Caring UK October 2022

no.309

incorporating

October 2022

The Number One magazine for the care sector

Providers face ‘worse crisis than Covid’ THE crippling cost of living crisis could pose a greater threat to the survival of care providers than the Covid-19 pandemic, campaigners have warned.

Care and nursing homes and homecare providers are battling to survive as utility and petrol costs rocket and severe staffing shortages hit care.

Provider organisation The Independent Care Group has written to health secretary Steve Barclay calling for urgent support.

A survey of its members revealed that 96 per cent had seen costs of things like energy and staff increase and 96 per cent were finding it increasingly hard to run their business, with 81 per cent fearing they would be unable to meet rising costs.

Some 93 per cent have started making savings and of those surveyed, 81 per cent were considering putting up prices to commissioners and private residents. In the survey, 93 per cent said they had suffered “significant” staff losses.

ICG chair Mike Padgham said: “Covid-19 posed a very real threat to the survival of many care providers but I genuinely fear the cost of living and staffing crises might be even more devastating.”

The ICG has called on the secretary of state to include care and nursing homes in the price

Excitement building for CUK Awards

cap for energy prices.

It has also called for people living in care settings to get utility bill rebates like other domestic customers.

As providers face a fight for survival, the ICG wants the Government to urgently move money from the Health and Social Care levy to support care and nursing homes and those providing domiciliary care and to better pay those working in the sector, to help tackle the staffing crisis.

Mike added: “I don’t think the Government understands the severity of the situation.

“We are in a full-blown crisis, where people are unable to have the care they need.

“That can mean when your mother or father needs someone to help them get up in the morning, or get dressed, cook a meal, or get to bed, that won’t happen.

Or when a relative needs a room in a care home, then there won’t be any available.

“The Government must also appreciate that maintaining a strong social care sector is vital to maintaining an effective health service, as social care and NHS care have to work together – allowing one to wither will inevitably damage the other.”

To read Mike’s latest column turn to page 38.

Actor Dean Andrews will host this year’s Caring UK Awards on Thursday December 1, Caring UK is delighted to reveal. Best known for his role as DS Ray Carling in the BBC drama series Life on Mars, he continued the role in the sequel series, Ashes to Ashes, until 2010. He is currently starring as Emmerdale villain Will Taylor. The event takes place at The Athena in Leicester on December 1. Tickets available to purchase at www.script-events.co.uk

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EXCITEMENT is building for the industry’s biggest end-of-year party, with plans in place to make this year’s Caring UK Awards the best one yet.

Nominations for the 2022 awards are now closed and the full shortlist is on page 29 of this issue.

Organised by Script Media in partnership with Caring UK and headline sponsor Virgin Media, this annual celebration of success will culminate in a glittering ceremony – taking place at the Athena in Leicester on Thursday December 1 – where host Dean Andrews will reveal the lucky winners who will take home an award.

We received a record number of entries from all over the UK with so many stories of the wonderful work that was done particularly during the pandemic and we want to thank everyone who sent in nominations.

Shortlisted entries from far and wide have made the finals, now progressing to the next stage of the judging process.

Event organiser Dominic Musgrave added: “We have been amazed by the incredible work that has taken and is continuing to take place in homes nationwide, and the last 18 months has only confirmed to us just how wonderful care staff truly are.

“Once again we were overwhelmed with the standard of entries we received from homes up and down the country. We can’t wait to celebrate with everyone at the awards on December 1.”

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CARINGNEWS

Crocodile among reptiles to visit retirement village RESIDENTS at Richmond Villages Witney were treated to a visit from Crocodiles of the World, the UK’s only crocodile zoo.

The retirement village’s care residents and staff were given the opportunity to meet a Tomistoma crocodile, a royal python and a bearded lizard.

The zoo’s education team started the visit with a talk delivered to care residents and staff, followed by the opportunity for residents to interact with the reptiles.

Joanna Cambrey, head of activities at Richmond Villages Witney, has been delivering moments like this to residents since she joined in 2016.

Last year she arranged a visit from two Humboldt penguins from Heythrop Zoological Gardens to brighten up the residents’ day.

Upon seeing the great success of the penguins, Joanna decided to take a step into the unusual and use some coldblooded creatures to create some warm memories.

Joanna is keen to bring the benefits of animal therapy to the residents of Richmond Villages Witney, and these scaly creatures will be the latest in a long line of weird and wonderful visitors the retirement village has seen.

She said: “Animal therapy is so

www.caringuk.co.uk Advertising Healthcare Product Manager: Bev Green Tel: 01226 734288 bg@scriptmediagroup.co.uk Assistant Sales Manager: Tracy Stacey Tel: 01226 734480 caringuk1@scriptmediagroup. co.uk Sales and Marketing Director: Tony Barry Tel: 01226 734605 tb@scriptmediagroup.co.uk Publishers Script Media 47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 2AS. info@caring-uk.co.uk

important for our residents and having visited Crocodiles of the World I thought that having some reptiles come to the Village would be another great experience for our residents.

“I was slightly concerned that residents may be anxious or not want to get near a crocodile – but I was proved wrong. Staff and residents were totally engrossed in the very informative talk and all of them were up for touching and stroking the

lizard and snake.

“The highlight of the afternoon was Tony the crocodile: residents said they never thought they would be so near a crocodile - let alone touching one – and we managed to keep all fingers intact.”

While their previous guests – farmyard animals, parrots, and penguins to name a few – are perhaps known as cuddlier creatures, the new reptilian friends will surely be some of the more interesting visitors Richmond Villages has seen.

At Script Media, we try to get things right but occasionally, we make mistakes. If you have a complaint about a story featured in our magazine or on our website, please, in the first instance, contact us by email: dm@scriptmedia.co.uk We abide by the Editors’ Code of Practice as demanded by the Independent Press Standards Organisation. For details on the code and what to do should you be unsatisfied with the way we handle your complaint, please visit www.ipso.co.uk

Editorial Publishing Manager: Dominic Musgrave Tel: 01226 734407 dm@scriptmediagroup.co.uk Studio Manager: Paul Hopkinson Tel: 01226 734711 ph@scriptmediagroup.co.uk Database enquiries to: 01226 734695 circulation@ scriptmediagroup.co.uk Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of all content, the publishers do not accept liability for error, printed or otherwise, that may occur.

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CARINGNEWS Advertiser’s announcement

A Good Activities Programme – it’s very important!

HAVING one in place can make a significant difference for your residents, it’ll enable your care staff to be more focused on care delivery, and it can also help your CQC rating.

On many of the crisis management assignments we’ve completed, and on some of the compliance visits we undertake, we find that the activities programme receives little or not enough attention.

In some Homes it is common for the Activities Co-ordinator to end up working as a Carer due to staff shortages.

Many Homes don’t have a specific budget for activities and therefore, staff end up having to fund raise for any monies they require or beg and borrow to ensure they have items that can be used for activities.

Keeping residents active and engaged in games and activities that they enjoy, will go a long way to them being happy and relaxed.

Boredom and inactivity will have the opposite result.

A good activities provision is worth its weight in gold.

We’ve provided below some hints and ideas as to how a Home could create a good activities programme, or enhance an already existing programme: 1) Although there are no hard and fast rules about the staffing and funding needed for an activities programme, a good rule of thumb is at least an hour per week per resident and £10 per resident per month.

Therefore, based on a 40-bed Home, there should be at least one

Sue Bayram, Care Business Consultant full time Activities Co-ordinator and a budget of £400 per month.

If the £400 isn’t spent each month, it should be protocol that the leftover money is saved for the activities budget, and used for larger spends such as hiring transport for trips to the beach or the local park, etc.

This isn’t a significant investment, but if it is in place consistently, it will make such a positive difference.

Likewise, when this isn’t in place, there is likely to be lethargy and frustration amongst your resident group.

Care staff will be under additional pressure as they try to carry out their own work, but also have to come up with activities to keep residents occupied.

2) Bear in mind, that based on the sums for a 40-bed Home, one Activities Co-ordinator cannot provide the range of activities to suit all residents for the whole week.

Often, there aren’t activities in the evening or on weekends, even though these can be lonely times for some residents.

3) Below are a few suggestions as to how you could boost your activities hours each week:

l Ask your care staff and non-care staff if they would like to work an additional shift or two per week, delivering activities for the residents.

This could be to cover between 5pm and 8pm or on weekends.

The Activities Co-ordinator could pre-arrange the activities so that the other staff only need to lead the activity. l You could recruit a bank of local volunteers such as retirees who have interests that reflect those of your residents. Anyone involved as a volunteer must of course be DBS checked and this can be arranged in the same way as you do for your employed staff. The owner should inform their insurers that you are making use of volunteers. Telling your insurer is more of a FYI, than anything else. l You could make contact with local clubs and groups whose focus is something that is of interest to resident/s. For example, if you have residents that enjoy sport, make contact with the local sports club and ask if they would be willing to either spend time with that resident and / or take them to local games.

The same applies for residents who have previously enjoyed fishing, dancing, gardening, etc. l Check with your local Lions Club or similar. They may spend time with residents just being a companion to sit and chat to, or perhaps watch a film together. This would take pressure away from the Activities Co-ordinator, who can then focus more on group activities or provide activities elsewhere in the Home.

4) Look at ways you can support your Activities Co-ordinator to manage the activities programme more effectively. For example: l They don’t have to do all the activities themselves; they can arrange for others to assist. l There are relevant training

courses available, many free, that will inform the activities staff how to improve the activities programme and will provide them with new ideas.

5) Homes should also think about covering the activities staff when they’re on holiday or absent due to sickness, etc. In our experience, when the Activities Co-ordinator is absent, the activities programme often stops.

6) Ensure that your staff let relatives know what activities have been arranged, and how they can become involved.

7) Have plenty of pictures available on your website or social media pages. What a fantastic and free way to promote what your Home offers.

