The Carer #36 Spring 2017

The publication for Nursing and Residential Care Homes www.thecareruk.com £1.75

SPRING 2017

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Issue 36 OTHER FEATURES

INSIDE

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ISSUE

Fire Safety Pages 20-21

Hygiene & Technology Nurse Call Infection Accessible Bathing Control & Software Alarms Pages 23-25

Pages 26-27

Page 28

Pages 29

Laundry Services

Patient Handling

Kitchen Design & Equipment

Pages 29-31

Pages 32-33

Pages 34-35

Editor's Viewpoint 2 22 Products & Services Dementia Care & Training 42-45 Property, Finance & 46-47 Professional For all the latest news follow us on Twitter @TheCarerUK

Social Care Must Be a General Election Issue

SOcial care must be a key issue in the forthcoming general election, sector leaders said. an ageing population has seen an increase in demand for adult social care services. However, since 2010, one in 10 councils have cut adult social care spending by over 25%, the institute for Fiscal Studies revealed earlier this month. © CQC/Joe D Miles - ImageCapture Spending fell by most on average in london (18 per cent) and metropolitan districts (16 per cent) covering city areas like greater Manchester, Merseyside and Tyneside, with spending cuts being larger in the north of england than the south.

The snap election provides a chance to decide how we look after the oldest and most vulnerable residents in the country, the Independent Care Group says.

Chair Mike Padgham said: “Social care is in crisis with 1.2m now living with an unmet care need, care homes and home care providers folding and a dire shortage of nursing and care staff.

“For the sake of our oldest and most frail and vulnerable people we have to provide a better future for social care and the General Election gives all politicians a golden opportunity to seize the moment and set out their future plans. We have to decide once and for all how we fund and deliver social care in this country as the

issue cannot be dodged any longer.

“This must be a General Election about care!”

The British Medical Association has also called on politicians of all parties not to duck the crisis in the NHS any longer Dr Mark Porter, BMA council chair said: “Health is always one of the most important issues for the people of this country and with the NHS at breaking point, having been put through one of the worst winters on record, it must be a central issue in the upcoming election. The NHS must not be pushed to the margins in the focus on Brexit. Consecutive governments have been in denial about the state of the NHS and when it comes to elections have chosen to use it as a political football. Our health and social care systems can no longer cope without urgent action. We call on politicians of all parties not to duck this crisis any longer, and instead to outline credible and sustainable plans that will safeguard the future of the fully funded and supported NHS that staff want and patients deserve.”

Sector leaders say social care is in the midst of a perfect storm of rising demand for care, falling funding from care commissioners, greater inspection and increasingly dire staff shortages.

It was recently reported that more than 900 adults social care workers a day left their job in England last year, some 338,520 in total during 2015-16. It is estimated that there is a shortage of 84,320 care workers at the moment.

Meanwhile, BBC’s Panorama programme revealed that 69 home care companies have closed in the last three months and one in four of the UK’s home care companies are at risk of going under.

"Providers can no longer offer care for the amount they are being paid by social care commissioners like local authorities," added Mike Padgham.

Care Homes to Celebrate Open Day on 16th June Once again care homes are planning to celebrate connections with their local communities. after a successful day of celebrating great care across the UK on care Home Open Day 2016, and with over 4,300 care homes taking part, the date for 2017 is confirmed as 16th June.

As Care Home Open Day’s emphasis is on the importance of connecting with local communities, developing lasting relationships and

encouraging intergenerational rapport, the theme for next year will be “Friendship” and as part of next year’s event, we will be celebrating Care Home Open Day in conjunction with The Big Lunch.

The Big Lunch, part of the Eden Project in Cornwall and an annual event, aims to get as many people as possible to share lunch together in an act of friendship that will encourage communities to connect and help to prevent isolation amongst those who may be living alone. It’s the

perfect recipe for having fun with your neighbours, feeding community spirit and helping to build stronger neighbourhood connections – so fits in nicely with the Care Home Open Day ethos!

Care homes are encouraged to celebrate friendships that have developed between residents, families, friends and staff, as well as with their neighbours, to reinforce how they should be an integral part of their local community.

Visit www.carehomeopenday.org.uk

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THE CARER

SPRING 2017

VIEWPOINT HellO anD welcome to the Spring issue of The carer!

I would firstly like to begin by welcoming new readers to our publication! To give our new readers a brief background we are a “freeto-trade” business publication for residential and nursing care homes - all proprietors, managers, and procurement professionals within the care industry - bringing news and views, EDITOR professional comment from industry experts, sharing news of awards, anniversaries, new initiatives. Plus, of course, a vast selection of products and services from industry suppliers and specialists which will assist in the running and profitability of your business. All that we would ask is that when replying to any of the advertisers in our publication, either directly or online, please mention that you saw their details in The Carer!

We would also draw your attention to our website www.thecareruk.com which is updated on a daily basis with the latest industry news, a business directory linking back to our advertisers' websites, with more professional comment and a great selection of products and services. I would also urge you to sign up for our digital newsletter which will bring you the latest news and views as it happens!

I would take this opportunity to draw your attention to the stories of our front-page. I’m sure I’m not springing any surprises when I tell you there is a general election looming. Whilst I am sure most of the attention will focus on Brexit, I expect social care to be one of the major battlegrounds.

Personally, I feel that Brexit is a done deal. We are leaving and it will all be about the negotiations, however, social care issues remain unresolved, and as our lead story states we are heading for the abyss.

900 social care workers leave the industry every day - a terrible statistic - and there is an estimated shortage of almost 85,000 care workers, again a terrible statistic.

We here at The Carer receive numerous uplifting stories from care homes, care industry suppliers, care organisations every day of the week. Wonderfully warm stories celebrating achievements, anniversaries, birthdays, awards, fundraising, new initiatives and ideas, and it is clear to see that many people in the industry really enjoy what they do. It is outrageous that underfunding leads to low remuneration and forces people out of a job they clearly enjoyed doing.

So I hope those fighting this general election focus on one of the most important issues facing the country - social care!

Watch out for our online survey at www.thecareruk.com in the lead up to the general election, and we would urge you to vote for what you consider the burning issues!

Peter Adams

If you have any interesting news articles that would be of interest to our readers please fax us your edit on 01202 552666 or email sales@thecareruk.com

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SPRING 2017

THE CARER

Improving Care Home Practices, Making Residents Safer THe waYS that care home staff change shifts and how they exchange information when coming on and off duty are widely thought to be crucial for ensuring safe, high-quality and dignified care for older people, according to new research by the Social care workforce research Unit, part of the Policy institute at King’s college london.

Based on interviews and observations with staff in five care homes in England, the research sheds light on what seem to be the most important things to take into account when organising shift changeovers, including clear communication; transparent and readily available written records; attention to confidentiality and respect for residents’ dignity; punctuality of staff; and making sure that staff value this part of their daily routine and are paid for it.

The researchers also found that some managers and registered nurses reported believing that handovers had additional uses, such as opportunities for team-building, ensuring members of staff were allocated appropriately, organising human resources, and training staff.

The study, which was funded by the Abbeyfield Research Foundation, comes at a time of significant policy interest in the financial sustainability of social care overall and of many care homes in particular. It argues that while there are care homes where practice is not good, there is also a need to acknowledge and celebrate good care homes and the people who work in them.

Ultimately, despite there being significant variation between care homes, the researchers suggest that residents’ wellbeing is consistently a primary concern for many frontline staff and their immediate managers.

‘We did not find evidence that one type of handover works any better than another,’ commented Professor Jill Manthorpe, the research team lead. ‘Care homes are not hospitals and what is required in a hospital setting may not suit a care home. Our study suggests the need for care homes to be clear about what they want from handovers and to do what works best for the home and its residents.’ This, she added, would be useful in telling residents’ families about the home’s routines and when talking to care home inspectors about the ways that they place residents at the heart of their work.

Newham Local Wins Care Home Worker of The Year FOllOwing HUnDreDS of entries from across all areas of the care community, the winner of care Home worker of the Year at Towergate’s care awards has been announced as local newham resident Janette neal.

The Towergate Care Awards celebrate individuals who demonstrate outstanding excellence in care, paying tribute to those people who go above and beyond to provide the best care every single day.

The Care Home Worker of the Year category recognises those people who play a pivotal role in caring for vulnerable members of society for anything from short term rehabilitation to helping preserve dignity for those in the later stages of life. Janette was selected as winner in the category in recognition of her hard work and overall commitment to the care sector.

Janette has been care manager at Sahara Lodge and Gardens since 2010, having started her career in 1993.

During her time at Sahara Care she has made a massive contribution to the services, launching the Day Care Centre in 2011 to meet the growing demands of the local community. It has been a massive success sup-

porting a number of people who were affected by the Government’s cuts to care.

Kirsty Wainwright-Noble from Towergate commented: “Janette’s story really stood out to us in the judging process. She demonstrates remarkable excellence in care and is truly deserving of this award and I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate her on her accolade.

Towergate has a longstanding relationship with many care organisations across the country, and it was a great pleasure to meet Janette and present her with her award.”

Speaking about the awards Janette Neal said: “I was extremely honoured to have been nominated for Towergate’s Care Worker of the Year award and I was amazed when my name was read out.

It means so much to me to be recognised in this way.

Providing opportunity, equality and inclusion for adults with learning disabilities is my oxygen and to be rewarded in this way was such a proud and humbling moment for me The caring sector can face some very negative criticism and this event showcased how many wonderful people there are out there who are really striving and making a difference in enhancing people’s lives.”

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THE CARER

SPRING 2017

Best and Worst Areas for Care Home Quality in England Revealed in New Research a STarK variation in the quality of care homes at a regional and local authority level across england has been highlighted by new research. The north west is the worst performing region in england when it comes to the proportion of satisfactory care homes, whilst london is the best performing region. in some areas such as Stockport or Salford, older people and their families face little choice of quality care, with 3 in 5 homes rated not good enough. That’s according to new analysis by independent age, the older people’s charity.

The key regional findings reveal: • The North West contains seven of the eight worst performing English local authorities on care home quality, with one in three care homes across the region performing poorly.

• The North West (33.6% of care homes performing poorly), Yorkshire and The Humber (32.2%) and South East (28.2%) are the worst performing regions of England for care home quality.

• London (20.3% of care homes performing poorly), the East of England (20.8%) and the South West (21.1%) are the best performing regions for care home quality.

The new analysis is based on CQC inspections of care homes which rate homes as either ‘Outstanding’, ‘Good’, ‘Requires improvement’ or ‘Inadequate’. The analysis regarded homes rated ‘Requires improvement’ or ‘Inadequate’ as being poor performers.

Performance at local authority level shows even greater variation. Five local authority areas have more than half of homes rated ‘Inadequate’ or ‘Requires improvement’: • Stockport – 62.9% of homes • Salford – 61.5% • Tameside – 54.8% • Manchester – 51.3% • Kensington and Chelsea – 50% In contrast, five local authority areas have less than 5% of homes rated ‘Inadequate’ or ‘Requires improvement’, including three that have no care homes with those ratings: • Isles of Scilly, Islington and Rutland – 0% • Richmond upon Thames – 2.3% • Thurrock – 2.9% And variation even with-

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in a single region can see older and disabled people living in neighbouring areas facing very different choices: • In Bury, which is in the North West, around 1 in 8 care homes in the local authority are rated ‘Inadequate’ or ‘Requires improvement’.

• But in neighbouring Salford, older and disabled people are faced with far fewer choices of quality care, with 3 in 5 homes in the local authority rated ‘Inadequate’ or ‘Requires improvement’.

Commenting on the findings, Simon Bottery, Director of Policy at Independent Age, said: “No one should be forced to live in an unsatisfactory care home but our analysis shows this is the grim reality in some parts of the country. The market is simply not providing a decent choice for older people and their families but there is little indication that local authorities or the government are giving the problem the attention it deserves. Money is likely to be one cause but not the only one. The government has an opportunity to address this in its upcoming Green Paper on social care but, in the meantime, councils must demonstrate that they understand the reasons for care home failures and are working to resolve them.”

Independent Age believes the drivers for care home quality variation includes factors such as low levels of funding by local authorities, low pay and difficulty recruiting staff, and the lack of a good support mechanism for improving care homes that are struggling.

The care homes market is now valued at nearly £16 billion. However, social care is facing a £2.6billion funding gap by 2019/20.

In order to improve quality in the market, Independent Age makes the following recommendations: • The Government must seek to tackle variation in care home quality in their forthcoming Green Paper on social care.

• In areas where there is a failure of quality, the Local Authority needs to understand the drivers for variation in the area and must do more to fulfil their Care Act duty to shape the local care market.

• Drawing on CQC data, Department of Health must understand what drives regional variation and demonstrate leadership on tackling variation in care home quality.

The briefing ‘Care home performance across England’ is part of an Independent Age campaign to improve the quality of care homes available to older people.

“Children Should Be Responsible for Their Elderly Parents Care” care MiniSTer David Mowat has indicated that there is a need to rethink how society deals with the care of its aging population, suggesting that Britons should look after their own elderly parents.

“We need to start thinking as a society about how we deal with care of our own parents,” he told the Commons Communities and Local Government Committee, according to The Daily Telegraph.

He highlighted that while parents care for their children, society does not take the same approach when it comes to care for the elderly.

Speaking at the local government select committee, he said that parents have as much of a responsibility in caring for their elderly parents as they do for their own children.

He said: “One of the things that has struck me as I’ve been doing this role is that nobody ever questions the fact that we look after our children — that’s just obvious.

Nobody ever says it is caring responsibility. It’s just what you do.

“I think some of that logic and some of way we think about that, in terms of the sort of volume of numbers that we are seeing coming down the track, will have to impinge

on the way we start thinking about how we look after our parents,” he said.

Tim Loughton, a former families minister, said his fellow Conservative made a “fair point” and highlighting that Mediterranean countries as an example where families have a “social structure” in place to care for elederly relatives.

However Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said the Government was pushing responsibility for social care on to families.

“These comments from an out-of-touch minister show how bad the social care crisis is,” he tsaid in an interview with a national daily newspaper.

“He would want the best care possible for his family, and millions of people are the same.

“This Government, rather than dealing with the problem, wants families to do it themselves. They need to get a grip.”

The Local Government Association has warned that if no fresh funds are allocated for the social care sector, then there is a need to be upfront with the public on the level of care that can be provided for the elderly. It said that a growing number of people in need of social care are being left stranded in hospitals.

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People Suffering with Dementia ‘Failed’ By Deprivation of Liberty Law THOUSanDS OF vulnerable people with dementia and learning disabilities are being detained in hospitals and care homes without the appropriate checks, due to a law unfit for purpose according to a law commission reoport.

Often those who lack the mental capacity to consent – like certain people with dementia or learning disabilities – need to be detained in a place like a hospital or care home when it is in their best interests. For example, a dementia patient may be kept in their care home to prevent them from wandering off, which could put them in danger. This is known as a deprivation of liberty and a proper authorisation process should be in place to ensure that this is done lawfully.

But since a landmark legal case in 2014, which widened the definition of who was subject to the “Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards”, local authorities have been under increased administrative pressures. As a result last year 100,000 people who required the authorisation did not receive it.

The Department of Health quickly recognised the issue, and asked the Law Commission – an independent body set up to reform the law – to review the legal framework to ensure suitable protections were in place.

Now in a new report published today, the Law Commission has offered its recommendations – proposing a new system designed to ensure that vulnerable people are no longer denied their rights.

Law Commissioner Nicolas Paines QC said: “It’s not right that people with dementia and learning disabilities are being denied their freedoms unlawfully.

There are unnecessary costs and backlogs at every turn, and all too often family members are left without the sup-

port they need.

“The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards were designed at a time when considerably fewer people were considered deprived of their liberty. Now they are failing those they were set up to protect. The current system needs to be scrapped and replaced right away.

“We know there are enormous pressures on health and adult social care at the moment and our reforms will not only mean that everyone is given the protections they need, but could also deliver a saving to the taxpayer.

That’s cash that can then be directly reinvested to support those most in need.”

Creating liberty protections for everyone The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) are a set of protections for adults who lack the mental capacity to consent to being accommodated in a hospital or care home for care or treatment. For example, they are intended to provide a check to ensure that it is right that someone with dementia is locked in their room overnight to prevent them wandering off into potentially dangerous situations.

The DoLS are also supposed to provide a means to challenge any such deprivation. This can either be by the family or patient.

In 2014 a Supreme Court decision, the Cheshire West decision, significantly widened the numbers of those vulnerable people considered to be deprived of their liberty.

As a result, health and social care services have been unable to cope with the huge increase in cases and the added administrative burden.

Applications have gone up dramatically with official figures showing that hospitals and care homes in England made 195,840 DoLS applications in 2015-16 – more than 14 times the 13,700 in 2013-14.

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Care Home Residents Send Dame Vera 100th Birthday Wishes reSiDenTS aT more than 50 care UK homes around the country recently joined forces to sing nostalgic songs and film a heart-warming happy birthday message for Dame Vera lynn.

As well as signing along to the iconic wartime song “We’ll Meet Again”, residents recorded a birthday greeting and shared their memories of how Dame Vera’s music lifted the nation’s spirits during the tough wartime years. A copy of the film was posted to Dame Vera and residents are hoping that she will enjoy being reminded of just how special her music was to so many people.

Marion Brigson, a resident at Priors House in Leamington Spa was one of the people who shared her memories on the film – she spoke emotionally about how she remembers listening to Dame Vera’s singing while sheltering from bombing raids and how the music used to ‘light them up’ during those dark days.

To her surprise, Marion was even featured on the national BBC news programme Newsnight

when their reporter came to the home to interview residents about their memories of Dame Vera Lynn.

Home manager at Priors House, Francine Summers, said: “We had a brilliant day celebrating Vera Lynn’s 100th birthday and the residents thoroughly enjoyed singing memorable hits from their younger years.”

One resident who particularly enjoyed the celebration at Care UK’s Mountfitchet House home in Essex was 95-yearold Joan McAdams. Like Dame Vera, Joan was also part of the Entertainment National Service Association (ENSA) and risked her life to boost morale and entertain the Allied Troops during the Second World War. Joan said: “Singing “We’ll Meet Again” brought back so many memories. It was a terrible time, but also one full of community spirit and camaraderie. In spite of the air raids and fighting, we always kept singing and dancing to keep the soldier’s spirits lifted during the darker times. The phrase “the show must go on” was our mantra!”

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THE CARER

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THE CARER

Lack of Social Care is Piling Pressure on Surgeries and A&Es alMOST 9 out of 10 gPs (89%) think reductions in social care are leading to extra pressures in their surgeries. even more (93%) think that the lack of social care is leading to extra pressure on a&es and contributing to increased delayed discharges from hospital.

A poll taken just before last months budget of over 1000 GPs reveals an overwhelming 92% of GPs think social care services are failing to give patients sufficient care. Currently at least 1.2 million older people and disabled people do not receive the care they need, a 48% increase since 2010. When people don’t get the basic care they need, they are more likely to fall into crisis and need more expensive medical attention.

Key findings include: • 9 out 10 GPs (92%) are not confident that social care services currently provide a sufficient level of care for patients.

• Almost 9 out 10 of GPs (89%) think reductions in social care have contributed to pressures in their surgeries and (93%) think this has led to increased pressures in A&E and contributed to an increase in delayed discharges from hospital.

• GPs also think that things are going to get worse, with 8 out of 10 GPs (81%) thinking care services would worsen over the next two to three years.

• Almost 9 out 10 GPs (88%) think that due to cuts to social care there is less care than just two years ago • Nearly 1 in 3 (31%) GPs thought that 1 – 5% of appointments could have been avoided if better social care was in place, another 30% thought 5 – 10%, and more than 1 in 10 (12%) thought as many as 21 – 30%.

Vicky McDermott, Chair of the Care and Support Alliance, said: “Our social care system is letting people and their families down by denying them basic care such

as help getting out of bed, getting out of the house or even having a fresh meal. More than a million people with difficult conditions are being denied the chance to live as well as they deserve.

“GPs are on the front line, a witness to what happens when you take basic care away from people – it damages their health and means they need more expensive care from the NHS. “ The Government needs to address the crisis in social care, which is resulting in the NHS picking up the tab and people not getting the care they need.”

The poll was commissioned by the Care and Support Alliance (CSA) – a coalition of more than 90 of the country’s leading charities – who are calling for a properly funded care system.

The coalition has warned that the Government’s attempts to increase funding into social care have been being inadequate and “a drop in the ocean” compared to what is needed. Social care funding has fallen by £4.6 billion, a third, over the last 5 years.

Hospitals are experiencing record delayed discharge, with delays because of a lack of home care increasing by 230 per cent from August 2010 to Dec 2016. Last year the NHS lost 650,000 bed days, costing the NHS up to £300 million (4). NHS Chief Simon Stevens last year highlighted: “The most immediate need is social care. If home care disappears and care homes close, A&Es are quickly overwhelmed. We need creative solutions.”

One in eight over 65s has some level of unmet need. In the UK, around one in three people rely on, or have a close family member that relies on, the care system.

Currently carers provide care worth £132bn, the equivalent to the UK’s total health care annual spend and over 2 million people have already given up work to care.

Residents’ Prayers Answered at Dundee Care Home reSiDenTS aT a care home in Dundee no longer need to worry about missing Sunday service, after dedicated staff created their own church in the home’s garden.

Bupa’s Balcarres Care Home, in Broughty Ferry, built an innovative ‘dementia village’ in its grounds in 2015, which includes a putting green, bus stop café, post office, grocers and thrift shop.

Now, the fully kitted-out chapel – complete with pews, an altar, stained glass windows made from colourful tissue paper and an organ – has been blessed and officially opened

by Reverend Fay Lamont Canon, who will also be holding some of the services.

The aptly-named Balcarres Church will open seven days a week to residents and staff and will also welcome members of the local community.

Lynn McLean, Home Manager at Bupa’s Balcarres Care Home, said: “We were first inspired to add the chapel to our dementia village as many of our residents enjoy visiting the local church where Rev. Canon holds her services.

“However, our residents that are living with dementia often forget they have been and request several trips to the church a day, which is difficult to accommodate.

“Having our very own church means that residents can now visit a chapel whenever they want, without needing to leave the grounds of the home, which can sometimes be a daunting experience for them.”

It has since proven to be a flourishing social hub which provides unique benefits to the residents of the home.

