Caring UK March 2024

no.326

incorporating

March 2024

The Number One magazine for the care sector

Call for action to combat staffing crisis in Wales A SOCIAL care champion has called for urgent action to combat the staffing crisis affecting care homes across Wales.

Mary Wimbury, the chief executive of Care Forum Wales, says one of the main reasons for the shortage is underfunding of private and third sector run care homes and domiciliary care agencies which means they can’t afford to pay competitive rates.

She is urging local authorities and health boards to set realistic fees for the coming financial year to ensure that front line staff can be paid what they deserve.

According to Mary, even supermarkets can offer higher entry level wages, making the retail sector a better financial option.

Mary said: “Social care is a people business. We need people to care for people and enable them to live the best lives they can with the best care and support.

“We need people with the right values and it can be a really rewarding job because you are engaging with people’s lives and helping them enjoy those lives as much as possible.

“However, it’s difficult to keep up with the entry level wages offered by supermarkets and the like who can offer higher pay.”

The problems in recruiting and retaining staff in the social care sector were also having a disastrous, knock on effect on the NHS. Welsh hospitals are at breaking point because of so-called

bed-blocking with patients unable to be discharged after their medical treatment has been completed.

As a result, there are very few hospital beds available for incoming patients, many of whom have to endure being kept in ambulances outside or on trolleys for hours on end.

She added: “We’ve obviously got the commitment from the Welsh Government that, at least, the Real Living wage should be paid but we’re currently discussing what the fees for local authorities and health boards are going to be paying across Wales for the coming year.

“We know they’re feeling pressure on their budgets but it is vitally important the fees they received by care homes and domiciliary care companies reflect the actual cost of providing care so that we can pay our staff what they deserve.

“It’s making sure that money gets through, gets to the front line and enables us to reward people for the valuable jobs they’re doing as well as possible and to keep them in the sector then they’re facing their own cost of living crises.

“Health and social care are flip sides of the same coin so social care is about that care and support that people need that can keep them out of hospital in the first place and enable them to come out of hospital more quickly when they’ve been in as well. Both parts of the system need to work together in order to keep people flowing through the system.”

An 88-year-old motorcycle enthusiast is back in the saddle for the first time in more than 10 years after a surprise visit to his home at the state-of-the-art Belong care village in Chester as part of a celebration of intergenerational connections. Colleagues at the Nursery in Belong, the first fully integrated research nursery within a care setting, which is located at Belong Chester and operated by national charity Ready Generations, arranged for an ‘Indian’ make motorcycle to be brought in to the village as part of a surprise party for Bill Walls. The nursery team submitted an application to the National Association of Activity Providers ‘Living the Dream Fund’, part of its ‘Grow Old Disgracefully’ campaign, set up to help older individuals to engage in activities that challenge ageist stereotypes, to support the event.

Care home boosts foodbank FOODBANK organisers have praised residents and staff of a Chichester care home for what they describe as a ‘remarkable demonstration of community spirit and generosity’.

It follows a year of fundraising at Colten Care’s Wellington Grange which featured activities such as a summer fete, Christmas fair, dog show and craft and cake sales.

At a presentation at the home, a total of £776.38 was handed over to Joanna Kondabeka, chief executive of Chichester District Foodbank.

With her were Wellington Grange residents who chose the foodbank as

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their main charity to help over the past year and who personally supported the home’s fundraising by making crafts for sale, manning stalls at various events and sponsoring staff initiatives.

Wellington Grange companionship team leader Heather Pearce, one of the staff members who helped to facilitate residents’ involvement in supporting the foodbank, added: “It has been a privilege to raise money for such a worthwhile local charity. Residents chose to go for a local foodbank amid much public attention on the cost of living crisis and people struggling with things like feeding their own children.”

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3

CARINGNEWS

Professional pamper day is wish come true for Lillian

ONE of the south’s top professional makeup artists made a wish come true for an 89-year-old Dorset care home resident.

Lillian Ledger told staff at Colten Care’s Avon Reach in Mudeford that she would love a little indulgence and pampering to brighten up the winter.

The team invited award-winning Jess Robinson, who runs Model Makeovers in Bournemouth, to come in and give Lillian a special, one-to-one session.

A guest room at the home was transformed into a pop-up health and beauty salon for a relaxed afternoon of luxury.

It included careful application of natural skincare cleansers, creams and lotions as well as nail treatment.

Jess said: “I spoke to Lillian beforehand and was completely guided by her choices. She said she wanted to look radiant. We went for a natural daytime makeover.

“It was all about making Lillian feel pampered and special and creating a natural radiant look for her, a little bit more glam than everyday but still so she felt like herself.

“She chose high-quality pink blusher, pink lips, red nails, shimmer mousse eye shadow and eyebrows shaped naturally.

www.caringuk.co.uk Advertising Healthcare Product Manager: Bev Green Tel: 01226 734288 bg@scriptmediagroup.co.uk Sales Executive: Carole Rice Tel: 01226 734412 caringuk1@scriptmediagroup. co.uk Publishers Script Media 47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 2AS. info@caring-uk.co.uk Editorial Operations Director: Dominic Musgrave Tel: 01226 734407 dm@scriptmediagroup.co.uk Studio Manager: Paul Hopkinson Tel: 01226 734711 ph@scriptmediagroup.co.uk

“I found it very humbling to meet her.

Her and her best friend Val who was there were both very sweet. It was like spending the afternoon with good friends. It didn’t feel like work. It was heartwarming.

They were so welcoming and grateful. I enjoyed it so much.”

Companionship team leader Denise Marks said: “The pampering was lovely for Lillian, a true feel-good experience.

She was indulged with natural makeup that enhanced her looks and added to her beauty.

“Jess explained all about the products she used, including how they are made and how ingredients are sourced.”

To complement the makeup artistry from Jess, Denise and colleagues laid on an afternoon tea complete with bubbly and chocolates.

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CARINGNEWS

Solving the £3bn recruitment and retention cost Olwen Davies with her finished floral arrangement made out of Lego.

Building is ‘beautiful’ for Olwen A 98-year-old Hampshire woman who lives with dementia has proved you are never too old to have fun with Lego.

Olwen Davies and fellow residents of Winchester care home St Catherines View used hundreds of the popular toy building blocks to make models of a flower arrangement and fish swimming inside a tank.

In guided sessions focused on therapy and reminiscence, team members at the Colten Care home invited the participants to use their imaginations, go hands-on and get creative.

Olwen, who concentrated mainly on the floral model, said: “It was beautiful. I used to do this many years ago. It is so much fun.”

Companionship team leader Laura Sheldrake added: “This was a trip down memory lane as our residents remember doing Lego with their children.

“We chose to do one with a fish tank as people love looking at the tank on display in our reception area.

“I printed off some pictures of fish and fish tanks and let the residents decide what they would build from there. They got involved straight away.

“They really loved doing different fish, especially a crab. It all turned into a bit of a masterpiece.

“And there was even more resident interest when they found that when you turn a knob on the side of the tank, the fish and jelly fish move about.”

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Professor Martin Green OBE four organisations – Care Character, Care Friends, Jobtrain and Vivup – which, in isolation, have been shown to significantly improve recruitment and retention rates across the sector.

By bringing these services together, they collectively offer an end-to-end solution to address the current sectorwide vacancy rate, the quality and development of carers, lower turnover rates and significantly reduce costs for providers.

Martin added: “Workforce recruitment and retention is the single biggest issue affecting our sector, with serious implications for the quality of care and knock-on effects across the NHS and wider economy.

“Time and time again, national campaigns have sought to generate an interest in social care with limited results.

“Care England’s end-to-end solution has the potential to fundamentally shift the recruitment and retention practices in the social care sector, improving outcomes for those who draw on care and support, staff and care providers.”

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CARE England has launched an endto-end solution to help care providers and local authorities solve the adult social care workforce recruitment and retention conundrum.

Professor Martin Green OBE, chief executive of Care England, said: “The adult social care workforce remains in a deep-rooted and systemic crisis.

“In the absence of meaningful Government intervention, it is incumbent upon the sector to explore innovative solutions to support their workforce and open doors to new opportunities for staff.

“Care England is pleased to have developed a unique initiative to help bring more domestic staff into care roles and support them to remain in the sector.

“With a third of the workforce leaving their roles every year, at a cost of over £6,000 per rehire, there is an annual £3bn cost to the sector which is simply unsustainable.

“We hope that our end-to-end solution will go some way in supporting care providers to navigate workforce challenges.”

Care England and Hft’s 2023 Sector Pulse Check report cited workforce costs as the most significant financial pressure for adult social care providers in 2023.

Staffing shortages are having a profound impact on the viability of care providing organisations, staff and the people supported – due to staffing shortages in 2023, 44 per cent of adult social care providers turned down new admissions, more than half (54 per cent) increased agency use and 18 per cent had to close services altogether.

These challenges are likely to be compounded by the introduction of new measures that will restrict the flow of international recruits into the sector.

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Residents from Care South’s Alexandra House and Dorset House care homes in Poole came together for a day of friendly competition and camaraderie as they engaged in a spirited game of bowling. The event showcased the residents’ enthusiasm and sportsmanship and fostered a sense of community and shared joy. The bowling tournament featured both seasoned players and novices, with a few residents trying their hand at the sport for the first time. Nicola Bleach, activities lead at Alexandra House, said: “Witnessing the residents come together for a spirited game of bowling was truly heartwarming. It’s these moments of joy, laughter and friendly competition that make our community at Care South so special.”

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6

CARINGNEWS

In his latest in a series of regular columns, care provider Mike Padgham, who is chair of the Independent Care Group, gives us his personal take on the big issues facing social care.

Statement sets alarm bells ringing A POTENTIALLY quite controversial statement by a Labour MP might set the hares running and alarm bells ringing for some.

Writing in the quarterly newsletter of the Independent Care Group, York Central MP Rachael Maskell suggests that time’s up for independent sector provision of social care.

She says: “One thing no Government wants to do is to feed the profits of private care homes or care companies to then not see their reforms implemented. I would go a lot further and say that the private sector’s days are over, and now we need a comprehensive, local authority run social care plan.”

Incendiary stuff possibly. But is it the official Labour Party policy as we head towards a General Election? I’m not sure it is.

Clearly Rachael Maskell is entitled to her opinion, but isn’t it time this old “profit versus people” debate was put to bed once and for all?

Such a move would cost billions of pounds.

Proponents of wholly local authority delivered care have a rose-tinted vision of an idyllic landscape where cash rich councils can fulfil all the local need for both domiciliary and residential care. That has never worked before, mainly because providing social care is hugely

Mike Padgham expensive and very labour intensive.