8) A robust activities programme will definitely impress your CQC inspector. A Care Home or Nursing Home cannot be considered a ‘good’ service if it doesn’t have a meaningful activities programme.

9) Investing in a good activities programme creates benefits all round.

These include: l Helping to increase occupancy. l Improving residents’ mood and outlook. l Reducing pressure on care staff. l Could be the difference between a Requires Improvement or Good CQC rating. l Could be the difference between a Good or Outstanding CQC rating.

A good activities programme is 100% worth the investment, and must be seen as an important component of good care provision.

If you’d like advice on how to start mitigating and managing risks on both the care side and the business side of your care business, please contact us on 0330 133 5720 or enquiries@ careideals.com or contact us via our website at www.careideals.com

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6

CARINGNEWS

Boss celebrating 30 years says caring is ‘in his blood’

Lily House residents Elizabeth Fairbass, Gertrude Crawford and Violet Levvet.

Home appeals to create seaside sensory garden AN ELY care home is appealing to members of the public to help complete a seaside-themed sensory garden with donations of shells, lobster pots, buoys – and even has its fingers crossed for a boat or two.

Lily House, which specialises in dementia care, is building the garden to help bring the beach to its residents, many of whom aren’t mobile enough to visit the coast and enjoy the sea air.

It’s hoped that, once completed, the garden will help bring back fond memories of childhood holidays at the seaside, or visits with their own children and grandchildren.

Joanne Swift, activities coordinator at the home, said: “The idea behind the sensory garden is to bring the seaside to our residents.

“The garden is really starting to come together but we’re on the look out for some items to help complete it and give it those finishing touches.

“Things that we can’t really buy like used lobster pots, buoy floats, sea glass and anchors will make a huge difference. One thing we’re really keen on is getting our hands on a boat, which we’d like to use as a planter. It doesn’t need to be seaworthy, as we plan to fill it with soil and plant lots of strongly scented flowers, which are great for sensory gardens.”

Lily House is appealing to members of the public to donate any items related to the seaside, including but not limited to: sea glass, sand, lobster pots, buoys, signs, anchors, boats, rope, shells and outdoor paint for beach huts.

A CHARITY boss, who started out as a volunteer aged 12, is celebrating 30 years in social care with a promotion.

Phil Orton has been named chief people officer at national adult health and social care charity Making Space, which is based in Warrington, Cheshire.

Phil, began his working life as a care assistant at The Cedars residential home in Holmes Chapel aged 17.

Despite leaving school with few qualifications, his aptitude for caring was quickly spotted and he was promoted to supervisor after just 10 months. By the age of 25, Phil was managing the 42-bed New Milton House care home in nearby Alsager.

He went on to complete multiple qualifications in health and social care while working full-time and then turned his attention to leadership and coaching training. He gained a master’s degree in management in 2006.

Phil joined Making Space in 2017 as executive director of HR and his new job will see him heading up three departments within the charity, which employs more than 1,000 people across the UK. He said: “I am thrilled to have been named chief people officer at Making Space and will give my all every day to support the charity, the people who work for us and the people we support.

“After 30 years in the care profession, I know it has always been

in my blood.

“Both my parents worked in nursing and my dad was a senior nurse manager for people with learning disabilities. From the age of 12 I would go to work with him and do crafts and cooking as a volunteer.

Even then, I knew I wanted to work in social care.”

Phil says that much of his success is down to the social care managers who saw his potential and gave him opportunities to progress when he joined the profession as a teenager.

“I was very lucky that some senior people I worked with helped me to develop, nurture and support me,” he added.

“The encouragement I received throughout my career inspired me to become a leader.

“Good services need happy employees, and happy employees need good leaders. There are no outstanding services with poor leaders.”

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CARINGNEWS

‘Immersive’ experience to mark operator’s expansion Day out on the Watercress Line for home’s residents

RESIDENTS from Brendoncare Park Road, a care home located Winchester, were delighted to enjoy a day out to the Watercress Line.

Staff and residents started the day at Alresford and ended their journey at Alton.

They enjoyed a picnic on the train and had a tour around various stations, speaking to staff members on board and learning interesting facts from volunteers.

Care assistant Lois Matthews said:

“I thought it went really well. It was really nice to get the residents out, especially since they really liked the trains.

“I thought it would be really nice to come even on my day off, because I know that they love it so much and I know that the people that went really wanted to visit.

“It wasn’t a problem for me to come and it was nice to be able to do something that the residents really liked.”

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BLUEBIRD Care Wiltshire North has opened a new office in Hathaway Medical Centre, the largest in Chippenham, as part of an ambitious expansion of its services.

To mark the occasion, the home care provider arranged for its care professionals to take part in Training 2 CARE’s state-of-the-art mobile dementia simulator – known as the ‘Dementia Bus’.

The Dementia Bus provided 38 people from Bluebird Care and Hathaway Medical Centre with a first-hand experience of the realities people living with dementia face.

Donna James, registered manager at Bluebird Care Wiltshire North, said: “We are delighted to be able to expand our territory towards the north of Wiltshire.

“To open an office in Hathaway

Medical Centre is an amazing opportunity to help facilitate the joint training of team members and working together for the benefit of the community.”

As part of the experience, participants used thick mittens to reduce their ability to perform tasks or hold items and wore headphones and glasses with lenses that impaired their vision, all while in a dark room with disorientating lighting.

Participants also wore spiked insoles in their shoes to cause pins and needles, adding to the immersive experience.

Equipped with this innovative training and new office, Bluebird Care Wiltshire North is now able to reach more customers throughout the local community to deliver its home care services.

A SALISBURY nursing home resident who wrote and sent the Queen a poem as a Diamond Jubilee tribute has spoken of her joy and amazement in receiving a reply.

Jennifer Whitaker, a fan of wordplay who lives at Colten Care’s Braemar Lodge, penned and sent off the nineline verse shortly before the national celebration in June.

It accompanied a letter from the home summarising how residents and staff would be marking the occasion.

Neither Jennifer nor anyone else at the home expected to hear back, but amid great excitement a letter with a Windsor Castle masthead arrived at reception.

It was addressed to ‘Braemar Lodge residents and staff’, sent care of Jackie Cash, home manager, and signed and dated in blue ink by Lady-in-Waiting Mary Morrison.

Jackie said: “We accompanied Jennifer’s poem with a summary of what we had planned for the Jubilee, including our garden party, making a mosaic tribute and attending the lighting of the Beacon on Old Sarum.

“We had been waiting with cautious anticipation for a possible reply but when you think of the thousands of messages the Queen must receive, especially recently with the Jubilee, it’s astonishing that she and her staff

Jennifer Whitaker holds the Queen’s letter of reply with Braemar Lodge manager Jackie Cash. took the time to respond to us.

“We’ve given the letter of reply to Jennifer to keep. She is overjoyed by it.

“We’re having it framed and I’m sure it will have pride of place in her room.”

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CARINGNEWS Advertiser’s announcement

Strong evidence suggests that dementia-friendly video platform Alive On Demand’s accessible and interactive activity can boost physical and mental wellbeing, which has the potential to help combat some of the challenges posed by the upcoming winter season.

Alive On Demand: an innovative resource for older people to stay mentally and physically active through the winter months WITH the rising cost of living causing widespread strain on individuals and organisations, access to affordable positive activity for older people at home and in care settings, is a pressing concern for many carers.

Alive On Demand (AOD) is a dementia-friendly, interactive video platform founded by older people’s charity Alive Activities, that helps to keep older people active and engaged, through its wide range of accessible video and activity resources.

Alive Activities has developed AOD in collaboration with older people, carers and care homes.

The structure and framework of the digital sessions is based upon Alive’s many years of experience of delivering in-person activities and projects.

Alive is aware of the urgent need for affordable, good quality and person-centred activities for older people and the charity has recently been funded to offer face-to-face activity for care homes in their area, to increase and improve physical activity amongst their residents.

The charity has worked with 25 homes under this initiative for activity delivery and the impact of these high-quality sessions has been clear to see across the homes.

This engagement also includes a subscription to AOD, to support each home to continue physical

activity throughout the week.

These sessions have had an overwhelming positive impact on the residents’ physical and mental wellbeing. Alive’s training and delivery manager Nicola Taylor recalls a particular session she led in a home in Weston.

“There was a lady with advanced dementia who was taking part in the activity. She was sitting in a specialist chair and prior to the session, had generally lacked mobility and responsiveness.

“I was told she had been a professional ballet dancer in her youth and as I played ballet music and engaged the residents in the movement, showing them a tutu and ballet shoes as I went along, this triggered dormant memories in her, and she started performing ballet moves she remembered from her youth.

“It was an incredible sight not only for me, but also for the care home staff who hadn’t seen her move in a very long time.”

This is just one such example of many of the positive impressions the sessions have left on residents in the care homes Alive has engaged with.

The sessions are unique to Alive; they are planned and written by Nicola and are also available on Alive on Demand.

Nicola’s sessions on AOD include seated movement and guided reminiscence, covering a wide

range of themes, meaning there is something for everyone, regardless of dementia level.

The care, quality and ethos from Alive’s in-person activity sessions is interwoven into AOD’s digital service. AOD offers an opportunity to access all the benefits of Alive’s expertise and person-centred approach without the constraints of social distancing, increasing costs and cancellations, that this winter threatens.

“Having Alive On Demand as a one-stop-shop tool, with its plethora of original content created specifically for different levels of dementia, is an invaluable resource for care homes, particularly over the winter months when there is less outdoor activity,” said business development manager Ben Trowell.

With its over-300 strong video library of all-original content ranging from guided reminiscence, history, guided tours, music and art appreciation, to seated movement and ‘Slow TV’; as well as a customisable filter option for levels of dementia, AOD offers a unique experience for both individual viewers and for carers looking for a novel, convenient way to engage residents.

