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Issue 50 31.03.21

FOR ALL YOUR INTERIOR NEEDS For further details contact Sarah Thompson: sarah@sommer-rose.com 07495 471038 • www.sommer-rose.com

The weekly online newsletter for the care sector

Audit report adds to call for reform CARE providers have welcomed a new report which they say adds to the call for urgent reform of the care of older and vulnerable people in this country. A report from the National Audit Office says too many adults have unmet care needs and identifies a lack of a long-term vision for care and short-term funding as issues to be tackled by long-awaited reform. The Independent Care Group says the new report is the latest of many to call for change in the sector. Chair Mike Padgham said: “In welcoming this report, we have to say that this is the latest in a long line of reports to highlight the need for total, root and branch reform of the social care sector. “We don’t know how many times the Government needs to be told that this reform is overdue before it does something about it.” The NAO reports concludes: “High-quality care is critical to the well-being of some of the most vulnerable adults in society. “Yet levels of unpaid care remain high, too many adults have unmet needs and forecasts predict growing

demand for care. “The lack of a long-term vision for care and shortterm funding has hampered local authorities’ ability to innovate and plan for the long term, and constrained investment in accommodation and much-needed workforce development.” The report says Covid-19 shone a spotlight on the problems within the sector but praises “substantial efforts from those across the sector to deliver these essential services in such challenging circumstances”. It concludes that the collaborative approach shown during the pandemic should be “capitalised upon when government finally focuses on the long-awaited social care reforms.” Mike added: “We welcome these conclusions and hope that the Government makes good on its long-overdue promise to reform the social care sector. “It is time we put social care at the front of the queue and serve the millions of frail and vulnerable people with the care they need and give those providing that care the pay and recognition they have worked so hard to merit.”

Homecare provider’s donation

Gracewell of Fareham buried a time capsule to commemorate the National Day of Reflection and remember everything they have overcome in the past year. The care home had a small ceremony with residents and team members, with an emotional and inspirational speech from general manager Jacqui Hampton. The buried time capsule contained Gracewell of Fareham’s 2020 newsletters, face masks, sanitisers, We Care badges, t-shirts with ‘thanks care workers’ on, poems and letters from residents and a ‘Book of Reflection’ – made from the contributions of everyone at the home. The time capsule was buried in the home’s landscaped gardens under a stone plaque with the Clap for Carers engraved. Home admissions advisor Jessica Wooldridge said: “Covid-19 has been very challenging for all of us, but as we look to come out the other side, we are more hopeful than ever for the future.”

BLUEBIRD Care West Berkshire has donated five laptops to local primary school. Spurcroft Primary School has a great need for this sort of resource and the laptops will be extremely useful to staff and pupils. Director John Prendergast said: “One lovely member of the team, Emma Holgate, suggested donating these laptops to Spurcroft Primary School where all the pupils can benefit from them. “We are so passionate about helping the local community, and we thought this was an amazing idea. It is wonderful to hear how the pupils will be putting the laptops to great use.” The donated laptops will join the school’s bank of class-based laptops that are used to support pupils throughout their school day. The laptops donated by the homecare provider will benefit pupils with specific mobility needs who often use them when they need a break from writing, or if they need to write a long amount. Children who struggle with literacy or maths or pupils with a lack of IT resources at home can also use the laptops to practice skills online. With Covid-19, pupils who are self-isolating are able to borrow laptops from the school, which is particularly helpful for families with multiple children who may not have enough devices for all their children to engage with remote learning lessons.

CARINGWEEKLY

New home asks public to name in-house pub A CHESHIRE care home has teamed up with a local brewery to launch a competition for the general public to name its new in-house gastropub – with no suggestions barred. Set to open its doors in early June, Priesty Fields, a 78-bed purpose-built nursing care home in Congleton, has partnered with the town’s The Cheshire Brewhouse to launch the pub naming competition for its authentic gastropub. The 10 best suggestions will be put to a public vote with the overall winner set to have their chosen name adorning the new pub ahead of its opening, with the winning entry also incorporated as part of a traditional pub sign. Furthermore, the winner will also receive a special gift box from The Cheshire Brewhouse’s microbrewery. Rishi Sodha, care director at Handsale, said: “With Priesty Fields’ development reaching its final stages, we wanted to involve the public in naming what will be an authentic gastro pub in the care home’s ‘high street’. “We’re hoping for a name that will really resonate with the residents, and we believe the community will be able to help us in providing one. “While we’re open to all suggestions, we’re aware we could end up with another Boaty McBoatface scenario