Lynn added: “The residents have really enjoyed being able to make use of the village and are looking forward to visiting the chapel.”

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THE CARER

SPRING 2017

Care Home Goes Dutch To Give Challenging CQC Inspection Reports Residents a Trip Down Memory Lane

Supplied by Hempsons - specialist legal adviser for the health and social care, life sciences, charity and social enterprise sectors. wait for the report - complain straight away. There is a separate two-stage THe cQc would have you believe it is, especially if you try complaints process and we have experience of it working very well. and use the boxes on their form. But you don’t have to. You The summer 2016 case of SSP Health Ltd – v- CQC has taken the Factual can write what you want to write on a blank sheet of paper Accuracy process one stage further now. In that case, a GP company comand this in itself can give your submissions clarity, force and pleted its Factual Accuracy response but the lead inspector made only miniweight. mal changes to the report. The company was not happy but the only The Factual Accuracy response is a provider’s main opportunity to right any wrongs. The CQC would have you believe that all you should be commenting on is where, for example, they have got the number of nurses wrong in your report, but actually this is your opportunity to challenge anything and everything, including the rating!

The ability to challenge the report, though, is no substitute for ensuring that on the day(s) of inspection, you give the inspectors access to everything they need to see and know, and if they don’t ask for something you think is obvious, then volunteer the information, because once the inspectors have ‘left the building’, the ability to provide further information is somewhat limited.

The Factual Accuracy response is not just about correcting typographical and grammatical errors, or inaccuracies in the number of nurses. It’s also about the tone and inferences that can be drawn in what is written and the way it’s written.

An inspection report is designed to be a fair and balanced reflection of the service on the day of the inspection. This can be unfortunate if you happen to have had several members of staff call in sick on the same day, so your reliance on agency staff is higher than usual. However, it can also be an opportunity to showcase how your organisation’s business planning, induction and training programmes kick into life and that staff sickness will not disrupt the organisation.

An inability to access information that is stored centrally at head office should be prompted by offers to visit head office, or to call someone at head office so that they can talk an inspector through a process. If information is not available upon request, or is not immediately visible, this needs to be addressed hea- on while the inspector is still in the building, as rectifying this after the event can be difficult.

Our experience in challenging CQC reports has been mixed. The first line of response is with the lead inspector. Some will respond well and many changes will be made. Others do not take kindly to what they see as criticism of their report and changes, if any, will be minimal.

Do make your submissions by reference to: • The Fundamental Standards • The CQC Provider Guide • The CQC Enforcement Guide Tell a story in your submissions. Explain how and why you do not consider that the description in the report describes your service and/or, notwithstanding any shortcomings identified, does not justify a particular rating, as it is not compatible with the Provider Handbook descriptions.

Don’t ever say that you are not funded enough to provide a particular level of service or that a report ‘isn’t fair’, but do use language such as ‘disproportionate’, especially if you think you have been scored harshly as a result of only one incident.

And so then what do you do? Until very recently our advice has been to lodge a complaint with the CQC complaints team at the same time as submitting the Factual Accuracy Response, and ask the CQC to consider the complaint and the Factual Accuracy Response in conjunction with each other. A dissatisfactory report can stem from a difficult inspection where a rapport was not established with the inspector.

The CQC ‘need to know’ Some inspectors don’t make the transition from provider to inspector, or have preconceived ideas about how they expect a service to operate. If providers don’t challenge the CQC, they are unlikely to establish quickly whether there are poor inspectors who need re-training or reallocating to different services.

If your experience on the day with an inspector is particularly bad, don’t

apparent route open to it (after a direct complaint to Steve Field!) was the ratings review process – a process that can only be used after publication of a report and where the only challenge is that the CQC has failed to follow due process.

The CQC would not reconsider, and the report was published, with a rating of inadequate.

The company sought to Judicially Review the CQC, and had a success, of sorts. While the case did not succeed on a technicality in terms of the way the challenge was brought, the Honourable Mrs Justice Andrews DBE was clear in her judgment “…there is an obligation on the CQC to carry out an independent review of a decision made in response to comments in the Factual Accuracy Comments Log, on a request to do so by an inspected entity, if the ground of complaint is that a fact-finding maintained in the draft report is demonstrably wrong or misleading”.

Crucially, therefore, for providers across the board, whether they be GPs, dentists, care homes or an NHS Foundation Trust (to name but a few), if as a provider, you remain dissatisfied with a CQC response to your factual accuracy comments and matters upon which you have clear evidence to the contrary of that stated within the draft report remain erroneous or misleading, then Mrs Andrews’ judgment is importing into the CQC process a new level of challenge.

Previously, if the CQC did not accept a provider’s submissions on the factual accuracy response, and intended to publish its report in any event, the only way for a provider to prevent this was by way of injunction via the Court system.

Mrs Andrews intimated that this was inappropriate and placed a disproportionate burden on the provider.

However, a word of caution. This is not an opportunity to have a second bite at the cherry. The Factual Accuracy check is not an opportunity to adduce evidence that wasn’t produced at the time of the report, and neither will this new ability to challenge.

It is, however, an opportunity to ensure that a provider’s factual accuracy submissions are taken into consideration, and if the CQC fails to adequately respond to them and amend the draft report accordingly, the provider should not be prevented from elaborating on its earlier submissions in order to demonstrate its point.

A key concern of Mrs Andrews was that the lead inspector in effect was the “sole arbiter” of whether any changes could be made, given that the ratings review process was a distinct and separate process based solely on process, not on evidence. Mrs Andrews is looking to the CQC to identify an independent person within the CQC itself, to apply common sense as well as professional expertise, to identify whether a grievance is legitimate or not about an inspector’s failure to amend a report.

Further, that a short delay in publication of the report, when fairness requires, might be necessary to ensure that irreversible damage to the reputation of the provider may ensue.

While this judgment relates to the report generated following the inspection of a GP practice, the principles set out by Mrs Andrews are sound and logical ones that will apply to any inspection report produced by the CQC and this judgment is therefore of equal importance to all providers.

Hempsons’ Adam Hartrick and Philippa Doyle regularly support both NHS and social care providers in challenging CQC decisions and we are delighted with the outcome of this case and Mrs Andrews’ declaration, as this should produce a real sea change in the approach to report drafting and the care that ought to be taken in ensuring accuracy.

STeVenage BaSeD Martin’s House is using ground breaking research from the netherlands to care for its elderly residents by creating a link to their past with a nostalgic shopping street – inside the home A leading care home is putting its elderly residents back on the street – but there won’t be an outcry as the occupants of Martin’s House in Stevenage are enjoying the experience.

Gold Care Homes, which runs Martin’s House, has built a traditional – village style – shopping market right inside the building.

According to Gold Care Homes, a highly accredited and award winning care facility – the project is taking the well-being and comfort of their residents to a whole new level by creating a nostalgic community experience.

The idea comes from a leading Dutch care specialist Eloy Van Hal. He developed a complete protected village near Amsterdam. Mr Van Hal’s methods call for elderly care homes to appear as close to the outside world as possible. The ‘Street’ project is expected to be adopted all over the world and a number of similar ‘streets’ are planned across the UK. Martin’s House is entering new territory by leading this initiative.

According to Ravi Gidar, Managing Director of Gold Care Homes, the residents wanted a 1950’s style street with a coffee shop, a greengrocer, a post office, sweet shop and a bookstall. “We’ve done pretty well,” says Gidar. “It’s a work in progress but we are all very proud of the results. We’ll keep listening to the suggestions from our people as the street grows. We want to create a vibrant community.”

The mini shopping area has been dubbed St Martin’s Square. However, Martin’s House is currently running a competition to come up with the most popular name.

“We have all enjoyed putting the street together. It’s been a lot of fun,” says Gidar but he stresses the very serious side to the idea.

“This will be the final home for most of our residents. This is about allowing residents to live in a safe world as close to normality as possible. That means having places to visit, to interact. It is also about developing physical activity and mental agility.

Gidar says the key is to ensuring residents are happy is to allow their individuality to shine through.

Care Boss Scoops ‘Young Entrepreneur of The Year’ Award care HOMe operator, Harnoop atkar, has been named ‘Young entrepreneur of the Year’ in a national awards ceremony at the House of commons.

30 year old Harnoop, Chief Executive of Oakland Primecare, won the accolade at the 11th Asian Voice Political and Public Life Awards last month. Oakland Primecare operates Woodland Grove care home in Loughton, Essex, and Hastings Court in Hastings, East Sussex.

Harnoop, who lives with his family in Chigwell, said the award was an honour to receive.

“I only realised I was a finalist when I got to the ceremony. To win was a real honour and I’m thrilled to have this recognition.”

The Asian Voice Political and Public Life Awards are given annually to individuals who have made a difference to their local communities. The judges recognised Harnoop’s skills as an entrepreneur, having successfully led a deal raising £30 million of investment to support Oakland Primecare’s next phase of growth, which will increase its number of beds from 152 to approximately 800.

“Harnoop’s key to success is he instils the values of treating the elderly with dignity and respect,” the judges said.

“We want to provide exceptional care for the elderly,” said Harnoop. “That is what we are all about as a company, and with our expansion we hope to provide that for many more people.”

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One in Ten Councils Have Cut Adult Social Care Spending by More Than a Quarter acrOSS englanD as a whole, spending by councils on social care per adult resident fell by 11% in real-terms between 2009–10 and 2015–16. Published figures suggest around six-inseven councils made at least some cut to their social care spending per adult resident, and one-in-ten made cuts of more than a quarter.

Spending fell by most on average in London (18%) and metropolitan districts (16%) covering urban areas like Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Tyneside. More generally, cuts were larger in the north of England than the south. Cuts were also larger, on average, in areas that in 2009–10: spent more on adult social care; had higher assessed spending needs; and were more dependent on central government grants.

These are among the main findings of a new report by researchers at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, funded by the Health Foundation, which analyses official spending data on councils’ social care spending.

Other key findings include: • There remains significant variation in councils’ social care spending across the country: spending was less than about £325 per adult resident in a tenth of council areas, while it was more than about £445 per adult resident in another tenth of council areas in 2015–16. That’s a difference of more than a third.

• Councils where there are relatively more people over pension age (particularly those entitled to means-tested benefits), and where levels of disability benefit claims and deprivation are higher, tended to spend more on social care. Higher local earnings levels are also associated with higher levels of social care spending.

• Even so these ‘spending needs factors’ only explain a small proportion of the

variation in spending across councils. Indeed, councils’ ‘scores’ in the last official needs assessment in 2013–14 can only explain around 13% of the variation in what they actually spent on social care per person in 2015–16.

• In part, this may reflect inaccuracies in that needs assessment, and the fact that by 2015–16, the assessment was two years out of date. But it will also reflect that given similar needs, different councils are likely to make different trade-offs between spending on adult social care and spending on other services. And they have different overall budgets (from council tax, business rates, and grants) from which to fund their service spending.

• In addition to council spending, care recipients often contribute towards the cost of their care through fees and charges. These raise an average of £63 per adult resident, but the amount varies widely: one-in-ten councils raise less than £35 per adult resident, while a further one-in-ten raise £95 or more.

• However, there is no clear relationship between local authorities’ own spending and fee income. It is not the case that all high spenders charge lower fees, nor that all low spenders rely on high income from co-payments to meet costs.

“The spending cuts analysed in our report have been accompanied by a substantial fall in the number of people receiving social care: down 25% across England, between 2009–10 and 2013–14 alone.” said Polly Simpson, a research economist at the IFS and an author of the report. “Cuts have therefore been delivered, in part, by removing care from many people, with those still receiving care presumably those with the highest needs.

What all this means for the quality of care received, the welfare of those no longer receiving care, and other services like the NHS requires further research to answer.”

7 Care Employers Pledge Their Support For Apprenticeships Employers celebrate apprenticeships during National Apprenticeship Week SeVen care sector apprenticeship employers have embraced national apprenticeship week 2017 and demonstrated their commitment through a series of apprenticeship pledges. The employer pledges have been shared as part of a promotional drive by lifetime Training to celebrate all that apprenticeships offer to businesses, and their employees, in england.

Minister for Apprenticeships and Skills, Robert Halfon, said: “National Apprenticeship Week is the highlight of the apprenticeships year – it showcases the best of the best and celebrates the positive impact apprenticeships and traineeships have on learners and employers.

“There really has never been a better time to be an apprentice. I congratulate Lifetime Training for getting involved, giving people a chance to climb up the career ladder and get on in the world of work.”

One of the largest community-based social care providers in the UK, City and County Healthcare Group, has been running apprenticeships with Lifetime for almost four years. They pledged: “We pledge to deliver 500 apprentices in care and leadership.”

Max Wurr, Director of Policy and Communications, City & County Healthcare Group explained: “We feel it’s important to offer our employees, who provide in-home care across the country, with opportunities to develop their skills and confidence through apprenticeships. We are proud to support National Apprenticeship Week 2017 as it is a great time to celebrate the achievements of not only our apprentices, but apprentices everywhere.”

Advance has been working together with Lifetime since 2016 and agreed to: “Support our learners to be the best they can be.” Advance has taken this a step further and shared a short film on YouTube demon-

strating just how committed they are to apprentices and their apprenticeship programme.

Apprenticeship pledges range from simply demonstrating support for apprenticeship training to committing to volume sign-ups: “We pledge 240 apprenticeship starts between April 2017 - April 2018 and we will recruit 8 new apprentices.” – Dimensions “We pledge to deliver 500 apprentices in care and leadership.” – City and County Healthcare Group “We pledge to deliver all training needed by our staff, without being constrained by the monies in our levy pot.” – Graham Care “Supporting apprentice carers to achieve their aspirations with HC-One.” – HC One “To support all our apprentices.” – Eden Futures “Support our learners to be the best they can be.” – Advance “To ensure we continually discuss, champion and promote apprenticeships with all our staff and to celebrate our staff successes and completions throughout 2017.”

– Hartford Care Alex Khan, CEO at Lifetime Training, commented: “With employers now firmly in the apprenticeship driving seat, following apprenticeship reform, it makes sense for employers to join the government in demonstrating their commitment to apprenticeships and upskilling the workforce of the future.”

In addition to the employer pledges, Lifetime engaged with apprentices and to date has generated over 1000 photo and video career goal ‘selfies’ to mark the week.

To find out more about bespoke Lifetime Training workforce skills development programmes visit www.lifetimetraining.co.uk.

PAGE 9

Literature Lover Celebrates Centenary a wOrlD war Two nurse with a passion for poetry has celebrated turning 100 at a Dunfermline retirement housing development.

Mary Wright McKean, now a tenant at Bield’s Gillie Court, was born in Edinburgh where she worked as a librarian, civil servant and as a nurse during the war.

Her time as a nurse is full of historical memories. Working at Bangour Hospital, in West Lothian, Mary aided in the innovative early work of reconstructive plastic surgery.

Each night Mary, a loyal Hearts FC fan, would travel back to her home in Slateford within the earshot of the cheers of Tynecastle and one evening grabbed a

memorable lift with General Charles De Gaulle back into Edinburgh during the Blackout.

Notably, Mary spent time during the war working as a nurse in a military hospital in Drymen – where she would serve meals to imprisoned war criminal, Rudolf Hess.

Mary celebrated her action-packed life so far with two parties at Gillie Court, with friends, family and fellow tenants all in attendance.

When asked her secret to longevity Mary cheekily answered: “If we all knew that we would all live to over 100!

“But I definitely think everyone could do with worrying a little less.”

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Care Home Catering Solutions – Pearl Adds Another String to Her Bow Considering the Dining Experience The Dining experience Human beings have a complex relationship with food.

Food provides us with the nutrients we need for energy, recovery and health. But food means much more to us than fuel. That’s because food and eating are central to many of our most cherished social rituals. Research undertaken for TheKnowledge confirmed that a special meal or dinner was by far the most popular way of celebrating a special event in life like a birthday or an anniversary. Even an everyday cup of tea and a snack with a colleague or friend can brighten up a morning.

It is hardly surprising, therefore, that our eating behaviour is strongly influenced by our social context. Several recent studies demonstrate that we eat differently when we eat with others. And this has a direct impact on our physical and emotional health.

This is partly down to the phenomenon of ‘modelling’ or behaving in a similar way to those around us. So, for example, several studies have shown that we will eat at a similar speed, and consume a similar amount as those around us. And this modelling will occur irrespective of whether or not we know our fellow diners, how hungry we are, what our current health goals may be, or how old we are.

The social aspects of eating Research has shown than being part of a group is, in itself, a rewarding experience. Eating with others also enhances our enjoyment of food. And, if those around the table say how much they like their meal, a positive feedback loop ensues, which further amplifies our enjoyment and improves our attitude to food per se.

“People eat more when they eat with each other,” says Catherine Thompson of NHS England. “Social isolation is a real de-motivator for eating, particularly in older people.”

So, you could say that eating with others can be as important as adding more nutrients to your diet. As well as helping you to eat amply and healthily, a social situation stimulates the mind and makes meals more enjoyable. Yet many people, and particularly the elderly, are not able to benefit from sharing mealtimes with friends or

family. It is estimated that a third of people over the age of 70 in the UK eat alone every day. And, for one-in-seven older people, Sunday lunch is the loneliest time of the entire week.

The environment, appetite and eating The social aspect of eating is not just an issue for community-based care. It is also a big consideration for residential care and hospital environments too. Ensuring that people are Eating for Health means recognising the importance of the eating environment, and paying attention to the ambience and layout, as well as the quality of the food being served.

So how can health and social care providers create the right combination of environment and food? Professor Martin Green, Chief Executive of Care England, believes it all starts with a person-centred approach. “We want people to see having a meal not as a necessity but as a joy.

Dining rooms need to be welcoming, with every detail designed to give the individual resident the best possible experience.”

Providing smaller tables, making it easy for people to eat with their friends or allowing them to choose to eat with their care assistant and then join friends for a coffee after dinner are some of the ways providers can make mealtime more enjoyable for everyone. “You get the most enjoyment when you share food and drink with other people,” concludes Martin Green.

Ellen Brown, Divisional Manager for apetito Care Homes agrees; “The dining experience is as important as the food in a care setting. Allowing residents to eat together is an important part of the apetito experience.

We work closely with our partners and customers to create a bespoke dining experience –including seating, menus, branding – as well as great food which means everyone has the opportunity to dine with dignity and enjoy a good meal every day.”

‘TheKnowledge: Eating for Health’ is the second in a series of white papers by apetito exploring some of the key health and nutrition challenges facing the health and social care sector. Download the latest report at www.apetito.co.uk

National Association for Safety & Health in Care Services Awards Open FOllOwing THe success of its previous awards, naSHicS is pleased to announce this year’s Safety in care awards awards are open.

NASHiCS is looking for nominations from across the UK. These prestigious awards are open to everyone who works in the social care sector, both members and nonmembers of NASHiCS. If you know of someone whose dedication deserves recognition, nominate them now for one, or more of the three categories that applies to them.

The three categories are as follows:

• Individual of the year award; • Learning and training award; • Best practice award.

Nominations should be submitted no later than TUESDAY 4th JULY 2017.

Finalists will be selected for each category, and the winners will be announced at the Safety in Care Awards Dinner on the eve of Tuesday 12th September 2017 as part of our National Conference titled “The Fair Way to a Safer Way” held at the Hellidon Lakes Golf and Sap Hotel, Northamptonshire.

For further information on how to enter please visit: www.nashics.org

an 85-Year-OlD care home resident living with dementia has been enabled to learn the basics of violin and play her first live concert with a community music group.

Great great grandmother Pearl Durrant, who has never played a musical instrument before, only began practising with Bournemouth University’s BUDDY orchestra in January this year.

Led by three local professional musicians, the group involves 20 players and carers who are living with dementia at home or attending day centres.

Pearl is the only member who lives in full-time residential care. She is a resident at Linden House, Colten Care’s specialist dementia care home in Lymington, Hampshire.

Since January, Pearl has been accompanied by Colten Care Activities Organiser Fiona Pritchard to and from the group’s weekly practices in Bournemouth.

The culmination was a one-hour lunchtime public concert at the University’s Poole House atrium under the direction of conductor and double-bass player Andy Baker, John Murphy on viola and Fiona’s husband Kevin Pritchard on piano and French horn.

Pieces included Ravel’s Bolero, Habanera from the Bizet opera Carmen and the theme tunes from Jaws, The Archers and Desert Island Discs.

Andy, who guided the group with a flip-chart of basic notation, said: “We do a lot with percussion and repetition and Pearl is happy to try solos and is certainly exploring the instrument. It’s about the musical experience but there is also a big social and pastoral element too. Pearl always approaches us with a beaming smile.

She wants to be part of the group.”

Speaking after the performance, Pearl, a former nurse from Coatbridge near Glasgow, said: “I really enjoyed it.

It was great fun.”

Launched two years ago as an Arts Council-funded research project, BUDDY’s key aim has been to gauge the extent to which people with dementia can learn something new.

Michelle O’Brien of the University’s Ageing & Dementia Research Centre said: “Everyone respects and supports one another and feels very much part of a group. Some may attend unsettled or not knowing what to expect but they leave looking and feeling happy. They have a sense of pride having expressed themselves by playing an instrument, clapping, humming, dancing or just listening.”

Care Home Teams Step into Resident’s Shoes To See How Dining Experiences Are Seen MOre THan 30 guests working in a care setting gathered at Unilever Food Solutions (UFS) in leatherhead for the first Best Practice in care catering event. The interactive session put attendees in residents’ shoes to show how important positive dining experiences are to quality care.

The session – held during Nutrition and Hydration Week (13-19 March 2017) – was led by Sylvie Silver, executive director of NAPA (National Association for Providers of Activities for Older People) and Paul Wright, UFS elderly care development chef.

Sylvie Silver said: “Mealtimes aren’t just about nutrition, they’re key social occasions too. And like any meaningful activity, care needs to be taken to ensure individual needs are taken into account. And that all starts with seeing things from their point of view.”

At the start of the event, guests were given a pair of glasses to replicate visual impairments common among elderly people, such as tunnel vision and cataracts, before being welcomed into a drab dining room, complete with an aroma of boiled cabbage. A striking example of a bad setup.

Guests were surprised at what residents in poor care settings saw, or in some instances didn’t. With white table cloths, white crockery and white food the results were shocking.

Attendees were then taken through a detailed session with Sylvie Silver. This session highlighted the importance of mealtimes as an activity and how these can be improved for residents.