When they had total responsibility for social care delivery in the past, it was problematic to say the least for local authorities.

In the 1980s, the Government, on the recommendation of the Griffiths Report, turned local authorities into predominantly commissioners rather than providers of social care services.

This gave better value for money as independent providers bore the costs, like staffing and pensions, for example, and the cost of building care and nursing homes, rather than councils and health authorities.

That independent sector provision includes both ‘for profit’ and ‘not-forprofit’ providers and small, medium

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and large operators.

Properly funded, there is no reason why this mixed market should not work, offering as it does a wide range of good quality care options and value for money to the public purse.

It should not be forgotten that most social care is provided by small to medium-sized businesses, just about making a living and investing in their care services, for the good of the communities they serve.

All providers must stay in the black to remain on the right side of the Care Quality Commission – whether you call that a ‘profit’ in the private sector or a ‘surplus’ for not-for-profit providers.

Where the system is failing is through a lack of proper funding to local authorities to enable them to properly commission care. This has resulted in commissioners squeezing fees and threatening the viability of care providers.

Turning the clock back to some utopian, nationalised social care service would be hugely expensive – probably running to billions of pounds – without any guarantee that we would not just be returning to a model that has failed before. That is probably why such nationalisation is not being widely discussed by the Labour Party now, though it was under Jeremy Corbyn.

That is not to say that social care providers are not open to change.

Indeed, it is vital that suggestions like this are debated as we thrash out different possibilities for social care, ahead of the General Election.

If we are serious about reform, then nothing can be off the table.

Take, for example, the idea of applying the GP model to the delivery of social care. GP practices are in essence small to medium-sized businesses, contracted by the NHS and Clinical Commissioning Groups to provide healthcare services to specific geographic locations.

A similar arrangement for social care providers through contracted services would give homecare and residential care providers greater security and encourage them to invest in the long-term of their provision, as GP practices do.

This could be delivered as part of a National Care Service, which does still form a part of the Labour Party’s plans, albeit that they are looking at its creation further down the road.

In the meantime, we must work with what we have and politicians suggesting that the current system’s days are numbered is not helpful, particularly to the morale of that aforementioned army of struggling care providers. We can’t afford any more of those to exit the market.

Home administrator Carol Sabell, Nadhim Zahawi, MP, Studley Rose resident Eric Taylor, home manager Maria Willis and customer relationship manager Paul Turvey.

High praise for home A STUDLEY care home has been hailed for its ‘family feel’ and the ‘high quality of its hospitality’ following a visit by its local MP. Nadhim Zahawi, MP for Stratford Upon Avon, recently visited Macc Care’s Studley Rose, a luxury care home in the centre of Studley, taking the opportunity to speak with staff and residents and even share a little on his recent appearance in ITV drama ‘Mr Bates vs The Post Office’.

Registered manager Maria Willis gave Nadhim and a colleague a guided tour of the home, before introducing them to a number of residents who were thrilled to meet him.

Maria said: “We are passionate

about ensuring our residents remain connected and involved with their local community and visits from local, public figures such as Nadhim are imperative to this.

“We were incredibly proud to hear how impressed Nadhim and his colleague Theresa were with the home.

“We’d like to say a huge thank you to them both for visiting us and we look forward to welcoming them back soon.”

Sister care home Sutton Rose in Sutton Coldfield recently welcomed record-breaking five-year-old author Jayce Joyce for an exclusive reading of his two published works, much to the delight of staff and residents.

8

CARINGNEWS

Mixed-market social care delivery model backed by providers

Sheila and Paul Allen, the pub’s current landlord.

Resident Sheila gets back behind the bar IT WAS a hoppy occasion for a Stowmarket resident as she returned to her old boozer.

The last time 88-year-old Sheila Sanders, a resident at Care UK’s Cedrus House, called last orders was more than 20 years ago – but her pint pulling skills are still on point.

Alongside her husband Jim, she ran the Kings Head Inn in Mendlesham for 27 years, before handing the keys over in 2000. Prior to this, they ran three pubs together, starting from 1965: the Gladstone Arms in Combs Ford, the Angel in Bungay and the Cardinal’s Hat in Harleston.

“Jim was the one who wanted to be a landlord,” Sheila said. “I said, let’s give it a go.”

After hearing Sheila’s stories from her days as a pub landlady, and as part of the home’s Wishing Tree initiative, the team at Cedrus House reached out to the Kings Head Inn’s landlord, who agreed to help and even contacted some of her former regulars.

On the day Sheila pulled a few pints, and even rang the bell one more time – bringing back some precious memories.

She added: “I’d go and cook dinner for Jim in the evenings; I wanted to make sure he’d have a hot meal.

“Once it was ready, I’d yell from the landing, and all the customers would hear and shout at him ‘Jim, your dinner is ready – don’t let it go cold’.

They’d hear me come down the stairs

and say ‘Sheila’s coming’.

“I’ve had to kick customers out too, including one who squirted me with the soda siphon – he thought he was being funny. He came back grovelling the next day. I let him in but told him ‘don’t you ever do that again’.”

After retiring, Sheila and her husband built a bungalow on a plot of land right behind the pub, complete with a gate giving them direct access to the beer garden.

“That way, we could go whenever we wanted. It was hard work, but we had a lot of fun over the years, and made a lot of friends,” she added.

“It was great to go back; the place hasn’t changed a bit, and I enjoyed pulling a pint – although I’m too old to work in a pub now.”

Deepa Reju, home manager at Cedrus House, added: “Sheila is definitely a character, and she always delights us with stories from her time working as a landlady.

“Our Wishing Tree initiative exists to enable residents to revisit the things that mattered to them most or create new memories.

“Sheila and her husband ran the Kings Head Inn for 27 years, during which time they saw their children grow up, met countless people and most likely pulled thousands of pints; you could tell she was right at home the minute we walked in.

“We had an amazing day out – Sheila certainly hadn’t forgotten how to pull the perfect pint.”

Residents at Abbeyfield House care home in New Malden have been enjoying spending time with a seven-year-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier called Misty. Misty is a therapy dog, whose handler Chris is a volunteer for the charity Therapy Dogs Nationwide. TDN arranges one-off and regular visits from therapy dogs to places that support a wide range of vulnerable clients, including older people, people with disabilities and SEN schoolchildren. Misty visits Abbeyfield House every Wednesday to spend time with the residents. They love spending time with her and, for some, it stirs up memories of when they used to own dogs as pets.

SOCIAL care providers have put their weight behind a trade union call for the creation of a new National Care Service for England.

UNISON is calling on prospective MPs to support the move, aimed at tackling the nationwide crisis in social care and paying its workforce properly.

The Independent Care Group says its long-standing call for a National Care Service, with a mixed market of private sector and not-for-profit social care provision, is central to its own manifesto for the General Election.

ICG chair Mike Padgham said: “We have long campaigned for a National Care Service and support UNISON’s call to get all prospective MPs behind the idea.

“The current system isn’t working, social care is in crisis with 1.6m people going without care, 152,000 vacancies in the sector and providers closing or handing back delivery contracts.

“A National Care Service, supported by proper funding, is the minimum we should be looking for from our politicians as they put together their manifestos for the General Election.”

The ICG supports a mixed market of private sector and not-for-profit social care provision through small, medium and large providers, as the best way to provide a high quality of care choice for the country.

“Decades of under-funding, neglect and broken promises have left social care on its knees, with care and nursing homes and homecare providers closing down, leaving more

and more people without care,” Mike added.

“We need the election to bring root and branch reform, the National Care Service and a minimum of £7bn a year extra into social care to make meaningful change to social care delivery and to the pay and conditions of those we employ.

“The current, mixed market approach to social care provision can work perfectly well provided the sector is funded properly.

“We deserve to know what is in the politicians’ thinking before we go to the polls and this time there must be a legally binding way to hold them to account if they fail to deliver.

“Some 14,000 people can’t be discharged from hospital even though they are well enough and much of that is down to a lack of available social care.

“Investing in social care will ease that pressure on the NHS. “It doesn’t need to be new money but can be money switched into social care from the NHS, because eventually, a penny spent on social care will be a penny saved for the NHS. “It is likely to take two terms of government before we can see proper change, so we need work to begin straight away.

“The number of people aged over 65 will rise from 10.5m to 13.8m by 2035 and we will need an extra 480,000 people in the social care workforce to provide care to meet that extra demand.

“We have to start planning for that and we have to start doing so now.”

Home to host menopause café A MENOPAUSE Café, aimed at breaking down the stigma around menopause and increasing awareness of the impact of the menopause on those experiencing it, their family, friends and their colleagues is being held at Wallside Grange Care Centre in Falkirk.

A Menopause Cafe is a discussion group, open to all ages and genders: no talks, no experts, topics are chosen by participants.

Manager Melanie Bundy said: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to host regular Menopause Café sessions.

“It’s a vital resource for local people

living through the menopause and enables them to talk freely and share their own unique experiences.

“We pride ourselves on being an active part of our local community and this is an excellent example of that in action.”

The Wallside Grange event is being held on the first of every month following the success of the inaugural one held in February.

The Menopause Café movement started in Perth, Scotland, in 2017 and has spread worldwide, with volunteers now hosting pop-up events in the UK, Bahrain, Mexico, USA, Austria and India.

10 CARINGTECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE

Provider launches online portal ONE of Scotland’s top housing providers has officially launched an online customer portal which is set to improve access to a range of services and encourage independent living.

As part of an ongoing commitment to digital transformation, Bield Housing and Care worked with a number of tenants to test a new online customer portal, which was launched as part of Safer Internet Day. The portal gives Bield tenants 24/7 access to make paying bills, reporting repairs and viewing individual information easier and more convenient.

Tenants involved in the trial were tasked with testing the quality and usability of the software using laptops, tablets and smartphones.

The group also considered the functionality, design and general

use of the portal with their feedback helping to inform the final product.

Following a soft launch at the end of 2023, more than 170 tenants have already registered on My Bield.

Zhan McIntyre, head of policy and customer standards at Bield, said: “Technology is essential to the future of housing services and we need to ensure our interaction with customers meets their needs and expectations as we take our services to the next level.

“Getting tenants involved in the testing of the My Bield portal allowed us to find out exactly what they wanted to get out of the platform while making sure it was accessible and easy to use.”

Staff will continue to be contactable through more traditional methods for tenants who do not want to transfer to the digital option.