Priesty Fields in Congleton.

on our hands, so we do have to put a precautionary element in there, but we’re confident the public can pick the perfect name. “Having said that, we are open to weird and wonderful suggestions – so feel free to let loose with your creativity.” Priesty Fields will also include a farmers’ market, cinema, spa, salon, gym, library, private dining room, garden lounge and GP office. The home will be operated by the Handsale care group, which runs eight residential and nursing care

homes across England, Scotland and Wales. Rishi added: “We look forward to reviewing the suggestions and seeing how creative the public can get. “Whether it’s tapping into Congleton’s rich heritage or playing on pun-laden themes, we’re excited to see what ideas emerge.” To submit a pub name suggestion visit https://bit.ly/3v0U79H Deadline for entries is midnight on Wednesday April 7, with the top suggestions being announced shortly after.

The clinical lead at HC-One’s Hollymere House in Haslington has won a regional award for her dedication to her role, having worked at the care home for 21 years. Nova Belen won the accolade for her outstanding contribution at the Cheshire East Adults and Children’s Safeguarding and Dignity Awards. Area director Robert Wheatley said: “Throughout her career at HC-One, Nova has been instrumental in supporting residents to lead their best lives, and it is inspiring to see how fulfilled our residents are. Nova has so many positive attributes that have shown her to be an outstanding nurse. I couldn’t be prouder to have her guiding the clinical team at Hollymere House.” She was nominated by a relative for how she managed her mum’s end-of-life care, and consistently receives praise from relatives and colleagues.

CARINGWEEKLY

Advertiser’s announcement

Duplex has the answer to the challenges of floor cleaning DUPLEX advocate Tracey Kirkland, who is head housekeeper of a large care home in Surrey, recently said: “I work in a large care home where in recent years we introduced the Duplex machine to our range of cleaning appliances. “We found the Duplex machine to be very user friendly and light enough to be suitable for all users, including the smaller built person, like myself. “The cleaning power of the machine is incredible; I was sceptical when our company first introduced the Duplex but on first use I became a complete fan. “The Duplex is not only easy to manoeuvre around but very quiet compared to the other cleaning machines I use. “Also, there are no nasty chemicals used – it works by steaming – which is environmentally friendly, a very important factor with our residents in mind. “You have only to watch the machine work to see how powerful it is on hard floor surfaces, it is amazing and I have used many machines but none clean and sanitize like the Duplex. “The surface of the cleaned area is dry almost immediately which reduces the risk of slips and falls immensely. “Not only does the Duplex clean hard floors, it also cleans carpets of urine, faeces and other spillages common in a

care home but again leaves the carpet with very little drying time required which is an asset in this environment. “It is easy to set the machine up, light and easy to use with excellent results and again easy to clean afterwards. “If we experience any problem with the Duplex a quick phone call is made and an engineer is on-site within four days latest. “No problems or questions are too small or too large to ask. “We have generally the same engineer if required so a good professional relationship has formed. If requested a query will be passed directly to our engineer who can advise and quite often sort issues out over the phone. “Having said all that we have little experience of any issues and all maintenance of the machine is dealt with during our six monthly service visits. “On first receiving the Duplex machine we were given a full installation and training session by a Duplex representative – all was explained clearly and we all were able to try the machine and ask all our questions which were answered in clear simple terminology. “If you are thinking of purchasing a new machine for cleaning carpets and hard floors why not just book a demonstration before making a decision – you will be as pleasantly surprised as we were.”

