole, said: “Many of our residents and staff are dance enthusiasts.

“Dance is so effective in stimulating social interaction, enhancing mood, reducing anxiety and increasing self-awareness and selfexpression.”

Once the voting was done, the most popular entry was declared to be the one from Castle View in Poundbury.

Residents there performed a version of Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious that included a full-size penguin outfit and, of course, a Mary Poppins character.

International Dance Day, now in its 40th year, encourages people of all ages across the globe to cherish each other's dance forms.

“It was such fun,” said Eve. “I haven’t had that much amusement in years.” Margaret concurred, adding: “I wish we could do this every week!”

There were similar sentiments at Wellington Grange in Chichester, where resident Jose Allman said of the home’s Sugar Plum Fairy routine: “I really enjoyed joining in with this.”

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PAGE 24 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 98

‘The Care Industry For Me Offers An Amazing Opportunity To Connect With People’, Says Newly Appointed Care South Home Manager Residents and staff at Sussexdown, a Care South home situated in Storrington, have welcomed new Home Manager, Paul Morris to the care home in latest recruitment drive.

Paul brings a multitude of experience with him, having worked in the care industry for over 25 years with specialisms in dementia care. Prior to joining Care South, Paul worked for a care provider as an Operations Support Manager and before this, lived and worked in Australia as a Dementia Consultant, and has previously owned a dementia consultancy and training service.

As well as years of industry experience, Paul has a number of formal qualifications including in dementia care and holds a Registered Managers Award.

Aaron Whitehead, Director of Residential Care at Care South, said: “We are very pleased that Paul has joined Care South’s Sussexdown care home in the position of Home Manager. He brings a wealth of experience, especially in dementia care, which will be very beneficial for residents and staff at this wonderful home. Paul has invaluable leadership skills and has demonstrated his ability to manage a successful business in the care industry. We are confident that he will be a force in developing and driving

Sussexdown forward at this exciting time.”

Paul Morris, Sussexdown Home Manager, added: “I am looking forward to developing Sussexdown from what is already a great home into a fabulous care home, building and developing my team and making us stand out from the crowd.

“The care industry for me, offers an amazing opportunity to connect with the people we are caring for. Residents in our care offer us an invaluable insight to life which teaches us many things. Working in care is not a hobby, it is a vocation, and you need to have a passion for people and delivering high-quality care.

“I operate an open-door policy and am always happy to hear thoughts and listen to any concerns to ensure residents receive the highest quality care. My intention is to strengthen the links between Sussexdown and the local community and organise lots of events that will enrich the residents experience of living in a care home.”

Sussexdown is a friendly care home in Storrington offering residential, nursing and dementia care to residents with elegant lounges and 77 welcoming bedrooms.

The care home offers Food, Fun and Friendship to all residents in its care and rewarding career opportunities in a not-for-profit charity.

Lime Court Receive Silver Medal in the Winter Deconditioning Games Lime Court Care Home is celebrating this week as they have been awarded a silver medal in the Winter Deconditioning Games.

The deconditioning games are all about encouraging older people to stay active, and raising awareness about the effects of deconditioning. This refers to the lower activity levels that people experience during long stays in hospital and the impact this has on their fitness.

The deconditioning games were set up to promote chair-based activity in care homes and encourage people to maintain their activity levels, to limit the effects of deconditioning.

The project, which is a collaboration between Prosper and Essex County Council, takes place on a fortnightly basis and involves five local care homes connecting virtually to take

basketball.

Residents have really enjoyed being a part of these sessions. Not only because the activities they take part in are fun, but because it’s also an opportunity to meet other people living in care homes in the local community.

These sessions have also had a very positive impact on the people living at Lime Court.

It has encouraged people to maintain their activity levels, whilst also increasing independence and social skills. Everyone looks forward to the session each fortnight and people always come away with smiles on their faces.