Paul Wright said: “Pleasant dining experiences are a big part of good quality care and a major factor when people come to choose a home – quite rightly. This session showed just how important a good dining setup is and our guests have left brimming with practical ideas, which is great.”

Guests were then taken back to the ‘live’ care setting which had been transformed with fresh flowers, a colorful backdrop, new crockery and aromas of freshly brewed coffee, a stark contrast to the setting displayed earlier.

To end the day, guests were treated to a masterclass in care cooking which focused on how stronger taste, fortification and ‘grazing’ snacks can be used to help boost nutrition in elderly residents.

James Clear, hotel services manager, Care UK said: “The day was fantastic. The atmosphere alone has been engaging and has provided a great opportunity to share best practice. The good and bad settings were a real eye opener.”

The session was inspired by Care Quality Commission (CQC) guidance and covered a wide range of elements, including ways to improve the dining space and culinary techniques to help boost residents’ nutrition.

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Subsidisation Not the Answer To Fragile Care Market’ Says Colten Care CEO THe cHieF executive of a South coast care home provider has sought to reassure residents and their families after a parliamentary report on adult social care highlighted fragility and unfairness in the market nationally.

Mark Aitchison of familyowned Colten Care said he agreed with the MPs’ call for a more sustainable funding solution to meet the care needs of the ageing population given that many care providers were shown to be regularly topping up or ‘subsidising’ local authority fees with payments from people who fund their own care.

But he said that Colten Care, which runs 20 homes with 1,000 residents, did not operate any such subsidisation policy as it was unfair to those who had planned for and saved towards their care costs in later life.

The cross-party report, by the Communities and Local Government Committee, identified several care providers that have recently been advised by councils to subsidise fees for social services placements by charging higher rates for private clients receiving essentially the same accommodation and services.

As well as being unfair in itself, the MPs said subsidisation risked polarising the market as providers in more

affluent areas would find it easier to charge higher rates to private payers than those in poorer areas.

Mark said: “The country certainly faces a major challenge regarding the provision of elderly care but people shouldn’t feel subsidisation is the case with all operators.

Those like us, who don’t rely on social services funding, aren’t affected. Well over 90 per cent of our residents are privately funded and we work very hard to avoid subsidisation. We fundamentally disagree with the principle of residents funding other residents’ care needs. At Colten Care, you can be totally confident that all of your fees are charged in respect of your own individual care.

Subsidisation is unfair to private fee payers who may have worked all their lives to amass assets to pay for their own care. For them to go on to find that a percentage of their fee is going to support other people’s needs is just plain wrong.”

Mark added that in circumstances where a privately funded Colten Care resident was becoming ‘capital depleted’ – in other words they have reached the capital threshold to pay for care and are therefore in need of social services contributions – a solution was always embarked on to try and enable them to continue living in their care home of choice through negotiation with the local authority and family members.

Mark said: “We are proud that no-one living in our homes subsidises anyone else. At the same time, we agree with the MPs’ headline call for a properly funded care system nationally that is fairer, simpler and sustainable to meet the needs of our ageing population.”

Not Enough People Willing To Work In The Care Sector? It’s Just A Myth! in nOVeMBer, i attended the northern long Term care conference in leeds. it was a great event and i met some inspirational people that are working hard to improve care delivery in the UK. There was one challenge that everyone wanted to talk about though; recruitment & Staffing issues.

Attracting the right people and then successfully managing the recruitment process efficiently is a real struggle for most busy Care Home Managers and Owners. It’s hard to write compelling job adverts and then find the time to research which channels will produce the best results when you’ve got 101 other things to do.

Recent information from the National Minimum Data Set (NMDS) suggests there are 85,000 open vacancies every single day, which is great news if you run a staffing agency. High agency costs combined with the challenge of finding the right people to fill your vacancies not only eat away your profits, they affect the CQC's view of your ability to deliver continuity and quality of care. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Six weeks ago, The Care Hub ran a pilot project with

CareTech Community Services Ltd. 36 vacancies from various locations around the UK were advertised and managed via our online platform, since then we've generated some amazing results.

CareTech have received over a thousand applicants with a third suitable for the advertised role and another 13% for different roles across the business. That's 456 suitable candidates for just 36 jobs and I know we’re just scratching the surface. So, not enough people willing to work in care? Over a thousand applicants in just six weeks tells you that it’s just a myth.

Our mission at The Care Hub is to help Care Home providers of all sizes, take control of their recruitment and cut their agency spend. Our system allows you to easily place ads, manage your recruitment process and generate better candidates, in just a few clicks.

Article by Scott Sherriden Managing Director The Care Hub www.thecarehub.com See the advert on page 12.

PAGE 13

Staff at Hampshire Care Home Raise £2,500 For Colleague KinD-HearTeD residents and staff at a Hampshire care home have raised thousands of pounds for a much-loved colleague who has been diagnosed with lung cancer.

Graham Bishop, and his wife Pat, who both work at Colten Care’s Belmore Lodge in Lymington, were overcome with emotion after being presented with a £2,500 cheque by Home Manager Janie Pearman.

Graham, 64, a domestic supervisor, said: “Words can’t express how much this means to me. Each and every one of you have contributed something towards my recovery.

“I feel that all the love and support that has been shown towards me has helped me through my treatment and some of the really dark moments.”

Graham, who has worked at Belmore Lodge for more than seven years, was first diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer last June.

After the initial shock, colleagues, led by Janie, decided to raise money for Graham by launching a series of fundraising initiatives.

They included a sponsored abseil at Portsmouth’s Spinnaker Tower as well as selling hampers, organising a quiz and holding a raffle. Colten Care also made a sizable donation.

Presenting Graham with the £2,500 cheque, Janie said the efforts of staff, residents and relatives had demonstrated the true spirit of Belmore Lodge.

“I can’t thank everyone enough for their kindness. Janie has been a wonderful, supportive and encouraging manager,” said Graham.

Stroll Down Memory Lane for Worsley’s Elderly elDerlY worsley residents have been researching their past as part of a Salford Museum reminiscence activity.

Rations, the War and how life has changed were some of the topics being discussed by residents at Alderwood Care Home, on Simpson Road.

The Memory Matters service provides a mixture of photos, diaries, news clippings, displays and other assorted items to help elicit residents’ memories.

Roy and Rose Healey, who married in March 1956 and recently celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary, enjoyed taking a stroll down memory lane together.

Roy said: “I was looking at the ration book and we were discussing

what it was like to grow up on rations. We used to collect green shield stamps and we’d spend hours looking through the catalogues deciding what to buy.”

Rose added: “We don’t know how lucky we are today with all the choices we have.”

Alderwood Care Home uses the Salford Museum service regularly, as the activity has proven beneficial for residents.

Cher Jarvis, home manager, said: “The service encourages independent viewing – so the residents do their own research.

“It’s a great resource to prompt conversation and interaction through recognition of objects that elicit memories.”

New Objectives to Target Inequality in Health and Social Care THe cQc has published ambitious new equality objectives for 2017 – 19. Despite progress on equality, people from some equality groups are still less likely to receive good quality health and social care, they say.

The new objectives for the next two years focus on our regulatory role in improving equality. Through inspections, the CQC will check that providers make personcentred care work for everyone, from all equality groups – for example for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people using adult social care or mental health inpatient services.

They will look at how they are meeting the new Accessible Information Standard, which applies to disabled people who have information and communication needs, for example, deaf people or people with a learning

disability, and will also ensure that we communicate with everyone who contacts us in a way that is accessible for them.

They have also set an objective to look at reducing barriers and improving access to primary care for migrants, asylum seekers, Gypsies and Travellers, to help address their poor health outcomes, and will also look at how people in specific equality groups are supported on referral, transfer between services – including adult social care services and health services – on discharge from hospital and in primary care.

The objectives also focus on the leadership that is needed in health and social care services to ensure equality, as there is a strong link ink between equality for staff and good quality care. This builds on learning from inspecting the Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) in hospitals.

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THE CARER

PAGE 15

Councils Need “Full Flexibility” Over David Baddiel On Dementia: Why New £2 Billion Social Care Funding We Made the Trouble with Dad… cOUncil leaDerS are calling for “full flexibility” in how they use the £2 billion in new social care funding announced in the Budget, ahead of guidance due to be published by government on how it should be spent.

The Local Government Association, which represents more than 370 councils in England and Wales, also says that while the money will make a significant contribution to protecting services that care for older and disabled people, particularly in 2017/18, it is not enough to address the wider pressures across the sector, nor is it planned to continue after 2019/20.

Government is currently in the process of drawing up guidance for councils on how the money is spent.

While there is an expectation that the funding should be used to reduce the immediate pressures on the NHS, the LGA is clear that councils, who are best placed to understand the needs of their communities, should remain free to determine which social care services should be targeted.

With hospitals accounting for one in five of social care referrals, other areas of social care are also under great pressure and in need of adequate funding.

These include services that support people with physical and learning disabilities, and people with mental health conditions.

The funding announced in the Budget will help councils in the short-term, but the LGA warns the social care system remains in need of a massive overhaul if we are to deliver a long-term sustainable solution to how we care for people.

It says the Government’s social care green paper is “the last chance to get this right”, but must have the involvement of local government leaders.

Cllr Izzi Seccombe, Chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board, said:

“The £2 billion of extra funding announced over the next three years for social care, while not the solution to the crisis, is a significant step towards helping councils plug some of the social care funding gaps they face in the coming years.

“But we want assurances from ministers that councils will retain full flexibility to decide how best this money is used, so we can provide much-needed care and support for our older and disabled residents.

“Councils know where the pressures are in their local areas better than anyone else. It is also essential that there are no delays in releasing the money so that councils can provide extra care and maintain the services that would otherwise have been cut.

“Reducing pressures on our hospitals is important, but we must also remember that social care is about much more than just freeing up hospital bed space.

“It is about providing care and support for people to enable them to live more independent, fulfilled lives, not just older people, but those with mental health conditions, learning and physical disabilities.

“The funding announced in the Budget is just a starting point. It is critical that the Government’s Green Paper on social care includes local government leaders playing a central role in finding a long-term solution that reforms and fully funds our care system.

“This is essential if we are to do more than just help people out of bed and get washed and dressed but ensures people can live independent, fulfilling lives in the community, and relieve pressures on care providers and avoid widespread failure amongst organisations providing care.

“With councils facing further funding pressures and growing demand for support by the end of the decade, this is the last chance we have to get this right.”

Well Careplus Proven To Improve Quality And Efficiency Of Residential Care reSearcHerS aT cardiff University have found that well careplus’, well Pad, reduces administrative tasks in care homes by up to 65 hours each month.

The technology allows staff to spend more time on faceto-face resident care, which would ordinarily cost care homes an extra £1,400 per month.

Results of the study of 66 care homes using the medicine management tool showed that staff previously devoted up to 300 hours each month on paperwork and associated administrative tasks. Use of the Well Pad reduced this time dramatically, by up to 60%.

The Well Pad remains the only technology driven medicines management system capable of delivering

time efficiency savings of up to: • 30% for daily medicine administration • 70% reduction in prescription ordering • 70% reduction in booking in process • 70% reduction in overall end of month process Shiraz Khan, Head of Well Careplus, said: “From speaking to care home managers, we know that the traditional paper-based processes used to manage medicines in the vast majority of care homes, are outdated and arduous. Our technology is proving to dramatically reduce the amount of time being spent on medicine management” For more information, please visit www.well.co.uk/WellCareplus, call 03302 23 24 25 or email careplus@well.co.uk.

cOMeDian DaViD Baddiel said his father’s dementia created a “cartooning” of his personality and an “exaggeration” of who he had been before symptoms developed.

In an exclusive post written for Alzheimer’s Research UK’s blog, the 52-year-old added that his father, Colin, was far from an “empty object of pity” and this was why he felt justified to film him for an upcoming documentary.

The Trouble with Dad, which airs on Channel 4 on Monday, was filmed over the course of a year, and charts David and his brother’s attempts to care for him. Colin, 82, is living with a form of frontotemporal dementia, known as Pick’s disease, that has affected the part of his brain that controls personality and behaviour.

The brave approach has been welcomed by Alzheimer’s Research UK, the UK’s leading dementia research charity, which encourages open discussion of dementia to improve understanding.

David wrote: “What happened when my dad got Pick’s disease was a kind of cartooning of self, an exaggeration of who he’d always been. And, to some extent, this was why I thought it was OK to put him on film. This doesn’t make him easy. It doesn’t make the tragedy of an intelligent man having dementia any less. But it does, at least, change the narrative. It makes him a star.”

Tim Parry, Director of Communications at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “This revealing approach to dementia awareness will hopefully encourage wider dialogue about the condition, and educate around the impacts of a lesserunderstood form of dementia.

“While some symptoms overlap, a person with frontotemporal dementia will generally show very different symptoms to someone with Alzheimer’s disease. Many people still believe dementia is simply about memory loss, but this documentary will confront that misconception and reveal a far more complex picture.

“We welcome David sharing his reasons for making the documentary for us ahead of its airing. It’s vital that there is better public understanding around the complexity of dementia. The sharing of personal experiences like David’s will help support the societal shift needed towards acceptance and inclusion of people affected by it.”

Finalists for NACC Care Chef Of The Year 2017 Confirmed THe line-UP for the grand final of the national association of care catering (nacc) care chef of the Year 2017 competition has been announced.

The prestigious culinary competition seeks out the UK’s best chef working in the care sector. Following six exciting regional heats, 12 talented chefs, who demonstrated exceptional culinary skills, creativity and knowledge in this specialist field of catering, are preparing to go head-to-head for the coveted title.

They each produced innovative, mouth-watering twocourse menus live in front of a panel of expert judges and stood out for their nutritional understanding of the foods being used, as well as culinary flair in flavours, execution and presentation, to secure their places in the final.

The national final takes place on Wednesday 7 June at Barking & Dagenham College’s Technical Skills Academy.

The 2017 NACC Care Chef of the Year finalists are: Callum Chapman, The Close Care Home, Burcot • Paul Criggall of Turning Point Smithfield Services, Manchester • Glenn Francis of Abbeyfield Ballachulish • Craig Handley of Sunrise Senior Living of Cardiff • Roger Heathcote of Signature at The Miramar, Herne Bay • Adam Hedges of Sunrise of Mobberley • David Higgins, Brendoncare Foundation, Wincester • Simon Lewis, Gracewell of Frome • Peter McGregor of Perry Manor, Worcester • Martin McKee of The Hawthorns, Aldridge • Stuart Middleton of Meallmore Lodge Care Home, Inverness • Sam Nurse of Coombe Hill Manor, Kingstonupon-Thames

Neel Radia, national chair, NACC, comments: “The NACC Care Chef of the Year competition is a fantastic platform to showcase the incredible skills and knowledge of chefs working in the care sector. From ensuring meals are nutritionally balanced and beneficial, through to catering for individual needs such as special diets, cultural requirements, reduced appetites and eating difficulties caused by conditions such as dementia and dysphagia, there is an awful lot to consider when creating delicious, appealing menus. The competitors in the regional finals demonstrated the highest standards of excellence and understanding of this specialist area of catering. Congratulations to the finalists. From what we’ve seen so far, it’s going to be a closely fought and exciting final. I wish them all the very best of luck.”

Sponsored by the Worshipful Company of Cooks and Premier Foods, the NACC Care Chef of the Year competition spotlights the care catering sector and the talented, qualified chefs operating within it. Entrants are challenged to create a nutritionally-balanced, two-course menu (main and dessert) that is suitable for service users in a care setting. The combined food cost for both courses must be no more that £2.25 per head based on four portions and it is to be produced in just 90 minutes.

The name of the prestigious culinary competition changed from NACC Care Cook of the Year to NACC Care Chef of the Year for 2017, in recognition of the culinary excellence and professionalism within the sector and the specialist skills and knowledge demanded of and demonstrated by chefs.

For more information on the NACC Care Chef of the Year 2017 competition visit www.thenacc.co.uk

SPRING 2017

THE CARER

PAGE 17

Hollywood Star George Clooney Makes Surprise Visit to Elderly Fan HOllYwOOD STar george clooney paid a birthday surprise visit to a long-time admirer when he dropped in to her assisted living home in reading on Sunday.

Pat Adams, 87, had her birthday wish come true after Clooney turned up impromptu with a card and a bunch of flowers.

Staff said Ms Adams was “delighted and surprised” with her gifts from Clooney, adding that she is “still beaming from ear to ear” after meeting the 55-year-old Hollywood star.

“We are so delighted that Pat’s wish came true.

She was absolutely thrilled to meet her great icon, and it was such a lovely surprise to see George

greet her with flowers and a card. This was a classy gesture from a wonderful man, and it has brought smiles to everyone at Sunrise of Sonning.

Huge thank you to George,” said Malcolm Hague, General Manager.

Linda Jones, a worker at the Sunrise of Sonning Retirement and Assisted Living Facility She wrote: “The lady in the picture, loves George Clooney and mentions everyday how she would love him to meet him, especially as he lives so near to where I work.

“So letter have been sent asking would it be possible for her dream to come true.

“And what was extra special it was her birthday in the week.”

40-Year-Old Barnsley Teacher Dies Of Dementia a BarnSleY family have spoken of their devastation after their son tragically became one of the youngest people to die from dementia – at just 40 years old.

Gareth Wilmot, a teacher from Barnsley passed away on Monday following a five-year battle with frontotemporal dementia, a rare form of the degenerative disease that tends to affect people aged 45 to 65 – making him one of the youngest sufferers in the country.

Frontotemporal dementia occurs when nerve cells in the frontal and/or temporal lobes of the brain die.

Gareth who taught children with behavioural problems, was living with his partner but moved back into his parents’ home and then a care home as his condition began to deteriorate.

“My big lad. Such a great loss not only to his family but to all his friends and colleagues,” wrote his father Graham Wilmot, 65, on Facebook.

His mother Lesley 66, said the family had a “massive hole to fill” after the death of the arts enthusiast who had studied at Manchester University’s Arden School of Theatre, reported

Doctors originally thought Mr Wilmot was suffering from depression, which is more common in people in their 30s, however, as the disease progressed, he became unable to speak and lost weight as he refused food and drink.

Graham Wilmot, a retired mechanical fitter, called the effect on the family of the diagnosis “devastating”. Speaking on a news program during a 2015 report into his son’s condition: “He’s a shadow of his former self”.

“It is horrible to see an old person like that, never mind your own son.

The diagnosis is so final, a fuse starts burning. You don’t know how long that fire will burn. It destroys you,” he said.

There are currently around 850,000 people in the UK with dementia, which is the leading cause of death in England and Wales, and generally affects the elderly, however approximately 5% of patients are diagnosed before the age of 65 according to Young Dementia UK Dementia usually affects the elderly, but around five per cent of patients are diagnosed before the age of 65, according to Young Dementia UK.

DEB is Supporting the WHO ‘SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands’ Healthcare Campaign DeB iS proud to be supporting the world Health Organisation’s (wHO) ‘SaVe liVeS: clean Your Hands’ campaign day on the 5th May 2017. This is a campaign that aims to highlight the importance of hand hygiene in healthcare, by ‘bringing people together’ in support of hand hygiene improvement globally in order to significantly reduce the threat of healthcare-associated infections (Hcais).

The WHO is encouraging healthcare facilities to register for the campaign and receive a wide range of resources, including educational posters and videos, webinars, monitoring and feedback tools and selfassessment frameworks. Supporting healthcare establishments will then be able to hold events around their premises on the 5th May in order to reinforce the message on the importance of hand hygiene. This year, the campaign is targeting Health Workers, Hospital Executives, Policy-makers and Infection Prevention Control (IPC) Leaders, and is focussed on fighting antibiotic resistance in healthcare environments. The issue can be combatted by effectively cleaning the hands at critical times. Almost 20,000 health facilities across nearly 180 countries worldwide (as of May 2016) have joined the campaign.

In the UK today, the threat of healthcare associated infections is alarming, with approximately 300,000 patients contracting an illness whilst being treated in

healthcare premises. That accounts for an approximate cost of £1 billion to an already financially strained NHS, whilst it has also been revealed that patients are remaining in hospital an extra 3.6 million days a year in the UK due to these infections; meaning healthcare professionals have less time to focus on new admittances.

In the build up to the 5th May, Deb will be promoting the Deb 3-step hand hygiene protocol that should be followed by healthcare staff: cleanse, sanitise and restore. This revolves around staff members frequently using hand hygiene products at regular intervals dictated by the WHO ‘Five Moments of Hand Hygiene’. This field-tested, user-centred approach defines the key times when healthcare workers should perform hand hygiene.

Ahead of the 5th of May, Deb is also recommending that healthcare environments implement DebMed® GMS™ (Group Monitoring System) in its facilities – a wireless technology which can effectively measure hand hygiene behaviour to help improve compliance, reduce the number of infections in hospitals, decrease costs and increase patient safety. This intelligent monitoring system is considerably more reliable than direct monitoring, as it can capture 100% of hand hygiene events.

To find out more about Deb Group and the WHO ‘SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands’ visit www.debgroup.com

CRELLING HARNESSES LTD 12 Crescent East, ThorntonCleveleys, Lancashire FY5 3LJ Telephone: 01253 852298 Email: info@crelling.com Crelling Harnesses is a friendly family based company offering a full range of seatbelts and harnesses for children and adults with special needs.

Over the years we have designed a large range from simple belts to full harnesses for use on all aspects of special needs equipment including: • • • • •

Appropriate Seating Makes a HUGE Difference to People’s Quality of Life THe cHeST can open up to facilitate breathing, the head is supported in a comfortable position so communications is improved because eye contact can be made and it’s just easier to speak when you are not hunched over looking at the floor. eating, drinking and digestion are facilitated, and, of course, there’s the simple pleasure of being able to sit comfortably in a supported position.

Many people have to spend a lot of time in bed because ordinary chairs and wheelchairs do not give them enough support, but with the right seating choice, a bedridden person can re-join their friends and family in daily life.

People with kyphosis and many elderly people sit in inappropriate chairs which do not support them. Their head slumps forward or to the side - chin to chest. Gravity can trap people in these destructive postures and can have some very damaging, sometimes life-threatening results.

The pictures below highlight which chair/seating position is the most comfortable and beneficial to aid posture. The HydroTilt is slightly tilted and Grandma is sound asleep in a safe, supported positon.