Tracey Howatt, director of customer experience at Bield, added: “Developing our digital services is extremely important as we strive to continue improving the quality of housing and ultimately deliver better outcomes.

“The new portal will enable tenants to live more independently and continue to make important decisions regarding their tenancies.”

Everyone who registers for the My Bield portal will be entered into a free prize draw at the end of February for the chance to win one of two £50 shopping vouchers.

The My Bield portal forms part of Bield’s strategy to enhance customer experience and diversify methods of engagement with customers.

My Bield can be accessed via the Bield website by clicking the ‘My Bield’ tab at the top right hand side of

the homepage.

From here, Bield tenants, their powers of attorney or guardians can get in touch at a time that is convenient for them in order to view their rent accounts and correspondence, log enquiries and request and track repairs.

This will be particularly useful for customers who don’t have the opportunity or time to call or email.

In November 2023, Bield were awarded the ‘Excellence in Digital Engagement’ award at the 2023 TIS National Excellence Awards, which recognises housing organisations who have demonstrated creativity in developing meaningful digital engagement opportunities.

Bield has also been shortlisted for the Technology Enabled Independent Living Award at the upcoming Digital Health and Care Awards 2024.

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12 CARINGTECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE

Study highlights housing provider’s tech success A HOUSING specialist has been recognised in a national research project for its technology advances in Scotland’s social care sector.

Blackwood Homes and Care has been praised as a leader in adopting new social care technologies, according to a major report published

by Strathclyde University’s Fraser of Allander Institute.

The research project examined fresh-thinking and technology adoption across Scotland’s housing, health and social care sectors with the aim of better understanding the potential for innovation clusters, the role of public investment and capacity for innovation in the key sectors.

Despite the research reenforcing sector-wide challenges, Edinburghbased Blackwood and its bespoke tech solutions were included as a case study of what is possible within techenabled care, despite the challenges faced by the sector.

Simon Fitzpatrick, chief executive at Blackwood, said: “We are constantly striving to find new ways to improve the lives of the people we support.

Receiving recognition and awareness for it always motivates us to keep pushing boundaries and leading the way.

“The research study by the Fraser of Allander Institute is an extremely

valuable piece of work for the sector that we’re thrilled to be positively featured in. It’s very rewarding to be recognised.”

One tech solution mentioned in the report is Blackwood’s CleverCogs technology, a specially designed tablet-based system, which has delivered measurable improvements in quality of life and efficiencies in service delivery, despite major budgetary constraints.

Many Blackwood properties feature its CleverCogs technology which is personalised and links users to care and health services, home automation, local information, entertainment and video access to family and friends.

The CleverCogs digital system lets

users customise it to suit their life.

Emma Congreve, deputy director at the University of Strathclyde’s Fraser of Allander Institute, added: “We were asked by the Scottish Government to analyse the current social care innovation landscape and the potential for further development of tech solutions for those who draw on care.

“Blackwood homes provided an example of an organisation that has been able to take forward significant technological innovations. As our report stated, based on our research with others in the sector, this was an exception rather than the rule.”

The report, which was released late last year, also noted Blackwood’s strategy of close collaboration with

residents and technology partners to develop solutions tailored to their needs – noting the crucial role of innovation-focused leadership in driving progress and cultural change.

Simon added: “It’s fantastic to see our co-design approaches with customers and partners held up as an example model.

“The report does an excellent job of highlighting the hurdles the housing and care sector is having to jump in Scotland at the moment and it can be difficult to continue to innovate new forms of tech-enabled care while combatting challenges like funding or labour shortages.

“Despite that, it only gives us more fuel to continue that fresh thinking to allow people to live as independently as possible. Our customers are at the heart of everything we do and we owe it to them to explore every opportunity that technology offers to enhance the quality of their lives.

“It’s rewarding that Blackwood is setting the standard in that.”

Over the next five years Blackwood aims to build 400 homes that can adapt to tenants’ future needs.

Each can be adapted to include a host of benefits such as lift access, remotely controlled automated functions, and digital care and housing systems.

Advertiser’s announcement

Solutions to enhance the quality of care in nursing and residential homes ...

ARQUELLA, a leading care technology provider, offers solutions to enhance the quality of care in nursing and residential homes across the United Kingdom.

Arquella is passionate about making a difference in the quality of care provided to nursing and residential homes across the United Kingdom.

Through the power of technology, we have developed cutting-edge solutions that are accessible and supportive, putting people at the forefront.

As part of a nationwide initiative driven by a £25m UK government funding pledge to enhance the quality of care and support individuals’ independence, Arquella is proud to be at the forefront of the digital transformation in the care sector.

Falls in care homes are a significant concern in the UK, with residents three times more likely to fall than older people living in their own homes.

Arquella’s innovative solution, Arquella Sense, utilising sensor-based technology, and Arquella Call, a digital nurse call system, will improve reactive care and reduce risk.

Arquella Sense uses discreet wall or ceiling-mounted sensors to monitor fall risk behaviour 24 hours daily, alerting carers via mobile handsets.

The technology aims to intervene

before falls occur, increasing safety and providing a cost-effective solution to cumbersome mats.

Arquella Call is an app-based digital nurse call system that delivers in-depth digital records and futureproof functionality.

It integrates seamlessly with other software applications, offering actionable data to help shape care delivery and adjust staffing levels.

Arquella is at the forefront of a digital transformation revolution in the care sector.

Technology is more important than ever in providing insights and actionable data to inform decisions and improve lives.

For more information about Arquella’s products call 0333 242 7505 or visit www.arquella.co.uk

CARINGTECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE

13

Advertiser’s announcement

Revolutionising healthcare with Fusion Care Management Software solutions WITH the advent of Fusion eCare, a revolutionary platform designed to streamline patient care processes, healthcare providers now have a powerful tool at their disposal to enhance efficiency, improve patient outcomes and deliver unparalleled quality of care.

Fusion eCare redefines the patient experience by seamlessly integrating various aspects of healthcare management into one comprehensive platform.

From appointment scheduling to medical record management and patient monitoring, Fusion offers a holistic approach to patient-centric

care. Its intuitive interface and userfriendly features empower both healthcare providers and residents alike, fostering greater engagement and collaboration throughout the care continuum.

One of the standout features of Fusion eCare is its advanced electronic health record, which consolidates patient information into a centralised database accessible to authorised healthcare professionals.

This eliminates the need for cumbersome paper-based records, minimising errors and ensuring that critical patient data is readily available whenever and wherever

it’s needed. With Fusion healthcare, providers can make informed decisions more efficiently, resulting in improved treatment outcomes.

In addition to facilitating direct interactions between patients and providers, Fusion leverages artificial intelligence and data analytics to deliver personalised healthcare insights and analytics.

By analysing vast amounts of patient data, the platform can identify trends, detect potential health risks, and encourage preventive measures, enabling proactive healthcare management and early intervention strategies.

In conclusion, Fusion Care Management Software represents a paradigm shift in healthcare delivery, leveraging cutting-edge technology to transform the patient experience.

By streamlining workflows, improving communication, and harnessing the power of data-driven insights, Fusion empowers healthcare providers to deliver higher quality care more efficiently than ever before.

As we embrace the future of healthcare, Fusion stands at the forefront, driving innovation and revolutionising the way we approach patient care.

Contact us now at www.fusioncare.co.uk

Advertiser’s announcement

Experts in wireless nurse call systems manufacturing and installing MEDICARE Systems are experts with aesthetics in mind. While Whatever your requirements, in manufacturing and installing easy to use and highly durable, from the smallest to the largest wireless nurse call systems. separate systems are designed to site-wide networked systems, With its principal directors meet the varying requirements of Medicare can tailor to suit your from the industry, Medicare will both the private and the public individual needs and budget. perfectly cater to your wireless sectors.

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14

CARINGNEWS

Operator partners with experts to improve residents’ wellbeing

An Orpington care home has officially welcomed a new team member – and she’s set to be a paw-some hit with residents and colleagues alike. Mia, a chihuahua, has joined the team at Care UK’s Foxbridge House. In her new role, Mia will oversee ‘canine relations’ at the home and be on hand for residents to fuss, walk or simply spend time with on a regular basis. The home created the part-time role after being inspired by the positive impact animal visits have had on residents’ wellbeing. The friendly pooch has even developed her own management style, taking tours of the home and checking in on everyone – as well as helping to bring back happy memories of pets in younger years for many residents.

MEALLMORE is partnering with Scottish musical exercise provider danceSing to boost the wellbeing of residents across 14 of its care homes.

The programme is part of a Scottish Government initiative investigating the benefits of exercise for elderly people.

Sam Dougan, Meallmore’s activity and engagement lead, said: “We are constantly looking for new ways to make sure our residents receive the highest standards of personalised, quality care and support.

“The quality of the content and the delivery of danceSing really encouraged us to get involved and explore the potential benefits it could have on the health of our residents.

“The feedback has been really positive so far, and we’re looking forward to evaluating the progress of danceSing within our care homes.”

One of the operator’s homes already experiencing the benefits of introducing the programme is Antonine House.

Typically between 10 and 15 residents get involved in every session, which currently runs two or three times a week.

The variety within the programme means residents can choose the activities they prefer, and care staff can tailor it to the physical challenges and needs of specific groups.

A full range of activities are designed to improve movement, balance,

circulation, and fitness, and include chair fitness, standing fitness, dementia specific chair sessions and short circulation boosters.

Residents are also encouraged to participate in sing-alongs, with songs specifically chosen with the aim of improving breathing, posture, concentration and co-ordination.

As part of the initiative, staff have received training from the danceSing team enabling them to access and use an online portal to facilitate the programme with residents.

The programme also includes a 24/7 radio station produced by two wellestablished radio professionals, which

care homes can use to encourage movement at specific times of day or assist with settling residents in the evenings.

This Scottish Government initiative began last November and is funding the implementation of danceSing in 65 care homes; covering every local authority area in Scotland.

The year-long programme will build on research investigating the benefits of music and exercise on the overall wellbeing of elderly people facing a variety of health conditions, such as dementia and mobility issues.

All activities that danceSing offers are evidence-based.

Advertiser’s announcement

Positive Individual Proactive Support POSITIVE Individual Proactive Support, an organisation based in Stokesley, North Yorkshire, facilitates positive behavioural support and provides person-centred care for people who face complex challenges such as autism, mental health, challenging behaviours, learning disabilities and high support needs.

PIPS stands as a beacon of hope and is committed to providing top-notch support, with a mission to actively encourage a compassionate approach while delivering high-quality care to its service users. PIPS embarked on a search for a digital solution to streamline its daily operational activities, with a particular focus on incident reporting.