After the noticeable difference these sessions have made to the lives of the people they

part in activity sessions together. To support these sessions, each home was gifted with an

care for, Lime Court was awarded a silver medal by Prosper and Essex County council.

activity pack which included a boccia set, a rainbow parachute, dance ribbons and a floor

This is a wonderful achievement for a home achieving wonderful things!

Signature at Wimbledon Couple ‘Compose’ Classical Music Activity Club A couple living at local luxury care home, Signature at Wimbledon, have been using their love for classical music to bring residents together.

For more than a year and a half Justin and Susan Staples have been leading a ‘Classical Tuesday’ activity club.

Providing residents with the opportunity to unite and share in their passion for the music genre, this has proven to be a firm favourite amongst fellow residents.

Since the beginning, the classical music club has evolved from a core group of six, to now frequently welcoming new faces, including many of the activities team at Signature at Wimbledon. As we move past the pandemic period, Justin and Susan are excited by the prospect of more classical music fans at the care home joining them for their sessions.

Justin’s love for classical music developed from a young age. Whilst at boarding school he sang as a choirboy, and it was then that he first learned to read music. He also took piano lessons and, though he never became extremely skilled with the instrument, his awareness of the world of classical music in general was stimulated by the many records available to him, ranging from the Bandenbury Concertos to Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune.

Bitten by the musical bug, his love for the art snowballed hereafter. Although his journey took a different direction, embarking on a career in the Diplomatic Service, Justin took advantage of his overseas career to explore whatever musical opportunities were available to him during his travels across Europe and Asia.

From watching performances by Fischer-Dieskau and Segovia, the legendary guitarist, in Berlin, to witnessing Maurice Bejart’s eccentric opera productions in Brussels, for Justin this chapter of his life only furthered his love for classical music.

Arriving at Signature at Wimbledon two years ago, Justin quickly, and unexpectantly, found himself as ‘resident disc jockey’ at the care home, leading countless sessions for residents and cultivating a buoyant community of classical music lovers at Signature at Wimbledon.

When asked what his favourite classical music memory is, Justin said: “I am quite spoilt for choice, but if I really had to pick just one example it could be my first Rosenkavalier. It was the early 1960s Covent Garden production with the incomparable Schwarzkopf, one of only two occasions when I heard her in actual performance. An utterly overwhelming experience, and it was two days before I came back down to earth.”

Speaking about the importance of resident led activities at Signature at Wimbledon, Activity Supervisor at the care home, Katia Fonseca, said: “At Signature at Wimbledon we truly understand how important activities are for both the mental and physical wellbeing of our residents. We encourage all residents to get involve or support where they can, with many of our programmes shaped by our residents and their own interests, from current affairs to music, sport and history.”

Health and Safety Matters – Keep Up to Date The National Association for Safety and Health in Care Services ( NASHiCS ) focuses on all health and safety matters affecting the social care sector. The association has goes from strength to strength and has a growing membership across many providers and organisations covering the UK. Keeping up to date regarding Health and Safety matters is vital. The more you know, the more you can plan and the more you plan, the less you are susceptible in turbulent times.

Through the association you can Network with colleagues responsible for Health and Safety, share your own ‘best practice’ experiences and hear how others have overcome challenges.

Attend dedicated events, on health and safety at special member rates; and participate in national and local Networkers, Conferences and Seminars, in-person or virtual.

Advertise job vacancies free; and benefit from special member offers and rates from suppliers of goods services and equipment.

Receive regular update emails covering latest developments and safety alerts/news; while giving access to current information, links on key safety topics; and monthly our highly praised e-News.

Matters cover range from fire safety, training, infection control, lone working, falls prevention, first aid to stress, legionella, case law, regulation, people moving people and mock courts to mention just a few. See our website for report on past events – www.nashics.org We have national links with other organisations, government bodies and enforcement agencies. Our aim is to promote and improve safety and health in care practice by providing a sharing and networking forum for debate, and discussion.

Joining NASHiCS is a great and easy way to keep informed and aware. Health and Safety is an essential and matters to everyone involved with social care now and in the future.