Contact CareFlex Specialist Seating to arrange a no-obligation assessment or product demonstration.

Contact Julieanne Fewings on 0800 018 6440 or email enquiries@careflex.co.uk

Breakfast with British Lion Eggs FOr ManY older people, eggs are a popular protein food by at breakfast and other meals, and there are many reasons why they are a particularly nutritious choice for older people.

Malnutrition and sarcopenia, a loss of muscle mass and strength, in older people are growing issues and research suggests that eggs offer a number of important benefits due to both their protein content and the specific nutrients they contain which are not easily available from other foods. In addition, eggs present a convenient, easily digestible and affordable food that many older people find appealing. Versatile, quick and convenient to prepare, eggs are an ideal breakfast option for care home caterers.

In addition, a recent review of egg safety by the Government Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food (ACMSF) concluded that the microbiological risks of Salmonella from British Lion mark eggs are so small that lightly cooked eggs can safely be served to even vulnerable groups, such as older people. The elderly and those caring for them can now be reassured that British Lion eggs can be safely consumed, which may help to increase intake of this nutritious food for older people, especially those who prefer soft cooked eggs. Now the Department of Health has removed restrictions on the number of eggs consumed, there is also no need to limit egg intake because of outdated cholesterol fears.

A paper on muscle decline in ageing in the British Journal of Community Nursing, by Alison Smith, a dietitian specialising in nutrition for older people, and Dr Juliet Gray, Registered Nutritionist, states that the nutrient most consistently lacking, associated with sarcopenia and frailty in older age, is protein.

Approximately 20% of older people in the UK are currently thought to suffer from inadequate protein intake. Eggs have the highest value for protein digestibility of all protein sources (97%) compared with

Andrew Joret, British Egg Industry Council Chairman milk/cheese (95%) and meat/fish (94%). In addition, eggs are an easily digestible source of high quality protein and contain a significant proportion of leucine, an amino acid that is important for muscle health, as well as many other nutrients of significance in healthy ageing, including vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids.

Growing evidence suggests that the intake of 25-30g of protein at each meal is required to combat the effects of sarcopenia in the elderly. Research shows that protein intake amongst the elderly is often only sufficient at the main meal, and that protein intake is particularly low for breakfast, making it even more important to include eggs on breakfast menus.

Why British Lion eggs?

About the British Lion Code of Practice In recent years there have been a number of food safety issues associated with imported eggs and egg products, but care home caterers can minimise their risk by specifying eggs and egg products that carry the British Lion mark.

Why You Should Look for the Lion: • British guarantee • Freshness guarantee • Full registration of hens, eggs and feed • Laying flock vaccinated against salmonella • Enhanced hygiene controls and salmonella testing • Feed controls • Additional processing safeguards • Independently audited To find out more about the benefits of using British Lion eggs and egg products visit www.egginfo.co.uk

Vehicle Seats Wheelchairs Stair Lifts Bathing chairs Aircraft Seats

www.crelling.com GIPskins has been developed as a response to the growing problem of arm injuries and skin to skin infections; suffered by social and healthcare workers.

We provide a solution to this escalating problem which we call our Grip Infection Protection system, known as GIPskins.

GIPskins are our patented PPE arm sleeves, which cover and protect the length of the forearm, upper arm and partially the hand. GIPskins are ergonomically designed for maximum comfort, breathable, waterproof, re-useable, washable to 95 degrees, are antimicrobial, antifungal and stain (inc blood) resistant. In order, not to intimidate sensitive clients; GIPskins have been designed to be aesthetically non-threatening.

Benefits of using Gipskins

By combining innovative design with a specially bonded dartex® material, we can significantly reduce risk of injury & cross contamination to (human & animal) health care workers, providing workers and employers with peace of mind.

• Providing confidence when delivering personal care, thereby resulting in increased productivity & motivation.

• Enhanced infection control – with mutual protection for both service user & service provider.

• Fully compliant with 1974 Health and Safety Act as injuries to health care workers have been highlighted as a risk.

• Strong return on investment (ROI) by minimising lost staff days as a result of injury, infection and or compensation claims.

• Durable and re-usable PPE

Tel: 0800 193 4373 Web: www.gipskins.co.uk

SPRING 2017

THE CARER

Dementia Training

by Kathryn Penrith and Rachel Yates, Dementia Space team, Making Space THere iS one fundamental issue to bear in mind when caring for a person with dementia: dementia is a disease. This may seem obvious, but it’s often overlooked. if you see past the disease and don’t let it blind you to the person living with it, the care you deliver will naturally improve.

If you treat someone with a broken leg, you don’t look at the plaster and immediately discount the opinions of that person on the basis that a part of them is broken. You’ll ask questions and assess their needs so you can make them more comfortable. Are they able to walk with crutches, or do they need a chair? Do they need to temporarily adapt their diet because of the lack of mobility? Are they short-tempered because they find it uncomfortable to use the toilet unaided?

With dementia, the symptoms you see are caused by the damage that’s occurring in the brain. Each person with dementia has different damage, wants, needs and abilities. As a carer, what you are confronted with are the symptoms of that damage. You can offer the person with a broken leg a crutch. When caring for a person with dementia, you are that crutch.

Effective communication Exploring the language we use can help to improve our perception of the disease. One of the common phrases we hear is ‘suffering with dementia’. We want people with dementia to understand that it is possible to live well with the symptoms and that it’s not a catastrophic event: labelling people as ‘sufferers’ immediately gives the person a mental obstacle to overcome. Behaviour is often termed as ‘difficult’, or people are labelled ‘confused’: carers approach them with a pre-conceived notion that there will be a battle to persuade them to eat, or wash, or get into bed.

If someone with dementia is unable to communicate their needs, there may be a neurological or physical issue that is affecting their ability to express themselves. We need to assess each individual’s ability to communicate, work out why they may be becoming distressed and address that issue so that we can make them feel comfortable and safe.

In order to do this, we need to look beyond the diagnosis. The diagnosis is important: we need to know the physiological aspects of the disease. But we also need to look at the whole person and find out about their health needs, their personality needs, their social psychology and their life story.

Documenting life stories is one of the main tools we use at Making Space residential and non-residential services to ensure a high standard of care. This can be anything from one page of A4 to a full book, depending on the person you’re working with and how much information they want to include.

If verbal communication is an issue, try visual aids. It’s a misconception that people in the later stages of dementia can’t communicate: they can, we just need to be creative to ensure they can be understood. Speak to friends, family members or health professionals: anyone who can help you to build up a picture of that person’s life. Include photos, drawings or objects to build their life story, and then use that every day to help you meet their needs. If you know Bob played football when he was younger, you’ll know that’s meaningful to him and how you can support his identity.

Five essential elements for dementia care The person-centred care of a person with dementia focuses heavily on five essential elements: identity, attachment, comfort, inclusion and occupation.

Every human has the need for an identity, and that need isn’t erased by dementia. Just as Bob’s football is important to him, Alice may have spent a lifetime tending to her garden. Ensuring she’s able to pot some seeds or sit in the fresh air while the grass is being mown, rather than sitting her in a room away from a window, can provide a huge amount of comfort, help her to feel included and allow her to retain her sense of self.

From the moment we’re born, we develop attachments. People with dementia have a significant need to maintain those attachments and this can be as simple as being able to hold or see items that have significant meaning to give them comfort. Taking the time to develop the person’s life story and document it can easily identify what those attachments and items can be.

Occupation is an area which can often be mishandled by those with the best intentions. The old culture of dementia care tended to focus on providing a rigid timetable of task-orientated activities without

establishing whether this task was something that the individual may enjoy. For the person with dementia, already dealing with symptoms that are causing distress, being forced into a task they don’t enjoy can be catastrophic.

When it comes to activities, we need to shift our focus from getting everyone together for bingo and instead use the life story to identify something that’s meaningful and achievable. That could be anything from getting dressed independently, to preparing breakfast, to going for a walk.

Challenging the perception of ‘challenging’ Coercing a person with dementia into an activity they can’t or won’t do can trigger extreme reactions. These reactions are perfectly normal and would be displayed by anyone being forced into doing something that causes distress or discomfort. When you add in the insecurities and discomfort caused by the changes in the brain that occur with dementia, the reactions that are seen as ‘challenging’ suddenly become a lot more understandable. Often, a person with dementia is labelled as challenging or aggressive when perhaps all they really wanted to do was go to the toilet but weren’t being understood.

If you see a person with dementia becoming distressed or disengaged staring at the floor, sighing, bracing their arms, tapping - approach them with an open body posture. Be honest – explain that you want to help but don’t understand what they need. Show warmth and compassion and provide comfort: sit with them in silence if necessary, but make sure your body language is non-threatening.

This comes back to the importance of person-centred care and life stories: we need to make sure we understand not only what the person’s abilities are and the stage of their illness, but what gives them comfort and what may lead to more distress. Sitting someone in front of a large Sunday lunch when they’ve just been given medication that makes them feel nauseous, and then loading the plate with a vegetable they’ve never enjoyed, is enough to trigger an extreme reaction in anyone.

The importance of nutrition If given the choice between eating lunch in a chaotic, loud environment full of clattering pans and a blaring radio, or a calm café atmosphere with beautiful crockery and comfortable furnishings, there are few people who would choose the former.

Providing the right atmosphere, observing individual abilities and respecting preferences can transform mealtimes for the care worker and person with dementia alike.

In practical terms, the damage to the brain caused by dementia can make it very difficult for some people to identify food on the plate or crockery on the table if they’re all similar colours. Mashed potato served on a white plate can be indistinguishable from the white tablecloth.

Instead, choose brightly coloured contrasting crockery and cutlery with coloured handles and ensure the food on the plate is easily distinguishable from its background. Use the life story to identify what the person likes and doesn’t like to eat, and if sitting down for long periods makes them uncomfortable, provide finger food that can be eaten while walking around. Some people with dementia find it difficult to swallow – provide a meal that looks and tastes appetizing, rather than just liquidising whatever’s on the menu. Ask yourself: would you like to eat it?

The consequences of dehydration and a nutritionally-lacking diet are serious: dehydration, dizziness, delirium. This has a knock-on effect on the dementia, which may lead to more distress, increased medication and even admission to hospital. Using personalised care planning to find the right food and the right environment in which to serve it can eliminate these serious consequences.

Practical aids Alongside person-centred care, there are several aids available to help manage the consequences of dementia and keep the person safe.

Local councils provide a service called Carecall, which includes alarm units that can be worn as necklaces and sensors placed around the home to identify when the person with dementia gets out of bed, or if they try to leave the house.

There are lots of mobile phone apps to help with dementia, including life story apps and cognitive tools. But you don’t need technology – simple signage around the care home or sticky notes to remind them which cupboard holds what help keep people orientated and independent.

Above all, remember dementia is a disease: look past it and see the person, and you’ll go a long way to helping that person to feel safe, comfortable and happy.

Making Space is a national charity providing health and social care services for adults with mental health conditions, learning disabilities and dementia as well as their carers www.makingspace.co.uk

PAGE 19

Nutrition Tops Nation’s Care Home Priorities SUrVeY reVealS 70% would recommend a care home based on nutritional policy New research from Bidvest Foodservice has revealed food and nutrition is one of the top factors family and friends consider when choosing a care home for loved ones.

The survey, commissioned to mark Nutrition and Hydration Week which took place in March, found that 85% of respondents felt the food offered at a care home is important. Just under half (44%) stated an organisation’s nutrition policy is a key part of the decision-making process – second only to location and travel time.

In fact, the findings show that nearly three quarters (70%) of those who took part in the research would recommend a care home based on the implementation of its nutritional policy. What’s more, factors such as quality of food, ability to cater for special dietary requirements and the idea of a home-cooked meal, were all highlighted as elements that contribute to a more positive living environment as well.

The results come as the UK gears up for Nutrition and Hydration Week, 13th – 19th March 2017, a movement which highlights nutrition and hydration as a fundamental element of maintaining health and wellbeing.

“With an ageing population, and an ever-more nutritionally aware society, ensuring loved ones are looked after in terms of food provision can have a real impact on care home choice, quality of life for residents and the organisation’s reputation. We hope our new research will help raise awareness of the issues in line with Nutrition and Hydration Week’s global initiative.”

The survey is the first in a series of events being held by Bidvest Foodservice to mark the week. Other activities include a Big Breakfast, in association with Kelloggs and a Saturday Social in partnership with Nestlé Professional.

Andy Jones, Chair of the PS100 Group and former Chair of the Hospital Caterers Association added: “Correct nutrition and hydration is a vital part of providing good care for vulnerable and ill people. What’s more, the right food and drink can enhance a patient’s or resident’s experience as well as playing a part in their care and wellbeing – irrespective of their length of stay.

“The support initiatives like Nutrition and Hydration Week receives from organisations such as Bidvest Foodservice, goes a long way to towards helping us raise awareness of the issues and create a patient/care centred service, as well as leaving a long-term legacy of change” For more information on how to ensure residents receive the right nutrition and hydration consult Bidvest Foodservice’s care sector catering guide. To access the guide, visit www.bidvest.co.uk/care-homes.

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The National Event Dedicated To Securing The Future Of Care Returns On 28-29 June 2017 To Excel London awarD winning Health+care will see over 4,000 care business owners, directors and managers gather on wednesday 28th & Thursday 29th June 2017 for another year of inspiration, ideas and in-depth sector knowledge.

A world-class programme delivered by the highest calibre of speakers will showcase the latest innovations and expert advice to help tackle the mounting pressure on care businesses whilst providing enhanced care for your clients and residents.

The Health+Care team are determined to make 2017 the most significant year for care businesses.

The programme has been carefully formulated over the last five years, Mike Broad, Programme Director explains: “Delegates won’t waste time in long laborious seminars hearing from those who have no idea what it’s like in the real world. Instead, delegates can combine short inspiring talks from those who have already changed the way their care businesses run and have improved their outcomes. Managers, directors and owners of care businesses will gain valuable insights into how to perform their roles better and run more effective operations.”

The care sector has faced an unfathomable cut to spending, budgets are being slashed and struggling businesses are now on the brink of collapse. Health+Care will act as a safe haven for care businesses to collect vital information helping them to safeguard the future of their business so they don’t just survive but thrive.

Thomas Kelly, Proprietor, Margaret House attended Health+Care in 2016 and told us: "I have met more people and found so many ideas from spending just two days at Health+Care. By donating a couple of days of the year to attend, we have changed the future of our business.”

BRAND NEW FOR 2017 • Care Home Live - a real-life care home will be at the heart of Health+Care so you can grow yours. See it, touch it, and walk through it.

Care Home Live is a completely interactive show feature, right at the heart of the conference where you can experience all of the latest innovations in residential care.

• Care Catering & Nutrition Zone - completely focussed on providing managers, directors and owners with quality-enhancing solutions, this presents an excellent opportunity to network with chefs and catering creatives. Increase stan-

dards by hearing from experts on key topics: nutrition, hydration, procurement, dysphagia, mental health residents, menu planning, hygiene and case studies demonstrating best practice.

• Business Theatre - we’re delighted to be working in partnership with the Care Association Alliance to bring their members the opportunity to come together to share knowledge, inspiration and find new solutions with colleagues from across the country. Delegates can access cut to the chase, no-nonsense profit-accelerating advice.

• Care at Home Pavilion – Health+Care are delighted to announce domiciliary organisations can network, share best practice and build valuable contacts with the NHS, CCGs and Trusts at a unique pavilion area of the show.

KEY THEMES AT HEALTH+CARE 2017 STAFFING: Showcasing the latest team training trends and how to get the most from your colleagues.

PEER SUPPORT: Listen to successful case-studies from those who have achieved an outstanding CQC rating and how they did it.

NETWORKING: Meet with CCGs, GPs and Local Authorities who can all help you enhance the services you provide and unlock funding that could help your business thrive, not just survive.

PREVENT BED-BLOCKING: Meet with 62% of Trusts who are looking for step-down care solutions to help relieve the strain on the NHS. INSPIRATION: Reflect on the last 12 months, hear from industry heroes who will give you the inspiration to take on new challenges and motivation to hit your targets in the coming year.

BOOST YOUR PROFITS: Strengthen business strategy by attending consultancy-style workshops, packed full of business-boosting ideas and profit-accelerating advice.

INNOVATION: Find out about the latest innovations and trends that are helping other care businesses out-perform their competitors.

CAREER PROGRESSION: Rub shoulders with other senior representatives of care groups who can help you boost your prospects, and take your career to the next level.

Senior care business professionals are entitled to a fully subsidised pass to attend the conference, but free passes need to be secured before 26th May: www.healthpluscare.co.uk/carer After this date conference passes will be charged at £599+VAT.

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@TheCarerUK

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SPRING 2017

Two Killed and More Than 30 Rescued in “Extremely Fierce” Care Home Fire a fire described as “extremely fierce” at the newgrange residential care Home in chestnut Hertfordshire resulted in the deaths of two people and left three people suffering minor burns and smoke inhalation, the fire service says.

Firefighters from Hertfordshire, Essex and London rescued a further 33 residents and staff who were taken to a nearby emergency reception centre.

Firefighters from Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, were the second crew on the scene, and on social media workers from the fire station said: “On arrival crews found the whole roof well alight. Initial

crews made over 30 rescues in a short period of time.”

A spokesman said: “Five ambulance crews, two ambulance officers, a hazardous area response team and a volunteer doctor were dispatched.

“They worked closely with fire service and police colleagues to evacuate residents and assess them at a nearby centre. Thirty-three people were assessed at the scene and three patients with minor burns and smoke inhalation were taken to Princess Alexandra hospital for further care.”

A spokesman for Hertfordshire county council said fire crews first reached the scene at 5.51am. “Firefighters were faced with an extremely fierce fire that was well established in the first floor and the roof of the building, which has since collapsed,” he said.

“Sadly, we can confirm that two people died in the fire and we would like to offer our sympathies to their families.

“Hertfordshire county council is working in close cooperation with Broxbourne council and the health service to assess the needs of the evacuated residents and arrange alternative accommodation.”

Another fire at Standon House Care Home in Tamworth, resulted in 25 residents being evacuated after a large fire tore through the property.

Seven residents were taken to hospital, two in a serious condition, following the fire which was accidental, and caused by "poorly discarded smoking materials," Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service said. All residents were moved to alternative accommodation, police added. About 20 firefighters were sent to the property, which suffered "very considerable" damage, the ambulance service said.

The Carer contacted BAFE, the independent registration body for third party certified fire protection companies across the UK, who said: "At present it is still legal for anyone to be able to offer the service of providing a fire risk assessment, but the building’s ‘Responsible Person’ is legally bound to ensure that the provider you use for this vital service is competent. The word competent appears in all of the UK’s fire legislation but how do we determine who is competent? One easy solution to this is to use providers that are third party certified (such as BAFE registered organisations).

"Steps to improving this could include creating a mandatory legal obligation that third party certificated fire risk assessment providers must be used for high risk sectors (Northern Ireland already stipulates for fire risk assessments in care homes). It is also very strongly recommended that third party certificated fire detection/alarm, emergency lighting system and fire extinguisher service providers are used. Correctly designed, installed and maintained provisions will help reduce false alarms, human complacency and ensure people are made aware of a real fire as early as possible.

"Fire safety is always about life safety. BAFE registered companies use our schemes to become independently third party certificated via UKAS accredited certification bodies to provide evidence they are competent to provide necessary services to ensure a building is safe from fire.

"Third party certified, BAFE Registered organisations are available nationwide to all care homes to deliver a safe environment for their potentially vulnerable residents, visitors and staff. This responsible action is needed in a time where our elderly generation is growing and the mandate for safe, quality care homes is under huge demand."

BAFE Chief Executive, Stephen Adams, stated: “It is always a tragic situation when a fire devastates care homes where the most vulnerable in our society have come to be looked after. This is especially true when this is avoidable if quality providers had been called in to carry out the required fire protection works. Third party certification offers the means for care homes to judge the competence of those whom they entrust with protecting their residents and staff.”

Ben Pepper, Senior Solicitor at Bolt Burdon Kemp, commented: “Families trust care homes to provide support and assistance for their loved ones. When those receiving residential care suffer injury or death, as a result of a care home’s negligence, compensation can be claimed.

“People who require full time residential care are undeniably vulnerable.

Therefore, care homes cannot afford to cut corners when it comes to their duty to ensure the safety of its residents.

“Although the cause of the fire is still being investigated, the care home should re-evaluate its staffing and health and safety practices to try and prevent such a catastrophic event happening again.”

Reducing Isolation and Boosting the Wellbeing of Residents a new initiative has been launched to improve the wellbeing and reduce the isolation felt by residents in care and nursing homes. The scheme, which introduces activities and gatherings around food hopes to improve general wellbeing and reduce isolation felt by many elderly. But what about those homes that are not able to access this new scheme? How can they improve interaction, mobility and general wellbeing of their residents without going over tight budgets?

Age UK reported that amongst the elderly two fifths considered the television to be their main form of companionship. Many residents are unable to move freely within their care setting due to heavy fire doors, which can lead to isolation, remaining in the same room for long periods of time. Enabling your residents to move freely within your premises can greatly increase general

wellbeing, reduce isolation and improve mobility, so how can this be achieved legally?

Freedor, a wireless overhead door closer, takes all the resistance out of your fire door, allowing it to swing freely at any angle. Residents can easily push fire doors open without needing assistance. Doors can be left ajar at night, giving ill or nervous residents peace of mind. On hearing the fire alarm, Freedor will activate and automatically close the fire door, preventing the spread of fire within your building.

Installing Freedor is quick and easy to do. Fitting your fire doors with Freedor will also solve a common issue for many care home managers, the wedging open of fire doors. Wedging fire doors open is illegal and an offense and as the manager you could be held responsible and could face a heavy fine or even a prison sentence. If you have staff who wedge fire doors open, Freedor could be your solution.

For more information about Freedor visit www.safelincs.co.uk/freedor or call 0800 612 6287

PRODUCTS & SERVICES Brotherwood Wheelchair-Friendly Cars a new fleet of wheelchair-friendly cars has been brought in to help deliver better council services to Dorset’s disabled residents.

Three converted Ford vehicles will be used to transport both older people and disabled children who require special equipment to travel, including wheelchairs.

