Issue 55 05.05.21
The weekly online newsletter for the care sector
Call for home carers’ fees to be waived CARE workers in Wales who look after people in their own homes are calling for a controversial £30 registration fee to be waived this year. The voluntary scheme administered by Social Care Wales on behalf of the Welsh Government became compulsory in the midst of the pandemic in April last year and the social care staff who signed up say they got nothing in return. Under new rules domiciliary care workers now have to join the national online register and are required to pay the annual fee. According to Care Forum Wales Council member Keri Llewellyn, who is the lead on domiciliary care, it was unfair to expect front line care workers to pay when they had faced increasing practical and emotional pressures as a result of the Covid crisis. Some care workers had been quick off the mark and already registered voluntarily with the scheme. After starting at £20 when the scheme was launched, the fee went up to £25 last year and now it’s gone up to £30. She said: “This means some workers will have unfairly paid more than others and due to the current high-pressure environment they have
received very little in return for their £30. “As a gesture of good faith, the registration fee should be waived for this year and the fees for the scheme re-set to start again from a more level playing field in April 2022. “I am completely supportive of the fact that there needs to be a professional register of domiciliary care workers to recognise their unique skills and responsibilities. “Moves to improve the professionalisation of our sector boost the self-esteem of carers and inspire public safety and confidence are to be welcomed. “But what we do not want is to put barriers in the way of our ability to recruit high standard new employees. “This register was conceived with good intentions but currently the fees structure has caused discontent.” The registration fees finance the overall management of the scheme. But Keri, who is also managing director of the Barry-based care group All Care, said she had received what she considers are valid complaints from some of her own company’s domiciliary care workers that in April 2020 they had paid the registration fee and received little in return.
New home guidance welcomed
Staff and residents at a Holmfirth care home raised more than £200 after being inspired by AGE UK’s dedication to supporting older people throughout the coronavirus pandemic and wanted to show their appreciation and support. Residents at Greenacres decided on the coin trail idea at their monthly committee meeting, as many recall creating traditional penny trails throughout their childhoods. General manager Verity Taylor said: “Thank you to everyone who generously donated. We are proud to be able to give to such a wonderful charity and spread some positivity at a time when people need it the most.” The trail, which wrapped the entire way around the perimeter of the home, took over a week to complete and was a significant achievement for residents who in total amassed 10km of coins made up from donated pennies all the way up to £2 coins. 98-year-old resident Eileen Laxen is pictured helping to lay the final pound coin.
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CARE providers say a decision to enable care and nursing home residents to be able to leave their homes on visits without having to self-isolate afterwards is a victory for common sense. The Government said residents can now go out for “low-key visits”. This can include visiting their family’s garden or taking a walk with a named visitor or care worker. Care provider body The Independent Care Group said the decision was a victory for common sense, as the threat from Covid-19 in the community recedes. Chair Mike Padgham said: “This is welcome news and something we have been calling for over the past few weeks. “It seems sensible that a resident who has had both vaccinations can enjoy a safe, socially-distanced trip out to get some fresh air and a change of scenery. “We know that the lack of social contact and visits has been detrimental to the health of residents and as others within the community start to enjoy freedom from the restraints of lockdown it is only right and fair that those in care and nursing homes do so too. “We will have to tread carefully and trust that people taking residents out do obey the rules about not going indoors, for example. “Overall, it is a very good move and we hope it can be the start of further easing of restrictions on care and nursing homes, once it is safe.”
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Ross Bijak
Every day is a school day for manager Ross A CARE manager has been praised for his dedication and passion in going the extra mile to improve his education and training, which will transform care for residents, in particular those with dementia, and their families. Ross Bijak, clinical care manager at Cramond Residence, has completed a Master’s Degree in Dementia Studies and is now delivering a portfolio of training courses and techniques to other staff, residents and family members at the home. The recent graduate from Stirling University has described how the course has given him a more in-depth understanding of dementia and new ways of thinking which will benefit those living with the condition. Alongside studying, Ross has taken it in his stride to juggle a 40+ hour working week and personal life – all while living through the coronavirus pandemic. After starting out as a staff nurse at Cramond Residence in 2018, Ross was promoted to clinical care manager in December 2019, but continues to maintain an active involvement in the day-to-day care and support of residents. He said: “I’m not going to lie, I’m delighted to be finally graduating and feel immensely proud to be able to use my new knowledge towards something I have a strong passion for – which is my job. “This course has been an invaluable, eye-opening experience that will not only benefit me but also the wider community at the home.