Find out more – administrator@nashics.org | www.nashics.org | 07840 160 030

PAGE 26 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 98

Disparities Experienced by LGBT+ People in Adult Health and Social Care and The Importance of Creating Safe, Inclusive Spaces in Care Homes Evolve Care Group’s (www.evolvecaregroup.com) writer Beth Tingle, covers the life histories surrounding the organisations many care and nursing homes and the extraordinary people that live in them.

2022 marks half a century since the first Pride march in 1972 that took place in London. In the time that has passed since, activists have protested their rights to be accepted by society and reclaimed words used as offensive slurs such as ‘gay’ and ‘queer’ and turned them into proud terms that are now used to celebrate the community, but it wasn’t without a fight.

Many will remember the dark period of life that LGBT+ people were forced to live through under the infamous Section 28 act, imposed in 1988 during Margaret Thatcher’s premiership. The law prohibited the promotion of homosexuality, which incited an increase of homophobic abuse against an already largely marginalized community.

But the community were done being silent, and instead of being shamed back into the closet, people continued what those before them had done to so bravely break out of it. The Stonewall riots of 1969 was a defining moment in LGBT+ history which transformed the gay liberation movement and that wasn’t a moment people were going to let pass by. Thanks to continued activism, the section was eradicated in 2003 and in the years that have followed, societal attitudes have seen a major shift towards a much wider acceptance of the LGBT+ community. Although we still have a way to go, in the western world today, queer people are living proudly and openly with access to rights that protect them.

But what if the rich and powerful history this community are tied to becomes fragmented? What do we do when it becomes patchy and disjointed by our very own mind? What if you begin to lose those critical memories and with them your identity that is so strongly weaved into the fabric of them?

When a person living with a Dementia who was born in that first half of the 20th century reverts back to the mindset of their earlier years before all of this progress in history took place, they may become afraid the stigma that surrounded who they are back then now exists in the present. Dementia can act as a mode of transportation where the person living with it can be taken back to an era already lived out, and to all of the harsh ways of the world that hadn’t been unwronged just yet, such as homosexuality being classified as a mental illness you could be locked away for.

To prevent people living with us experiencing this, we invited Opening Doors, an LGBT+ focused charity, to partner with us and help support our training. The course was cocreated by the older LGBT+ community alongside health and social care experts and the content covered how we can create inclusive spaces for LGBT+ people entering the later chapters of their lives, spaces where people feel comfortable to express who they are.

We also invited illustrator, Eleanor Beer, along to the training, who sat and created the wonderful LGBT+

illustrations in this piece for our Connections Count magazines on IDENTITY and INCLUSION, delivering visual case studies that convey a greater understanding of the fears this community face, and the inclusive language we need to be using to make everyone in our homes feel comfortable and safe.

Just as importantly, we work towards further extending that safe space to our team members who identify as LGBT+. It is important that everyone under our roof is met with the same message: that your unique identity is something to be celebrated, and your gender identity and who you choose to be with is a huge part of that. When looking to build an inclusive environment, the priority is that our team members must feel at home in their place of work, and we do this by aspiring to create a culture of openness, honesty, and transparency.

We spoke to Katie, a team leader at Heanton Nursing Home, which is one of Evolve Care Group’s homes in Devon. Katie, who belongs to the LGBT+ community, gave us an insight to how the homes culture encourages equality.

“Heanton has always prided itself on looking after their LGBT+ community. Whether you are a member of the team or a family member living at Heanton, each and every one of us are treated as equals. There is no judgement or discrimination, and we all have a sense of belonging. At Heanton an environment has been created for team members and family members to be themselves and comfortable each and every day. We have all created personal identity boards which are placed around the home for the team and visitors to see. This gives everyone the opportunity to express who they are as an individual, to be confident within yourself and proud of who you are.”

We want to make sure we continue this important conversation and never allow for the people who choose our home as their own to experience anything but warmth and acceptance here. Our solution to creating an inclusive team is that our team members must feel at home in their place of work, and we do this by aspiring to create a culture of openness, honesty, and transparency that is felt by everyone living here.