The platform is available on a subscription basis and subscribers can rest assured that older people who watch the videos on AOD aren’t just sitting, watching a screen and

not engaging.

“The platform places a big emphasis on movement and meaningful activity,” added Ben. “The seated movement, dance and yoga videos, of which there are plenty, encourage staying active and our wide range of varied content ensures there is always a topic of interest for an older person.

“All our videos include additional activity resources, taken from external sources, that are relevant to the content of each respective video.

“This provides additional activity material for carers to use alongside the videos, to facilitate and complement their activity delivery.”

At just £5.99 a month for an individual subscription or £49.99 for a care home, there are no unseen costs and subscribers get full access to all videos and activity resources, enabling care homes and loved ones plenty of resources to engage an older person with over the winter.

To find out more about how you can use Alive on Demand to complement activity sessions for an older loved one, or for residents in your care home, please visit www.aliveondemand.co.uk or follow AOD’s social media pages for updates: Facebook: @aliveondemand Instagram: @alive_ondemand Twitter: @aliveondemand Email info@aliveactivities.org or call 0117 377 4756.

CARINGNEWS

Vintage car show raises H.W.Pickrell Ltd £1,000 for Whizz-Kidz RICHMOND Villages Wood Norton hosted a vintage car show, giving members of the public the opportunity to ride in select cars.

The event raised £1,000 for WhizzKidz, a charity that helps empower young wheelchair users by providing wheelchairs, support and confidencebuilding experiences while campaigning for a more inclusive society.

Village manager Chris Hill said: “We loved welcoming people to our village. We work hard to create a vibrant community, and it’s always wonderful to share that with the public, especially when we can raise money for such an important cause.

“We’re lucky to have such beautiful surroundings, and they made the ideal setting for our vintage car show.

Not only do we host regular activities for our residents, but we also welcome the local community to take part in events and explore our Village.

“Vintage cars hold a certain nostalgia for older generations, whether people remember the cars from their youth, or perhaps they just have an interest in vehicles.

“We’re glad our residents and local community loved seeing these cars again while enjoying the entertainment we had on offer.”

Cars on display included a Vanwall racing car, a Morris 1000 convertible, a Triumph Stag, a Rolls Royce Silver Dawn, a Rolls Royce Silver Ghost, a

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CARINGNEWS Advertiser’s announcement

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Apprenticeship Awards winners are unveiled THE two winners of the 2022 Anchor Apprenticeship Awards have been announced.

Lucie Cerna, 32, from Beech Hall care home in Leeds and Daliah Ifeanyi, 20, from Kerrie Court in Birmingham won the Apprentice of the Year and Rising Star awards respectively at a virtual ceremony.

Lucie and Daliah beat dozens of other finalists to take the two top prizes, with the judging panel impressed by their levels of maturity and professionalism. Both winners celebrated their wins with their colleagues.

Daliah said: “I’m so proud and honoured to win the Anchor Rising Star award. It was a lovely surprise just to get nominated. I’m really grateful to everyone at Kerria Court for supporting me and giving me this opportunity.”

Lucie added: I’ve always wanted to

do something to help others and I’m so touched to get an award for doing what I love. I’ve found my work as an apprentice really rewarding and I’ve learned so much from everyone around me.

“This wouldn’t be possible if it wasn’t for my amazing colleagues who have pushed me to be my very best from the very start.”

Dorothy Alexander, Anchor’s apprenticeship specialist and a judge of the 2022 Anchor Apprenticeship Awards, said: “Lucie and Daliah had some incredibly stiff competition in the final, but it was clear that they are both excellent team players and show unwavering commitment to the residents in their care.

“They’re both dedicated to their learning journey on Anchor’s Apprenticeship programme.”

Anchor’s apprenticeship scheme is open to all school leavers.

Montane Finance will be able add commercial value to your business throughout the funding process.

What our clients say…

“Working with Scott and the finance team has been an absolute pleasure, they understand the care market making the whole process much easier. Additionally, Scott was only ever a phone call away should we need anything. We’re delighted to have developed this relationship with Montane and will certainly be using them again as our group continues to grow.”

A. Wood, Wood Care Group ‘‘I have known Anthony for many years and had no hesitation in allowing Montane Care to sell our business. In a short period of time Anthony found multiple buyers during an intense period of restrictions during Covid-19 and successfully negotiated a sale. I would recommend the company due to the professionalism and reliable service, without your help this would not have been possible”.

Care Concepts Montane Care director Anthony Rae. ourselves on our deep and broad knowledge and understanding of the healthcare sector.

Call Anthony on 01257 460270 or 07546 932811. Alternatively, email anthony.rae@montanecare.co.uk

Building a better future for care 13-14 October 2021 NEC Birmingham

. . .

E R A C G N I T A R EB E SHOW

CEL

R A C E H T R O F R E T S I G E R

2 2 0 2 R E B O T C O 3 1 12M A H G N I M R I B C E N 200+ 80+ 75+ 7

leading care suppliers expert care speakers CPD accredited conference sessions theatres

GET YOUR T E K C I T E E FR TICKETS K/

.CO.U W O H S E R A WW.C

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JOIN THE CONVERSATION USING OUR HASHTAG #CARESHOW2022

" @CARESHOW

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' /CARE-SHOW CERTIFIED BY

ORGANISED BY

CARINGCARE SHOW PREVIEW

Intercall

E30

It’s Made For You

15

E50

Intercall supplies industry-leading technology to health and social care facilities around the world. Every Intercall system is the product of specialist knowledge and experience gained through over 30 years of research, development, and rigorous testing. Designed and manufactured in the UK, Intercall has created the best-selling nurse call systems in the UK. Intercall will be showcasing its most recent innovations, Intercall One and Intercall Touch, as well as the newly developed App. To arrange a demo visit https://www.intercall.co.uk/contact

We believe that everyone should look forward to tasty, safe, and nutritious texture modified meals. The range is designed for the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative framework standards and includes valuable nutrition. The range includes more than 60 delicious meals that are beautifully shaped and made with quality ingredients to provide a nutritious, safe, and satisfying meal, suitable for people who experience swallowing difficulties.

For more information visit itsmadeforyou.co.uk

Contract Furniture

Vayyar Care

E72

Contract Furniture Group is one of the leading tradeonly manufacturers and distributors of quality furnishings, fixtures and fittings for the care industry. Its teams relentlessly track the latest trends in interior design for care environments; and utilise global suppliers so customers can achieve safe and aesthetically stunning results across varying levels of investment. With its creative, sourcing and bespoke manufacturing capabilities, Contract Furniture Group truly sets itself apart. sales@contractfurniture.co.uk or call 0115 965 9030.

Gompels

E100

Gompels is a leading supplier of medical, nursing, hygiene supplies and care equipment to the care industry with more than 50 years’ experience. Our refreshing service extends to more than simply supplying our customers, we proactively find solutions for your goals whether that be to; reduce costs, improve efficiency, innovate or for peace of mind of a reliable supply chain. Choosing the right supplier is more important than ever so speak to us at the Care Show and we will show you why Gompels is a supplier to thousands of homes. www.gompels.co.uk

Carebeans

B70

Carebeans is compliant, comprehensive, simple and intuitive software. We pride ourselves on delivering a quality service and work diligently to help our valued customers to meet the ever-changing requirements within the healthcare sector. Carebeans enables you to evidence that the support you are giving is safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led, in line with the Care Quality Commission Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOEs) to reach ‘Outstanding’ inspection results.

Email info@carebeans.co.uk or call 01925 386800.

F55

Vayyar Care’s touchless 4D imaging sensors gather the data you need to protect your residents, as well as their dignity, privacy and independence. They provide instant, automatic fall detection, while monitoring room presence, mobility and time at rest, bathroom visits and more. There are no hard-toreach buttons or cords, embarrassing wearables, breakable mats, inaccurate microphones or intrusive video cameras. What’s more, Vayyar Care is fully interoperable with your nurse call system.

Email stuart.barclay@vayyar.com or call 07825 914 770.

Caring UK Caring UK is the number one magazine for key decision makers in the elderly care sector. Mailed monthly free of charge, targeting proprietors, managers, financial directors, individuals working within the purchasing department, matrons and senior nursing staff of care homes, nursing homes, dual registered homes and retirement villages. We guarantee that your marketing plan is delivered www.caring-uk.co.uk

Wolf Laundry

F91

C20

Wolf Laundry provides bespoke equipment solutions into UK care settings, fulfilling each customer’s unique requirements. Wolf knows that customers want to deal with real people, who understand their business; and deliver on their promises. Laundry is Wolf’s sole focus, and because of this their customers receive 100 per cent of their care and attention, 100 per cent of the time. Regardless of size, specification or solution once part of the Wolf family, all customers receive the same levels of outstanding service.

16

CARINGCARE SHOW PREVIEW

Care Show is coming back bigger and more interactive

Which will you choose?

BOND Holidays are coast-to-coast.

Bond Holidays have been providing holidays for guests who live in care home and residential settings for over 35 years, with everything you need to ensure your residents have a wonderful break away.

On site you will find accessible accommodation with all of the mobility equipment you use at home.

The Bond Hotel, Blackpool Join us at The Bond Hotel, Blackpool for a cabaret packed break like no other.

The Bond Hotel has 59 bedrooms and caters for 100 guests in a prominent seaside location and is proud to be the largest fully accessible hotel in the UK. Every night is a party night with live cabaret and tribute breaks running throughout the year.

On site you will find a wealth of mobility equipment, we will be able

to provide anything you use at home from ceiling tracked and portable hoists, profiling beds, stand aids, shower chairs and much more.

Find out more at www.bondhotel.co.uk The Bond Holiday Cottage, Skegness For those who would like a self catering experience we have our Bond Holiday Cottage in Skegness, sleeping six people and fully accessible including two profiling beds, ceiling tracked hoists and a full wet floor shower in the ensuite complete with reclining shower chair.