Dorset County Council purchased the vehicles from Brotherwood in Sherborne, who specialise in converting cars for wheelchair access. The cars can carry a driver plus three passengers and a wheelchair user in comfort and safety. The lowered floor and central wheelchair position enable wheelchair users to travel inclusively between the rear passenger seats, as part of the group and with a good view out of the car.

Cllr Peter Finney, Cabinet member for Environment at Dorset County Council, said: “Dorset Travel are delighted to have the new fleet of vehicles which will provide a high level of comfortable and safe transportation to schools and day centres across Dorset. The cars are specially designed to offer easy access, and also promote inclu-

sivity.

“Brotherwood was able to tailor a high specification for the vehicles to suit our needs, and we are always delighted to work with local businesses. “The cars will also help us to cut costs as we will no longer depend on expensive outsourcing of specialist transportation.

“The new fleet has been very well received by our customers.”

Brotherwood Managing Director John Daniel added: “We are pleased to have been able to help our local council to improve services to disabled individuals in the region. These vehicles will provide mobility for people across Dorset, and represent access to education, care and other essential services across the county.”

“We are grateful to Dorset County Council for the opportunity to provide these vehicles, and look forward to seeing them out on the road performing their vital roles in our local community.”

For further information see the advert on page 5 or visit www.brotherwood.com

Hughes Trade - The One-Stop-Shop for Everything Electrical HUgHeS TraDe is a one-stop-shop for everything electrical. From radios to televisions, kettles to washing machines and urns to fryers, we keep huge stocks so products can be delivered where and when you need them - at the best prices.

For Care Homes in the Midlands, Kent and East of England, Hughes Trade Commercial department also provide a professional and competitive commercial laundry product supply (sales and rental) and service, with Miele Professional trained engineers who are also fully conversant with IPSO, ADC, Primus, Huebsch, Electrolux and Hobart. All work is fully guaranteed and undertaken by longstanding industry professionals to

the highest standards.

Hughes Trade has been supplying Care Homes for many years; our fully trained advisors are on hand to assist with your selection, provide clear paperwork and offer credit account facilities subject to references.

After 96 years in business and a turnover in excess of £100m, as the business supply department of one of the UK’s largest and most successful electrical retailers, Hughes Electrical, we know the value of customer service. We would love to price for your business; we won’t let you down.

Please contact the National Sales team for further details see the advert page 2 or:Tel: 01603 750444 Fax: 01603 750445 Norwich@hughestrade.co.uk www.hughestrade.co.uk

NEW Depend Pants Added To Incontinence UK! Incontinence UK has recently added the Depend incontinence products to its range of incontinence pants. The new Depend range offers a range of disposable incontinence pull up pants that look and feel just like normal underwear and allow you to live an active life.

The NEW Depend range includes: 1) Depend Active Fit Pants For Woman Designed specifically for active ladies and come in a feminine design - sleek and discreet.

Unique soft peach cotton-like fabric soft and breathable to leave you feeling fresh and dry. Light to moderate urinary incontinence.

2) Depend Real Fit Pants For Men Designed specifically for the active man - sleek and discreet.

Unique soft grey cotton-like fabric soft and breathable to leave you feel-

ing fresh and dry. Disposable and easy to pull off and on.

3) Depend Woman Lycra Pants Super Smooth Lycra pull up pants designed specifically for a women’s body. The FIT-FLEX Protection with LYRCA Strands gives you added comfort while you are moving and ensures a smooth, sleek look for complete discretion.

4) Depend Men Lycra Pants Super Smooth Lycra pull up pants designed specifically for a man's body and will make you feel that you are wearing everyday underwear. Moderate to heavy incontinence.

For more information on the full Incontinence UK’s Product Range including pull up pants please visit www.incontinenceuk.co.uk.

Carer readers please quote CARER17 for 10% discount off your first order.

See the advert on page 5 for further details.

Carewell Living – A New Range of Discreet and Comfortable Bedding Protection IDEAL FOR peace of mind and a great nights rest, Carewell Living take much needed, but also much maligned products and transform them into a comfortable, soft and undetectable range of bedding protection, a great natural alternative to sweaty plastic under sheets.

The untraceable polyurethane layer in both Carewell Living’s cotton and Tencel sheets make this bedding protection range 100% waterproof without the awful feeling of lying on or being sand-

wiched between a crisp packet! Gone are the sweaty, rustling sheets that so many of us dread and in their place are soft, breathable bedding protectors made from pure brushed cotton or Tencel fibre.

This undetectable layer also acts as an anti-allergy barrier, protecting against dust mites – a major cause of asthma and hayfever.

These bed protectors really do need to be touched to be believed. For more information on the range then please visit www.carewellliving.com or call 01278 434440’

Gloucester Care Home Sparkles with New Gerflor Flooring lOOKing aFTer our elderly has now become a function of conscience and a legacy of debt we owe them as valued senior citizens. Being able to provide them with the levels of care and comfort they deserve is happily on the increase.

Run by Gloucestershire County Council, Great Western Court Care Home in the centre of historic Gloucester provides personal care to thirty people. As a haven for healing and rehabilitation they provide re-ablement, interim placement and community respite services to help people return to their own homes wherever possible.

In a recent refurbishment, the Great Western Court Care Home would need 300m2 of flooring for seventeen of their resident’s bedrooms. Achieving stunning looks coupled to high levels of safety performance would be the challenge. A challenge well-met by the appointed installer who specified Gerflor’s Taralay Impression Control safety flooring. As a true healthcare, multi-specialist Gerflor has over seventy years’ experience and have developed to become an expert in this field. They manufacture and market innovative, decorative, durable, hygienic and environmentally responsible flooring for a host of healthcare-related solutions.

Based in Coleford, on the edge of the Wye Valley, Mike Burris Flooring is a gem of a success story. It’s a flooring company that has one man at the

helm who is determined that quality will be the shining star that illuminates everything he does.

Mike Burris commented, “I’m an approved contractor for Gloucestershire County Council and get invited to quote for a lot of council properties. In fact, I’ve worked at this site before and they’ve been very pleased with our work”. Working in most healthcare facilities can sometimes be an onerous task due to the constraints of the actual environment. Mike Burris goes on to further say, “It was a bit of a challenge as we had to schedule the work around the patients and make sure we kept the areas free from furniture and tools”.

Ensuring that the care home would get the best fit for purpose flooring, this would fall upon Mike Burris’s final specification decision. He further said, “The centre approached me with concerns over the existing carpets and asked for my opinion on what would be more suitable”. He simply adds. “I specified Taralay Impression Control from Gerflor because it’s very easy to install, easy to weld and one of the best to clean.

We fitted-out seventeen of their bedrooms in Noma Rustic totalling nearly 300m2 and it looks fantastic”.

Learn more about Gerflor solutions: Ask for a free sample or contact us to speak to a specialist today by calling 01926 622 600, emailing contractuk@gerflor.com, or visiting gerflor.co.uk for the latest innovations.

Adaptawear’s Best-Selling Trousers For Summer!

Adaptawear are pleased to announce that three of its best-selling adapted ladies and men’s trousers are now back in stock in our warehouse: 1. Drop Front Trousers – available in men’s or ladies styles; these smart, stylish trousers open wide to the hips with Velcro fastenings on the waistband. Perfect for customers who struggle with limited dexterity and need help with dressing or toileting.

Available in sizes Small – XX Large in choice of colours.

2. Trouble Free Trousers – available in men’s or ladies styles, these smart tailored trousers open down to the hips with discreet zips on both

sides to aid dressing and toileting. Optional elastic waistband. Available in sizes Small – XX Large in choice of colours.

3. Men’s Elasticated Waist Poly-cotton Trousers – smart, casual lightweight all elastic pull on poly-cotton trousers. Great for men who don’t want zips or fastenings and don’t’ want to wear tracksuit bottoms.

Available in stone in sizes Small – XX Large.

For more information on Adaptawear’s Product Range please visit www.adaptawear.com. Carer readers please quote TC141 for 10% discount off your first order or see advert on page 7.

Staying Safe With Key Safes EACH WEEK there are stories of cost strains facing the NHS and health providers due to the aging population and budget cuts, but a company in West Yorkshire is providing a simple service to overcome this burden.

Be Safe Key Safes, which is located in Leeds, provides a service to vulnerable members of society by simply fitting a lockable key safe on the exterior of homes to ensure routine and emergency care can be administered without restrictions.

Recommended through a network of care workers, and police the company allows a means of access to homes safely and efficiently. Paul Wilton, owner of the company, commented: “My background is in the police

force and I’ve also worked in care and security so I have a strong understanding of the needs of those who I come into contact with each day.

“Through recommendations I visit homes to fit key safes to those who are now unable to take care of themselves and I mainly work with elderly or immobile people.”

The company mainly supplies The Key Safe Company’s leading Supra C500, which is recommended by the police and has passed vigorous tests. Trusted by two million UK householders, the leading product the Supra C500 key safe is used by the majority of local authorities, is accredited by ‘Secured by Design’ and is tested to the same security standards as a domestic front door.

For more information, visit: www.keysafe.co.uk or for more information on Be Safe Key Safes visit: www.besafe-keysafe.co.uk

The Spoon That Doesn’t Spill DO YOUr staff find mealtimes stressful? are they constantly having to feed residents to avoid food going everywhere except in their mouths? if so, a new, award-winning, S’up spoon may be the solution. it has a deep cavity which helps to stop food spilling on its journey from the plate to mouth.

The S’up spoon was designed by Grant Douglas with help from 4c Design Company. Grant, who has shaky hands as a result of cerebral palsy, can now enjoy soup and cereal independently. Since being launched in April 2015, over 1700 spoons have been sold to individuals, hos-

pitals, nursing homes and others. It is on permanent display in the Design Museum, London, it won Blackwood Innovative Design of the Year award in 2016 and was featured on BBC 1’s Songs of Praise programme.

The spoon can help anyone who has shaky hands including those who have Parkinson’s disease, Essential tremor, Cerebral palsy and anyone who has developed a tremor as a result of aging or disability.

The spoon is available from www.sup-products.com and costs £12.50 + VAT and delivery, if you order more than 1, subsequent spoons cost £10 each + VAT. See the ad on page 13.

Please Get In Touch If You Need High Quality ID Cards Or Name Badges From Just £1.50.

PLEASE SEE what our customers say about us; “The quick turnaround and quality that Chris and his Team produce time and time again is simply superb nothing is too much trouble. I 100% recommend QIDC to anyone looking for quality id badges.” (Simon Walton (Field Manager – Channel Assist) “So pleased we chose QIDC to produce our ID cards, each order is high quality, budget-friendly and super speedy.”(Lizzy Jewel - Marketing, Communications and Events Officer - Safer London)

“Great service, fast, efficient, quality products but inexpensive – win, win all round” (Lea Roberts - Commerce and Finance Director - BCAS Biomed) “QIDC have served us very well for many months now. They always deliver promptly a high quality lD Card for our Charity volunteers.

Communication is excellent and the service second to none" (Denise Randall - Chairman – The Edward Foundation) Visit www.qidc.co.uk or see the advert on page 3 for further details.

Survey Highlights The Importance Of First Impressions In The Workplace a new study into first impressions has revealed the true importance of how employees look and act in the workplace.

The First Impressions study, conducted on behalf of workwear provider Grahame Gardner Ltd by Censuswide, found that almost three quarters of UK adults make an initial judgement of a person within just a minute of meeting them.

The research also revealed almost a quarter (24.6%) of people assume a venue is of a better quality when they see a smartly dressed service person and more than a third (36.0%) of UK adults say they trust that person to do a better job.

Clothing was ranked as one of the top three things people notice first when making an initial judgement of a person, preceded by body language (31%) and facial features (15%) Gary Lory, managing director of Grahame Gardner, which specialises in healthcare and medical uniforms, said: “The results of our First Impressions study make for very interesting reading.

“We work with organisations across the UK to help them create the right first impression on their customers, whatever environment they operate in.

“Whether it’s a hospital, a veteri-

nary surgery, a spa or a care home, making the right initial impact on your customers is of vital importance.

“Our research has confirmed first impressions really do count and that in some instances, that first impression can make or break your company’s reputation.”

The survey also highlighted a link between how employees dress and how they feel, with more than half (52.2%) of respondents stating being smartly dressed makes them feel confident, positive (35.4%) and professional (31.3%).

Gary added: “We know from speaking to our clients that how employees feel at work matters hugely in terms of their productivity and their manner.

“If your staff are feeling uncomfortable in what they’re wearing and lacking in confidence, then it’s likely your customers’ experience will suffer as a result.

“We work with all our clients to help them put in place workwear solutions that look good and feel good, too.”

Based in Leicester, Grahame Gardner Ltd is a leading workwear and uniform provider, working with organisations including hospitals, care homes and dental practices across the UK. The First Impressions survey was conducted in 2016 by Censuswide, with 1,000 UK respondents.

For further information, please visit www.grahamegardner.co.uk

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Care Providers Must Involve People They Support in Designing New Digital Solutions a new report outlines how health and social care providers must collaborate with users of services when designing apps, websites and other digital technologies The publication from VODG (Voluntary Organisations Disability Group) in partnership with the National Care Forum, Co-producing technology: harnessing digital solutions for social care, recommends how providers can maximise the benefits of such new approaches.

The report is based on a recent workshop, which explored how people who use services contribute to technological design and are changing the delivery of social care. It expands on earlier work by VODG which focused on the benefits of technology in a time of austerity.

Digital solutions are at the heart of the NHS Five Year Forward View and the Local Government Association’s (LGA) vision for technology underlines how information and technology will transform the delivery of health and

social care services. Yet there has been little focus on how people supported by social care are actively included in designing such digital developments.

The publication sets out key recommendations to redress this imbalance, including: • User engagement must be at the heart of designing successful solutions – it supports ownership and take up of the final product • Technology is not an add-on, but integral to how providers improve the support and inclusion of people they work with • Organisations do not need to be technologically advanced to create digital solutions • If organisations jointly design and deliver shared approaches, there are potential savings to be realised through collective purchasing power.

The report also includes detailed descriptions of best practice, including:

The Simple Solution Transforming the Care Industry HannaH williaMS, national account Manager at Sky, discusses the transformative impact that digital advances, such as telehealth technology, are having on care outcomes.

The social care sector is one of the latest industries to experience the benefits of digitalization. Care providers are increasingly integrating innovative technologies into care homes in recognition of its ability to empower residents, deliver joined-up care and improve care outcomes.

From accessing the latest telehealth platforms and applications to help care staff provide the highest quality care, to helping residents keep in contact with family and friends, the benefits of digitalization in the care sector are numerous.

The importance of connectivity is being recognised by individuals both within the industry and beyond. Most recently, whilst addressing the House of Lords, Baroness Martha Lane-Fox highlighted the importance of implementing “beautifully designed Wi-Fi” in care homes, stressing that, with the help of Wi-Fi, care home residents and staff can easily access and effortlessly use digital services that can significantly improve care provision and quality of life for residents.

The first step towards accessing these benefits is to equip services with a Wi-Fi and connectivity platform that is specifically suited to the requirements of the care sector. The deployment of tailored connectivity packages in care homes opens up opportunities to implement digital solutions which can benefit residents and their care plans.

For example, by providing care staff with the ability to

monitor residents’ health, telehealth platforms are providing novel solutions for the care industry and helping to improve care outcomes. By digitally assessing the health of residents, from the monitoring of vital signs to sensors that can detect temperature changes and alert the user when these reach extremes, essential information can be relayed immediately to care teams. Telehealth platforms promote more responsive and effective care, which as a result can help care providers in their objective to provide personalised care of the highest quality. Digital applications such as these are easy to operate from a phone or tablet and afford care staff unprecedented flexibility by allowing key health information to be digitally stored and accessed anywhere through the use of Wi-Fi internet connectivity.

For this move towards digitalization to be successful, care homes need a connectivity package that will allow individuals to make use of these new technologies. Sky offers Wi-Fi packages that can be individually tailored to the care sector. This provision will create numerous opportunities for care homes that can be used to provide better services for their residents and allow care teams to incorporate innovative digital tools and techniques into care plans.

Enabled by Wi-Fi, digital connectivity and telehealth technologies have the potential to transform the care industry and sector leaders are recognising the immense opportunities. From increasing administrative efficiency to facilitating person-centred care delivery, investing in a tailored Wi-Fi package provides huge scope for care providers to enhance their offering and stand out from their competitors.

For more information on what Sky can do for your business and your residents, contact hannah.williams@sky.uk or visit www.business.sky.com

• A city-wide perspective from Leeds where the city council’s “smart city” agenda includes the Care View app used by people in public-facing jobs to identify households with signs of social isolation • Technology to support integrated health and social care under the vanguard sites developing new models of care to deliver NHS England’s Five Year Forward View. For example, HomeFirst from East and North Hertfordshire, includes “virtual ward” case management, which identifies people at risk of hospitalisation and triggers appropriate interventions to avoid admission • How one provider, Camphill Village Trust (CVT), has invested in its own social media app, CVT Connect to support people with learning disabilities to develop online skills, confidence and safety awareness.

Huw John, chief executive of CVT, the care provider

that created a social media app with people it supports, said: “Designing our own digital solution has been a winwin experience. It enables us to use technology to not only enhance how we work with everyone we support and reinforce our person-centred approach, but it means that individuals themselves co-produce innovative new approaches, developing new skills in the process.”

Dr Rhidian Hughes, chief executive of VODG, added: “Technology is no substitute for face-to-face support, but digital developments have a growing role in the delivery of care and support services. Providers who promote such innovations could also develop stronger relationships with commissioners as a result. What’s more, codesigning new technology with people is an opportunity for individuals to be better connected and exercise more control over their lives.”

OwnFone - Freedom for Your Telecare Users OwnFOne OFFer fully mobile alternatives to traditional Telecare products. with us, it’s all about giving Telecare users further independence and freedom whilst being reassured that assistance is only a button press away. we use full roaming SiM technology for added security. all products are configured and customised in advance to your individual requirements.

OwnFone Mobile Our small, light, pre-programmed mobile phone connects clients to your ARC as easily as a pendant alarm but can be worn outside the home. Each handset is a bespoke design to your corporate

branding making it a unique piece of technology.

OwnFone Mobile is used in Telecare, discharge packages, re-enablement and by adults with learning difficulties.

Footprint A little GPS tracker with a whole host of features.

Google map location, assistance button, 2 way mobile communication, Geofencing, web portal access, IP66 waterproof rated plus loads more. We fully configure the units in advance to your specific requirements. BS8484 lone worker compliant. User groups include lone workers, travel buddy schemes and lone workers.

Visit us at The Health + Care Show – Excel London 28-29 June 2017 See more at www.ownfone.com

Cura Systems - Solutions for the Long-term Care Sector cUra MaKeS providing care more meaningful, more engaging and more valuable. Take a giant leap for your home today!

• We offer the most comprehensive solution for your demanding needs • We are incredibly responsive to your needs • We focus on simplifying your workflow • We know we cannot succeed without you • Our service is personal to you • We create valuable relationships with our customers

• Security of your data is of utmost importance to us Our team come from a range of backgrounds, bringing together a wealth of technical and managerial expertise, alongside experience of the healthcare sectors. The Cura family of products were designed from the ground up in consultation with Care Homes, and continue to evolve in response to our clients’ needs.

We listen to our customers’ needs and preferences, and are committed to providing a complete care management system that truly benefits all involved in the provision of care.

For further information see the advert on this page.

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How Do I Choose An Electronic Care System? elecTrOnic care systems are an established way of recording and storing care records and deliver numerous benefits to care providers. For providers considering transitioning to an electronic care system, it is important to know how mobile, efficient, transparent and visible, suitable, and reliable the system is before committing.

Following these 5 key criteria ensures that the care provider receives maximum benefit from an electronic care system.

The first thing to consider is mobility. As carers and nurses don’t sit at desks, they didn’t benefit from the revolution of desktop computers and email that other workplaces experienced. Mobile tablets and smartphones are now used personally by almost everyone of working age and staff adapt quickly to using a handheld device to record information. With electronic care, delivering care isn’t hampered by having to return to a central place - whether paper or desktop computer - to evidence care. An electronic care system should be mobile, to go with the worker to wherever they need to be.

The efficiency that electronic care brings to a care provider should enable more time to be spent providing care to service users. Evidencing care electronically can save each carer about an hour a day on paperwork. The information that is recorded can be seen by the people who need it, instantly, and in real-time. Senior members of staff have information in formats appropriate for auditing at their role level and can access this information from wherever they are working.

Electronic care helps to provide transparency and visibility of information which enables safeguarding and other risks to be managed properly. One significant advantage of electronic care is that information isn’t hidden away in filing cabinets to remain secure.

Accessing information is straightforward for everyone involved in running the care home, from carers to senior people in the company, wherever they are based, without compromising security.

For an electronic care system to be suitable it should provide senior members of staff with all the information they need, but also be easy to use for carers and nurses. Systems that enable carers and nurses to easily write person-centred daily notes that also inform a full set of charts and reports, and link to care plans automatically is most beneficial to the care provider as it saves time and ensures all information is always up to date.

Care providers will only experience the full benefits of electronic care if the system is 100% reliable. There are many things that affect reliability, but most can be managed if the system is well designed. The single biggest impact on reliability is network or WiFi interruptions. The ability to work offline, without constant access to the network or internet, is a key requirement for a reliable and effective care system. Electronic care, designed to work only when WiFi is available, will cause frustration and interrupt carers’ natural working patterns.

Finally, it is not uncommon for new software products to be chosen by senior people in the company, expecting others to adapt to the software without ensuring that the people using the systems have benefits themselves. This approach commonly leads to projects that are abandoned as the effort involved in change management becomes too high. In order to ensure that any systems change will be successful it is necessary to confirm that every person involved in the change will see a benefit significantly greater than the effort involved in adapting to a new system. Ease of use and simplicity are paramount for busy care workers.

For further information see the advert on page 24.

Less Paperwork And More Time For Care “we can now deliver the care and spend time with the residents, which is what everyone of us goes into care for.” Registered Manager, Gemma Broth This is the conclusion reached by Orton Manor Nursing Home after choosing Sekoia as their digital care planning tool.

In 2016 Orton Manor, just outside Birmingham took a step forward on to the digital path saying goodbye to their paper records. The carers at Orton Manor faced the classic challenges of completing heaps of paperwork, instead of delivering care and spending time with the residents.