Jay and Tina, who make up our welfare team are also at the other end of the phone 24/7 and are here to support those who want to talk about anything at all, sexuality included.

Visit https://www.connectionscount.org/magazine/ for more information on how we can create safe, inclusive spaces where people are liberated from the harmful stereotypes that confined them for too long.

We will always be an ally.

Car Crash Survivor Praises Lincolnshire Brain Injury Charity A newly qualified nurse who suffered a life-changing brain injury following a devastating car accident has praised a Lincolnshire charity for providing vital support during her recovery.

Headway Lincolnshire, which is celebrating its 35 anniversary this year, has been helping Claire Campbell, 46, from Lincoln, and her mother Marlene, who is now her daughter’s full-time carer, since the accident happened in 2001.

Claire, then aged 25, was driving on the A46 between Grimsby and Lincoln to collect her nurse’s uniform when she was involved in the crash.

Her car veered off the road down a 30-foot embankment and she smashed her head against the inside of the car, suffering a traumatic head injury.

Claire’s life changed within a split second; she spent the following five months in Lincoln County Hospital and was in a coma for nearly eight weeks. The accident and the resulting brain injury stopped both her career and her life in their tracks.

Over 20 years on from the car crash, Claire is living with the physical and cognitive side effects of her brain injury. Her mum Marlene, 73, is her fulltime carer as she has mobility issues and struggles to walk for long periods unaided. She also suffers from slurred and slow speech.

One thing Claire wants to raise awareness of is that brain-injured people often require more time to complete tasks.

“I always wear my sunflower lanyard when I’m out and about as a sign that I have a hidden disability,” she said.

“I also have my brain injury identity card from the National Police Chiefs Council which lists the problems I face: speech difficulties, memory loss, limited mobility and fatigue. On a good day I may be able to walk down the road on my own but in the past when people have seen me, I’ve been accused of being drunk because my walking isn’t stable. It’s so frustrating.

Brain damage isn’t visible.”

As she was recovering from her injuries in hospital, Claire got in touch with Headway Lincolnshire after spotting a poster on the ward promoting their services.

Since then, Claire and Marlene have both benefited from the support and contacts available through the charity.

Ann-Marie Smith, Co-Ordinator and Development Officer at Headway Lincolnshire, said: “What people often forget is that people with brain injuries led fulfilling lives before their injuries.

“Tragically Claire was on her way to pick up her nurse’s uniform and ended up on the very ward that she was supposed to be working on.

“It just takes one split second – and your life and the lives of those around you are changed forever.”

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

PAGE 30 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 98

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 98 | PAGE 31

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES Gailarde - Wholesale Supplier To MOWOOT II Combats Chronic Constipation 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.

MOWOOT II is a revolutionary non-invasive and nonpharmacological solution to chronic constipation.

Developed by a team of medical professionals, MOWOOT II delivers gentle abdominal massage that speeds up intestinal transit in people with chronic constipation.

Clinically proven and free from side-effects, MOWOOT II Chronic Constipation Therapy System fights constipation effectively, safely and comfortably without laxatives, enemas or colon cleansing supplements.

Comfortable during use, MOWOOT II treats and manages chronic constipation in people with spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s Disease as well as helps to combat medication-related constipation issues. MOWOOT II also fights chronic constipation in menopausal and post-menopausal women and elderly people.

In a published clinical study*, MOWOOT II increased evacuation frequency, softened stools, improved reg-

ularity, reduced gasses and bloating and relieved abdominal discomfort. Results showed that as many as 72.2% patients experienced increased bowel movements, 77.4% patients manifested reduction in constipation symptoms and 81.0% patients enjoyed better quality of life.

In just 10 to 20 minutes per day of abdominal massage with MOWOOT II, significant improvements were noted only days after the first treatment, whilst regular applications of MOWOOT II delivered positive health benefits and better quality of life.

MOWOOT II – effective, safe and comfortable solution to chronic constipation! *McClurg D; Booth L; Herrero-Fresneda I. Safety and Efficacy of Intermittent Colonic Exoperistalsis Device to Treat Chronic Constipation: A Prospective Multicentric Clinical Trial. Clin Trans Gastroenterology 2020; 11(12): e00267.