This search led them to discover Cura, a specialised digital system that has revolutionised their approach to complex care management.

Cura exceeded PIPS’ expectations by providing a fully integrated solution that extended well beyond their initial incident reporting requirements.

Anthony Birmingham, service manager and registered manager at PIPS, said their original goal was to find an incident reporting system that could effectively address their unique and demanding needs.

Anthony found Cura Systems would not only improve their incident reporting, but also provide an opportunity to widen their project scope to introduce a full e-recording system.

“From our original intention of only an incident reporting system, we have

Anthony Birmingham rolled out our daily reporting and our entire support planning,” he said.

“Our entire rollout system is now fully through with Cura and we will be looking at introducing the other elements as well.

“Things like the eMAR, the increased options with the order around staff management through their own app that’s available, the list is endless to what’s available that we haven’t implemented but is there for us to use.”

Anthony’s favourite feature of Cura is the incident reporting system.

This feature is critical to PIPS and crucial to the people they support: n Allows staff to make contemporaneous notes of incidents, facilitating detailed incident analysis and learning opportunities. n Real-time alerts to managers, senior managers and PBS consultants when an incident is reported, enabling a quick and effective response. n Enables PIPS to review and

document incidents, which helps them meet their regulatory requirements and data collection obligations. n The incident analysis feature provides valuable data for identifying trends and areas that may require additional and intensive support.

These benefits have allowed PIPS to manage complex care situations more effectively and efficiently: n Saves time by allowing staff to focus more on providing better support to individuals. It also reduced administrative tasks related to documentation, archiving, and report generation. n Improves communication among staff members and care givers through the use of real-time alerts and reporting. n Improves the quality of care by enabling staff to focus on providing support rather than managing paperwork. n Cura’s flexibility accommodates PIPS’ evolving needs, allowing for ongoing development and customisation. n Provides training sessions and ongoing support to help staff adapt to the digital system. n Helps meet compliance requirements by providing easy access to reports and real-time access to a full data trail.

During the implementation process, PIPS found Cura to be immensely accommodating and flexible in meeting their specific needs, ensuring a smooth transition from a paper-

based to a digital ecosystem.

Cura also provides readily available resources to ensure immediate access to information and support whenever the need arises. This includes user guides, video tutorials, FAQs, and access to an online knowledge base.

“The entire implementation process was really robust,” added Anthony.

“We are very particular in our expectations and probably had some high demands of the changes that we wanted within the system to make it viable for us and that was fully accommodated by Cura and the support that we had during that process.

“We also had training sessions that supported our staff to be introduced to the system and we had systems training for our project managers and our leads on the rollout.”

PIPS maintains a strong working relationship with Cura, regularly seeking support for system changes, developments, and specific issues.

“I would say our relationship is really good and we regularly seek support whether that be through changes and developments that we need,” concluded Anthony. “ And if there are particular issues that we found or if there’s extra guidance or support that we need around a feature that we’re looking to introduce into our rollout of the system right the way from the implementation through to now.

“We can fully grasp the availability and flexibility of the team that’s there for us.”

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16

CARINGNEWS

Carer receives honour for community service

Residents at Oake Meadows in Taunton had an afternoon of fun when birds of prey swooped into the care home. They were treated to an up-close and personal encounter with the birds, experiencing the beauty and grace of the magnificent creatures whilst having opportunity to hold, stroke and witness them take flight.

Activities co-ordinator Hannah Fenwick said: “Organising activities that bring joy and create lasting memories for our residents is at the heart of what we do.

The visit from Sharandys Birds of Prey exceeded our expectations, providing a unique and interactive experience that got all the residents smiling. The support from Willow Funeral Services to make this happen exemplifies the positive impact that businesses and the community can have when they come together to create meaningful experiences.”

EMMANUEL Ubochi, a care assistant at Meallmore’s Grove Care Home, has received a prestigious knighthood in Nigeria.

It was awarded by the Anglican Church to both Emmanuel and his wife, Ngozi Ubochi, in recognition of their dedication and service to their community.

Emmanuel said: “I am humbled that I was called to receive this honour, and that I was able to travel to Nigeria to receive the knighthood.

“It has made me more aware of the call for more service to humanity, which is reflected in my work at Grove, as well as the church.

“I have come to realise that whatever I have, no matter how little, is for me to help improve the lives of others and put a smile on their faces.

“That is what humanity is all about.

That is also what the investiture into the knighthood of St. Christopher is all about – a recognition of good work to the church and community, and a call to do more work.”

Notable activities that the couple helped with in their local community included distributing food items for families during the Covid-19 pandemic, assisting in academic school fees for primary school-aged children, and contributing financially to church projects including a new secondary school in the community.

The ceremony was held at the

Emmanuel Ubochi Cathedral of the Transfiguration of Our Lord in Owerri, southern Nigeria.

It saw more than 120 couples into the sacred order, nominated from their local churches.

To prepare, Emmanuel and his wife went to retreats and participated in seminars to equip them for the responsibilities ahead.

Unfortunately, Emmanuel’s wife couldn’t attend the ceremony due to her commitment to completing

her master’s degree programme at the Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen.

The service was conducted by His Lordship, The Right Reverend Dr. Chukwuma Oparah, the Lord Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Owerri.

Thousands of people attended, including many like Emmanuel, who had travelled across the world to be part of this significant event.

Emmanuel was joined by his parents, siblings, and close friends in Nigeria.

Emmanuel moved to the UK with his immediate family in January 2023, and has been working at the Grove since March.

Prior to this, he worked in healthcare roles in Nigeria.

Moira Taylor, care home manager at Grove, added: “I am really pleased Emmanuel was able to go home to attend this ceremony and receive this honour.

“It is heartening to know we have such a genuine person working in our care home, caring for our residents with such compassion.

“Whilst we work with and care for people of all faiths and no faiths at The Grove, the Meallmore family extends its heartfelt congratulations to Emmanuel and Ngozi on this significant achievement, recognising their commitment to both professional responsibilities and service to their Nigerian community.”

Advertiser’s announcement

Meet industry experts and buyers at CleanEx 2024 THE excitement is building as CleanEx2024 – the only UK exhibition dedicated to the laundry, dry cleaning and textile care industry – looks to set records when the doors open at Ascot Racecourse on Sunday, April 28 and Monday, April 29.

CleanEx encompasses every facet of the industry and since its inception in 2012 the biennial event has grown enormously.

New equipment launched, machinery demonstrations – in

fact everything from solvents to the biggest industrial washers can be seen and compared.

This exhibition includes the biggest names in the sector alongside newer entrants keen to show off their ingenuity and showcase products.

This year sustainability and products which save time and energy are expected to draw a wide audience.

CleanEx 2024, like its successful predecessors, attracts visitors from across Europe and the rest of the

world.

Virtually all attendees have ‘buyer power’ within their organisation and are looking to make the most of this valuable opportunity.

Organiser Mark Gleed said: “I am very excited for the sixth edition of CleanEx and know from the massive interest that the 2024 exhibition is going to see deals done and create talking points in the years to come.

“We can’t wait – and neither can those attending as exhibitors or

visitors.”

It’s very easy to register for Cleanex 2024.

Just go to https://cleanex.ecreg. uk/ where you can download an information pack.

Ascot Racecourse, the prestigious venue, is ideally placed for international visitors.

It is close to Heathrow airport and just a short distance from central London and major road networks linking the rest of the UK.

17

CARINGNEWS Advertiser’s announcement

Experienced Jenni joins The Outstanding Society team THE Outstanding Society are delighted to welcome Jenni Mack to the team to focus on communication and partnerships.

Jenni comes with a wealth of knowledge and experience of the sector as she has been working with our friends at the Care Workers Charity for the past two years.

Do reach out and make contact to get involved with our new projects and social media campaigns throughout 2024 at comms@ theoutstandingsociety. co.uk What’s new? n The OS website – it has been a while in the making, but we look forward to more content and interaction during the year. n The Out Standing Diversity Forum – Exciting times ahead led by Sanjay and supported by Jenni – Our first webinar is being delivered in partnership with Skills for Care, this webinar will include representatives from the new OUT Standing Diversity Forum and the University of Strathclyde, sharing recommendations, advice and examples from adult social care services.

It will look at how services can treat people as individuals, celebrate diversity, and support the

wellbeing of the LGBTQ+ community within your service.

LGBTQ+ Good and best practice Practical ways to support your LGBTQ+ people and workforce With live panel discussions and debate, the webinar will be shaped around questions from those delivering care. n VIVALDI Social Care – Reducing infections and improving lives Phase one training has started and the feedback has been amazing – there is still time to get involved if you would like to be part of this groundbreaking pilot.

Register your interest now. n Care Show, London Excel April 24 and 25 – yes, the OS is going bigger and better and have another learning lounge for the event. Here are some of the titles you will experience in our normal informal panel discussion format: n Vulnerability in leadership – the secret ingredient n Duty of Candour – Crystal clear reporting n Out Standing Diversity Forum – DE&I – done the outstanding way n Going global – International recruitment And many more with some fantastic guest speakers.

Zoe Fry

Finally a reminder...

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE OUTSTANDING TO JOIN THE OUTSTANDING SOCIETY. Yes really, we just shouted that, because it’s true, so true I’ll say it twice.

You do not have to be outstanding to join, you just have to want to share and learn from others in the sector who are focused on being the best they can.

Who are we and what do we do? Well, the OS was formed by a small group of providers who had, at the time, all recently achieved ‘Outstanding’ ratings following the introduction of the Care Quality Commission inspection standard ratings in 2014.

There was a general consensus between these providers that it would be beneficial to the ASC sector if services were able to share their expertise with other providers and support the driving up of quality across the whole of England.

In 2021 the OS was set up as a Community Interest Company. This was to provide a platform to share and celebrate best practice whilst helping others to improve and raise the profile of social care.

Our joint vision as directors is to give providers FREE membership which allows

free access to our virtual events, newsletters and podcasts. It provides a platform for all providers to access topical information and will also be a platform to celebrate innovation and share best practice.

We continue to have close partnerships with Care England, Skills for Care, the Care Workers Charity and the Department of Health and Social Care and are recognised as a trade association by the CQC. 2024 is an exciting year for the team at the OS – why not get involved and celebrate what you do.

Zoë Fry OBE BSc – RN Executive director, The Outstanding Society CIC SCNAC – Sussex Chair

18

CARINGNEWS

Residents thanked for humanitarian mission support

Martin Jones MBE, Anthony Chinoso, Camden franchise owner Sylwia Sawa and SarahJane Mee.