Sekoia’s most important feature is how user-friendly it is. Together with its touch-screen technology and range of apps, Sekoia makes it easy for any carer to complete basic documentation or access residents care plans. Director

Shahzada Ahmed lets us in on his thoughts going “paperless”: “I wanted something more, something that would integrate the different platforms into something that would be much more user-friendly, so that my carers were using the technology to be able to deliver a much higher standard of care, to give more care time, to free their time up.”

The carers are delivering a more personalised service.

Shahzada Ahmed has noticed this change: “I have seen measureable return on investment for me, I have held resident meetings, family meetings and I have seen significant changes in families and residents noticing much greater time that is allowed in direct contact from carers and service-users without the need for duplicating paperwork.”

Reader enquiries - Tel: 01202 233463 or visit www.sekoia-care.co.uk

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

PAGE 26

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SPRING 2017

Nurse Call Systems from Alarm Radio Monitoring Grouped Alarms - Fully Integrated Telecare and Security

• 2 System types available depending on requirements • Door Entry panels and standalone fob readers • Telecare room units with choice of peripherals • On-site / Local Offsite / Off-site operation • BS8521 protocol for remote Off-site monitoring

Door Entry and Access Control

• High quality robust stainless steel panel • Panels and readers can be inter-connected • Cloud based remote management option • Well specified - Will meet your requirements • High reliability and fault tolerant • DDA compliant • Parts availability - 15 years • Low cost

Carephones and Peripherals

• Tele-care for individual properties • High quality product • Available in various models (PSTN or GSM) • Allows connection of multiple peripherals • The only product in the marketplace that offers wireless remote speech stations and voice pendants • Compatible with most Alarm Receiving Centres • Low Cost

alarm radio Monitoring (a.r.M) is a UK based manufacturer of wireless nurse call and Staff alarm systems; offering a comprehensive range of nurse call, Staff alarm, Fire alarm, and Door access bespoke systems. with over 30 years experience in the design & development of wireless nurse call & Staff alarm systems, a.r.M has established itself as a key player within the wireless solutions market to the public and private healthcare sectors.

Wireless solutions are ideal for environments which do not lend themselves to running cables, for example listed buildings or busy environments. Wireless systems can be fitted while your home remains operational, so you do not have to close rooms off and they offer greater flexibility and ease for future expansion.

Care Homes choose A.R.M nurse call systems because they: • Are quick and simple to install.

• Make it easier for staff to identify the source of calls because they give full text

NCS: A UK Manufacturer of Telecare Equipment and Door Entry Systems neTwOrK cOMMUnicaTiOn Systems (ncS) is an independent manufacturer of a wide range of telecare equipment and facilitate the design, build, installation, and maintenance of telecare systems such as social alarms, door entry systems, warden call and access control systems.

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

descriptions.

• Give management the tools they need to monitor and control best practice. The system provides a full audit trail of which buttons are pressed and response times.

• Failsafe eg alerts you in the event of a system fault or batteries are running low.

• Carry a year’s guarantee.

• Are supported 24/7, 365 days a year by specialist engineers over the telephone or online.

Take the ongoing cost out of your operation with our unique return to base service exchange policy and low cost of ownership along with flexible finance options.

No matter how demanding your environment, A.R.M believes everyone - whether you’re a customer in a care home or team member should be within safe reach.

Whether you need a combination of a Nurse Call, Staff Alarm, Fire Alarm, Door Access system, we have a team to help design a package that will meet your requirements. For further details see advert page 26 or call 01568 610 016 or email sales@arm.uk.com

Since its formation in 1992, NCS has built a strong reputation for quality workmanship, efficiency, cost effectiveness of the equipment, and superb after sales service, operating from its 7,000 sq ft premises in South Yorkshire.

With a committed management team and a highly trained and dedicated workforce, the company strives to provide the best possible customer care, beginning from the design stage and reaching through to providing maintenance over many years of the life of the equipment.

Many Local Authorities and Housing Associations have seen the benefit of choosing NCS as their preferred partner for telecare equipment resulting in a strong portfolio of long-standing clients.

For further details Tel:01302 873333 or visit the website at www.nsgroup.co.uk

Assistive Technology Provides Numerous Affordable Care Solutions iF YOU haven’t heard the term assistive Technology (aT) before, basically, it is a term used to describe handy gadgets. aT can help with many care scenarios where alarms or alerts are needed. a good example is our new design wi-Fi alarm switch. when the two parts are separated, an alert is sent to your Smartphone with date and time of operation. The switch is ideal for a door or window

Nurse Call from Aid Call aiD call’S newest nurse call solution, the Touchsafe Pro, has been developed in response to the changing needs of the healthcare sector and recognises the growing prevalence of alzheimers and Dementia amongst our aging population.

Our nurse call systems are designed to reduce response times to emergency calls, improve the standard of these responses by increasing the amount of information available to carers and to facilitate the care of those with more complex care needs. It encourages better communication and reassures residents, and their families, that help is always nearby.

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

Nursecall Shop THe nUrSecall Shop brings you everything from accessories to complete systems for all your nursecall needs. whether you are looking for an accessory for your existing system or a complete new solution.

Proving popular is the new DIY, i2 Wireless Nurse Call System designed for small, inde-

alarm and can even be used on a fridge, cupboard or medicine cabinet. Visit www.medpage-ltd.com and search wi-Fi. Medpage Limited have supplied AT for over 30 Years and are leading suppliers of Epilepsy and Senior Care products, specialising in falls detection and prevention. As a BSI registered company accredited to ISO 9001 & 13485:2003 for medical device manufacture, we are well placed to provide expert advice and products of high quality to help you with your caring needs. Visit our website or give a call on 01536 264 869 or see the advert on page 1.

Features such as the dementia clock and easy-to-use reminder calls can assist more vulnerable residents and an all-encompassing call logging system will monitor staff performance. We also offer a silent paging system which has proven to be of huge benefit on dementia wings, where loud alarms can cause undue distress.

Additionally, the systems’ peripheral devices and assistive technology help carers to support falls management, learning difficulties and dementia. They facilitate greater independence, provide preventative as well as reactive care and mean the system benefits those without the necessary cognitive ability to utilise a conventional nurse call system.

For more information visit www.aidcall.co.uk or contact sales@aidcall.co.uk or see the advert on the front cover.

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 enviromental factors in the home but also take into consideration the best products that will make your carers and nurses jobs that little bit easier.

For a site consultation or friendly advice call them free on 0800 8499 121 or local 01822 613258. pendent Care Homes. The i2 system provides a fully featured professional Nursecall System at an affordable price.

Using an innovative approach, by removing the need of an expensive central controller and giving each call point full control, the result is a system that is not only more affordable but also more robust.

Each time a Call Point on the i2 System is activated, it transmits the message, containing all the necessary information, directly to a Pager or Display.

One Call Point and One Pager is all it takes to start a system! Use code Carer15 for a 15% discount.

See www.nursecallshop.co.uk for full details.

C-TEC Selected by Barchester a leaDing Barchester Healthcare home has opted for cTec’s innovative Quantec addressable call system.

Located in the heart of Chichester, Marriott House and Lodge is set in a village-style community designed to promote independence within a safe and caring environment.

Amida Fire, the Hertfordshire-based life-safety specialists, specified Quantec to replace the existing conventional call system at the 55-bedroomed facility. As the old system could not be disconnected until Quantec was fully operational, the company’s engineers removed a zone at a time then upgraded the devices in that area to ensure that no bedroom was without emergency call facilities for more than two hours.

Said Daniel Wilson of Amida Fire: “Ensuring that the bedrooms were operational at all times

was important to our client and, therefore, very important to us. It was vital that we ensured a seamless and speedy transition so numerous meetings took place prior to installation to ensure the project ran smoothly.”

“At the end of the first day, most of the old system had been removed and only the ground floor was left to update the following day. The maintenance team on site were very impressed with Quantec, our approach and the swift and costeffective completion of the project. The new system is also popular with the nursing staff.”

For more information, call C-TEC on +44 (0)1942 322744 or visit www.c-tec.com

FALL DETECTOR / DISTRESS PUSH

Wireless Infra Red Movement Sensor from Bennett THe MOVeMenT sensor came about when a handyman at a care home complained about pressure mats short life span and how easily damaged they are, also more worrying was that some residents know that if they stand on them a nurse arrives so try to step over them sometimes falling in the process.

My background is not only in nurse call but intruder alarms as well so I decided to build a small discrete sensor that covered both sides of the bed.

The first ones were wired to a nurse call point and worked well but one of the drawbacks of the pressure mat also applied to the sensor, it could be unplugged!

So I started work on a battery operated wireless sensor that sends an infra red signal to a compatible call point, and over a period of six months it was tested in a local care home and refined with feedback from the handyman and nurses. It has been over a year now since I started selling them and the feedback is all good.

That care home is part of a national group of homes and I have now sold to many of their homes with repeat orders coming soon after.

Frequently asked questions How long do the batteries last?

Minimum 4 months if left on permanently What type of batteries?

4 x AA & 1 x LR23 What is the range?

Approx 6 metres and 110 degrees Is it suitable for any nurse call system?

At the moment it is suitable for Intercall, Caresafe & Quantec systems with infra red call points.

If I have one of the Intercall, Caresafe or Quantec systems with standard call points can I change them?

Intercall and Caresafe points are easily changed by your handyman, Quantec will need an engineer.

What is the auxiliary jack for?

Anything you can plug in to your call point can be connected to the sensor and the signal will be transmitted to the call point. If your resident wants to sit at the other side of the room from the call point a pear push can be connected without the use of long leads.

How much do they cost?

Standard sensor £165 + Vat. Sensor with Auxiliary jack £175 + Vat. (Inc postage) This sensor is designed to alert staff of movement within a room fitted with an infra red nurse call point. It can be positioned on the floor or on bedside furniture. It is self resetting - you need only reset the nurse call system. The auxiliary socket may be used for anything that can be plugged in to the wall socket without having to use long leads I.e. pear pushes, pressure mats etc.

Specification Detection Angle: 100° Detection Range: 6-8 metres Batteries: 4 x AA Energizer Lithium and 1 x LR23 transmitter Output: Infra red transmission Working Temperature: -10°C to +40°C Working Humidity: < 93 % RH Dimensions: 150 x 65 x 40 mm Weight: ± 250g These movement sensors are covered by a one year guarantee against defective materials or workmanship. It does not apply in cases of damage, wear and tear, unauthorised modification or adjustment.

For further information visit www.bennettsecurity.co.uk

The radio operated fall sensor / distress push will send a signal via a receiver to your nurse call system to alert staff of a possible fall.

It can be worn with the supplied neck cord (with safety release) or worn on the user’s belt or shirt pocket. If the sensor is tilted more than 60 degrees in any direction for 10 seconds or more a signal will be sent. The push button may also be used to summon help.

It is waterproof, can be used in the shower or taken outside.

The receiver will be fitted with the appropriate lead for your nurse call system (please state type when ordering). £190 + VAT

For further information please email mike@bennettsecurity.co.uk or visit www.bennettsecurity.co.uk

Bennett Security Ltd Lynkyla, Old Inn Road Findon Aberdeenshire AB12 3RL

07977119402

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New Online Hand Hygiene Training for Care Home Staff a new evidence based online hand hygiene training course is now available free of charge and offers one hour of cPD. This course is divided into four modules which include a summary of guidelines, an introduction to the skin, a hand hygiene video and a section about improving compliance. at the end of each section, there is a series of multiple choice questions so that participants can test what has been learnt. The course is fully referenced and based on the most up to date guidelines, research and evidence.

The training has been designed to specifically address the hand hygiene issues relevant to healthcare staff work-

ing in care homes. Additional trainees can be added to any registration. This helps save time and enables the training coordinator to track the progression of other trainees.

Although it is recognised that good hand hygiene is essential to protect both staff and residents from cross infection, evidence suggests that many healthcare staff do not decontaminate their hands when required or use the correct technique. This one hour of training will help improve standards of hand hygiene through an increased understanding of the vital role it plays in delivering care.

For further information about this course please email: ukmarketing.sm@schuelke.com Or visit: www.schuelke-learning.com/course/ introduction-to-hand-hygiene-for-care-home-staff

Ontex - Personal Hygiene Solutions OnTex iS a leading international producer of disposable personal hygiene solutions for all generations. Offering a comprehensive range of continence products, supported by a dedicated team of professionals providing leading levels of customer service.

Recognising the importance of face-to face contact with customers, Ontex have invested in a large team of qualified nurses who offer and training and support (on their

iD and Lille branded products) to Care Homes and the NHS. Ontex is a key supplier to over 300 NHS organisations and is currently NHS Scotland’s preferred supplier Their quality, value-for-money products are also distributed in more than 110 countries through retailer private labels and leading brands including iD Expert and Lille. id-stockists.com | lillehealthcare.com | ontexglobal.com Please see the advert on page 9 for details.

KalGUARD Offers Maximum Benefits For Limescale Control liMeScale cOnTrOl is recommended for any business located within a hard water area, and especially those that rely on the availability of hot water, such as restaurants, care homes, schools, leisure facilities and hotels.

If left unchecked, limescale can lead to problems such as higher energy bills (British Water estimates that just 1.6mm of limescale can increase a heating system’s fuel requirement by up to 12%), as well as premature repairs, breakdowns and replacement of secondary hot water system components and appliances, business downtime, and unnecessary, unplanned capital expenditure.

To inhibit the buildup of limescale, KalGUARD® from Sentinel Commercial is a scientifically- and independently-proven limescale control device which uses unique driven electrolytic technology: the only powered deviceled methodology to be recommended by UK Building Services Compliance Guide to Part L. WRAS-approved KalGUARD is able to treat an entire system when installed on a rising main before pump and booster sets, providing a value-engineered solution to limescale control. Once commissioned, KalGUARD requires only a bi-annual service if the system filter is fitted. KalGUARD is available in a range of sizes, from 22mm through to 108mm.

To find out more about the benefits of KalGUARD, call 01928 704330 or alternatively visit www.sentinelprotects.com/about-kalguard

BioCote Protected 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.

With this in mind, during the summer of 2011 Angloplas became an official partner of BioCote® which allowed it to transfer production of its dispensers, originally produced in a standard PVC material to the the world's first independently proven antimicrobial PVC with BioCote® silver ion technology.

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.

There you can use the easy online shopping system, or alternatively if you are NHS or an account customer, via an emailed or faxed purchase order. You can also view and/or download the latest catalogue and price list.

To advertise in Tel 01202 552333

SPRING 2017

Improving Quality of Life Through Design and Function GEBERIT SIGMA and Geberit Omega frames and flush plates have added style and functionality to the washrooms at Bentley House, an award winning care home in Hertfordshire. Specified with a white back-plate and chrome buttons, Geberit Sigma and Geberit Omega dual flush plates create a stylish look, save water and are easier to use for those with impaired vision.

The newest development for Signature Senior Lifestyle, Bentley House opened in January 2016, winning the Hertfordshire Building Futures Award for ‘Retrofit of the future'. In May the same year, Bentley House also secured The Hilden Style Award for Most Stylish Care Home.

The bathrooms were a critical part of both award wins and it was important that the products chosen met the needs of residents but at the same time were stylish.

New Life To Intimate Care The new and improved Vita range of wash & dry toilets give people a stylish solution to retaining independence and dignity in the bathroom.

Clos-o-Mat, the UK’s leader in helpful toileting at home and away, has applied to the new look Vita range its 56 years of experience of working with people to optimise their hygiene and independence in the bathroom. The Vita range is, the company believes, the most ‘fit for purpose’ collection of wash & dry toilets available in the UK. It encompasses the top-selling unit of its kind, the Palma Vita, the wall-hung Lima Vita, and the height-adjustable Lima Lifter, all of which look like- and can be used as conventional WCs, but have built-in washing and drying, so eliminate the need to wipe clean.

Now, they feature an updated, more modern, aesthetically pleasing, sweeping design, to compliment even the most contemporary bathroom. The new look is in part achieved using a combination of traditional ceramic, and state of the art plastics that deliver optimum resilience and durability. The modern aesthetics of the core design are further enhanced by attention to detail. The main skirt is telescopic, to finitely adjust to floor height, whether the toilet is mounted on the floor or raised to the user’s specific height requirement via a range of purpose-designed plinths, and moulded flush levers deliver a more ergonomic appearance.

The new Vita toilets can be fitted with accessories to enable the user to toilet, feeling safe, secure and in control: integrated arm supports, body supports, different seats, operating mechanisms and

Enabling Independent Living... aHM inSTallaTiOnS are specialists in providing bathroom and kitchens that have a unique difference. The firm, based in lincoln and newark, specialises in creating rooms to facilitate independent living...

Being able to live independently is a vital part of dignity in later life. That’s why Lincoln and Newark based AHM Installations has spend over 25 years perfecting the design of rooms to facilitate independent living in later life, or those with mobility problems.

The firm’s specialism means that AHM Installations are well-placed to

Sue Dee, Interior Designer for Leisure Concepts, who created the scheme at Bentley House, said: "It is an essential factor in our interior design to provide the functionality and ease of use required by the end user, without compromising on the quality or style of the interior presentation.

"We do not believe it is necessary to make this type of interior look institutional and, whilst there are demanding circumstances, we do not want the residents to feel as though they are in a hospital, but a well-thought-out, attractive and homely environment.

"It may seem like a small thing, but the elements that people touch and feel, those that they use every day, such as a flush plate, can reinforce the non-institutional message.

The Geberit Sigma and Geberit Omega flush plates and frames tick all the boxes; they are simple and easy to use, the flush plates are clearly visible, robust, well made.... and stylish too!" concluded Sue. www.geberit.co.uk douche options are available across the range.

The upgrades are not just ‘skin deep’. They are the fruition of major investment in people and technology by Clos-o-Mat.The Vita toilets are also the only units of their kind that are made in Britain, in the first ceramic factory to be opened in The Potteries for over 25 years, and individually-assembled to order in a dedicated factory in Manchester.

Clos-o-Mat itself is the only wash & dry toilet provider in the country that is British-based. It is also the only company in the sector that has its own team of service engineers. The network now covers the whole country, giving a local, personal touch from initial commissioning to annual servicing, or retro-fitting of accessories to ensure the toilet adapts with changing user requirements. As a result, Closo-Mat Vita range addresses more people’s needs than any other wash & dry toilet on the market. And it does that both at the outset, and as needs change over time.

“When we first introduced the Palma Vita, it was the first wash & dry toilet specifically developed for people who needed help with their intimate hygiene,” explains Mark Sadler, Clos-o-Mat sales director. “The latest offering with the new Vita range continues that pioneering, brandleading approach.

“Everything we do is designed to give people the tools and technology to be as independent as possible, giving due consideration to the very specific stresses and issues that people who may be limited in their mobility face when undertaking something so intensely private and sensitive as going to the loo.”

For further details visit the website at www.clos-o-mat.com or call 0161 969 1199.

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PAGE 29

Delivering Safe Water in Public Places WATER, ESSENTIAL for hygiene, can also be a source of infection if its quality is not controlled.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recommend that hot and cold water systems in all buildings open to the public should be monitored for Legionella, including hotels, student accommodation, campsites etc., and not just healthcare facilities.

The HSE Approved Code of Practice and Guidance document L8 states that duty holders should: identify and assess sources of risk of exposure to Legionella; put in place precautions to prevent or control that risk; and monitor these measures to ensure that they remain effective. If contamination occurs, point-of-use filters should be used as a temporary control measure until a permanent, safe solution is put in place.

Now fully WRAS approved,

Marbrex Wall Panel Systems MarBrex iS showing its range of decorative wall and ceiling panels at the 2017 Health Plus care Show, 28-29th June, excel london.

This stylish and versatile panel system replicates the look and feel of marble, wood and stone but without the weight and high installation cost of the natural material.

Designed mainly for use in bath and shower room installations, Marbrex is a stunning alternative to paint, wallpaper, tiles and other wall covering systems.

Available in a wide range of widths, colours and patterns, from traditional to the more contemporary, there is a design for almost any room in the care home environment. Using panel based systems such as Marbrex and its big sister – the

DELABIE’s range of anti-bacterial BIOFIL point-of-use filters can provide peace of mind if an outbreak is identified.

Featuring innovative, hollow-fibre membrane technology to micro-filter the water, BIOFIL filters have a larger filtration surface for increased volumes of water, better resistance to clogging, and a very compact filter.

BIOFIL filters have been subjected to the bacterial retention test in accordance with ASTM F838, and they have a sterilising grade of 0.1μm absolute-rated.

The range consists of sterile and non-sterile antibacterial cartridges and shower heads as well as spout filters, the only ones available on the market. The spouts are also available in sterile and non-sterile versions and can be fitted to all DELABIE’s mixers with removable BIOCLIP spouts. All DELABIE’s filters have a maximum lifespan of 62 days.

For further details call 01491 824449 or visit www.delabie.co.uk metre-wide Roomliner, has many advantages over conventional methods of decorating such as tiles, paint or wallpaper. The large panel format means it is quick to install, it is totally moisture resistant and because there are no grouted joint, it is easy to clean and will not harbour mould and germs.

The Roomliner, wide panel format also means a typical shower enclosure is quick to install and can even be fitted over existing tiled substrates. Because there are no grouted joints to the system, they are also hygienic, easy to clean and will not harbour mould and germs Marbrex and Roomliner panels also provide a degree of insulation to the room and so helps reduce condensation.

Marbrex and Roomliner are brands of Swish Building Products. t: (01827) 317200 e: info@marbrexpanels.co.uk www.marbrexpanels.co.uk

provide advice with unprecedented expertise and product knowledge. But moreover, its team of in-house fitters and specialised tradespeople provide a trustworthy service that facilitate the same peace-of-mind during the design and installation process as you’ll experience after the creation of each new room.

In addition to complete kitchens and bathrooms, the firm can also provide heating solutions, and can install stairlifts for mobility over different floors.

AHM Installation have more than a few ideas for making life easy, whether you’re looking to configure a kitchen or bathroom for independent living...

For more information on AHM Installation’s bespoke kitchens and bathrooms for independent living, call 01522 500288 or 01636 821443 or see www.ahminstallations.co.uk.

Laundry and Infection Prevention giVen THe vulnerability of care home residents, it is imperative that operators are fully aware of the importance of hygiene when it comes to both the handling and cleaning of laundry. Here, amanda Dufrane, care Segment Manager at electrolux Professional, explains how the latest technology can ensure a worry-free laundry process for care providers.