Contact Win Health Medical Ltd - 01835 864866 www.win-health.com

Herriot by Skopos – A Timeless Safeguard Your Care Home with InVentry Wool-Look Collection for Care Upholstery

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 protec-

tion 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 accreditation.

Tel: 0113 279 5854 | email: info@yeomanshield.com www.yeomanshield.com See the advert on page 10.

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.

PAGE 32 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 98

CATERING FOR CARE Carte D’Or Launches The Perfect Base To Create Flavour-Filled Desserts For Your Residents To Enjoy The key to a delicious dessert is the right ingredients. As a chef, you need quality, adaptability, and versatility, to create efficiency in the kitchen and variety on your menu. Carte D’Or have got you covered with all this and more, with their range of powdered dessert bases offering endless possibilities for your dessert menu.

Carte D’Or have teamed up with Aaron Watson, Head Chef at Primrose Bank Care Home and winner of the NACC Care Chef Of The Year 2021, to demonstrate just how adaptable, controllable and reliable their range can be.

Alongside Executive Chef at Unilever Food Solutions, Alex Hall, Aaron has created a series of recipes that are easy to create and will really impress. These include a refreshing ‘Eaton less Mess’, soft doughnuts, a classic baked Alaska and fruity strawberry ice cream – all made using the Carte D’Or Strawberry Mousse and perfect for a movie night or warm summers day.

Alex and Aaron have used the Carte D’Or Panna Cotta mix to make a rhubarb & custard, black forest, and raspberry panna cotta. All these recipes are quick, simple, and packed full of different flavours –

which is ideal when catering to various individuals’ preferences! Aaron commented: “You have to think of each resident as an individual, rather than thinking a dish will be suitable for everybody. You have to personalise it to each person”.

Finally, Carte D’Or Crème Brulée is used to make an apple tart, coconut crème caramel and the classic Queen of puddings. The latter utilising leftover ingredients such as breadcrumbs, which are usually seen to go to waste. It’s made in 4 simple steps; just whisk, mould, chill and serve your delicious pudding. The coconut crème caramel is a play on Aaron’s winning dish from the 2021 NACC Care Chef of the Year competition and he highlights the importance of having these exciting dishes for residents: “Obviously, the food we put on the plate is a really important part of the residents’ day to day lives, mealtimes are one of the main times of the day, where all the residents can come together and interact”.

To learn more and watch the full recipes visit www.ufs.com/cartedorincare

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 serving- would 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

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.

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 30...)

PAGE 34 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 98

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

PAGE 36 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 98

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.

PAGE 38 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 98

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

PAGE 40 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 98

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.

PAGE 42 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 98

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 98

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 98 | 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 98

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 98

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.

‘Work Smarter’ To Tackle Care Recruitment Crisis, Advises Bizimply The recruitment crisis continues to hit care homes hard. According to the latest ONS figures, to 31 March this year, vacancies in the health & social work sector, which includes care, stood at 216,000 – a 6.5% increase on the previous quarter and massive 65% up on the previous year. Care home owners and managers are learning how to run their business with a staff vacancy rate that is here to stay for a while.

Conor Shaw, CEO at workforce management specialists Bizimply, says: “Tackling the staffing crisis means ensuring your teams are working not harder, but smarter.

“Technology such as ours can be really helpful, allowing managers to create staff rotas and payroll easily and quickly, so they can spend more time with their teams, which raises morale and motivation. It can also

reduce the reliance on agency staff to fill the gaps.

“The other benefit is that managers can give staff members their shift patterns further in advance, putting an end to last-minute requests to work.

Improving your employees’ work-life balance can go a long way to making them feel more valued in their job and less likely to leave.”

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: 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 98 | 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

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

Support with claims

Guidance on risk management solutions including H&S and HR

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

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

PAGE 50 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 98

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

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 98 | PAGE 51

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