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Advertiser’s announcement

How safe are your ratings? ABUSE of power and of the process of law is now common in our society, the norm even. With delays of many months in bringing litigation by way of judicial review to a hearing in the courts, public bodies are growing increasingly blasé about any such challenge, and have become masters of the dark art of doing just enough to evade a hearing of such applications and the likely consequent public judgement. The Care Quality Commission is not merely no different from any other public body in this regard, it is a leader in the field. In late 2013 CQC issued fixed penalty notices on a blanket basis without individual assessment to providers having a registered manager vacancy of six months or more. Not one of these was the outcome of an inspection. They had dished out 570 such FPNs when my application for judicial review stopped the policy, preventing an estimated further 900 or so notices. In a letter to me dated December 16 2013 CE David Behan explained that, while they recognised the national shortage of suitable managers, they ‘had to do something’, and that the so-called “Registered managers project” was expected to be a catalyst for change. A signed confession as to abuse of the process of law. Criminal penalties arise exclusively on an individual basis. In early 2015 CQC started to apply the new Regulated Activities Regulations 2014 retrospectively. The regulations were actually in force from April 1 2015, but about 700 site inspections carried out before that date but not yet published were retrospectively stated to have been ‘judged’ against the new regulations, even including some carried out before the minister signed and published them in November 2014. No signed confession needed here, just look at the front of the published inspection reports. The (unlawful) purpose was to avoid difficulties in prosecution of an ongoing breach if no warning notice had been issued under the old regulations prior to April 2015, under which it had been a necessary precursor. CQC set a policy some time back of a blanket refusal to provide copies of inspection notes, behind a facade of allowing selective response to enquiry at their absolute discretion. Providers are entitled to know the basis of a ‘case against them’ and the policy offends against the convention rights of providers under the justice system in this jurisdiction. In April 2019 CQC set a limit on factual accuracy responses to inspection reports of 975 characters for each point made (a last-minute compromise on the 500-character limit of the sham consultation on it), requiring providers to use a new fac form that achieved that limit. I served CQC with a Letter before Action by way of judicial review on June 12 2019. The fac response is the single final opportunity to challenge the accuracy and proportionality of a document that may be relied on in proceedings including criminal proceedings. Arguments not made at the time (for whatever reason) may not be ‘raised’ in later appeal proceedings. Inspection reports are a component of the justice

system. CQC is part of the justice system and not the other way around, and has no authority to constrain the rights concerned. CQC withdrew the character limit on June 27 2019. A core theme of the constraints placed on providers in recent years has been the relentless push towards elimination of the right of response and challenge to draft inspection reports. In its, er, consultation on changes to the inspection regime CQC now proposes to reduce its use of site visits to conduct inspections. CQC is to “move away from using comprehensive, on-site inspection as the main way of updating ratings”. Predictable in 2021, although the last move away from site visits was abandoned after Winterbourne View. CQC is marketing this change as “a less rigid approach that allows us to update ratings more often when we recognise changes in quality and to make our on-site inspections more targeted and flexible”. The consultation document says: “We want to stop describing frequency of assessment in terms of ‘inspection’, and instead by how often we review quality and update ratings.” The Care Quality Commission is in reality proposing to divorce ratings from (site) inspections. Why? Section 62 of the HSCA 2008 provides that where an inspection is carried out for the purposes of the Commission’s functions the Commission must prepare a report on the matters inspected, and without delay send a copy of the report to the registered person; and that the Commission must publish the (final) report. The explanatory notes to the Act make it very clear that this is intended to provide the opportunity for comment on the draft. The Act does not explicitly provide that “inspections” must be done at site visits, but the explanatory notes to the Act make the intention clear beyond any argument that they should be: “In carrying out its functions, the Commission will engage with patients and service users and people involved in the provision of care and will also need to inspect relevant premises.” Performance ratings are by regulations a “function” of the CQC. If CQC succeeds in divorcing ratings from inspections (or rather their definition of them as site visits), then there is no statutory provision requiring a draft report or the right of reply to the proposed ratings. Game set and match on any right of reply to the findings and judgements of the overwhelming majority of inspections (or at least everyone else’s definition of them). It is no surprise that the consultation does not mention draft reports or right of reply in the new methodology. Under settled CQC policy, ratings are the trigger for “special measures” up to and including cancellation of registration. What more needs to be said? This latest, and perhaps most serious, abuse of the rights of care providers by the Care Quality Commission must be stopped in its tracks. In the Courts if need be. Email me at mail@hsc-prof.com to sign up for regular alerts and updates on coronavirus and the rest. Alternatively, visit my Facebook or Twitter pages at @ hsc_prof

Residents receive creative poetry from primary school PUPILS at Thornton Dale Primary School have sent video poetry to residents from The Hall residential care home. In response to a video of poetry that residents at the home sent to the children while they celebrated their poetry week from home, the year two pupils have recorded themselves performing their own poetry. The six and seven-year olds were given the title of “The Last Tiger” and were asked to make up a poem to describe the jungle giant. Once written, pupils’ parents

filmed them performing their poems, including descriptions of “gold glittery eyes” and “speed like a cheetah” and costumes representing the big cat. Manager Nicky Beach said: “Our residents love connecting with Thornton Dale Primary and watching the year two children perform their tiger poems was something that residents cherished.” The poetry project aims to recreate a sense of grandparents and grandchildren reading to each other, by creating videos that can be watched and made at home.