Paying due care and attention to laundry processes is absolutely vital in the fight against Healthcare Associated Infections (HCAIs), and the outbreak of infections and diseases. Given that bacteria and viruses can remain active in linen for long periods of time, each stage of the journey must be carefully monitored and validated in order to form a reliable top-layer defence.

Establishing an effective Laundry Cycle Management plan is the first step to achieving this, offering care home managers a validation-based system that tracks the laundry process from the proper packaging and transportation of dirty items via dedicated routes, through to the correct storage of linen once it is clean.

However, even for the most stringent establishments, it can be nigh-on impossible to rule out laundry as the cause of an outbreak without the right technology in place. For full thermal disinfection to take place, we know that a wash cycle must reach 93°C for one minute, 71°C for three minutes, or 65°C for at least ten minutes to satisfy the requirements of CFPP 01-04. Fortunately, the latest laundry equipment should have no problem meeting these requirements.

That being said, in the event a spread of infection does occur, how can an operator be sure that the linen was thermally disinfected without black and white evidence that these temperatures were reached for the necessary length of time? In the

past, this has been a difficult question to answer, but there are now a number of tools available to guarantee that linen is being disinfected effectively – thus allowing care homes to rule out laundry as a cause of infection, once and for all.

Proven performance The simplest of these would be a tool that could validate the wash process, guarantee full hygienic thermal disinfection to each and every wash cycle, and eliminate the risk of infection spreading as a result of varying wash temperatures. Electrolux Professional will be launching a Process Validation tool in May, a plug-in accessory that records and stores data from the entire wash cycle. As well as confirming thermal disinfection has taken place, this allows for complete traceability when it comes to filing reports or audits for the Care Quality Commission (CQC), with all operational and cycle data available for download to USB. The Process Validation kit even allows care homes to combine safety with savings, by it with our Efficient Dosing solution, which connects directly to a washing machine’s detergent pump and regulates the amount needed. In other words, if the machine is only half full, then half as much water and detergent will also be used.

The question of establishing a safe, effective laundry process is a tricky one for care home managers, and has meant that many are now taking their processes in-house for full peace of mind. With help from the latest laundry technology, care home managers and healthcare providers can ensure that control over laundry means control over hygiene – guaranteeing complete traceability and even lower running costs for those keen to benefit.

For more information on Electrolux Professional’s leading range of laundry solutions, visit www.electrolux.co.uk/professional.

See the advert on page 31 for details.

Cash’s nametapes provide the perfect solution to identify individuals’ clothing and belongings.

Whether during laundry, or after being misplaced, they can be returned to their rightful owner.

We can provide woven, sew-in nametapes in a variety of styles and colours, or in a size of lettering to assist those with poor eyesight. We can provide printed, iron-on nametapes, which will withstand continuous washing, for those who do not want to sew labels to clothing. Lost clothes and belongings can be expensive to replace and sometimes distressing for their owner.

For over 150 years, Cash’s nametapes have been providing the perfect answer.

For prices and more information, please visit our website

www.jjcash.co.uk or telephone

024 7646 6466

PAGE 30

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SPRING 2017

Streamlined Laundry and Detergent Solution for the Care Sector eSTaBliSHeD in 1926, Forbes Professional appreciate that a reliable service partnership is critical to the smooth running of any commercial laundry operation. we are proud to offer an endto-end laundry solution, from the initial site survey and subsequent installation to a comprehensive service support and ongoing detergent provision. Our experienced account managers can advise on all relevant cQc and wraS stipulations and always ensure that the correct procurement decisions are made, based on logistical and regulation requirements.

Proud partners of Miele and Primus, we provide energy and water efficient commercial laundry and dishwashing equipment with the requisite hygiene specific functionality for a healthcare environment. Our auto-dosing pumps are highly programmable and enable autoselection to avoid unnecessary waste and eliminate user error. They are durable systems that free up valuable staff time and simplify the laundry process. We also supply a wide range of chemicals including low temperature detergents that kill viruses and bacteria including MRSA and C-Difficile. This is particularly useful for the processing of synthetic or woollen fabrics in the care sector.

We offer flexible solutions for commercial laundry equipment provision. As well as purchase with mainte-

nance options, we offer a Complete Care solution, which is ideally suited to a care environment. This solution gives access to market leading commercial washers and dishwashers without the upfront capital outlay, and with the security of a same day/next day engineer response.

Installation, user training and product maintenance is carried out by our team of manufacturer trained engineers and all account management is handled centrally for a streamlined service via a single point of contact.

‘Engineers who attend are very knowledgeable…Very fast response to call out and repair. ’ Care Home, Cambridgeshire.

Contact Forbes Professional on 0345 070 2335 or email info@forbes-professional.co.uk

Wovina - Nametapes, Woven Labels and More THe TaggiT is a unique device which secures your labels to garments in seconds, and is particularly useful where there is a need for identifying multiple garments, examples being for residential and nursing homes.

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

We also supply Iron on Nametapes, plus Shoe and Property Labels. For the specialist requirement check out our 15mm wide tapes. For these items and more visit our on-line shop.

If you require your Woven Nametape urgently then simply use our first class on-line service and receive your nametapes within 5 days by 1st class post.

If the soft touch of your garment label is just what you need to give your product the edge then click here.

Because they are woven they are suitable for all environments. So if you manufacture clothing, book bags, gymsacs or mini back-packs then Wovina labels could be the answer.

Developing into a leading manufacturer of woven garment labels has only been achieved by consistently providing a fast, cost effective solution to the developing garment manufacturing trade within the UK. Over time we have built up a list of premier suppliers of school wear garments, which enables us to provide a complete service to the schools. The embroidery service has now been extended so we now provide garments with logos to councils, sports clubs and businesses.

Try out our garment builder which allows you to pick a garment and add single or multi-colour logos, text or graphics that can be purchased online. We then add your design to the garment of your choice by either direct to garment digital printing or heat sealing a transfer on. So go and have a play and if you wish, purchase online or just call us for information about what we can offer.

For further details see the advert on this page.

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

SPRING 2017

Services for the Less Able OUr SerVice has been built to provide our clients in both nursing Home and Private home locations, with a service second to none. So should the need arise for you to call upon us for our specialised service you can be sure that the service we provide will be carried out quickly and efficiently, giving full customer satisfaction and peace of mind.

S & T Services is a small group of Engineers who are all factory trained, as well as their expert knowledge and experience in servicing and repairing products from leading Manufacturers of Specialist

Bathing and Lifting equipment such as Chiltern Invadex, Arjo, Huntleigh, BHM, Invacare, Reval, Oxford, Sunrise Medical and Parker Baths.

With access to several manufacturers’, we are able to advise & recommend equipment most suitable to the individual needs for both the resident & carer!

We are also able to source both new & refurbished equipment such as baths, hoists, beds, wheelchairs and other equipment associated with special needs with warranties at competitive prices.

For further information call 01386 765877, email: info@servicesforthelessable.co.uk or visit www.servicesforthelessable.co.uk

Flex-lift from Ergolet THe Flex-liFT is the perfect, versatile mobile lifter for the traveller.

The Flex-lift can be carried in two bags with wheels weighing only 15,5 kg & 16,8 kg, and fits perfectly into the boot of a car. The low weight and the storage bags makes it possible for one person to transport the hoist almost anywhere. The Flex-lift can be folded and dismantled in two pieces without the use of any

tools.

Because the Flex-lift folds to a width of only 22.5 cm (9”), it makes it easy to store when not in use.

The lifting capacity of the Flex-lift is 130 kg (20.7 st.), which is plenty for most purposes. It can lift from the floor and has a lifting range of 116 cm (46”). The Flex-lift has a rechargeable 24-volt battery, which will give 25 – 30 lifting cycles.

Reader enquiries - Tel: 0161 477 7900 or visit www.ergolet.com

®

Oxford Midi: The ‘Gold Standard’ In Care THe OxFOrD Midi patient lift is ideally suited to nursing home environments where our products have been leading the way for many years.

The compact Midi incorporates a state-of-the-art, on-board diagnostic controller providing invaluable operational data via the integrated LCD display. The intelligent system reminds the user to schedule key maintenance routines, and understand if the lift has been overloaded during use. It also offers one of the industry’s most ethical lift cycle counts.

So what is a full lift cycle? There is debate and confusion surround-

ing this topic. The Oxford Smart™ Monitor records a lift cycle only when the lift’s actuator has accumulated the precise amount of work necessary for one complete lift (a full up and down actuation) at maximum safe working load. Coupled with a manufacturer recommended 40,000 lift cycle actuator service life and a full 5 year standard warranty, you can rest assured that your Oxford Midi will achieve a significantly longer service life and reduced maintenance costs - true and justified value!

For more information, contact Joerns Healthcare today on 0844 811 1156, send an email to info@joerns.co.uk or visit our website at www.joerns.co.uk.

Agecare Eastern agecare eaSTern are the friendly, one stop shop for all care equipment, both new and preused.

We have access to everything your care home or hospital needs from a fully equipped room ready for your clients to simple moving and handling accessories.

As a leading provider to clients throughout the UK, we can offer the widest choice of premium quality standaids, hoists, beds, baths and mobility equipment at competitive prices.

We specialise in the supply of quality reconditioned equipment, and are experts in our field. Our range of stock changes regularly and as a result we supply almost everything next day and display our best selling products on this website only.

If you cannot see the product you are looking for, please call us for more stock information, we will be happy to help.

Selection and purchase is quick and

simple, leaving you with more time to run your business.

A few things you may not know about Agecare Eastern: • We have been trading since 1992 • 95% of our trade is repeat custom • We have built up customer relations right across Europe • We have thousands of different products available • We are NHS approved suppliers • Our stock changes daily • We are situated in Downham Market, Norfolk • We deliver to thousands of different care homes every year For further details see advert page 5.

Visit www.agecareeastern.co.uk

TO ADVERTISE IN PLEASE CALL OUR SALES TEAM ON

01202 552333

ProMove UK Ltd eSTaBliSHeD in 2007, ProMove UK ltd manufactures and supply’s the ProMove sling. The unique design of the ProMove sling means it can be used to move an individual in a confined or outdoor location where a hoist cannot be used.

The ProMove sling allows an individual to be moved without being manhandled and with the least risk to the operator. It has been independently tested to carry a range of different sized

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individuals, from children aged 3 years to large adults weighing up to 45 stone.

The ProMove is easily placed beneath an incapacitated person whether on the ground, seated in a chair or restricted in a tight corner. It provides good support, forming a bucket shaped seat, giving a sense of security for moving and transferring.

Strategically placed handles distribute the load between as many operatives as appropriate. Therefore reducing the risk of musculoskeletal injury and providing a more controlled and secure transfer.

For more info please visit www.promove.uk.com or call 01970 820893 or email sales@promove.uk.com. Please quote THECARER17 for a trial and 20% discount.

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Care Home Commercial Kitchens - Central to the Operation One OF the real pleasurable parts of our job here at The carer is covering the national association of care catering (nacc) care chef of the Year. Sponsored by the worshipful company of cooks and Premier Foods, the nacc care chef of the Year competition highlights the care catering sector and the talented, qualified chefs operating within it. entrants are challenged to create a nutritionally-balanced, two-course menu (main and dessert) that is suitable for service users in a care setting. The combined food cost for both courses must be no more that £2.25 per head based on four portions and it is to be produced in just 90 minutes. we have in recent years been astounded at the quality and presentation chefs have achieved in such a limited budget. So, it would be fair to say that the kitchen is very heart of a care home!

A good diet, both in terms of health and general wellbeing, is paramount, and as such, food must appeal to the broadest spectrum of people whilst delivering on nutrition.

Similarly, with ever increasing emphasis on hygiene, especially important where vulnerable people are concerned, food needs to be cooked and stored in accordance with current legislation.

An almost 24-hour demand for catering and foodservice means that equipment must be user friendly and be capable of providing a varied food and beverage menu that includes nutritious hot and cold meals throughout the day.

Due to the vulnerability of residents living in a care home environment and precise food safety and hygiene requirements, equipment used by this

market must meet stringent guidelines around temperature, storage and sanitisation, and disposal.

As care home providers grapple with rising costs and controls on public funding it is vital that an effective catering model needs to be at the heart of every set-up. Reliability, consistency and flexibility are crucial buying criteria for an industry producing large numbers of fresh, nutritious, and complex meals, catering for residents with differing dietary or even religious requirements, often within set timeframes, throughout the day.

Therefore, as demand and demographics have changed, so too have the catering equipment requirements of the residential and nursing care home sector. And with food quality, flavour and nutrition rising to the top of the agenda, kitchens are central to the whole operation!

Care Home Catering Equipment Buyers Gear Up for Commercial Kitchen 2017 an eSSenTial date on equipment buyers’ calendars, commercial Kitchen is all set for a successful second edition when it opens its doors on 6-7 June at the nec Birmingham, with catering equipment purchasers and specifiers from many of the UK’s leading care homes already confirming their attendance.

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

For 2017, visiting buyers will have even more new innovations to see, with 100 exhibitors showcasing the complete range of innovative equipment, devices and utensils required to run a commercial kitchen; including cooking equipment, refrigeration, storage, warewashing, fit out and design.

The show features a free two-day seminar programme with Rob Quehan, head chef at The Redwood Bistro at Bishopstoke Park - the first care home restaurant in the UK to win an AA rosette, joining a panel of fellow industry experts who will be discussing kitchen design and equipment procurement in care homes.

Other speakers include Chris Moore, chief executive of The Clink Charity and Philip Shelley the honorary national chair of The Hospital Caterers Association who will lead a panel session with leading NHS catering professionals.

For more information and to register for your free trade ticket in advance (saving the £20 door fee), please visit www.commercialkitchenshow.co.uk and quote priority code CK69.

SPRING 2017

HotMixPro Gastro THe MOST robust industrial strength thermal blender on the market!

• Are your patients missing out?

• Is your kitchen fully equipped to produce nutritious, delicious Special Diets?

Safe -The 2 litre heavy usage mixing bowl sits within a fully insulated stainless steel casing Easy to Clean - All stainless steel construction and dishwasher proof mixing bowl Easy to Use - Operates exactly to programme at a touch of a finger.

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Efficient - Speed range from 0 -12,500rpm allows blending, small and large amounts, to just the right texture Financial Benefits - Precise temperature settings between 24°-190° dramatically reduces waste by maximising nutritional values and maintaining appetising flavour and colour of fresh ingredients Memory - The integrated SD card can store numerous ‘Special Diet’ recipes HotmixPro Gastro is an essential support for every busy caring or nursing home or hospital kitchen.

Invest in the Best?

Find out more by contacting us on 01629 705110, email: info@barbel.net or visit www.barbel.net

Victor Manufacturing Limited FOr MOVing, storing, and holding hot and cold foods, UK equipment producer, Victor Manufacturing can help.

With 70 years of manufacturing experience, Victor is able to deliver an extensive range of catering equipment suitable for a wide range of organisations, including hotels, restaurants, hospitals, sporting arenas and educational establishments.

The product range includes gas & electric hot cupboards, hot plates, kitchen passes, heated plate dispensers and warmers, counter top servery units, pie heaters,

pasty warmers, heated drawer units, refrigerated salad wells, deli bars & counters, patisserie units, heated tiled, ceramic & glass top carvery counters, bespoke and custom food servery counters, mobile heated and refrigerated servery units as well as a comprehensive range of drop-in gastronorm compatible hot and cold food service modules.

The entire range of Victor products are all handled and managed efficiently through the company's comprehensive network of national and local distributors.

For further details see the advert on the facing page.

Fit and Forget - Kingspan Environmental’s New Smart iFOG Management Systems KingsPAn EnviRonMEntAl, a global leader in the design and manufacture of commercial waste management, has turned its attention and considerable expertise onto the problem of catering food waste with the launch of its new ‘smart’ fat, oil and grease management system. iFOG is an intelligent system for waste removal that uses naturally-occurring micro-organisms to eat the fat, oil and grease (FOG) which builds up in kitchen drains.

It can reduce drain unblocking and grease trap emptying costs by up to 75 per cent per annum, lessening the resultant kitchen odours, while also eliminating all health and safety risks associated with chemical or mechanical methods of FOG management.

The self-contained unit uses high-performance multi-strain bacteria which are scientifically proven to be highly effective at digesting FOG from a wide range of food-stuffs.

The fully managed “Fit and Forget” system also contains remote-monitoring technology guaranteeing effective, continual treatment 24/7, preventing further build up. “iFOG saves you time and money, and makes for a cleaner, far more pleasant working environment for staff – many of whom, I’m quite sure would be delighted that they don’t have to empty grease traps with the same regularity,” says Mr Anderson.

“It’s also an entirely trouble-free way of ensuring your business is compliant with the myriad of environmental regulations around FOG.” iFOG was Highly Commended in the Sustainable Catering Equipment Award category at the recent CESA Awards 2014.

IFOG is available on a free hire basis for a minimum 12 month contract. Prices start from £2.60 per day.

Learn more about Kingspan’s range of food waste management solutions at http://kingspanenviro.com/foodwaste.

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

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Public / Private

By Jeremy Stein, British Contract Furnishing Association (BCFA)

The BcFa is the British business association for the contract furnishing industry. covering the full spectrum of interior products and services in the UK and globally, the 250+ members are leading manufacturers, suppliers and designers and must be accredited by the association to join. Here BcFa Managing Director Jeremy Stein looks at the importance of incorporating spaces inspired by both the domestic and public spheres when designing for care homes, and how this can have a positive impact on the comfort, satisfaction and ultimately happiness of residents. a Home From Home With an increasingly aging population who are perhaps healthier than previous generations the title care home is perhaps a misnomer. Often it isn’t exactly care that the residents need but a sense of belonging, security and companionship. This is why design is so important. Residents are arguably more discerning and design savvy than ever before so the phrase ‘a home from home’ really does need to ring true. It is essential that personal areas, such as bedrooms, offer the comfort, privacy and authenticity synonymous with home and many designers are basing private spaces on a more domestic aesthetic to reach this ideal.

As well as offering the ultimate in comfort, quality and functionality, furnishings should also have a unique identity and personality in order to

truly recall home. Feature wall papers, accent colours and soft patterns all work to create a comfortable rather than clinical feel and ensuring residents have the freedom to add personal possessions, such as pictures and plants, also helps spaces feel like home. When BCFA member Tina Davies Childs designed and installed the communal areas in Sax House, finishing touches such as vases, flowers, pot pourri, cushions and art work were all incorporated to help create comfortable and familiar surroundings for residents.

Including items with links to the past not only adds a domestic feel but can also have a beneficial impact on mental health and designers are increasingly incorporating features such as ‘memory boxes’ and ‘rummage areas’ in to schemes. When Milford Care selected BCFA member Shackletons; specialist care furniture provider, to transform their Ashbourne Lodge care home, a ‘Reminiscence Lounge’ was incorporated for this purpose.

Public Sphere In the areas of care homes where residents socialise with each other and family and friends who come to visit, interiors modelled on hotels can help create a welcoming and personality-filled area. Not only is this conducive to upbeat and positive interactions, but lively and welcoming communal areas may also encourage residents to socialise more with each other creating a beneficial sense of community and cohesion.

Mixing fabric patterns on seating - plain on the back and patterned on the front for example - is one example of the hotel-like design attributes increasingly being incorporated in to

schemes in order to create inviting and comfortable spaces for residents to socialise. Bright, vibrant colours can also be used to create a hotellike look. When BCFA member Knightsbridge provided furniture for the family rooms and community spaces in Roseberry Park, citrus and berry shades were specified for the upholstery – the lively, zesty shades adding interest and energy. Another member Teal provided furniture for the Sid Watkins Building was also designed to be contemporary and comfortable, and anything but clinical. As well as specifying a bright, contemporary colour palette, dual tone fabrics and bold high and low back chairs with striking silhouettes and button back detailing were also selected.

Each public space in care homes should be unique in order to ensure it has its own personality. When Shackletons worked with Olea Homes to create a bespoke design for their Fernlea in Hazel Grove Village care home, varying styles of furniture, textiles and colours were adopted for each area.

From the seaside-inspired area in bold Aquamarine to the sophisticated upstairs lounge featuring a chandelier and cosy fireside chairs; each setting was unique yet equally striking.

Communal areas of care homes should also incorporate references to specific areas in the public sphere to help develop and maintain day to day cognitive skills and engage and inspire the residents. Spaces which simulate grocery shopping and offices have been added to a number of care home designs and when Tina Davies Childs completed the design and install of Langleigh care scheme in Letchworth, a hair salon for use by residents was included.

Specialist FR Fabrics and Furnishings For Care Homes Altro - Designed for Possibilities - Made for People SKOPOS FaBricS has over 40 years’ experience of supplying Fr fabrics and furnishings for care homes.

alTrO were the first company to innovate a complete system of compatible hygienic wall cladding and safety flooring. as the system is fully integrated, it fits together perfectly to provide a hygienic, watertight solution. no gaps or rough edges, just a smooth, uninterrupted surface - even around plug sockets, light switches and corners.

The system offers the best possible protection against bacteria, bugs and vermin.

Altro's integrated floor and hygienic wall cladding system makes cleaning easier too.

We have specifically designed our integrated system to address the issues commonly found in kitchens slips, contamination, cleaning and maintenance. Our system

doesn't just protect the people who use it; it also protects the environment and those responsible for the health and safety of employees and visitors.

Altro products are one of the few worldwide flooring and walling products to have achieved HACCP International certification for non-food services and supplies, which means that they have been assessed by a third party and found to be satisfactory and hygienic for use in a food environment. Both the flooring and walling products from Altro offer the seamless and impervious solution which means that there is nowhere for bacteria to hide, as well as being easy to clean.

For further information, please contact Altro on 01462 707600, email: enquiries@altro.com or visit altro.co.uk

The demand for choice in this marketplace is now higher than ever, with designers pulling together interior schemes that would look fabulous in independent hospitality or high end residential. Skopos’ broad offer of prints, weaves and waterproof upholstery fabrics, with new collections each year, make it easy to create a home from home stylish environment.

Skopos work closely with their customers,

providing a choice of fabric only or full service, working with key brands and independent homes on refurbishment and new build projects, to tight timescales and a given budget.