Care professional of the year is revealed HOME Instead has named Anthony Chinoso from its Camden franchise office as its care professional of the year.

The 30-year-old was one of three finalists selected from the 12,000 care professionals employed by the operator across the UK. Crowning Anthony was the highlight of Home Instead’s annual conference, held in Manchester.

He received his award from Home Instead’s CEO Martin Jones MBE and Sky News’ Sarah-Jane Mee in front of an audience of 1,200 made up of franchise owners and their key players.

Originally from Nigeria, Anthony looked after his grandparents before moving to England where he settled in the Camden area.

The judges were particularly impressed with his patience and commitment to ‘getting through’ to a client who was living with dementia.

Anthony takes great care in really getting to know his clients and finding new stories and conversation threads to share with them.

One particular client had lost her husband and then her beloved cat, Sparky. Although living with dementia the lady was fiercely independent and resistant to receiving care. Anthony realised that a connection could be made by talking about Sparky and that’s where their relationship really developed.

He found out that this client loved to dance and sing so he downloaded

all the songs that she loved so they could listen to music and have a dance – her favourite is ‘Singing in the Rain’. She sometimes struggles to wake up but Anthony found a solution which was to play the song to her on his phone which her wakes up gently. She even recently attended a dance for people living with dementia and had an amazing time.

Anthony said: “Caring gives you the opportunity to experience life from another person’s perspective. You need to take time to listen to each client’s story so you understand them better and then you are able to bring the right energy.

“My clients look forward to my visits and I make sure that I bring my best every time.

“Working with Home Instead has put a smile on my face – the work gives me a great deal of energy and I like to pass that on to my clients.”

Recognised alongside Anthony were Angela Marsh from the Salford and Worsley office and Tinashe Mutore from the Glasgow North franchise.

Angela was put forward for the award after she helped a 95-year-old client, who is a holocaust survivor, to write a book and educate her community.

Tinashe lived in Zimbabwe where he cared for his grandfather. He came to the UK in 2022 becoming a live-in care professional looking after a client with MND. His positivity has changed the lives of his clients.

Avonridge Care Home in Hamilton, part of Larchwood Care, recently hosted a display of traditional Scottish culture that had residents twirling with patriotism and joy. The Hamilton Highland Dancers, together with youngsters from the Nicola Boyle School of Highland Dance, graced the home with their presence, offering an afternoon of entertainment and cultural pride. Emma Duffy, home manager at Avonbridge, said: “Their performances were not only a showcase of the rich Scottish heritage but also a source of great joy and pride for our residents.

It’s moments like these that truly enhance the sense of community and belonging among our residents.”

COLLEGE students who volunteer to help some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable children have thanked residents of a Dorset care home for supporting their humanitarian mission.

Members of the Brock2Kenya group visited Colten Care’s Avon Reach in Mudeford to give a first-hand account of their latest projects with orphaned street children 4,000 miles away in the city of Nakuru, Kenya.

Staff and residents at Avon Reach, plus Colten Care colleagues and suppliers, are among the supporters of an annual trip for volunteers, providing donations of cash as well as clothes, shoes, educational materials and other much needed items for distribution to hundreds of Nakuru’s children.

In Kenya last October, 26 Brockenhurst College students spent 12 days on three separate projects, at a school, a nursery and a welfare centre.

Among their activities was helping to install flushable toilets and cleanwater sinks to try and cut the risk of children contracting waterborne diseases such as cholera and typhoid.

They also took part in a daily feeding programme to help tackle severe malnutrition among the youngsters, gave lessons in literacy and numeracy, played games and ran arts, crafts, singing and dance sessions.

Those presenting to the Avon Reach residents were Adrian Butterworth, progression adviser at Brockenhurst College and trip lead, and two students who were with him on the last visit as part of their educational enrichment options, Lexie Henderson and Bethany Cohu.

Adrian said a project in plan for October 2024 will be to build and install a further rain harvesting kit, involving a roof-mounted tank to provide water for toilets.

When that visit happens, it will mean that more than 100 Brockenhurst College students will

Residents Noeleen Braisby and Lillian Ledger at the presentation by members of the Brock2Kenya group. Behind them are trip lead Adrian Butterworth, Brockenhurst College students Bethany Cohu and Lexie Henderson and volunteers Lorraine Lawrence and Ruth Wildman, who is also Avon Reach home manager. have been to Kenya to help since Brock2Kenya began in 2019.

Adrian said: “We couldn’t do the mission without the help of the Colten Care residents and staff and our other supporters.

“Everyone’s help makes a massive difference. If we get can help one child in dire straits to get out of their circumstances, then it’s worth doing.”

Avon Reach’s connection with Brock2Kenya came about through home manager Ruth Wildman who is herself a volunteer on the annual trip.

She added: “The highlight of the last trip for me was when the tap on the new plumbing system was turned on and we saw clean water coming through.

“That was amazing. But when you go into the schools, you can see that outside in the street there are many children who can’t get in. We give a few hundred children a chance but many more need help.”

After showing the Avon Reach residents a short film about their 2023 trip, Adrian handed round souvenirs including a Kenyan flag, a bush hat and a wood engraving of the Swahili saying ‘hakuna matata’, the name of a song in the film The Lion King that roughly translates as ‘no worries’.

Therapy dog brings residents joy A BORDER Terrier called Clive has visited Waterbeach Lodge to bring some extra joy to its residents.

Clive is a familiar face at the Cambridgeshire care home every fortnight for an animal therapy session.

Visiting from Therapy Dogs Nationwide, the four-legged friend was once again taken around the facility to interact with residents.

As always, the four-year-old pet was given a warm welcome.

He enjoyed plenty of strokes and cuddles, as well as some tasty treats provided by his owner.

Registered manager Beverley Murray said: “Interaction with different animals helps stimulate our residents’ brains and helps to keep them mentally active and engaged.

“Everyone loves having Clive visit – it’s always a real pleasure.”

TDN is a national charity where volunteers take their own dogs into

establishments to provide comfort, distraction, and stimulation.

Kathryn Brack, Clive’s owner, has registered the Border Terrier with the charity, and said it’s wonderful to see the positive impact he has on Waterbeach’s residents.

19

CARINGNEWS

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Home launches Hungry Hearts Lunch Club OAKLANDS House care home in Southwold has launched the Hungry Hearts Lunch Club – an initiative aimed at providing a warm meal and companionship to elderly members of the local community.

The club is a welcoming space for those who are seeking connections with like-minded individuals.

This initiative comes following their successful Christmas lunch club last year.

“Before Christmas 2023, Mel (the home’s administrator) and I were thinking of ways to encompass some Christmas spirit from Oaklands into our community,” said Ian Gooch, manager of Oaklands House.

“After much deliberation we settled on a Christmas lunch club throughout December. It was more of a success than we could ever of imagined and we welcomed many of our community through our doors.”

The cost for a meal is set at £10, with an additional £10 option for those looking to take part in the activities hosted at the home (morning or

afternoon), with two open spaces every day.

For those expressing an interest, Oaklands House provides the weekly menu to allow participants to choose a meal tailored to their preferences.

“To be able to provide our community who would otherwise be alone or worried about being out of the home a chance to do so in a warm, safe and friendly environment is the greatest gift of all,” added Ian. “It gives residents a means of reconnecting with the community that most of them have lived in for many years.

“This brings new faces and friends into the home and helps to form those important bonds of life.

“In future I would love to be able to implement a full day centre into the home.

“If Hungry Hearts is the success that we all hope it will be, I will be looking at expanding the times and available slots to support a wider volume of our community who may need the additional support.”

Resident Gordon Osbourne

Residents enjoy day out RESIDENTS of Old Raven House in Hook were treated to an excursion to the Beaulieu Motor Museum, where they were transported back in time amidst a collection of classic cars and buses.

The outing provided an opportunity for the care home’s residents to reconnect with their past and share memories of the vehicles they once owned and the journeys they embarked upon.

Anne Turner, the manager of Old Raven House, said: “It was truly heartening to see our residents so engaged and animated, sharing their stories and memories with such

enthusiasm.

“Cars are so much more than just a means of transport; they’re vessels of our history, our adventures, and our cherished moments.

“This trip was not just a visit to a museum; it was a journey down memory lane for many of our residents.”

Beaulieu Motor Museum, renowned for its extensive array of motor vehicles from various eras, sparked lively discussions among the group.

Residents shared anecdotes of family trips, the cars they prided themselves on owning, and the adventures those vehicles facilitated.

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CARINGNEWS

Older artists paint portraits for Gallery’s new exhibition

An 83-year-old resident is now donning some added ‘sparkle’ after staff at Bullsmoor Lodge care home in Enfield granted her one wish – to have her ears pierced. Janet Lowe is a retired nurse and, unable to wear earrings throughout her 40-year career, never had her ears pierced. When staff at Bullsmoor Lodge asked its residents “if you had one wish, what would it be?” Janet couldn’t wait to share her ‘piercing’ request. Registered manager Lisa Coombs said: “Janet was so excited the night before that she couldn’t sleep, so we knew it was going to be a special day. She said she didn’t feel anything and couldn’t wait to choose some sparkly new earrings. It has been fantastic to see the huge smile on her face and to see her showing off her new jewellery to everyone here.”

OLDER people in Newcastle-underLyme are aiming to make themselves as famous as Mona Lisa as their selfmade portraits take pride of place at the Belong Heritage Gallery, the local landmark documenting the town’s rich history and integrated with their home, dementia specialist care village, Belong.

Led by the in-house experience team as part of its activities programme, the classes saw Belong’s residents and independent living apartment tenants schooled in the skill of self-expression with only pencils, paints and the art of memory to bring their creative ambitions to life.

Emma Palin, experience and Heritage Gallery coordinator at Belong Newcastle-under-Lyme, said: “With a reflections theme for the project, we wanted to challenge our budding Leonardos technically and get them to think about how they perceive themselves.

“They each had a personal photograph to work with, and, after teaching them what to do, much concentration was required to translate what they saw and could remember onto canvas, as well as get the proportions right, the eyes in the correct place.

“The rest was up to them, and we encouraged the group to have fun communicating their self-perception

Vera Billington through their work.”

The theme was inspired by a project launched by the National Activity Providers Association championing the use of arts in care environments for the benefit of those involved.

Emma added: “The result has been a fascinating insight into how people see themselves, particularly for our

customers living with dementia.

“We’ve enjoyed a lot of laughs, and our customers told us they appreciated the opportunity to learn a new skill and have their portraits showcased for families and friends to see.