Trio of new offices for Alcedo Care ALCEDO Care Group has opened three new offices in Wigan, St Helens and Bury as it continues with its ambitious expansion plans across the North West. Strengthening its presence in Greater Manchester, Alcedo has invested more than £600,000 in the trio of offices, and the company plans to recruit more than 400 carers this year alone, further boosting the local economy. Managing director Andy Boardman said: “This year has started well and in quick succession we opened three new offices in Greater Manchester, which will allow us to offer our award-winning services to more clients in the area. “The demand for high-quality home care continues and our comprehensive range of services not only meets the needs of our existing clients in Wigan, St Helens and Bury, but also appeals to potential new clients in these demographic areas too.

Alcedo Care group managing director Andy Boardman. Well established in Wigan, with its “It also brings job creation to previous office located on Market Greater Manchester with an initial Street, Alcedo Care has, to facilitate team employed at each office and its growth in the area, moved to a an additional 400 carers required bigger office in the town, situated in throughout 2021.”

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Beecham Court. From this new office a team of 10 administrative staff and management will support 30 carers to deliver a range of home care services, including personal care, nursing care, emotional support, help with medication and companionship to those who wish to remain independent in their own homes. The office in St Helens is located at St Helens Technology Campus, which will initially serve 120 clients in the area, while in Bury the office is situated at Walshaw Park House on Walshaw Road, starting off with a team of 20 administrative staff and carers. The offices in Wigan, St Helens and Bury brings the total number of Alcedo Care offices in the North West to eight, complementing the existing offices in Southport, Blackpool, Preston, Lancaster and Liverpool. The fast-growing company was founded by Andy and his wife Jo in 2017.

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Celia Unit opens at Firtree £15m home to create up House Nursing Home to 100 jobs

A RIBBON-cutting ceremony marked the opening of the Celia Unit at Firtree House Nursing Home in Kent. The seven-bedroom unit, each with en-suite facilities, will care especially for residents living with dementia. Home manager Jackie Cullip and Caring Homes’ regional manager Jeff Levine cut the ribbon to mark the opening of the new unit and are eager to welcome the first residents. “It’s exciting for the team here to be opening a new facility to help people live well with dementia,” said Jackie, who started as a care assistant at Firtree House more than 15 years ago and has been manager since 2012. “My care team and I work with each resident to develop a personalised care plan, which caters for their specific needs and ensures that residents have choice and control over how their care is delivered. “It isn’t one size fits all with any resident, but especially not for those people living with dementia.” Every bedroom in the Celia Unit has a memory box which can be filled with personal memorabilia. This helps residents living with dementia to recognise their room and can prompt conversations and reminiscence too. The facility also has contrast handrails and doors, as well as special signage to enable people living with dementia to navigate easily around

Home manager Jackie Cullip and Caring Homes’ regional manager Jeff Levine cut the ribbon to mark the opening of the new unit. the home and improve independence. environment has been considered to create the Celia Unit which will The detail concerning daily routines support the residents’ condition and activities will be added as the new residents move in and be centred and enable them to live well with dementia.” around their needs. Celia, whom the team at Firtree “I am particularly passionate about House decided to name the unit after, getting to know residents and their lived in Tunbridge Wells most of her families and feel that having a good life, raising a family of eight children understanding of each resident’s (seven boys and a girl). background is essential in building a She was a resident at the home relationship,” added Jackie. for five years during which time her “I encourage family involvement husband never missed a day visiting when possible, we give as much her and he was 97 himself. independence as we can and have a Celia had a passion for bingo and whole home approach to care. for playing the fruit machines. She “We’re conscious that people’s also enjoyed singing, which she reality can be very different when would do every day at Firtree House, they are living with dementia, so the louder the better. everything that makes up the living

NEW Care’s latest £15m care facility in Worsley will officially open later this year, with practical completion expected in November. Work at the site, which was formerly the Cock Hotel, started in September, with principal contractor McGoff Construction managing the build programme. Commissioning director Dawn Collett said: “It’s great to see build well underway and so much progress on site in Worsley. “We are pleased to be able to confirm that this care facility will open later this year, providing much needed care services in the locality. “It will be the company’s first care home in Salford, complementing our already well-established existing facilities across the North West, and we are looking forward to employing a new team in Worsley, creating approximately 100 local jobs.” Specifically designed to suit the plot, the care facility will be arranged over three floors, providing residential, nursing and dementia care services. A number of advanced care services have been incorporated into the build, such as acoustic monitoring and silent call bells, which will further enhance the level of care available.