Our make-up standards ensure high quality bedding, cushions and curtains bringing bedrooms and public areas to life. Skopos are ISO monitored and test all our products to ensure full compliance to British Standards. For full details and to view our collections please visit skoposfabrics.com Contact Skopos Fabrics Ltd on Tel: 01924 436666 or Email: sales@skopos.co.uk

Another Smart Product Range by Consort Claudgen! cOnSOrT claUDgen has introduced an improved range of slimline low surface temperature fan heaters with intelligent fan control. each PlSTi heater is equipped with intelligent fan control which detects the temperature in the environment and automatically adjusts its fan speed to quickly achieve a warm airflow temperature.

This allows the heater to immediately blow hot air, even when initially powered on in a very cold room,

for the user’s comfort. Enhanced with one of the latest low energy consumption EC motors, these smart heaters also operate on a very low noise level, are more durable with a strengthened grille and splash proof. The PLSTi heaters comply with NHS Estates Health Guidance Notes with a maximum surface temperature of 43oC, making them perfect for environments with vulnerable people such as children and elderly residents.

For more information, email: sales@consortepl.com, tel: 01646 692172 or fax: 01646 695195.

SPRING 2017

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

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A New Dawn From Franklite

FranKliTe liMiTeD have been known for their quality of product and service in the decorative lighting market for over 40 years and, over recent years, the company has built an astonishing reputation for quality leD lighting.

Recently, Anovocare’s Cloghran Nursing Home in Dublin asked Franklite to create a design that would incorporate as much LED as possible whilst avoiding glare problems that can be created by some poorly designed downlights.

Franklite’s range of quality recessed downlights offer a modern, simple lighting scheme with clean lines and

an unobtrusive way to illuminate spaces.

The chosen LED lighting for the nursing home was well positioned to provide ambient lighting and more focused task lighting. As intended, the results were magnificent and can be viewed on our website.

Franklite have a team of professional and knowledgeable personnel who can demonstrate Frankled technology and discuss individual requirements.

Call 01908 691818, email info@franklite.ltd.uk, visit www.franklite.net or www.frankled.com See the advert on page 41 for details.

Beautifully Designed | Professionally Made | Carefully Installed Freephone: 0800 917 7943 www.euroservice-uk.com sales@euroservice-uk.com

aT renraY we have been producing high quality healthcare and medical furniture for 50 years and are one of the UK’s largest and leading suppliers to the healthcare sector. whether you require just a fast efficient delivery of quality furniture or a full turnkey installation and fitting service, we have the experience and resources to handle your project.

We understand that you are purchasing healthcare 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.

• Manufacturing high quality furniture since 1966 • UK and European design and manufacturing operations • Largest in-house turnkey operator in the UK • In house logistics with weekly delivery service to mainland UK and Ireland • Experienced uniformed drivers and installation teams • Free room placement unpacking and packaging removal • Furniture and furnishings compliant to approved British Standards • 5 year warranties on curtains, frames and bedroom furniture If you would like a free consultation or advice from one of our highly trained consultants, please call: 01606 593 456 or visit www.renrayhealthcare.com

New Look, New Designs By Christopher Guy Interiors

PM200

QZ2

PO 300

B007

B09

WM6

christopher guy interiors are specialists in their field of contract furnishings and interiors, whether you need to replace tired looking chairs in your dining areas or looking at the bigger picture and refurbishing the whole building (including wall art and the little things like pictures floral arrangements) they can take care of everything with their free interior design service.

B39

BZ 006

Christopher Guy Interiors completed 19 New Builds by the close of 2016 and are now looking at an even greater number in 2017.

There are many new fabric ranges being launched this month and

Christopher Guy have included them in their 2017 design portfolio, so all your furnishing needs will be covered in the very latest fabric designs from the UK and Europe to give your home the “Premier Look” Every piece of upholstered furniture is made in house “In Yorkshire” and delivered to you on their dedicated transport for extra piece of mind.

Christopher Guy Interiors are traditionally 30% cheaper than their competitors and with extra special deals on selected products there's no better time to buy.

Ring their customer care team for details Tel: 01274 660 123.

See the adverts on pages 38-39.

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Care Staff Turnover Can Be Reduced By Better Training And Staff Resources THe riSing staff turnover in the care sector could be reduced by using online training and providing staff with better information resources, according to wolters Kluwer.

Research conducted by the charity Skills for Care shows that of the 1.3 million people employed in the Care sector in 2015-16, an estimated 338,500 people left their jobs in that period, equivalent to 928 people every working day.

Justine Griffin, Care Segment Manager for Wolters Kluwer said: “Our own recent research amongst care providers has highlighted that staff are overwhelmed by the amount of Care standards they need to comply with. What they need is train-

ing and guidance they can access at times that suit them, which is easy to use and targeted on the issues they face.

“Croner-i Care from Wolters Kluwer is a continuously updated practical toolkit of the latest policies, procedures and training that helps care providers make the most of the limited resources they have.

“In our experience, staff who are well trained and have the guidance they need, are more likely to stay with their employer which means lower turnover and better care outcomes. “ Croner-i Care makes it easier for staff to give outstanding care, to see how we can support you and your team go to https://app.croneri.co.uk/ or call us on 0208 247 1405

Dementia Product Solutions for Every Care Setting DeMenTiacarePrODUcTS.cO.UK offers specialist products and daily living aids for people with dementia in care homes, nursing homes, hospitals and other healthcare settings at highly competitive prices.

Toilet and bathroom aids Going to the toilet can be a source of anxiety for people with dementia who may have trouble seeing a white toilet seat or grab rail. Coloured versions are more visible and can alleviate the problem. Other useful toilet and bathroom products in our range include raised toilet seats, toilet frames and bath seats.

Geopace Training geOPace Training is the UK’s leading provider of Phlebotomy Training courses delivering accredited and nationally recognised training to the highest of professional standards.

All courses adhere to CHS132 – the National Occupational Standard for Phlebotomy and to Skills for Health guidelines HSC376 as well as following WHO guidelines.

SSTAR Care Staff Training in OrDer for care staff to become competent in the provision of care to a high standard, decisions about training and the level of training needs to be made.

Care assistants need knowledge and skills in order to deliver care to others and the ratio between the two varies according to the topic under consideration.

Skill based topics require underpinning knowledge in order for care assistants to understand how and why the skills work. More importantly the care assistants also need to practise those skills in a safe environment whilst being monitored and guided in the practice of those skills.

This should be monitoring and supervised by care organisations senior staff to ensure that procedures learnt are being put into practice in the home/workplace setting. Clearly, supervisory staff should cover the

High visibility signage Specialist signage will help residents with dementia or sight problems find their own way to the toilet, bathroom and other important locations without feelings of stress. Door decals and personalised signs are also available to help residents identify their bedroom.

Improving the quality of life Whether you’re looking for mobility products, reminiscence aids, purpose designed plates and cups to make residents’ mealtimes a more pleasurable experience, or other daily living aids, make sure you visit dementiacareproducts.co.uk to see the full range.

Order online at www.dementiacareproducts.co.uk, Courses are available as classroom, eLearning or Blended Learning (hybrid) and cover all levels of experience from novice through to experienced phlebotomist.

Geopace Training have developed a reputation for excellence in training, delivered to a wide and varied audience of students and organisations including Colleges and Universities, Hospitals, Care Homes and GP Practices as well as individuals. Group training on-site provides a very cost effective method for staff education and CPD. For further details Tel: 01525 713377, Website: www.geopace.com Email: info@geopace.com same material so that everyone is working to the same ideals.

Knowledge based topics have a skills element in terms of putting that knowledge into practice whilst caring for others. Senior care staff need to monitor and supervise carers to ensure that the knowledge learnt is being used appropriately.

Certain skills and knowledge should be delivered by qualified trainers who have the experience to make the learning understood and appropriate to the care assistants. This especially applies to the statutory training required by staff members.

SSTAR believes that if training is provided in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere with appropriate use of humour the learning process is likely to be an enjoyable one. Research shows that, in such circumstances, information is absorbed more easily and retained for longer. Care staff are then keen to put what they have learned into practice and, often, are encouraged to learn more and improve their skills.

See the advert on this page for details.

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

ReVitalyz Unique SPA Training Programme Recognised for CPD by NAPA

Supporting QCF Qualifications ‘Activity Provision in Social Care’ L2 Award & L3 Certificate

info@revitalyz.co.uk

023 9235 8285

www.revitalyz.co.uk

SPRING 2017

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SING FOR YOUR LIFE Introduces The Improved Silver Song Music Box System To Be Launched At The Alzheimer’s Show THE SILVER SONG MUSIC BOX system is now supporting older people in more than 250 locations – Residential Care Homes , Day Care Centres and Hospitals – providing participatory singing sessions for older people .N.I.C.E Guidance NG32 strongly recommended singing to be a beneficial and cost effective activity to support the Independence and Mental Well Being of older people Sing For Your Life have now developed a customised tablet based system which Is easier to use and is designed to be used by both large and small groups, families or individuals. The new model is not only more flexible but the introduction of improved technology has enabled the cost to be reduced.

Over a million people have been identified to lonely and socially isolated and these numbers will inevitably increase as longevity increases and Adult Social Care Budgets come under increasing pressure.

THE SILVER SONG MUSIC BOX system has been developed by Sing For Your Life to enable Day Care Centres, Residential Care Homes and Hospitals to provide participatory singing sessions for older people. Singing brings people together and The Silver Song Music Box provides an inclusive activity that delivers excellent cognitive stimulation therapy and an effective reminiscence experience.

The improved Silver Song Music Box system is designed to support Community Singing groups to which Health Providers can signpost

lonely people in accordance with N.I.C.E Quality Standard QS137 which “ensures that a range of activities are in place for older people most at risk of a decline in their independence and mental well being to build or maintain their social participation” Contacts: heather@activitiesforhealth.co.uk pip@singforyourlife.co.uk music2u@hotmail.co.uk stuart@singforyourlife.org.uk

South West England Hampshire, Thames Valley East Anglia North Wales & West Midlands All other areas

For more information go to www.singforyourlife.org.uk or call 01303 298546 for an Information Pack

"A song a day keeps the doctor away."

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Creative Learning Solutions OVer THe last two hundred years life expectancy has doubled within the UK, and now around 10 million of the population is aged over 65 years. even greater population growth has been seen among those aged 85 years and over.

Unfortunately, these extra years are not necessarily ‘healthy’, and this has had a detrimental impact on the quality of life for some older people. The elderly are especially vulnerable when it comes to poor food safety, inadequate nutrition and the inclusion of potentially allergenic ingredients included in meals provided.

Food safety Food poisoning can lead to gastroenteritis and dehydration, or potentially even more serious health problems such as septicaemia and kidney failure and can be serious for older people because they have a weaker immune system.

Nutrients

For most people, energy requirements decrease with advancing age. This is due to changes in body composition and partly because people become less active as they get older so getting the right balance of nutrients is essential.

Allergens A number of factors in the elderly contribute to their risk for developing allergic related conditions. These include frailty, coexisting medical problems, memory issues and use of multiple prescribed and non-prescribed medications.

There is a potential solution in the form of innovative online Training Programmes, developed by Creative Learning Solutions which allows staff to gain recognised certificates in Food Safety, Food Nutrition and Allergens Awareness without leaving the workplace quickly and effectively to a required standard and at a time which suits them.

For further information call 01752 83 77 77 or visit clsolutions.co.uk

Bring the Outdoors in with SensoryScent Garden Corner iMPrOVe YOUr resident experience with this realistic and immersive garden experience. Bring the smell of summer inside. enjoy the scents of fresh cut grass and tomato plants; resurrect memories, stimulate discussions with this fun multisensory activity set.

Did you know research indicates a 40% improvement in mood when exposed to a pleasing scent? A pleasant odour is evocative - engaging attention and enhancing a simulated experience as well as providing an additional way to communicate when cognition is impaired.

Easy to install, SensoryScent Garden Corner, uses visual, tactile and scented

stimuli to engage people in fun conversation about gardens, gardening, favourite plants, cultivation - the scope is limited only by your imagination.

Use SensoryScent Garden Corner to create a destination at the end of a corridor, or a temporary display in a lounge as the focus for a series of supervised garden-related activities such as potting plants or sharing gardening stories.

Smell & Connect story cards about gardening and growing vegetables are included to help the conversation flow.

Smell & Connect can help make a difference for your residents.

For further information please contact orders@reminiscent.org.uk or visit www.reminiscent.org.uk

Care UK Embrace SPA Sessions One OF the leading providers of health and social care services, care UK, are demonstrating their commitment to enrich resident’s lives and upskill their care teams by embracing the reVitalyz Seated Physical activity (SPa) training programme for all their Homes.

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

ReVitalyz training enables leaners to deliver personalised SPA experiences which can improve mobility, social interaction and mental stimulation. Although not mandatory, SPA training brings new skills and ideas into care Homes wishing to offer an outstanding activity programme.

“Care UK is committed to helping our residents remain active and our seated physical activity training

with ReVitalyz has been one of our key initiatives for our lifestyle teams. The feedback from the courses has been really positive and our lifestyle teams across the country are now implementing seated physical activities sessions in their homes. Residents are really enjoying the sessions and in some homes we are already seeing an improvement in mobility and well-being” A.Knight, regional director within Care UK. ReVitalyz practical workshops support CPD and include appropriate tips and motivational techniques, delivered at an achievable level enabling learners to deliver basic seated physical activities to their clients, no matter what barriers may be perceived. www.revitalyz.co.uk info@revitalyz.co.uk

PAGE 46

THE CARER

SPRING 2017

Buying Or Selling A Care Home? - Make Sure You Consider The Legal Necessities

by Faisal Dhalla, Partner, Hempsons BUYing Or Selling a care home requires input from specialist legal advisors to ensure that you do not fall foul of the various regulatory hurdles you will need to overcome. it is essential to ensure that you appoint lawyers who understand the health and social care regulations which apply to the sale and purchase process. if you are about to embark on a care home sale or purchase, you should carefully consider the following: Structure Care homes are often operated by their owners through limited companies.

Therefore, you need to consider at the outset whether the transaction should be undertaken by way of a sale of the shares in the company or by way of a sale of the business and assets of the company. Much will depend on tax.

As a buyer, you would pay 0.5% stamp duty on a purchase of shares, whereas a business and asset purchase is likely to result in a greater stamp duty liability. A seller will be keen to consider the implications of things such as entrepreneurs’ relief and capital gains tax.

cQc The buyer will need to be registered with the Care Quality Commission before they can take over the care home. This process can take several weeks and will need to be factored into the timing of the transaction. However, if the purchase will be undertaken by way of a share purchase of the seller’s company which operates the care home, the company should already be registered with the CQC. As a result, the process is easier as the buyer will not require a separate registration. The buyer will simply be stepping into the shoes of the company's existing registration.

local authority funding Are any of the residents of the care home funded by the local authority? If so, as a buyer, are you familiar with the local authority’s contract with the care home? If you are buying the shares in the company which operates the care home, is there a 'change of control' clause in the local authority contract which needs to be addressed?

employees As a buyer, are you familiar with the terms and conditions of employment of the employees at the care home? Do they fit in with the terms and conditions you wish to adopt? If you are buying the business and assets of the care home, TUPE will apply.

TUPE is the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006. The purpose of TUPE is to safeguard the employment relationship and contracts of employment of employees, if the business which they are in changes from one owner to another. Both buyer and seller have several obligations to comply with under TUPE. Do you understand what those obligations are and what the consequences would be if you fail to comply?

Due Diligence As a buyer, have you undertaken sufficient 'due diligence' on the care home? Have you looked at critical things such as whether the care home has a satisfactory CQC report or whether the care home has been the subject of any litigation or major investigations? Are you satisfied that the care home has been complying with regulatory requirements? As a seller, you need to make sure your ‘house is in order' i.e. that you have to hand all the necessary paperwork which the buyer is likely to ask for.

Caresolve Launches its Care Home Management Service careSOlVe, THe specialist in care home transformation, has launched a care Home Management Service.

The company, which is headquartered in Tattenhall, Cheshire, has launched the national service after seeing an increased demand from care homes across the UK for management support.

The service is aimed at operators wishing to take a step back from day to day involvement in managing their homes, are looking to sell the business and require an interim solution, or who would just like to remove the stress of dealing with CQC and the Local Authority.

Richard Shore, Finance Director of Caresolve, said: “An increasing number of operators have been asking us for help with the operational and financial running of their care home.

“Whether it’s a short term engagement or a longer term contract covering multiple sites, we are responding and tailoring our service to their needs and requirements.”

Caresolve’s Care Home Management Service offers Operational and Regulatory Management as well as Financial Management support at both a day-to-day and director level. The company can also take on the Responsible Individual role for the CQC registration.

Caresolve can take on the operational and financial management of homes throughout the UK. Visit www.caresolve.org.uk for full details.

Male Role Model Urges Other Men To Consider A Care Career HaVing PrOgreSSeD quickly into a senior care position with current employer nurse Plus, rhys chandler is urging other men to consider the care sector as a promising career choice.

Rhys joined the national home care provider in 2014 as a healthcare assistant for their Bournemouth branch. Rhys started his career in care at a residential home, six months previously.

The healthcare assistant role involved providing personal care that promoted independence and encouraged the individual to be able to support themself. Rhys also accompanied clients to day trips, walks in the park and eating out, if this was something the individual could not do independently, as well as provide companionship and support around the home.

A year later, Rhys was encouraged to progress within the company and provided with the support to learn more about coordination and supervision of care. A few weeks later he was successful in securing a care coordinator position.

“I really enjoyed working in the community and giving something back. After a while as a carer I felt like I wanted to progress and a supervisor role came up. Only a few week later, I went for the care coordinator position and I got it!”

Please mention THE CARER when responding to advertising.

Sponsor Licence Revocation Over the last few years, it has become an increasingly common occurrence for care homes to run into difficulties with their Sponsor licences. This has lead to some having their licenses suspended and in worst case scenarios, revoked. Unfortunately, these outcomes have been the direct result of a failure to comply with the regulations set out by the Home Office, which can be incredibly damaging to a care home business.

Research has found that an ongoing lack of knowledge and skills set within the care home sector, as well as a failure to address key issues such as Visa expiry dates, change in employment status and changed terms of employment to name a few, have contributed to the suspension and revocation of Sponsor Licenses.

Despite the clear guidelines from the Home Office, it seems that some care homes throughout the UK have not been very diligent in ensuring that these checks are carried out on a regular basis. Due to the ongoing oversight, there are a number of care homes who have not kept adequate records of their staff and practices. As a result,when the Home Office carry out unannounced compliance visits, your care home is at risk of having its sponsor licence suspended or revoked.

An overwhelming majority of suspensions lead to revocations if the representations letters are not submitted on time with strong, supporting and accurate evidence. Care homes have a range of responsibilities they must adhere to on an ongoing basis, namely, Appendix D of the sponsor guidance. It is cru-

Global Business Finance glOBal BUSineSS Finance was established over 26 years ago by the firm’s present senior partner, Mark widdows, and since then has arranged over £1.8bn in loans for healthcare clients.

The firm works exclusively in the care sector providing a very personalised service, as the firm knows every client is individual with individual requirements. Mark and his team spend time getting to know each of their clients in order that they can ensure all needs are met and the loan facility tailored to their client’s individual requirements.

Global offers national coverage and with the support of email, fax, regular telephone conversations and face to face meetings the firm are able to put together a professional and comprehensive bank application.

The bank managers that Global work with are all specialist healthcare

Rhys’ career progression continued to develop, being promoted to Senior Care Coordinator in April 2016, and more recently Quality Assurance Advisor.

“When I began my career as a carer it was my job to encourage people to be independent and support themselves. You get to build up a good relationship with those you support and it is a really fun job.

“People have this idea in their head that a carer is someone who is only providing them with personal care, it’s not like that. I now feel as though I have found my calling and I have enjoyed all aspects of all my roles.”

Pamela Bruce, managing director at Nurse Plus, added: “In an ageing population, care workers are now in even more demand and male carers can help us to fill the gap in providing much needed personal care to elderly men.”

“Rhys’ story proves how roles available in care are just as suited to men, providing a rewarding career choice with great flexibility.”

Established in 2005 by a group of experienced healthcare and recruitment experts, Nurse Plus now has 51 branches across the UK. If anyone is interested in finding out more about the roles available at the Bournemouth branch, visit www.nurseplusuk.com or contact 01202 294402.

cial that care homes take these responsibilities seriously, no matter how onerous the administrative tasks may seem. You can be prepared for an unannounced visit by: • Keeping comprehensive and readily available records at hand • Monitoring attendance – this is a key sponsorship duty • Arranging a ‘mock’ compliance visit • Keep up to date with latest changes in UK Immigration Law The new stringent measures are being imposed to ensure that care homes are fully compliant with the regulations and there is a more professional approach from care homes for providing the highest quality care to their residents.

Aston Brooke Solicitors have assisted many care homes who have run into difficulties with their sponsor licences. We pride ourselves on having achieved positive outcomes for our clients, and believe that the key to achieving successful results is timing and our extensive knowledge of this area.

Care homes will have 28 days from the receipt of the suspension letter to respond in writing to the issues which were raised during the initial compliance visit. This is the most crucial timeframe in which to resolve matters. Our in-house barrister, who specialises in sponsor licence matters, can help to address these issues and avoid a revocation.

If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of having your sponsor licence suspended and are concerned about a potential revocation, Aston Brooke can help by using their professional expertise to negotiate a settlement. We have a proven track record of success in these matters, as well as the experience and talent to represent you to the highest level.

Contact number: 020 3475 4321 E-mail address : info@astonbrooke.co.uk Website: www.astonbrooke.co.uk managers who have extensive knowledge within the sector and fully understand the requirements of the clients that Global introduce.

Mark Widdows, the firm’s senior partner, trained as an accountant before establishing the brokerage in 1989, other key executives are his wife, Sally-Ann, who specialised in nutrition before becoming a registered care home manager and Rupert, his son, who is also a qualified care manager and holds a degree in dementia with the leading Bradford Dementia Studies Group through Bradford University. The family own and run two care homes so fully understand all aspects and issues of care home owners which brings a unique ability to the firm to work with clients and convey their needs to the bank that is lending.

With over £1.8bn in completed care home loans you should strongly consider Global Business Finance to represent you for your next loan application. See their advert in this issue on this page.

Reader Enquiries - Tel: 01242 227172 Email: enquiries@globalbusinessfinance.com