“We invite everyone to visit our mini-Louvre to view the final pieces.”

Advertiser’s announcement

Richard Woodward, general manager of apetito’s Care Home Division looks at how care homes can reduce food waste.

Is food waste costing you money right to the bottom line?

TAKING place between March 18 and 24 is Food Waste Action Week, a campaign that aims to raise awareness around the issue of food waste.

We know that food waste and portion control can have a real impact on care home’s bottom line because food thrown away is, in essence, money thrown away.

It’s true that food waste can be unavoidable. Homes know only too well that families take loved ones out for lunch unexpectedly, or residents can arrive back from hospital appointments later than planned, meaning there is unavoidable wastage.

However, there are things that can be done to help reduce food waste.

Effective meal planning and ‘personalisation’ is key to reducing food waste and managing costs in the kitchen.

It’s really important to understand the dietary needs and preference of every single resident.

Lots of care homes we visit host regular meetings with residents to find out what food they’ve recently enjoyed and if there have been any

meals that haven’t gone down as well.

Try holding these meetings regularly to accommodate changing preferences.

By asking residents their likes and dislikes, kitchen staff are able create meal plans tailored to residents’ tastes and in turn streamline the menu to eliminate unpopular choices and excess ingredients, reducing waste and saving money.

It is also worth trying to introduce flexibility in menu planning to accommodate varying appetites and

preferences.

Providing different choices and rotating menu items can help ensure that residents enjoy a range of different dishes, lessening the risk of menu fatigue and in turn, reducing the likelihood of uneaten food.

Portion control during meal preparation also helps to avoid serving more than necessary.

Residents struggling with a poor appetite, may find mealtimes and big portions daunting.

Try not to serve massive portions

which will simply overwhelm people, and just end up being thrown in the bin. Care homes that have partnered with apetito have found their food waste significant reduced.

This is because apetito’s preprepared meals and portion guidance mean care homes are easily able to cook and serve meals to their residents’ exact needs, minimising food waste.

To make it even easier, each care home has a dedicated apetito account manager, who will help staff how to order, store and prepare meals, as well as supporting staff with portion guides and food diaries to help keep waste to a minimum.

More and more care homes are considering the middle ground, and pre-prepared options like apetito are an extremely attractive option.

Not only are care homes able to massively reduce food waste but also experience consistency of cost, simplify catering for dietary requirements, and provide residents with a range of great tasting nutritious food.

Discover more about apetito’s service: https://apetito.link/CaringUK

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CARINGAPPOINTMENTS Care England has announced Majesticare CEO Angela Boxall as the new chair of its board. Angela succeeds Avnish Goyal CBE, chairman of Hallmark Luxury Care Homes, who has held the post for the last nine years. Avnish will remain on the policy board and continue to provide vital knowledge and expertise to the strategic direction of Care England’s policy-focused work. The association has also welcomed several new trustees: Joanne Balmer, chief executive officer, Oakland Care; Aneurin Brown, managing director, Hallmark Care Homes; Russell Brown, CEO, Shaw Healthcare; Simon McCall, commercial director, Barchester Healthcare; Jake Rollin, director of commissioned care and commercial support, HC-One. They will be joining existing trustees, James Allen, chief executive officer of National Care Group, and Vishal Shah, founder and managing director of Banyan Care Group.

Argentum Lodge, a 56-bed care home in Nailsea, Somerset has appointed Jessica Hawker as care home manager. She has more than 15 years’ experience working within the sector in a variety of roles across residential, nursing, dementia and specialist mental health services. Jessica is passionate about enhancing the lives of the residents she looks after, and her outstanding care has been acknowledged through a number of industry awards. The previous care home she managed was also awarded the Gold Standards Framework for end-of-life care. Jessica is looking forward to ensuring the residents are stimulated and engaged with a wide range of interesting daily activities and nourished with a broad selection of locally sourced, freshly cooked food. She believes that a happy and fulfilled workforce is essential for a thriving and successful care home and at Argentum Lodge – where she will manage a team of more than 60 people – staff development and recognition will be a priority.

Meallmore Ltd group hospitality manager Jody Marshall has been elected chair of the National Association of Care Catering Scotland region.

Joining the NACC’s executive team, Jody’s responsibilities will include enriching the standard of nutrition and hydration in the care sector across Scotland. Jody will be the catalyst for supporting care catering-based seminars to provide an open forum for debate among individuals, companies and organisations involved in catering for the care sector to aid them to deliver positive outcomes for residents across the country. He hopes to unite, support and represent everyone working in and associated with catering in the Scottish care sector. Since joining Meallmore in 2019, Jody has led and raised the catering, housekeeping and hospitality experience, resulting in Meallmore being crowned the NACC Catering Team of the Year in 2020, and securing the accolade of the Nutrition and Eating Well category in the Scottish Care Awards in 2020 and 2023.

Parklands Care Homes has boosted its management team in the Highlands. Mel Oliver has been appointed to the new role of deputy manager at Innis Mhor in Tain.

Mel is a well-known figure at Innis Mhor, having worked at the home for eight years, first as a carer and latterly as a shift leader. Meanwhile, Eilean Dubh has appointed a new manager, Alexis Le Neven. Originally from France, Alexis moved to the Black Isle in 2019 and has worked in social care for 10 years. He is a familiar face at Eilean Dubh, having worked there as a nurse since it opened in 2021. And Alana Brown, who was previously a shift leader at Eilean Dubh has also joined Parklands’ training and development team as a trainer in Highland.

London’s latest home care service has appointed a new director of care operations – with the senior appointment tasked with overseeing the provider’s growing care provision and expanding operations. Vivant, which officially launched recently, is centred on providing discreet and tailored care support focused on enabling its clients to continue living their life to the full.

Kelly Morris, who joins in the new role, has an extensive care career that spans more than 20 years, with 18 of those spent leading home care services.

Her background includes a focus on older care, dementia care, long-term conditions, physical disabilities, learning disabilities, spinal injuries, and endof-life care. A registered manager and nominated individual with the Care Quality Commission, Kelly holds full qualifications in leadership and management in health and social care.

Martha Hamill and Joanne Morton have been appointed manager and deputy manager respectively at New Care’s Egerton Manor in Bolton. Having worked in healthcare for 23 years, Martha brings a wealth of experience to her new role. A registered mental health nurse, she has managed a number of residential care settings and enjoys the many varied challenges of the social care sector. Joanne has worked in healthcare for 28 years, both in the NHS and care home sector and is a qualified registered adult nurse.

Prior to her nurse training, she worked in the NHS in orthopaedic and major trauma before realising her passions lay within elderly care. Working together, the duo take responsibility for the safe and effective operation of the new state-of-the-art facility, leading the 100-strong team and delivering exceptional person-centre care for residents.

Morris Care Centre, a 96-bed nursing home in Wellington, near Telford in Shropshire has appointed Stacie Smith as its manager. Her career in care started as a care home assistant and she worked her way up to become a deputy manager, a manager and then an area manager across seven homes. At Morris Care Centre she will lead a team of more than 130 employees providing a wide range of care for people including complex disability care for residents of all ages, and respite, convalescence, palliative and dementia care for older people. Stacie already has ambitious plans for the residents at Morris Care Centre, including introducing a revised range of daily activities, revamping the menu and modernising the dining room to give it more of a restaurant feel. She is also planning a series of trips out for residents in the home’s minibus.

Julia Mixter has been appointed to the role of executive director – business services at Anchor. Julia, who starts at Anchor on May 13, has been director of transformation at Raven Housing Trust for more than five years. While there, she led an award-winning multi-year business transformation programme to improve services to customers, drive value for money and reduce operational risk and waste. With more than 20 years of experience in senior human resources roles, she was previously the director of human resources at the Royal Automobile Club. Julia has also served as the director of people and operations at The Children’s Trust, a medical charity, and as a senior HRBP at Transport for London. Julia replaces Kate Smith, who left Anchor to take up the role of chief executive at Connexus.

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Group acquires its first Yorkshire homes A YORKSHIRE-based care company has acquired its first homes in the county, taking the total it now owns to seven.

Constantia Healthcare has bought Linson Court in Batley and Manor Croft in Dewsbury for an undisclosed sum.

The Beverley-headquartered familyrun group now has homes in West Yorkshire, Lancashire and Teesside, with further acquisitions in the pipeline.

Anthony Massouras, chairman of Constantia Healthcare, said: “We are very pleased to have added these two excellent properties to our growing portfolio of care homes.

“As a company based in Yorkshire it was always our intention to acquire homes in the county, but they needed to be the right fit and this is exactly what Linson Court and Manor Croft are.”

Linson Court is a 40-bedroom

Manor Court in Dewsbury.

home situated in a residential area of Batley, providing residential care and nursing support for people with agerelated needs, including dementia.

Manor Croft also has 40 bedrooms

and is situated in the suburbs of Dewsbury, but only minutes from the town centre. It also provides residential and nursing care.

Emily Whitehurst, chief operating

officer at Constantia Healthcare, added: “We will now be putting the unique Constantia quality stamp on the homes and look forward to working with the residents and their families to ensure the care we provide is of the very highest standard.

“We are constantly looking at ways of further improving the experience for people who live in our care homes, ensuring the care we provide is fully inclusive and enhances quality of life.”

Both Linson Court and Manor Croft are rated good by the CQC. Anthony added: “We continually invest in all our homes to further enhance the resident experience and our new homes in Yorkshire will be no different.

“We are already looking towards further growth in 2024 and beyond as we seek to build our position as one of the UK’s premier small care groups.”

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The Home offers 30 bedrooms all having ensuite facilities and enjoys an ideal prominent main road position, with the M1 and A1 motorways are within easy access and provide excellent links with the major population centres of Yorkshire, Lancashire, including Leeds, York, Manchester, and R Sheffield.

S OVE YEARRIENCE The Home attracted substantial EXPE HOMES interest from the outset and has been sold on behalf of CARE IDE G N I L L Mr C & Mrs B McHale and SE ATIONW N acquired by existing operator Mr Simon Mills of Twelve Trees Limited.

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Lamont Johnson is delighted to confirm the recent successful sale of Meadowbrook Manor Care Home, Garforth, Leeds.

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Opening date set for £13m home

Plans to extend home approved LIDDER Care has secured planning permission to extend Newgate Lodge Care Home in Mansfield.

The extension and improvement works were unanimously approved

by Mansfield Planning Committee and will see the facility grow from 60 to 84 beds, solidifying the provider’s commitment to providing exceptional dementia care in the region.