Find out more at www.bondholidays.co.uk Whether you are supporting a single resident for a seaside holiday or joining us with a larger group while you carry out essential work at home we are always here to support you to have a fantastic break away.

Request a brochure or find out more by calling 01253 341218.

THE Care Show returns to the NEC Birmingham on October 12 and 13.

We have continued to grow and expand to suit your needs.

This year we have several new features following your feedback from previous events: n Beer and Bubbles Bar – in partnership with Person Centred Software, unwind, network, and catch up with peers whilst enjoying a refreshing beverage. n Outstanding Society Learning Lounge – The Outstanding Society will be on hand over the two days of Care Show to offer advice, tips and tricks and lead by example. n Final of Care Innovation Hub – hosted by the National Care Forum enjoy a grand awards ceremony for the winner of 2022 Care Innovation Hub Award. n Gratitude wall – an opportunity to share what and who you are grateful for working in social care and to promote a positive message across the sector. n Quiet and relax room – a space off the bustling show floor where you can unwind and take five minutes for yourself before heading back into the event. n CQC ‘Meet the Inspector’ – your unique opportunity to sit down faceto-face in an informal environment with CQC inspectors and discuss your questions or concerns.

To support your professional development and ensure you can

deliver the best care possible, the event will offer you: n More than 80 CPD accredited conference sessions led by experts. n Chances to take part in new, practical hands-on training. n More than 210 leading care and healthcare suppliers in our exhibition hall.

The programme has been carefully curated with you in mind covering the hottest and most challenging topics within the sector: n Care Keynote Stage – a stage filled with big debates and hot topics. n Homecare Theatre – expect to find everything impacting home care and the wider domiciliary care sector. n Design, Build and Environment Theatre – all things land procurement, lighting fixtures, sustainability, architecture, and dementia care design. n Business Theatre – latest updates in marketing and finances. n People, Workforce and Wellbeing Theatre – the mental and physical health of your residents and team members and the recruitment of the right people. n Technology Theatre – how virtual reality is making a difference now and how to implement this into your practice.

Care Show 2022 is all about championing care sector, so register for your free place at Care Show.

You can register now at www.careshow.co.uk/CaringUK

Laundry expertise in the care home sector IT IS always critical that care home laundries implement best practice to protect the health and safety of residents and staff.

Wolf Laundry has extensive experience in supporting its healthcare sector partners with expert laundry solutions and best practice advice and training.

Following one of the most challenging times in the care industry sector’s history, best practice and compliance is more important than ever.

The healthcare sector has complex laundry needs, with nursing homes, care homes and hospitals all requiring different solutions dependent on the type of care provided and the type of laundry routinely handled on site.

Many smaller establishments make the mistake of believing that domestic laundry equipment will be good

enough.

This is simply not the case.

Washing machines: Domestic washers are not suitable for healthcare laundry providers – they do not maintain their temperature correctly and in many cases will contravene the UK water regulations.

Water in your laundry cycles should reach a temperature at or above 65°C for no less than 18 minutes, or 71°C for no less than 11 minutes (including mixing time).

Chemicals: If you choose a chemical, you must use a method that is validated and is as effective as thermal disinfection. These processes prevent the spread of microorganisms like MRSA and C.Diff, which can threaten residents’ health.

Recommended treatment to ensure disinfection of infected linen: Linen in this category should not be sorted,

other than in a red, water-soluble bag - this is then placed in an outer polyester or nylon carriage bag.

HTM-01-04: HTM-01-04 superseded the CFPP-01-04 in 2016. The main update and changes to this legislation is the definition of linen, and guidance on climate change and the environmental impact of laundry processes. Definition of linen – “linen” means all reusable textile items requiring cleaning/disinfection via laundry processing including: bed linen, bibs, blankets, canvases, curtains, hoist slings, patient clothing, staff clothing and towels.

A care home could be placed into special measures or shut down if an inspection finds that they aren’t meeting the standards and a resident or staff member has been harmed because of this. In extreme cases, CQC can prosecute.

Wolf Laundry has a 20-year history of providing commercial laundry solutions to the care industry which go above and beyond HTM 01-04 standards.

The company routinely assists many clients achieve the highest standard of laundry hygiene to reduce infection and cross-contamination risk alongside DOH-CFPP 01-04 guidelines.

A national team of manufacturer trained engineers and installation experts supply, install and maintain a wide range of equipment to the care industry including washing machines, tumble dryers, and irons.

The company’s sole focus is laundry, meaning that it can develop bespoke solutions which are completely focused on getting the best results whether you’re a residential or nursing care home.

THE STRENGTH OF THE WOLF IS IN THE PACK. Meet the team at

STAND C20

wolflaundry.co.uk

THE COMMERCIAL LAUNDRY EXPERTS.

18

CARINGCARE SHOW PREVIEW

Talk to our experts

Intercall to showcase its latest innovations INTERCALL the creator of the UK’s best-selling nurse call systems, will be exhibiting at this year’s Care Show at the Birmingham NEC, showcasing their most recent innovations, including the Intercall One, Intercall Touch with Safeguard and their newly developed App. Based in Horsham, every Intercall system is the product of specialist knowledge and experience gained through over 30 years of research, development, and rigorous testing.

All Intercall products are designed and manufactured in the UK. Intercall One Building on their bestselling legacy systems, Intercall One provides a modern, affordable nurse call system for the digital age.

Installed on the robust Intercall wired framework, it offers a system upgrade with minimum disruption to the day-to-day running of the care home, while the interconnected call points supply unrivalled reliability assisting in the smooth running of any facility.

Intercall Touch with Safeguard The Touch Safeguard Sensor monitors rooms where the resident is prone to falling or wandering at night.

The ceiling mounted thermal image sensor passively monitors bed occupancy giving accurate motion readings, while allowing the resident to adjust their sleeping position without the risk of generating a false

alarm.

It does this by recording movement both in and out of bed.

By masking an area using software, the data generated can be used to track a pattern of individual behaviour, should that behaviour change or register as irregular, then an alert can be raised on the nurse call system, bringing immediate assistance.

On an aesthetic level, the Safeguard Sensor removes potential trip hazards and infection risk that can be caused by traditional pressure mats and cables.

Intercall Data Logging Both Intercall One and Touch systems are backed by the Intercall Data Logging system, which automatically captures and records all system activity.

The system is supported with Intercall Care Cards to control access to sensitive areas, integrating with care management functions.

Cloud data logging provides accurate performance data with the capacity to log more than 100 million events, while the system helps reduce patient alarm fatigue with mobile message integration.

The Care Show takes place on October 12 and 13 at Birmingham NEC and attendance for delegates is free, so why not register today and visit them on stand E30, or contact https://www.intercall.co.uk/contact to find out more and arrange a demo.

WITH soaring energy costs and the care sector’s increasingly stringent hygiene and safety requirements, it has never been more critical that care providers establish appropriate laundry operations.

It is important to note that, upon inspection by the CQC, domestic machines will not suffice within any care home as they fall short of the necessary guidelines for both WRAS and infection control.

New commercial laundry machines can enable savings in water and energy consumption whilst adhering to all applicable industry guidelines.

Notably, heat pump dryers can consume up to 70 per cent less energy than standard dryers, making them an increasingly popular, and considerably more cost and environmentally efficient choice.

Forbes Professional is a family run company, established in 1926, that provides Miele’s commercial laundry from our expansive nationwide infrastructure.

Our large network of in-house field engineers allows us to deliver a multiaward winning local-based service to both small care homes and national care operators.

We have a solid understanding of the industry requirements and

our dedicated account managers deliver a consultative service from complimentary site survey to on-going service support.

Clearly, within any healthcare environment, hygiene is of paramount importance and our Miele commercial laundry and dishwashing equipment ensures full compliance with all WRAS and QCQ stipulations.

With both sluice and thermal disinfection to kill viruses and bugs, our equipment eliminates any risk of cross contamination.

We make it our business to ensure that all clients fully adhere to the industry regulations, whilst providing a solution that is tailored the individual requirements.

For a small operation, or where space is of a premium, Miele’s Little Giants deliver on every level.

They offer the utmost in utility, flexibility and product quality, whilst providing a stackable option to minimise their footprint and allow for easy scalability.

Our Complete Care package gives access to premium brands with no initial capital outlay, comprehensive user training and support and a same/next day engineer response.

Come and visit us at Stand C70 and talk to our expert advisors.

What goes up must come down – lower glove prices for all

THE whole market was shocked when the price of a packet of vinyl gloves rose to £7 per pack of 100 or more during Covid.

Over time, manufacturing has caught up with demand and prices have been falling.

Some suppliers however have not been reducing their prices to customers as quickly as the landed price in the UK has been falling.

Despite the cost of oil and freight, care homes in the UK should not be paying more than £2.50 per pack.

Sam Gompels, MD of Gompels HealthCare Ltd, said: “We are

regularly hearing from care homes who are still paying Covid prices for their essential PPE requirements.

“All Gompels customers have their prices reduced just as soon as we can bring them down.

“They don’t have to ask, it happens automatically.”

Depending on what happens to the oil price and currency, there will be scope to bring the prices down further in the future.

This will be good news when free PPE for care homes comes to an end. https://www.gompels.co.uk/ disposable-gloves-c1.html

Delicious, nutritious and safe texture modified meals WE believe that everyone should look forward to tasty, safe, and nutritious texture modified meals.

The It’s Made For You range is designed for the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative framework standards and includes valuable nutrition.

Our range of meals have also been developed to ensure the nutritional content will meet the nutritional needs of your patients whilst they follow a texture modified diet.

Research has shown that up to 50 per cent of people with dysphagia are malnourished or at risk of malnutrition.