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CARINGWEEKLY

NACC launches its annual Care Chef of the Year competition

A social care leader has pledged to work tirelessly to help create better health and care services in North Wales. Mary Wimbury, the chief executive of Care Forum Wales, which represents nearly 500 independent social care providers across Wales, was speaking after she was elected as the chair of North Wales Regional Partnership Board. She succeeds Teresa Owen, executive director of public health at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The organisation also includes the six local authorities in North Wales, the health board and representatives from the third sector, carers and citizens. Mary has also made history because this is the first time in Wales that one of the independent provider representatives has been elected to chair a regional partnership board and she is only the second to come from outside the statutory sector.

THE National Association of Care Catering has officially launched its search for the best chef working in the care sector. All chefs and cooks working across the care sector can enter the prestigious culinary competition that recognises, showcases and celebrates their talent and sector-specific knowledge and skills. The entry brochure can be downloaded at www.thenacc.co.uk/ events/care-chef-2021 and the deadline for entries is April 30. Sue Cawthray, national chair of the NACC, said: “It’s wonderful to be able to announce the launch of the NACC Care Chef of the Year competition for 2021. And what’s even better, is that there is also the real hope that this year’s event will unfold in person. “This fantastic competition is so important to our work that raises awareness of the value of the care catering sector and the profile of the incredibly talented, knowledgeable and dedicated chefs within it. This has never been so important. “It has been a challenging year for everyone, especially those on the frontline. “As well as propelling the importance of the care sector to the forefront of consciousness, the pandemic has put a much-needed spotlight on the vital link between

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2020 winner Tim Ware. good food and nutrition and good care and wellbeing. “It is important that we keep the momentum around this conversation and that’s exactly what our competition can do, while also celebrating care chefs and giving them the opportunities to develop both professionally and personally.” Unilever Food Solutions is the new main sponsor of the competition, while The Worshipful Company of Cooks remains an event sponsor, continuing its support of 11 years. Focusing on the importance of food, nutrition and positive mealtime experiences as part of quality care, entrants are challenged to create an

appealing and delicious two-course menu (main and dessert) appropriate for people in a care setting. The combined food cost for both courses should be no more than £2.25 per head based on three portions and it must be nutritionally balanced. The menu must also feature a product from Unilever Food Solutions’ sector-relevant portfolio. The NACC has also reintroduced the Hygiene Award, which will be sponsored by the Unilever Professional Cleaning range. All paper entries will be judged by a central judging panel and successful chefs will be invited to compete at the regional heats in June. Here they will have 90 minutes to produce their dishes and demonstrate their skill set and knowledge under the watchful eyes of the competition judges. The judges will be looking for clear nutritional understanding of the foods they are using and how they benefit the needs of their clientele, plus culinary flair through flavours, menu balance, execution, presentation, and, of course, hygiene best practice. The two highest-scoring competitors from each regional heat will secure a place in the national final on October 6 at Stratford-uponAvon College.

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CARINGWEEKLY

County’s care leader steps down after 48 years in the industry

Felixstowe care home awarded good rating THE team at Cotman House was delighted to achieve a ‘Good’ rating from the Care Quality Commission following its latest inspection. Inspectors noted during the inspection that the home, which can care for up to 62 residents, was following infection prevention and control procedures to keep people safe. These included Covid-19 related procedures around shielding, social distancing and visiting. The service had ongoing monitoring arrangements to ensure all aspects of infection control followed best practice guidance. Home manager Rebecca Bewley said: “We had an unannounced inspection in December and I’m very pleased that we are now rated ‘Good’ in all areas by the CQC. “What is more, this has been achieved in the pandemic, and our Covid-19 specific infection control procedures were inspected. “We have worked hard to make improvements after being rated as Requires Improvement last year, so we are really pleased that the CQC recognised the improvements which have been made. “This is down to the fantastic team here, as well as great support from senior management and colleagues across Caring Homes.” Residents told the inspectors they