As part of the expansion, Newgate Lodge will introduce several key features, including a ground-floor bistro within a new and improved entrance area, cinema room, tranquil Japanese garden and a state-of-the-art hairdressing salon.

Larger bedrooms with wet room facilities will be created to enhance the overall comfort and well-being of residents.

Four distinct units –each featuring adaptable and dementia-friendly communal spaces – will provide supportive environments for residents with diverse needs.

PKL Investments, the construction arm of Lidder Care, will take the helm as main contractor for the project.

Manjas Lidder, managing director of Lidder Care, said “This approach of using our in-house construction team not only secures superior quality but also maintains control over the building and development process to limit disruption to our existing residents during the construction phase.

“It is important we continue investing in our homes to build on the high-level of care we provide to those living with dementia.

“This exciting extension ensures a care orientated design to meet the specialist needs of residents as well as Lidder Care’s operational needs.

“This includes high quality private accommodation with accessible and inclusive living spaces designed to suit to residents with reduced mobility.

“Newgate Lodge Care Home takes immense pride in its residents, colleagues and the remarkable community that surrounds it.

“As the home embarks on the next chapter of its journey, we look forward to continuing to provide compassion, exceptional care and new adventures for all those who call Newgate Lodge their home.”

Mansfield planning officers praised the scheme commenting that “this is aimed at improving accessibility for residents, many of whom have mobility issues, by providing ‘step free access’ and enabling wheelchairs to access all areas of the home.

Larger and more suitable internal spaces for staff and visitors would also be provided.

Additional disabled parking spaces and an ambulance drop off bay would be provided adjacent to the main entrance, further improving access to the facility.

The design and layout of the proposed extension combined with the alterations to the existing building would provide improved and accessible accommodation for residents, staff and visitors and complement the design and layout of the host building.

Thus, officers conclude that the proposal would provide a welldesigned building which is both inclusive and accessible and appropriate to its context in terms of layout, scale and density”.

Work on site is expected to get underway in the near future.

Aurem Care is making a £1million investment in Beech House, part of Hailsham House care home in Hailsham. The refurbishment will include 32 en-suite rooms, each equipped with a full wet room. The state-of-the-art support and care systems will incorporate digital care planning to ensure the highest level of care for residents. A full kitchen refurbishment will provide dining options for residents. In addition to the physical improvements, the operator is creating more than 20 new positions to support residents. To showcase its new facilities and improvements, Hailsham House is holding an open day on Friday, March 22 from 2pm to 4.30pm.

A £13million care home in Dawlish has announced a community open day as the date is set for a soft launch inviting local people to have a look around.

Maria Mallaband Care Group’s Claremont Manor, a 71-bed care home with five-star facilities, will offer personalised residential, dementia and nursing care in a luxurious setting when it opens in March.

Ahead of the home opening next month, members of the local community are invited to experience a preview of everything it will offer at an open day on Saturday, February 24 from 11am to 4pm.

The team will welcome visitors with activities and entertainment, home tours and tasty treats inspired by dishes from the home’s menus and rustled up by the new chef.

Senior operations manager Carla Bowman said: “This is such an exciting time for all of us at MMCG, especially the new team who will take this home forward; we cannot wait to share this exceptional home with the Dawlish community.

“For those moving in next month it will be the beginning of an exciting new chapter. Claremont has first-class care at its heart, but our ambition goes way beyond that.

“We want to create a vibrant happy community where people feel they belong, be themselves and continue to love life and live it to the fullest.

“I’m happy to say we’ve received the warmest of welcomes and a huge amount of interest already. This will

Claremont Manor in Dawlish. be an exceptional place to live and work and we are so excited to see it come to life and become an integral and valued part of this fantastic community.”

Claremont Manor boasts features ranging from large en-suite rooms to landscaped grounds, with sensitive planting to encourage insect and animal life.

The spacious and modern facilities, some of which many you might not expect of a care home, include a hair and beauty salon, a cinema room, a wellness suite, private dining and leisure suite as well as a grandchildren’s room, where families with younger children can meet and enjoy time together.

The aim is that Claremont Manor will bring wider benefits and become a valued part of the local community.

The home has already been engaged, working with The Strand Centre Food Bank, attending the bi-annual EAT Dawlish market and sponsoring the Dawlish Celebrates Carnival in August.

Green light for £26m Fulham care home THE town planning team at Knight Frank has secured the go ahead from the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham for a purpose-built care home on behalf of Care Concern Group.

The operator has been given the green light to deliver an 81-bed scheme on the site, which is set to include specialised dementia care accommodation.

The development, which has an investment value of approximately £26million, is designed to provide residents with specialist 24/7 care.

Gary Renton, property development director at Care Concern Group, said: “We’re delighted that Hammersmith and Fulham has given our scheme its support.

“The scheme will have huge benefits for the local community, create around 90 jobs for local people and result in cost savings for the healthcare system of up to £6.3million per annum.”

The site has been vacant and derelict for several years. It sits within the

Hurlingham Conservation Area and includes heritage assets.

Architect Hunters designed the scheme, which was applauded by the Council’s Design Review Panel and University of Sterling’s Dementia Services Development Centre.

The need for new purpose-built elderly persons accommodation is defined as ‘critical’ by national planning guidance, while the London Plan recognises the significant and growing need across London.

Chris Benham, partner in the planning team at Knight Frank, added: “This scheme will help to address the significant shortfall of elderly persons accommodation in Hammersmith and Fulham, where the delivery of care accommodation has been limited in recent years.

“This scheme will crucially provide individuals with more choice when it comes to the types of accommodation available.”

The planning permission granted is subject to the signing of the S106 agreement.

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Planning permission secured for Chiswick site BIRCHGROVE has secured planning permission from Hounslow Council to redevelop the site of a former police station on Chiswick High Street into a 50-unit retirement living community.

Originally opened in 1972, the police station closed in 2021 and was sold by the Metropolitan Police to Birchgrove in April 2022.

Redevelopment plans were originally submitted later that year and, following two public consultations, planning permission has now been granted.

Chief executive Honor Barratt said: “After almost two years of consultation we are thrilled to have secured planning permission, and I would like to thank everyone – including the council and local residents – for both their support and suggestions to ensure the development is the best it can be and does Chiswick justice.

“All too often older people are shoved to the end of a cul-de-sac somewhere, but not here.

“With our development bang in the middle of Chiswick High Street, our

residents will be able to flourish at the heart of the community.”

The new one and two-bed selfcontained rented apartments will be available to rent to those aged 65 and over, with facilities including a 24-hour concierge service, restaurant, licensed bar, courtyard garden and wellness suite.

The site has been designed to

benefit the wider local community, with a dedicated space on the ground floor available for local groups, charities and individuals to hire, as well as for the police to hold local resident meetings.

The police will also be provided with a separate dedicated facilities space which will enable officers to charge their body-worn cameras,

iPads and radios, and means a police base will be re-established following the station’s closure. The scheme will also provide a £400,000 contribution towards affordable housing in Hounslow, and has been assessed as highly sustainable – achieving a minimum 77 per cent reduction in carbon emissions over the regulatory baseline.

The approval of the new Birchgrove community comes as demand for retirement accommodation across Hounslow increases: based on the 2015 city-wide London plan, Hounslow has a target of 135 new specialist homes for elderly people per year, meaning the redevelopment of the police station site will play a vital role in tackling Hounslow’s retirement accommodation shortage.

Birchgrove currently operates three retirement communities across the South-East, with three further communities under construction and now available for rental off-plan, and three further London sites acquired (Chiswick, Hampton Court and Mill Hill).

Pepperpot House’s topping out celebrated RENTED retirement home provider Birchgrove has celebrated its latest construction milestone with the topping out of Pepperpot House, a new 52-unit development in Godalming, Surrey.

The ceremony was attended by more than 30 guests, including a number of residents who have reserved apartments, providing them with the opportunity to meet each other alongside their friends and families for the first time.

Honor Barratt, CEO of Birchgrove, was also in attendance alongside John Whelan, CEO of housebuilder Natta.

Honor said: “I’m hugely proud that Birchgrove is on the cusp of launching its fourth site, but I’m even more inspired by our wonderful residents-to-be who attended the topping out ceremony.

“They are so excited about this next chapter, and to see them and their families together, interacting and forging a new community, is the real milestone for us.

“We can’t wait for them to move in and to be able to call Pepperpot House home.”

Having welcomed the guests, Honor and John spoke about the respective roles their companies have played in Pepperpot House’s development, and the significance of the project for the

local community.

The topping out ceremony then saw the duo insert the final ceremonial roof tile, marking the conclusion of the project’s roof construction.

Pepperpot House will offer one and two-bed self-contained rented apartments to independently minded

people over 65.

Communal facilities will include a 24-hour concierge service, café/ restaurant, licensed bar, wellness suite and a courtyard with a lounge and landscaped roof terrace offering views over Godalming to the Surrey Hills. Located in the heart of Godalming, the 1.02-acre plot has been developed on the site of a former Mole Country Stores that had stood empty since September 2017.

As part of the development, the Grade II listed cowshed at the entrance to the site is also being fully restored to provide two one-bed apartments.

Pepperpot House will be the fourth addition to the Birchgrove portfolio, which currently comprises of communities in Ewell, Woking, and Sidcup, housing more than 170 residents.

Construction of a fifth community in Banstead is currently underway, with sites to establish four further communities having also been secured.

Luxury home care service launches in London A HOME care service centred on integrating seamlessly with its clients’ existing lifestyles has launched in London, as it looks to provide discreet and tailored care support focused on enabling clients to continue living their life to the full.

The new care offering, Vivant, is set to deliver a high-end, highquality service with an emphasis on empowering clients to continue living their life as they’ve always lived it – with care support blending unobtrusively alongside their day-today lives.

Incorporating an exclusive concierge service, personalised, tailored care support, companionship and more, Vivant is committed to meeting the diverse needs of its clientele in a way that matters to them, with comfort, dignity, independence and autonomy at the heart of its offering.

Vivant has been launched by

Vivant CEO and founder Louise Blezzard.

CEO and founder Louise Blezzard, who previously was group director of wellbeing and membership at Loveday.

With an extensive career in the care sector, which began with nursing, before going on to incorporate roles as a registered manager, operational manager and CQC inspector, Louise

has cultivated this experience to create an offering that matches her vision of how care should be delivered.

She said: “Vivant is more than a luxury home care service; it’s a commitment to enhancing the quality of life for our clients.