There could be numerous reasons for this, including a reduced appetite or the inability to consume large

quantities of food in one sitting. Our range of ‘classic’ and ‘mini meals’ can help to ensure your patients are getting the most nutritional value from the food they consume.

The use of pre-prepared It’s Made For You meals can also be a practical time-saver and bring peace of mind to the person with dysphagia.

The range includes more than 80

tasty dishes including chicken, beef, lamb, fish and vegetarian recipes.

We also offer a tasty selection of lighter bites, desserts, and breakfast options as well as mini meals for those with smaller appetites.

At It’s Made For You we offer a delivery service that cares, making it easy and convenient for our customers to eat delicious meals which can be delivered directly and safely to their homes.

This helps them if they cannot leave the house or go to the shops.

Plus, people love to use our service, as they can rely on a regular delivery of good quality and safe meals, directly to their door, by a friendly local Oakhouse Foods delivery driver.

Find out more at Itsmadeforyou.co.uk

Delicious, nutritious and safe texture modified meals delivered

L EVEL

4

Puréed Meals

LEV EL

5

Minced & Moist Meals

L EVEL

6

Soft & Bite-Sized Meals

✓ A range of over 60 dishes in IDDSI Level 4, 5 and 6 designed for the IDDSI required texture. ✓ Choose from breakfast, mains, minis and desserts. ✓ Helping you to support and keep your patients safe at mealtimes. ✓ No contracts, order as much or as little as you like.

PROUD SUPPORTER OF

GOLD SPONSOR

We are proud Gold sponsors of the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative

To order brochures for your patients or for a free demo call 0333 433 0264 or visit itsmadeforyou.co.uk

We’re exhibiting at

12th - 13th October COME AND SEE US

STAND: E50

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At The Bond Hotel our priority is taking care of the practical sides of your break whilst providing a comfortable and homely environment.

With amazing live cabaret every night, delicious home cooked meals and situated minutes from Blackpool’s famous attractions, The Bond Hotel offers a unique and enjoyable holiday all year round.

h

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he

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22

CARINGCARE SHOW PREVIEW Advertiser’s announcement

Quality furnishings, fixtures and fittings OVER the past two decades Contract Furniture Group has consistently grown to become one of the leading trade only manufacturers and distributors of quality furnishings, fixtures and fittings for the care industry.

Its creative team relentlessly tracks the latest trends in interior design for care environments; and its sourcing team utilises suppliers around the world to ensure customers can achieve safe and aesthetically stunning results across varying levels of investment.

Every month the Group’s European factory produces 18,000 wooden chair frames from responsibly sourced timber.

Two thirds of these are used in the UK care and contract markets. To ensure that the breadth of its costing options keeps pace with the diversity of its range, Contract Furniture Group

employs agents throughout Asia to source good-quality options to suit any budget.

Delivered by its own fleet of vehicles and logistics team, Contract Furniture Group holds around 30,000 stock

items at any given time.

As well as the ability to supply on demand, the business prides itself on its capacity to produce tailored and completely bespoke solutions to meet specific client and end-user

Contract Furniture Group manufacture, supply and install furniture, fixtures & fittings, specifically designed for the care sector.

Download our brochure here:

Loose Furniture | Fixed Seating | Specialist Joinery & Construction | Case Goods Interior Design | Soft Furnishings | Bespoke Furniture Manufacture | Any Flooring Contract House, Little Tennis Street South, Nottingham NG2 4EU

0115 965 9030 www.contractfurniture.co.uk

requirements.

Highly skilled upholsterers work onand off-site to quickly turn classic and contemporary furniture designs into individualised collections to meet care brand standards.

Experienced craftsman create and fit custom-made installations including flooring, fixed seating, lighting, case goods and all other elements of a complete care facility fit-out.

With it’s creative and craftsman capabilities, Contract Furniture Group truly sets itself apart from other suppliers.

Whether businesses need instant, low-cost replacement items, or unique design-led pieces to really make a care environment special for its residents and visitors, Contract Furniture Group has the experience and expertise to deliver. www.ContractFurniture.co.uk

Caring UK Care Providers Conference Delivering excellence in care in challenging times

Delivering the latest news, information and products that will enable owners, managers and staff to be at the forefront of delivering Care Excellence

SPEC IAL OFFE R

Dunston Hall Hotel, Norwich NR14 8PQ Tuesday 25th October 2022

BOOK

£20 si

NOW

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CARING UK CONFERENCES 2022

Lunch & refres hmen ts includ ed

Kettering Conference Centre NN15 6PB Wednesday 26th October 2022

Good y ba attend g & an certifi ce cate Delegates will receive a CPD six hour attendance certificate at the end of the conference

Tel: 01226 734412 www.caringukconferences.co.uk Email: cr@scriptmediagroup.co.uk

BOOKING FORM

Delivering excellence in care in challenging times Single delegate rate £20 per person Two delegates £30 Event attending: East of England

Dunston Hall Hotel, Norwich NR14 8PQ

Tuesday 25th October 2022

East of Midlands

Kettering Conference Centre NN15 6PB

Wednesday 26th October 2022

Delegates attending (Please print in block capitals) Title

Name

Surname

Job Title

Booked By: Ms/Mr/Mrs/Dr................................................................... Position.......................................................................................

Organisation.........................................................................................................................................................................

Address................................................................................................................................................................................. ................................................................................................................................... Post code..........................................

Email......................................................................................................... Tel.......................................................................

Please sign and date here to indicate you have read and accept the booking conditions: Signature............................................................. Date:..........................................

Payment Method

I enclose a cheque payable to Script Events.

Invoice me.

Phone for my credit/debit details.

BOOKING CONDITIONS

All places booked must be paid within 15 days of booking and before the conference unless otherwise agreed with Script Events.

A telephone or fax booking must confirm when and how payment will be made A refund will be given, less £20 admin, fee for cancellations received more than 15 days prior to the conference. No refunds will be given with less than 15 days to the conference. However, delegate substitutes will be accepted to the day of the event at no extra cost.

Where invoices are requested and agreed, payment must be received within 15 days from the invoice date. We understand and will exercise out statutory rights to claim interest and compensation for the debt recovery costs under the late payment legislation if we are not paid according to agreed credit terms. An interest rate of 8% above base rate will apply for late payment.

Script Media Group is committed to protecting your personal data. By attending our events, we provide you with an opportunity to meet and engage with our exhibitors. Our events create business to business relationships and give access to relevant industry people, products and services.

We share your business information with the exhibitors and speakers so that they can review the companies that have attended today’s event, we DO NOT share personal information without your consent.

Please tick to receive a regular copy of Caring UK

Please tick to receive information from exhibitors

Caring UK Conferences, Script Media Group Ltd, 47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S70 2AS Tel:01226 734412 Fax: 01226 734478

STAFF MANAGEMENT Control Your Major Overhead

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Simple - Clock in via face, finger, fob card or pin Automatic - Data via the cloud to your Fusion eCare software Create - Timesheets are automatically created on set shift rules Control - See exceptions, costs, budgets and make adjustments Complete - Auto transfer data directly to your payroll to process

t: 01133 979 555 e: info@fusionecare.com

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VIEW ROTA

THE 2022

CARING

UK AWARDS I N PA R T N E R S H I P W I T H

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SEE YOU IN LEICESTER ON DECEMBER 1 TO BOOK YOUR TICKETS PLEASE VISIT: WWW.SCRIPT-EVENTS.CO.UK/CUK-AWARDS-TICKETS OR SCAN HERE

S P O N S O R S H I P PA C K A G E S S T I L L AVA I L A B L E

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28

CARINGNEWS

Intervention needed to curb workforce crisis in social care

Care industry leader praises care company HOME Instead Newcastle under Lyme and Stoke-on-Trent recently welcomed a care industry leader who pledged her support for the company’s exclusive training programme.

Oonagh Smyth, CEO of Skills for Care, met with owners of the business and discussed plans to create a fruitful career path for people working in the care sector.

Partnering with training provider Acacia Training, Home Instead has developed a Professional Care Pathway, a five-year programme that enables people working in the care sector to develop their skills and work towards a university level qualification, boosting career opportunities for those who want to progress.

Oonagh added: “Home Instead Newcastle under Lyme and Stoke-onTrent represents the need to consider working in care as a career; not simply a job.

“I’m delighted that they and Acacia

are arming care professionals with advanced skills and knowledge, standing them in great stead to care for our ageing population and particularly those with specialist needs.”

The training programme is in full swing for three care professionals at Home Instead, including local former apprentice hairdresser Hollie Clewlow, who was keen for a career change.

She said: “Both of my nans unfortunately live with Parkinson’s and I see them struggle with it on a daily basis. I heard about the Professional Care Pathway at Home Instead Newcastle Under Lyme and Stoke-on-Trent and was keen to pick Parkinson’s as a speciality.

“Not only are they offering a job but a career with a vast number of qualifications and experiences. I am earning a good salary while working through the pathway, helping me achieve everything that I want to in my new career.”

Unit’s residents treasure their new lodger, Dodger BEECHWOOD Care Home in Wishaw has an energetic new occupant.

Little kitten Dodger arrived on International Cat Day and has made an immediate impression on smitten residents.

Staff were excited to surprise the George V dementia unit, who had recently voted to get a pet in a poll.

The residents were shown pictures of a cat, a rabbit and fish and overwhelmingly chose the former.

Service manager Catherine Togneri said: “Dodger has been the perfect addition to the dementia unit, all our residents and staff have fallen in love with her. We can’t wait for her to grow up alongside us.”

Dodger comes from a litter of three and her siblings are in popular demand.

Other residents have been casting an envious eye towards the dementia unit and the home may soon be overrun with kittens.

Beechwood is part of the Holmes Care group, which operates homes across Scotland.

Staff regularly seek out opportunities to ensure residents keep their minds and bodies active, including a weekly activities programme.