felt safe living in the service, and relatives said they felt their family members were receiving safe care. The care team was seen working with people in a way which was responsive to their individual needs and preferences. People and their families were consulted and involved in day to day decisions about the running of the Home. Areas discussed included menu choices and suggested activities. Regular surveys of residents, relatives and staff were undertaken, with evidence of continuous improvements being made in response to feedback. While visiting has been restricted due to Covid-19, relatives have appreciated receiving regular contact to update them. During the inspection the team spoke with three people who lived at the home about their experience, seven relatives,10 staff members, including the registered manager, divisional support manager, senior care staff, care staff, domestic staff and maintenance staff. Four people’s full care records, staff training records and records relating to safe recruitment were also reviewed, as were several relating to the management of the home, including audits and quality assurance. Residents at Brendoncare Alton have been enjoying time with mechanical cats and dogs. Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, the home, which is run by the Brendoncare Foundation charity, used to receive a weekly visit from Pets As Therapy dogs to spend time with the residents. These visits have had to stop due to lockdown, so the staff decided to purchase mechanical cats and dogs as a substitute for real ones. Activities coordinator supervisor Claire Stoneman-Merret said: “It’s lovely seeing the residents that use the pets, they are always smiling and enjoy conversations with their particular pet.” Resident John Kitching is pictured with his ‘cat’.

ERICA Lockhart, CEO of the Surrey Care Association, is set to retire following 48 years of service to the care industry – the last 35 of which have been dedicated to improving care services across the county. During this time she has transformed the face of care in the county, having helped found the Surrey Care Association in 2005 to act as a voice for independent care providers, providing a link between public sector bodies and those offering frontline care services. Erica said: “After 35 wonderful years in Surrey, 15 years of which have been spent heading up the Surrey Care Association, I feel now is the time to step down and allow for someone else to take up the reins. “The last 12 months have been amongst the most challenging we’ve ever experienced as a sector, but they’ve also been some of the most rewarding. “With social care in the spotlight like never before, now is the time to take advantage of that fact, to broaden our horizons and help us continue to grow and expand on the enhanced recognition and appreciation for the vital work we do. “Having reached the twilight of my career, I wanted to enable someone new and enthusiastic to succeed to take up the role and be the voice for care providers in Surrey.” Initially qualifying as a social worker in Newcastle in the early 1970s, Erica’s career progression saw her make her way to Surrey in 1984 in a senior

Erica Lockhart role in social services, and in the intervening years she has taken on a variety of high level posts, staying in the county ever since. Her varied experience, which covers the full spectrum of social care, left Erica well placed to orchestrate the foundation of the Surrey Care Association, having developed a broad understanding of care needs in the region. Appointed as the association’s first CEO, Erica’s departure now leaves an opportunity for someone to take up her mantle, with the SCA yet to appoint a successor – and welcoming potential applicants. The organisation represents more than 200 care providers within Surrey and has more than 400 individual members.

Dewsbury home supports families with donations KIND-hearted staff at Dewsbury care home Ashworth Grange are donating baby care packages to provide essential items to families who have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic and lockdowns. The team has partnered with Boothroyd Baby Bank, a charity committed to caring for the community, to create essential baby packages including wipes, nappies in a range of sizes, clothes, talc and other toiletries, along with some hand-knitted blankets. Care manager Sharon Troy, who was the driving force for the donation initiative, said: “There are so many

people throughout the nation that have been heavily impacted by this virus. “When we heard the heart-breaking accounts of how some families and their children were not able to obtain the things they needed, it became apparent that we could really help. “Everyone at the home has rallied round to gather as many donations as possible, and it has been incredibly rewarding to know that we have helped families in the area.” Residents helped staff organise the donated items and pack them into bags ready to be delivered to the charity.