“Our main focus at Cramond Residence is to change perceptions of dementia and ensure all of our residents live happy, independent and fulfilling lives through a host of tailored activities put on by our lifestyle co-ordinators. “We also facilitate dementia support programmes and look to train all members of staff in dementia care – even those who may not be providing direct care – as well as offering support and coping techniques to help family and friends. “The more people we’re able to help understand dementia, and how to interact and respond to changing needs of those living with the condition, the quicker it’ll become more manageable and less of a taboo subject.” Ross highlighted how important it is to create a collaborative environment in the home as residents needs and wants sit at the heart of everything they do. He added: “I’ve worked in residential care since 2006, and have never experienced such a forward thinking and adaptable environment such as Cramond Residence. “It’s great to see my suggestions being implemented in real time and that my passion for care can help structure the process at the home. “I’ve always had a desire for learning, especially when it is in an area I have an interest in. “I’m always looking to see how I can help make our residents’ lives better, so who knows where my studies will take me next.”
Village marks 10 years RESIDENTS of Belong Atherton didn’t let Covid-19 restrictions stop them marking the village’s 10th anniversary in style. Their 1920s-themed celebrations were shared across households using Facebook Portal video messaging to enable residents to connect with each other safely. On the day the village was strewn with Art Deco banners and bunting, colleagues and customers accessorised with feather boas and headpieces to take part in Charleston dance-themed chairbased exercises, led remotely by village exercise instructor Chantelle Crawley, and each household enjoyed a 1920s-themed buffet and birthday cake. Entertainment, which was screened live in the households,
came from Anna Beaumont, known as the Golden Age Songbird, who sang classic songs from the roaring 20s to the 1950s. The village team also created displays of photographs from the 10 years since the opening of Belong Atherton. General manager Rebecca Woodcock said: “It was wonderful to look back on shared memories of the past ten years and see how the community has developed. “Although we couldn’t celebrate with the wider community as we would have liked, technology meant that we could come together as a village safely. “We’re looking forward to welcoming more people to the village as lockdown measures are eased.”
Sunrise of Hale Barns resident Stan Riley has travelled the length and breadth of the country over the past 30 years to help piece together his family tree. The 91-year-old has been to London to the General Registry Office has visited churches and graveyards, libraries and now also has the internet to help him. Stan, who has lived at the home for four years, was most surprised when he found out his great-grandfather’s death was logged as ‘manslaughter’. He was thrown out of a pub and was part of a crowd who were drunk and fighting. He fell and could not get medical help and subsequently died from his injuries. Stan’s finished family tree is on display in his bedroom. He has now been helping other residents and team members to make their own family trees.
Director of Worcestershire groups up for award A MANAGING director of several Worcestershire care homes has been nominated for a prestigious care award. Huw James, managing director of companies Clarendon Care and Redwood Health Care, has been recognised for going above and beyond for residents and staff. He has been nominated for the Care Employer Award as part of the Worcestershire Health & Social Care Awards 2021. The health care company provides residential and nursing care within the county of Worcestershire. He was nominated by Ann Norris, manager of the Chandos Lodge Residential Home in Hagley, who
said: “Mr James has gone above and beyond his role of director, visiting each home every week and ensuring that all residents and staff are keeping well throughout the pandemic. “When required he has rolled his sleeves up and supported homes with assembly beds for residents that have become so ill, they required specialised equipment to safely look after them. “Mr James has always entered the homes with a smile on his face and is jolly and high spirited, this has had an immense impact on all in his presence. “The dedication and commitment that staff receive from Mr James is
priceless, in 14 years in the health and social care sector I have never before come across a director that is so committed to his staff team, of all levels” Responding to the nomination, Huw added: “It was a surprise when I got the message. “Through this last 12 months there have been real challenges for everybody. “We are blessed by having a really good team and we have been able to continue and provide a service despite everything that’s gone on. “It’s all down to the team. I’d like to say thank you for the effort of everybody in our team over this very difficult last 12 months.”