CARE England is calling for Government intervention to help remedy the agency staff crisis in the sector and to address wider workforce pressures.

Chief executive, Professor Martin Green OBE, said: “The adult social care sector is facing what the Health and Social Care Committee described as ‘the greatest workforce crisis in (its) history.’

“Vacancies in the sector have increased by 52 per cent (55,000) over the last 12 months, necessitating a costly and increasingly unsustainable reliance on agency staff.

“The use of agency staff has been a bandage over more deeprouted recruitment and retention issues, which now, expectedly, are unravelling.

“The results of our recent survey demonstrate the severity of these issues, with the usage and cost of agency staff increasing dramatically over the last year.

“This is not only affecting the quality and continuity of care but compounding pressures on the NHS. “Without central intervention, these issues will only worsen over the coming months.

“Whilst we appreciate the DHSC and wider Government departments’ plans to aid providers’ ability to recruit and retain staff, we remain concerned about the lack of a joinedup, strategic approach.

“The current measures in place are wholly insufficient. For example, the £500m being generated via the Health and Social Care Levy for the workforce over the next three years only equates to 5.7p per hour for each sector employee; this does not begin to touch the sides of such vast workforce pressures.”

Care England’s Agency Fee Survey unveiled the extent to which the Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated the reliance on agency staff, reaching a point of unsustainability for the sector.

The survey found that: n 78 per cent of respondents said they are using more/significantly more agency staff compared to April 2021, with 88 per cent saying it was more/significantly more challenging

Professor Martin Green OBE. to book them. n 86 per cent of respondents said the costs of agency staff have increased since April 2021, 74 per cent said they had to contact multiple agencies to source agency staff and 77 per cent said it became more difficult to book them. There was a theme of poor quality, less experienced and inappropriately trained staff, with 73 per cent of respondents reporting that agency staff were less reliable. n Agency rates were significantly greater than carer (£19.57 vs £9.90) and nurse (£27.56 vs £19.49) employee hourly rates.

Martin added: “There is a rich pool of individuals both internationally and domestically that have the potential to bolster the workforce and reduce reliance on agency staff.

“Agency is a short-term solution which has now snowballed into a long-term fix for adult social care providers.

“This is not sustainable. We need a root and branch reform of how individuals enter and progress through roles within the sector.

“Care England recently echoed the call of the Levelling-Up, Housing and Communities Committee asking for equal pay rates between domestic and overseas staff and issuing a plan for overseas recruitment in line with the code of practice on global staff shortages, and for an additional £7billion per year for social care.

“We stand by this call to action, but this must come as part of a wider review which forms part of a fully funded 10-year workforce plan.”

Elaine Brazier, an agency carer at Rogers House in Wigmore, has donated lots of activity items to the residents of the care home. Amongst the items given by Elaine and her two daughters Veronica and Lesley, who also work at the home, are various art and craft items for the craft club, DVDs for movie nights and several jigsaw puzzles. Elaine said: “After all the hard times we’ve been through and with the cost of living going up, we just wanted to help keep smiles on the faces of the people we care for.”

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Lamont Johnson LAMONT

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St Georges Nursing Home, Royston, Hertfordshire. In the existing ownership of Newton Chinneck Ltd for many years and sold to first time entrants to the sector, Grand Park Homes Ltd.

ST.GEORGES ROYSTON HERTFORDSHIRE

Dawn Taylor, Director, Lamont Johnson with David Ashworth, the ex-proprietor of St Georges.

ST GEORGES CARE HOMES

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Dear Grayson From the outset, both you and Dawn provided a hugely professional and accessible service in selling our home.

We were hugely impressed by your knowledge of the market and the ability to match buyers and professional advisors to see the successful execution of the sale and transfer. Your support was continuous throughout the process, and we would recommend Lamont Johnson above any other agents we have engaged in the past.

David Ashworth Managing Director St Georges Nursing Home

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Our success in the sale of Care Homes is second to none in the care sector, and has been achieved through the 41 years experience of principal directors, Grayson and Dawn Taylor, specialising solely in the discreet sale of Care Homes and sites/developments for C2 use nationwide.

Why would any Homeowner, in such an active selling market consider paying an Agent an Upfront Fee of £1,500 to £8,000?

Currently there is an over supply of well-funded buyers and an under supply of quality Homes becoming available.

These circumstances work very strongly in your favour, as a potential seller. There is no need, in our opinion, for a Homeowner to part with any “Upfront Fee” in today’s bullish market.”

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Soon-to-open home brings 70 jobs A NEW luxury care home opening in the near futures set to bring 70 new job opportunities to Aylesbury.

Chartwell Manor is the latest flagship care home being developed

by Maria Mallaband Care Group, which has more than 80 homes across the UK. The home is currently recruiting for a wide range of job opportunities, including nurses, carers, receptionists, hospitality and lifestyle staff, chefs and kitchen technicians, domestic staff, managers and more.

Among the roles are care positions with no previous experience required – all training and support will be provided.

Eileen Ward, regional director at MMCG, said: “We want to meet with compassionate individuals who are motivated and great team workers.

“For many of the roles you won’t need experience working in the care sector; it might be that you’ve worked

as the bricks and mortar which make up the building, and we can’t wait to meet them.”

The new £10million 61-bed care home will be provide residential, residential dementia and nursing care.

It will offer large en-suite rooms and suites, some with private patios, lounges, restaurants, communal areas and landscaped gardens.

Additional facilities will include a hair and beauty salon, movement room, wellness retreat, lifestyle kitchen and bar and bistro area.

Eileen added: “The new jobs coming to Aylesbury reflect the breadth of brilliant opportunities in the social care environment.

“Every new starter joining the Maria Mallaband family can look forward to a host of benefits too – including fully-funded training, support, and development opportunities, a health plan, a pension plan, and more.

An artist’s impression of Chartwell Manor in Aylesbury. in hospitality before and have lots of incredibly exciting time, and it is transferable skills, or perhaps another a real privilege to be building the sector, and you’re looking for a new core team which will help shape and challenge. establish this new community.

“Opening a new care home is an “They are every bit as fundamental

COMME LAMONTLamontJohnson JOHNSON P R O P E RT Y ADVISOR S

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32

Care operator welcomes aboard highly-regarded home in Ayr

Salutem Care and Education has promoted a dedicated professional with more than two decades’ experience to director of its adult care division. Ann Holt was previously a regional director with the residential and social care operator with 120 services nationwide. She has been with the company since 2018 and is now responsible for all of its adult care residential and day services.

Her promotion follows Salutem reconfiguring its business framework into four categories – adult, children, supported living and education. Ann has been a qualified social care practitioner for more than 20 years, having first specialised as a paediatric nurse. She will spend a significant amount of her time travelling throughout the country visiting Salutem sites under her control.

MARIA Mallaband Care Group has expanded its portfolio with the acquisition of Creggan Bahn Court in Ayr. The home, which dates back to the 1870s, has provided nursing and residential care for the community since 1997.

Creggan Bahn is led by nurse manager Samantha Baxter-Hendren, who has worked at the home for a total of eight years in the past 15, having taken seven years out to work for the NHS, before returning to the home as manager almost three years ago.

Jill Veitch, MMCG regional director, said: “Creggan Bahn is incredibly well run and staffed by an experienced and long-standing team who have clearly developed wonderful relationships with those living in the home.

“We look forward to working with Samantha and her team, and supporting them to continue to deliver the excellent, compassionate care for which they are so rightly renowned.”

The spacious and luxurious 58-bed building has retained many original features, including generous bay windows and high ceilings. It has large en-suite bedrooms, many on the ground floor opening onto the landscaped gardens and terraces, and there are several with specially

adapted bathrooms equipped with hydrotherapy baths.

Those living in the home can enjoy several expansive lounges over the two floors, along with a dining room, hair salon and the Garden Room Café, an ideal place to enjoy time with visitors. The generous private gardens include a putting green, raised flower beds and a vegetable plot.

Jill added: “Creggan Bahn is such a beautiful place, and you can clearly see when visiting how well cared for those living there are, and how proud

they are of their home.

“We are delighted to welcome this grand and impressive home, its brilliant team, and of course everyone living there, into our family, and giving them everything they need to continue to flourish.”

A previous winner of the Scottish Care Home of the Year in 2015 and a finalist in Caring UK Awards in 2018, the home has consistently achieved the highest grades from the Care Inspectorate and is ranked among the best in Scotland.

Specialist with 70-year heritage becomes part of tech pioneer RESIDENTS in 14 Abbeyfield shared houses – where the average age is 88 – have voted overwhelmingly to join Blackwood Homes and Care.

A secret ballot of 106 Abbeyfield residents earlier this year saw them vote by a 99 per cent majority to transfer to Blackwood.

Now the move has been completed to become part of independent living specialist Blackwood.

Nance Smith, chair of Abbeyfield Scotland, said: “After much discussion and focusing on what matters most for our residents, they have now got a great solution for the future.

“The consultation was extensive and incredibly important to our residents, who wanted their voices and opinions to be heard.

“Happily, they felt this happened and have clearly endorsed the move in this vote.

“I am delighted to see this move being finalised, and want to pay tribute to my colleagues in Abbeyfield for helping this happen to secure the future for our residents.

“The transfer will allow more investment for residents’ homes and enhance their services to support them live independently and keep rents affordable.

“In Blackwood we have found an organisation which is absolutely committed to the same principles of

independent living that Abbeyfield is defined by. It is an excellent match and one that gives both our staff and our residents security and peace of mind for years to come.’’

Both organisations are eminent in their sector, with Abbeyfield having been founded almost 70 years ago.

Meanwhile, Blackwood is celebrating its 50th anniversary and is renowned for its accessible homes

and adoption of technology to help people live more independently.

Julie McDowell, chair of Blackwood, added: “It is especially pleasing that the residents themselves approved this move and we’ll make sure they will stay happily in their homes with the staff they clearly value.