CARINGWEEKLY

Power Plate helps residents move more in lockdown POWER Plate and The Berkley Care Group have shared the outcomes of a bespoke programme to improve wellbeing outcomes for residents and staff during lockdown through the encouragement of healthy movement. With measurable improvements to functional independence, activities of daily living, and fall prevention achieved in as little as five minutes’ vibration training a day; residents and staff performed simple stretches and easy movements to counter the negative effects of inactivity, in a safe and effective manner. “Aligning fitness and healthcare as part of the wider health and wellbeing needs of the ageing population has never been more important,” said Kenny Butler, head of health and wellbeing at ukactive. Power Plate and The Berkley Care Group developed a bespoke 12-week programme to improve and maintain fitness and mobility by stimulating natural reflexes, increasing muscle activation, and improving circulation. Six care homes, each with between 35 and 78 beds, were involved in the programme. “Caring for residents is our number one priority at Berkley Care Group, and with movement levels reducing we felt we needed to take action,” said chief executive Andrew Winstanley. “The results speak for themselves, with many of our residents gaining mobility and some even expressed a clear reduction in pain after using Power Plate.”

Key outcomes were tracked over a 12-week period to show how specific evidence-based physical activity connects to key health benefits as well as improving quality of life; independence, confidence and social interaction. Davide Ferreira, commercial key accounts sales manager at Power Plate, added: “Each and every success in this programme is moving and personal. “Some residents were unable to move more than a few steps at the start of the programme, and after completing a number of sessions, they were able to walk along corridors with confidence.”

The new CareDocs website now live WE’RE excited to announce the new CareDocs website is now live! As the UK’s leading digital care planning and management software we felt we could be saying more to help care providers discover the benefits of digital care management systems and how businesses can be transformed by implementing technology. Our goal is to give you a clear sense of how CareDocs can benefit you, your business type, its size, your staff and of course, your residents. Over the last few months we’ve been hard at work creating a hub to place detailed information about our features, benefits, products, services, customer reviews, events, resources, company information and blogs. Our website now better expresses who we are, both through its text and updated branding. CareDocs was launched commercially in 2008 but our software and values go back even further to make us the first digital care management system of its kind. Our website is a great platform for us to share our history and showcase our passionate team, as well as what

you can expect from your customer journey and what separates us from the crowd. Find out more about our dedicated business development managers and how they help you get started, how our support team keeps everything running smoothly and the different ways our knowledgeable trainers can teach you how to use the system effectively to provide solutions for your setting. We have also included information on how existing customers can get the most out of our software and services. Come and visit us to see how CareDocs benefits care homes and nursing homes. Read testimonials written by other business managers and see how we’ve provided solutions to their challenges, and view care sector blogs created just for you.

Advertiser’s announcement

Claim thousands for mis-sold energy CARE providers across the UK have been urged to reach out to Business Energy Claims after research revealed around threequarters of homes have been missold energy. A host of care facilities have already reclaimed thousands of pounds with the help of the country’s leading organisation in tackling energy broker misselling. Among those to have been helped a nursing home in Essex which won back a substantial sum on its gas supply following a review of its agreement with a supplier. The manager of the care home, which can not be named for legal reasons, said: “It became apparent once we engaged with Business Energy Claims that there were excessive charges included in our rates and we are delighted that through their intervention we’ve been able to save so much.” Around 90 per cent of care

facilities which are eligible to claim back substantial amounts of money are unaware of this fact, but Business Energy Claims’ experienced team of energy and legal experts are ready to assist. Their aim is to help businesses across the country understand the nature of their deals with energy brokers and recover monies where they have been overcharged, for example through hidden fees and commissions which were not stated in contracts. This is a multi-billion pound issue in the UK but Business Energy Claims has a simple process to check if a company has a claim, and how much they may be entitled to. Among its other most recent successes was a £10,000 win for a care home in Sussex, which had been misled by its energy broker. The home used the money to make upgrades to its facilities to benefit residents, with the nurse manager remarking that Business Energy Claims had been “professional and efficient” and “exceeded her expectations”. Business Energy Claims director Callum Thompson said: “The care sector is such an important industry and it is a huge shame that anyone would look to take

Business Energy Claims director Callum Thompson.

advantage of such a worthy organisation. “In our experience, approximately 75 per cent of care homes have been mis-sold to in some way. “Care homes typically spend considerable sums on gas and electric and are therefore heavily targeted by energy brokers who are able to benefit from higher commissions as a result of their high consumption. “We would urge anyone who

has used a broker in the last six years to get in touch as one single care home could have a case worth well over £10,000, and care home groups can extend to several hundred thousands of pounds, and this is money they are entitled to.” If you believe your facility may have been affected, or if you’d like to find out more, call Business Energy Claims on 0800 689 4259 or visit http:// businessenergyclaims.co.uk/

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