“We understand the importance of choice and autonomy, and our services are designed to empower individuals to continue living life on their terms.

“We know that, wherever possible, people want to carry on living in their own homes – and we provide discreet support and companionship to help ensure that can continue as long as possible.”

The key aspects of Vivant’s new care service include: Concierge: Vivant’s concierge service is designed to accompany and assist clients in their everyday

activities. Whether that’s socialising, attending exercise classes, going on shopping trips, managing healthcare appointments, or liaising with medical professionals, Vivant looks to ensure that clients can maintain their active lifestyles seamlessly and free of stress.

Tailored care support: Recognising that every individual has unique requirements, Vivant offers personalised care support, adapted for individual needs. The level of care is centred on clients’ choice, ensuring that they receive the right level of assistance and attention and with their wishes always factored in.

Team selection: Vivant puts the power of choice in the hands of its clients and that goes as far as encouraging clients to choose their preferred care team based on personal preferences, helping to foster a sense of comfort and familiarity.

Addressing staffing pressures in the care sector – expanding flexibility

By Tinga Umera FLEXIBILITY has always been a key draw to staff in many sectors and it is the same for many looking to get into care.

Almost half of all staff work parttime and many work on flexible contracts of varying hours, according to a recent study by Skills for Care.

For this reason the sector attracts many individuals with other responsibilities, such as caring for family members, looking after children, voluntary work or education.

However, flexible working arrangements allowing staff to choose their own hours can result in uneven service coverage throughout the day for those requiring care and a degree of uncertainty that some carers struggle with.

A new way of working As experienced leaders in the sector, we understand these pressures which face operators and have experienced them within our own service.

Rather than placing the burden of this shortfall on our clients, we have sought to develop and trial this new model to take the pressure off our staff and the people we care for.

Under an innovative system known as ‘block calls’ , we are offering guaranteed hours to carers working hours, which the industry has traditionally struggled to cover – between 6am and 10am and 5pm to 10pm.

We also understand that, on

occasion, clients with varying care needs or schedules will not need care on a particular day.

While these varying hours suit the majority of carers, some may appreciate the guaranteed – and higher-rate – pay offered by block calls.

We’ll also be offering carers on block calls: n Full payment for time spent travelling, beyond the standard rate for the care industry. n Cover for the cost of breakfast clubs or after-school clubs. n Higher than average pay rates to account for the less sociable hours.

Under this approach, pay is guaranteed. Whether they are required to work or not, due to changes in care provision, their time will be remunerated with fair pay.

However, this offering is not enforced across our company and instead we offer carers the opportunity to chose and switch between block calls and our more traditional, varied working model.

By offering the flexibility of varied or fixed hours, we’re creating the opportunity for our carers to adopt hybrid working patterns that work for them, while also ensuring that our care provision is always consistent and meets our clients’ needs.

Widening the appeal of care In addition to offering increased

support to our clients and staff, we’ve identified the opportunity for block calls to open up the caring profession to those who might otherwise have discounted it.

For example, only eight per cent of those working in care are under 25. Without bringing young people into the sector and developing their careers, the industry will begin to struggle as established carers leave the sector over the coming decades.

Guaranteed hours, the majority of which are outside traditional working hours, may appeal to university students, particularly those working on clinical courses, as well as working mums who struggle with childcare.

Involving more young people in care provision can help to protect the future of the sector and ensure that there is always care available when clients need it.

Outside of the scope of university, there is a significant potential for engaging people who prefer set hours in a care career. As a sector, we have historically failed to engage this demographic, but a block call scheme could be the answer. By widening the appeal of care to existing staff and those who haven’t considered making the move into care before, we can improve overall provision in the sector and ensure its long-term security for clients who need our support. n Tinga Umera is the managing director of Nexus Care Services.

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Understanding the problem at hand We make no secret of the fact that the care sector as a whole suffers from a staffing shortage – with a vacancy rate of around 10 per cent.

In particular, certain hours may present a significant shortfall as those on flexible working contracts or agreements need to address family requirements such as the school run or caring for children.

These hours are also typically those during which clients most require care across all providers – particularly

those that need support with rising, dressing, meal preparation and personal care.

The result is that care provision during key periods of the day can be uncertain.

The way all providers approach staffing during these times needs to change to secure the long-term safety and satisfaction of clients – which is why we’re rolling out our latest employment offering to the industry.

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healthcare sector needs of our clients always at the forefront of our approach. Rooted within 25 years, we specialise in Covering all aspects of Healthcare including

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Contact us: T: 01257 460270 E: anthony.rae@montanecare.co.uk M: 07546932811 E: darren.edwards@montanecare.co.uk M: 07855361960 montanecare.co.uk

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CARINGPRODUCT NEWS

It is time to switch and save with Gompels IN THE world of care homes, choosing the right supplier for your essential needs can be a crucial decision.

It is a decision that directly impacts the quality of care provided to residents and the efficiency of daily operations.

Among the many options available, Gompels shines as a beacon of excellence.

With a deep commitment to quality, a wide range of products, and a track record of reliability, Gompels has rightfully earned its place as the best choice for care homes.

Spend 20 per cent less at Gompels At Gompels we are known for our competitive pricing and offering quality products at affordable rates without the fancy branding.

This enables care homes to make the most of their budgets without compromising on the quality of care provided to residents.

Our free online tools will drive efficiency across your business helping you make substantial cost and time savings.

Why not let us complete a price comparison against your supplier and we can demonstrate how much you could save.

Email keyaccounts@gompels.co.uk

change. Come and find out more in our sustainability section on the website https://www.gompels.co.uk/ eco/

to request your price comparison and we can have it back within 24 hours.

Greener at Gompels In an era where sustainability and ethical business practices are becoming increasingly important, we stand out by prioritising these values.

We have implemented eco-friendly practices and offer a selection of sustainable products, helping care homes reduce their environmental

footprint.

Furthermore, at Gompels we are committed to ethical sourcing and fair labour practices, ensuring that the products care homes use have been produced in a socially responsible manner.

Our carbon neutral head office in Melksham generates 10 times the amount of electricity we need, making us a net contributor to the grid.

We are ambitious and ready for

Better service as standard Not only do we offer top-quality products but we also provide exceptional customer service.

We have a dedicated team that is ready to assist care homes with their needs and queries.

Whether it is product information, order tracking, or support with special requests, our customer service is there to help and ensure a smooth experience for care home professionals.

No matter if you have 10 bedrooms or 500 bedrooms across multiple sites, you will always get the best service at Gompels.

We have more than 98 per cent of products in stock every week and you can rely on our speedy next-day delivery service with more than 99.7 per cent of orders arriving on-time.

Care homes can trust us to provide the support they need to deliver outstanding care to their residents and to operate efficiently in an increasingly challenging environment.

Email sam.paines@gompels.co.uk or call 0345 450 2420.

Learn about navigating dysphagia in a care setting apetito has launched the fourth episode of its ‘Lunch With’ webinar series.

Join the team for a session on how to navigate swallowing difficulties (a condition more commonly known as dysphagia) in a care setting.

Now is the chance to learn from experts and expand your knowledge on the importance of following best practice when it comes to catering for residents who may be living with this condition.

It’s estimated that up to 75 per cent of care home residents live with dysphagia, so the theme is very relevant to the majority of care homes.

Clare Hunt from the apetito care

homes team is joined by Professor Martin Green OBE, CEO of Care England and Dementia Champion for the Department of Health and Social Care, Amanda Scott, CEO of Forest Healthcare and apetito dietitian, Emily Stuart.

Together, they have an informative and helpful conversation about the prevalence of dysphagia in care settings, the impact of the introduction of the IDDSI framework and how care homes can ensure they are providing residents with effective person-centred care.

Viewers can gain real insight into how the condition can impact residents’ nutritional intake and quality of life and get the opportunity

to learn more about what can be done to empower staff when caring for residents with dysphagia.

Richard Woodward, general manager for care homes at apetito, said: “According to the Royal School of Speech and Language Therapists, 50 to 75 per cent of residents in nursing homes have dysphagia , so it’s an extremely prevalent issue within the care sector.

“As one of the UK’s leading care home meals providers, we know how important it is to ensure residents with dysphagia are effectively and safely catered for.

“We’re delighted to have Martin and Amanda join Emily and Clare for a really vital discussion about the

importance of effectively catering for dysphagia.

“Every resident should be able to dine with dignity and it is crucial that care homes are able ensure residents living with swallowing difficulties can enjoy mealtimes, whilst getting the nutrition they need.”

The episode also covers the importance of offering a variety of texture-modified meals for residents and viewers will be able to learn more about apetito’s world-leading texture modified range, which offers over 300 delicious, safe dishes with no compromise on flavour, visual appeal and most importantly safety.

Register for free to get access to the webinar at https://apetito.link/lunch-with

A streamlined solution for national care groups IN THE realm of national care, maintaining an unwavering standard of service is of paramount importance.

The key to achieving this lies in forging partnerships with trusted service providers.

Established in 1926, Forbes Professional offers a cutting-edge solution that helps both small care homes and national care groups establish a streamlined process for all on-going service and account management.

At the core of Forbes Professional’s offering is a nationwide delivery model with a localised response; fortified by the security and dependability that comes with being a well-established company.

Our extensive network of depots and field engineers ensures a highly responsive service and maintenance capability, activated seamlessly through a dedicated hotline at our headquarters.

Collaborating closely with clients, we customise solutions aligned with their unique requirements.

Our approach involves comprehensive site surveys, detailed CAD designs, and the meticulous selection of industry-compliant Miele laundry appliances.

Recognising the paramount importance of hygiene in the care sector, our commercial laundry equipment strictly adheres to WRAS and CQC guidelines for infection control. For those in the care sector, Forbes Professional offers flexibility in acquiring laundry equipment through

rental, lease, or purchase options, all accompanied by comprehensive maintenance services.

Our Complete Care rental solution stands out by providing access to premium equipment without upfront capital investment, coupled with a commitment to cover all repair or replacement expenses throughout the contract’s duration.

National care groups partnering with Forbes Professional are assigned a dedicated account manager, streamlining all aspects of account management for a highly efficient and simplified process.

This approach ensures a seamless experience for procurement teams and care management staff, reinforcing Forbes Professional’s commitment to elevating the standards of care provision in the national landscape.

Call 0345 070 2335, email info@forbes-professional.co.uk or visit www.forbespro.co.uk

We understand that the nature of the care industry can be unpredictable.

We want to make sure you’re covered in the face of any risk. Our industry experience means we know what types of risk you face, so speak to us today to discover how we can keep your business protected.