“Like Blackwood, Abbeyfield has a long history of helping people to live independently and we’re privileged to

be able to continue its legacy.

“Our team really enjoyed meeting the residents and we look forward to building our relationship further with them and with their staff teams.

“We’ve had really good partnership discussions with Abbeyfield’s Board and senior staff to make this happen and I thank them for always putting the future of residents first.

“We’ll be bringing our services and technology to our new customers and 76 new staff members – creating a modern independent living model which we believe will be in great demand in all the communities Abbeyfield and Blackwood currently serve.”

Blackwood will be retaining all staff and services that Abbeyfield residents are accustomed to. As the population ages and more older Scots prefer to live independently, Blackwood’s expertise and financial stability will help the 14 Abbeyfield houses to continue to flourish.

Both organisations are geographically dispersed across Scotland.

The Abbeyfield houses in Scotland include Nairn, Stonehaven, Greenock, Lockerbie, Coatbridge, Bridge of Allan, and Haddington among others.

Blackwood operates more than 1,500 houses and three care homes across 29 local authorities in Scotland.

33

Group acquires home and pledges to invest in its long term future PARKLANDS Care Homes has completed its acquisition of Mo Dhachaidh Care Home in Ullapool with a pledge to deliver fresh investment in the village.

The family run operator plans to invest in the home and in the community, with better facilities for residents and more jobs for local people.

An initial £400,000 refurbishment of bedroom and communal facilities in the care home is planned by Parklands and, longer term, the company may look to expand the number of beds.

A major recruitment drive has been launched in the area in a bid to attract new employees.

Parklands also plans to refurbish an existing building used for on-site staff accommodation and will provide cash incentives for new employees, worth £2,000 for new nurses and £250 for other care staff.

The Grantown based care home provider has acquired the 19 bed facility from Barchester Healthcare.

It becomes the 10th care home in the Parklands group which includes homes in Tain, Muir of Ord, Fortrose, Grantown, Aberlour, Keith and Buckie.

The company employs almost 700 staff across the region and provides residential care for around 350 older people.

Ron Taylor, managing director

Ron Taylor, managing director of Parklands Care Homes. of Parklands Care Homes, said: “Parklands has a strong track record of investing in communities like Ullapool. Many of our care homes are in small, rural communities like Keith, Aberlour and Muir of Ord, so Ullapool fits our model very well.

“We have almost 30 years’ experience of caring for older people in the north and we are committed to delivering the highest standards of care for residents at Mo Dhachaidh, as well as new career opportunities for local people.

“We’re here for the long term. We want to sustain and develop care services in the area. With a growing

specialist healthcare business agents

elderly population in the Highlands, it is vital that we do everything we can to ensure the long-term viability of care provision in remote areas like Ullapool.

“Parklands has shown elsewhere in the Highlands that it is prepared to make such an investment. We’re very excited, we have a very energetic team who are keen to promote the very high standards of care that Parklands offers.

“We look forward to working with the team at Mo Dhachaidh and the wider community, including schools, nurseries and charities, to make this a home that is very much at the heart of the local community.”

Existing Mo Dhachaidh employees will be transferred to Parklands under their pre-existing employment terms and conditions.

Parklands has invested £16million on new care home facilities in the Highlands since 2014 and is currently investing around £8million on the first phase of a new integrated care hub in Inverness.

Phase one will comprise a 58-bed care home in the Milton of Leys area of the city.

The second phase will comprise a later living village with 11 detached properties for sale to older people.

The company is also seeking planning consent to build 24 affordable homes for care workers in the city.

Maritime charity The Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society and its care home Belvedere House is celebrating a number of new appointments. New clinical deputy manager Damian Walicki will assist home manager Alice Mitroi in leading nursing and care colleagues, as well as overseeing the delivery of the high standard of care provided to residents and tenants.

Damian started his career in intensive therapy units working in anaesthetics before becoming a nursing specialist.

He previously worked for the NHS and the private sector in hospital surgical theatres before changing career direction and moving into the care industry. The Society has also strengthened its catering, management, housekeeping and maintenance teams, with 17 new recruits this year, supporting with delivering care, providing nutritious meal plans and administration duties throughout the home.

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34

Group set to open state-of-the-art care residency as its continues to blossom A LUXURY Midlands care group is set to open a new 80-bed care home in Solihull that will look to deliver exceptional residential, nursing, dementia and respite care — underpinned by a person-centred care culture that champions both independence and community.

Blossomfield Rose, a new state-ofthe-art care home situated as part of the existing Blossomfield Park, will offer residents compassionate and supportive care within a unique setting, which features an array of amenities and an environment that’s conducive to overall wellbeing.

Home manager Sonia Tenniswood said: “I am delighted to be commissioning such an exciting and innovative care home development for the community of Solihull and look forward to welcoming residents to our new family.

“Blossomfield Rose has been built in such a way that each aspect of an individual’s wellbeing is catered for, whether it’s communal space to spend time with friends and family, or beautiful walled gardens to reap the wellbeing benefits associated with fresh air.

“We want to create a family here, where each individual is treated as just that – an individual – who is free to express their independence within a safe and caring environment.”

Residents will have access to all

park-wide amenities and grounds, as well as the care home’s own adjacent Coach House café where they can enjoy time with family and friends.

The home will offer the perfect environment to forge a strong sense of community among residents.

As well as a varied programme of

engaging activities, residents will also have access to facilities including a gym and wellness suite, cinema, hairdresser, library and meditation areas — recognising the importance of mental health and wellbeing within the elderly population.

Blossomfield Rose will also boast

unobtrusive, integrated technology throughout the home which will help the care team deliver the highest quality and standards of dementia and nursing care.

Features such as acoustic listening devices and nurse call systems will offer families peace of mind as care can be delivered swiftly as necessary, alongside thorough digital recordkeeping and care planning.

Sharen Guise, director of operations at Macc Care, added: “We’re all very excited for Blossomfield Rose to officially open its doors and finally welcome residents into its unique community we have worked so hard to create.

“We always strive to stretch the boundaries of luxury care and with this new development, I believe we have done just that.

“The existing Blossomfield Park is a wonderful community that already embodied many of the core values of Macc Care, so integrating with this was seamless.

“We want the families of prospective residents to see this new home as an inclusive, safe and welcoming place, which offers great opportunities for them to visit and enjoy the array of amenities within the park.”

Blossomfield Rose will be the twelfth home of the Macc Care group, which runs a collection of care homes in the Midlands.

New owners for Bromsgrove and Redditch homecare firm

Cornerstone Healthcare Group has appointed Niki Richards to the role of general manager of its 99-bed South Africa Lodge nursing home in Waterlooville, Hampshire. Niki, a registered nurse, has previously worked in senior leadership roles within the NHS, the National Care Standards Commission, Healthcare Commission, CQC and large care providers. She said: “Cornerstone Healthcare Group has been up front that South Africa Lodge is the jewel in their crown and I’m delighted to be taking over from Michelle Murchan who was promoted to operational director. I’m excited to lead this highly rated service caring for people with challenging behaviours associated with complex neurological and mental health needs. I am privileged to be part of this reputable group and leading South Africa Lodge.”

BLUEBIRD Care Bromsgrove and Redditch has been acquired by Ranjot and Baljit Khatra, a married couple looking to combine their healthcare and financial services backgrounds to benefit those receiving care in the comfort of their own homes.

Ranjot has spent the last 10 years as a qualified optometrist and will be responsible for leading the business day to day, while her husband Baljit works as an actuarial consultant.

Having cared for their own grandparents during the end of their lives, they quickly came to appreciate the important role of carers in being able to keep people in their own homes and living a happy and dignified life.

Their passion now lies in caring for and helping others, especially those most in need.

Ranjot said: “Embarking on this exciting journey with Bluebird Care is a unique opportunity to serve and support this important sector.

“We are delighted that we are now running a business with one of the most recognisable and respected care providers in the country.

“We would like to thank the wonderful team at Bluebird Care Bromsgrove and Redditch.

“They all serve our customers exceptionally well and have made the acquisition seamless and enjoyable.

“We now look forward to building on our existing relationships and

Ranjot and Baljit Khatra. help our staff to continue to thrive in their careers, whilst introducing new colleagues and customers in the coming months.”

The homecare provider employs around 30 members of staff, who together provide services to the Bromsgrove and Redditch communities and the surrounding areas, ranging from home care visits, companionship, live-in care, assistive technology services, and specialist

care.

Among their first acts as owners has been the introduction of a fuel assistance scheme to support care assistants.

The scheme puts money back into the pockets of each member of staff by providing extra compensation to them when petrol prices are high.

This is in addition to the 40p per mile allowance that is paid to cover their travel costs.

35 Advertiser’s announcement

Care sector’s appeal remains strong

By Alison Willoughby STAFFING resource challenges, ever increasing regulatory regimes, local authority inspections, rising inflation, utility bills increasing rapidly; hardly a great way to start a conversation.

Nonetheless these are all issues facing the care industry. But what’s new?

Care has never been for the faint hearted and yet the appeal of the sector remains strong.

I see interest across the board, from new entrants who had previously invested in other sectors that haven’t fared so well in the post-Covid era, to existing operators looking to consolidate.

Of course, homes with a high percentage of self-funded clients in wealthier areas remain as sought after as ever, but homes in the midmarket with a good compliance

Alison Willoughby

history are also on the target list of many buyers, along with the turnaround opportunities that less well performing homes can provide.

Homes that have expansion potential also appeal for obvious reasons.

Funders see the potential in the care industry across the board from independent living apartment developments and specialist care settings, to elderly residential and nursing homes.

Of course, funders prefer a business which is as future proof as possible, so larger bedrooms with en-suite wet rooms and a CQC rating of at least Good are preferred.

However, I am having more discussions with funders about homes that are not quite there now, but with a little attention and investment, could be transformed.

Those with a Requires Improvement rating can be of particular interest, especially if it’s almost Good rather than almost Inadequate.

I always review inspection reports to understand the rating as much as possible and understand its potential for a new owner.

Is it a single unfortunate inspection, with the problems identified already resolved, or a more embedded issue?

Some funders are doing exactly the same thing and taking a view on the buyer’s turnaround credentials.

So, what of the homes that are not faring so well from either a

compliance or financial perspective?

There are a number of reasons why such a home might be of interest to buyers.

Firstly, it may be a straightforward turnaround, or the location may lend itself to redevelopment, either for care or an altogether separate market.

As you can see, there are buyers for a range of care homes, be that continued use or redevelopment.

The first step to establishing the likely buyer is to know what your

business is worth, what its strengths and weaknesses are, therefore who it will appeal to.

Additionally, the format of the sale can make a difference to tax paid on completion, so legal and financial advice should be sought earlier rather than later.

Your plans may not include an immediate sale, but your exit strategy starts here. n Alison Willoughby is the head of Healthcare at Fleurets.

LOOKING TO SELL YOUR CARE BUSINESS?

With the interest in care homes remaining very strong, now might be a great time to think about selling. We have a number of buyers keen to acquire operational care homes across the UK, so if you would like a confidential discussion about the possible sale of your care business, restructuring your portfolio, or your acquisition plans contact us today.

07879 073 195 Alison.Willoughby@fleurets.com www.fleurets.com

36

Group expands with purchase of additional Bournemouth home LUXURYCARE Group has expanded its portfolio with the purchase of a nursing home in Meyrick Park, Bournemouth.

The operator has purchased Meyrick Rise, rated good by the Care Quality Commission earlier this year, and has announced plans to improve and expand the homes’ offer.

The nursing home, which can accommodate up to 75 people but currently has less than 40, will be renamed Kingsman House.

Current residents and staff will stay on, but new residents are expected to join as Luxurycare makes improvements.

The care home group is looking to expand the staff team accordingly.

Managing director Mandy Kittlety said: “I already know this beautiful home well, as not only have several of the Luxurycare team worked there previously, but my own grandmother lived here many years ago.

“Our operations director Sam Hoskins was an interim manager before joining us at Seabourne House in Southbourne in 2008, while our facilities director Christina Barrett was the head chef at Meyrick Rise from 2006 to 2009. It’s an emotional return for all of us.

“We are delighted to be taking on a fantastic, well-established staff team, who have such warm and positive

Senior deputy manager Andreea Moise with Luxurycare operations director Sam Hoskins and Kingsman House manager Manju Reji. previous owners, has five communal relationships with those living in the lounges, a dining room, a barhome. lounge and a beauty spa, as well as a “And we’re excited about expanding landscaped garden and patio area. the team further and bringing many Luxurycare’s plans include improvements to this environment.” reopening the top floor, which has The home, which has recently been decommissioned up to now, undergone a refurbishment by the

and reopening the hair salon and cinema. The chapel is also going to be transformed into a multi-faith facility.

The team has begun exterior works to rejuvenate the driveways and brickwork and is also planning an extensive project to make the garden more accessible.

Mandy added: “This grand and impressive nursing home is already well-run and welcoming, but we are thrilled to begin unlocking its enormous potential.

“This is an excellent addition to our portfolio, fitting well with and complementing what we offer with our five other homes across Bournemouth and Poole.

“Kingsman House will allow us to bring our sought-after brand of person-centred care to even more people, meeting the ever-growing need for nursing care locally.”

The centrally located home, which is close to parks, Bournemouth Gardens and the beach, has been purchased from ‘brighterkind’, a national care group with more than 20 homes across the country.

It has a long history of care, dating back to its beginnings as St Joseph’s Convalescent home in 1888.

The current building, rebuilt in 1986, has served as a convent and a care centre and finally a care home over the years.

ngacare.co.uk

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Care Home Northamptonshire

If you are looking to buy or sell a care home contact Nick Greaves on 07943 107 887 or email nick@ngacare.co.uk

Your Business Is Our Priority

37

Topping out ceremony for new specialist home AN official ceremony has marked the ‘topping out’ of HMT Littlehampton, a new dementia specialist care home in Climping near the seaside town of Littlehampton in West Sussex.

Mair Williams, chief operations officer for Healthcare Management Trust, the charity which runs specialist care homes across the UK, laid a stone to complete the building’s structural frame and mark the end of major construction for the care home.

She said: “We are very excited to reach this milestone in the building development of HMT Littlehampton which is specifically designed to enable and support the wellbeing of people with dementia, and facilitates the household model of care.

“The building has strong sustainability credentials including a living green roof, solar panels and air source heat pumps as its primary

source of heating.

“Not only will this £10million home create valuable jobs in the community, it will also provide residents with a ground-breaking, high-quality care option for people suffering from dementia.”

HMT Littlehampton care home is pioneering both its design and the type of care it offers. The care home is designed to feel less like a care home and more like a home-from-home for residents.

Designed over two storeys, the home has four separate wings with 16 bedrooms in each wing. The wings are split equally into two distinct households of eight bed “homes,” each with their own domestic kitchen, dining and day lounge spaces.

The residents will live in small family “homes” with others at a similar stage of dementia; important for reducing stress and helping in the

socialisation for residents.

HMT’s unique, research-led approach offers residents a “family” approach to the physical and mental well-being of each resident. Members of each household, where possible, are involved in purposeful day-to-day domestic activities which provide social interactions, value and routine to their day.

The preferences, quirks, history and personality traits of each individual are understood and valued by staff.

As a result, staff forge genuine and long-lasting relationships with both the resident and their relatives.

Each unit features generous en-suite bedrooms, communal areas such as lounges, dining rooms, reading rooms, a garden lounge and terraces overlooking the landscaped and secure purpose-designed grounds for people with dementia and their visitors, together with ample car

parking. Additional well-being facilities include a hair salon, café, shop and tea room.

Tony Barrett, chief executive at HMT, added: “This is a groundbreaking care home as residents will feel like they are at home.

“HMT Littlehampton will look like a family style household as well as feel like one with the personal care they will receive. As construction continues, we are looking forward to the recruitment stage – offering fulfilling jobs to people in the community.”

Construction by Highwood is due to be completed in spring 2023, with a major recruitment drive for nurses, carers, homemakers, activity leaders; all of whom will form a strong “family” within the small households to meet the individual needs of the residents as part of this new concept of caregiving.

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The Knells

Plas Bod Llwyd

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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.

Changing times for the country and the sector WE ARE living through changing times, a new Monarch, a new Prime Minister, a new team in charge of health and social care.

The death of the Queen was felt throughout the country. She has been our leader and a constant in our lives, for so many years.

I know that her loss was felt very deeply by the people that we look after in social care.

They have, in many cases, lived long and eventful lives and shared so much of those lives with Queen Elizabeth.

We gave Her Majesty a wonderful send-off, one befitting a monarch who served us so exceptionally for so long.

As a country we pitched the ceremonies around the Queen’s death just right and gave her the period of mourning she deserved. For many that mourning will continue.

The death of the Queen rocked the country and put us in a state of limbo.

Now, respectfully, we have to get back to the other big issues that the country faces.

Spare a thought for Liz Truss – she was no sooner through the doors of number 10 than she became swept up in the death of the Queen and all that that brought.

She won’t have time to catch her breath.

We have to move on and regain lost

Mike Padgham momentum on tackling the cost-ofliving crisis.

I’m an optimist and hope that with change comes new opportunities and new beginnings.

We need a fresh start and we need urgent action.

At the time of writing, the two principal political parties plan to go ahead with their party conferences.

I have called on them to cancel and instead concentrate on tackling the pressing issues, including social care, that face the country.

Whether they heed my and others’ calls will, by the time you read this, be clear.

Social care is heading into what

could be our most challenging winter ever.

If we thought the Covid-19 pandemic was a threat to the survival of the sector it now seems as though the cost of living and staffing crises that we are now facing will be much worse.

In a survey of members of the Independent Care Group, 96 per cent said it was becoming hard to continue to run their operation, with many already reporting cutbacks.

I have written to both the new Prime Minister and the new Secretary of State, urging them to make social care a priority, meet with providers to see the extent of the crisis and to use the expertise available in the sector to help them find solutions.

The cost-of-living crisis is a clear and present danger to many and, as I write this, we are still not clear whether any extra help is to come to care providers to help them survive.

Social care providers have endured a 683 per cent increase in energy costs over the past year, according to research by Box Power CIC and Care England.

This translates to an increase in cost for gas and electricity from £660 per bed to £5,166.

This is not sustainable for care providers and there will be closures.

The six-month cap on utility prices for businesses is welcome but will not

be enough to help care providers who are facing crippling increases in gas and electricity costs, not to mention petrol costs for domiciliary providers.

We need more.

Announcing the price cap last month, Prime Minister Liz Truss promised more support for vulnerable sectors, and I sincerely hope she had social care in mind when she said that.

On top of the cost-of-living crisis, we are still in dire need of staff across all areas of social care delivery.

Latest figures suggest there are around 165,000 vacancies in social care – a figure that is rising by the day.

We urgently need measures that will tackle that and make social care an attractive sector to work in by providing a fair wage that reflects the hard work and commitment provided by our staff.

More of the Health and Social Care levy has to come our way now to support that.

We are at a pivotal moment.

Yes, we have a fresh start, a new administration and a new hope that we will see action.

But the biggest question remains: will this new-look Government make social care a priority and give it the urgent support and long-term reform it so needs.

Only time will tell.

Advertiser’s announcement

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OUR PROTECTION PROMISE

© Gainsborough Healthcare Group. 10 & 11 The Oaks, Clews Road, Redditch, Worcestershire, B98 7ST.

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