Huw James
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Care home music lovers bridge generation gap RESIDENTS at Colten Care homes across the south have been ‘Zooming’ in on creative companionship to keep spirits up during lockdown. A host of online experiences featuring music, songs, art and poetry have brought smiles all round and even found new audiences for residents’ creativity. Violinist Sylvia Stokes, who lives at Whitecliffe House in Blandford, Dorset, saw her solo version of Amazing Grace highlighted at the celebration launch of Together with Music, a national campaign to build links between care homes, schools, day centres and playgroups. Footage of Sylvia playing was shown in a launch video along with a rendition of the Simon and Garfunkel hit Cecilia performed by residents at Colten’s Kingfishers home in New Milton, Hampshire. Fiona Pritchard, Colten Care music and arts partner, said: “The result was a remarkable exchange of ideas, conversations, reminiscence and creative pieces. “Our residents readily engaged with the children they met on Zoom. Everyone experienced feelings of inclusiveness and socialisation by coming together online in the midst of lockdown.” More than 500 Together with Music members watched the
Violinist Sylvia Stokes, a resident at Colten Care’s Whitecliffe House in Blandford, Dorset, plays Amazing Grace. performances in a webinar along with a panel of distinguished guests including Professor Martin Green, chief executive of Care England, and Baroness Diana Barran, Minister for Civil Society. Other Colten homes participating in Together with Music include Linden House in Lymington, Avon Cliff in Bournemouth and Newstone House in Sturminster Newton.
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Separately, three homes have been involved in a six-week University of Winchester arts project focusing on creative collaboration across the generations. As well as Kingfishers, residents at Abbotts Barton in Winchester and Woodpeckers in Brockenhurst took part. Via Zoom, they were invited to offer creative responses to prompts about subjects including gardens, nature, fairy tales and literature. The residents’ ideas, presented in poetry, song, drawings and paintings, were then shared with Winchester schoolchildren who added their own artistic interpretations through activities such as drawing and modelmaking. Ideas from the project are now being rolled out to Colten’s dedicated dementia homes, including Linden House and the Winchester home St Catherines View. In a third initiative involving music and companionship, Colten Care residents participated in sign2sing, a fundraising event organised by the deaf health charity SignHealth. Residents at several homes enjoyed learning Makaton signs as they sang and signed the Vera Lynn song We’ll Meet Again which was also featured on the Together with Music launch video.
Resident shares love of Hinckley A RESIDENT at HC-One’s Hinckley Park care home has shared his knowledge and love for the history of the town. Michael Roberts was once a writer for the Hinckley Times. He also contributed to several books on local history, as well as writing his own entitled ‘A Glimpse of Stocking Plus Lots More Not Quite So Shocking Memories of Hinckley’, which was published in 1999. As a veritable font of knowledge, Michael was all too keen to talk about his love of the local area as well as the rich history that runs along the streets of Hinckley. He found himself with a crowd of residents and staff, all eager to hear what he had to say. They learned of the RAF bases that used to be in the local area, a meteorite that fell on Barwell, and a handful of spooky ghost stories.
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Covid-19 unit closes at Grantham care home as transmission rates drop A FACILITY which has cared for more than 80 people during the Covid-19 pandemic is to close as vaccinations take effect in the over 65 age group. The Covid-19 Designated Unit at Apple Trees Care Home in Grantham, run by The Orders of St John Care Trust, was set up last year as part of an initiative led by the Department of Health and Social Care. The Trust was approached by Lincolnshire County Council to open the unit for people with Covid-19 leaving hospital. It was established within an existing 16-bed unit at Apple Trees Care and Reablement Centre and became operational in October when local transmission rates in Lincolnshire were challenging for the heath and care system. The unit was operated within strict infection control guidelines and had its own designated staff team of 17 led by unit manager Sal Barton, a Registered Nurse who joined the Trust in December 2016 as head of care at Beckside, North Hykeham. She was seconded to the unit to oversee dayto-day clinical care and discharge of patients. Sal said: “I am incredibly proud of the team, we pulled together, followed national guidelines, and strict protocols developed by the Trust, to keep people safe during unprecedented times. We cared for some very vulnerable and frightened people. It was uplifting to see the many who recovered and went home. We also cared for people who sadly lost their lives to the disease too. “In some ways the certainty that every patient had Covid-19 meant that we knew what we were dealing with. “We’ve all had our vaccines now but even before they were available, we were confident that our PPE, protocols and calm methodical ways of working would mitigate the risk, leaving us free to focus on caring for
Sal Barton our patients.” The unit will now revert to a short stay and reablement service, while Sal and her team are looking forward to a well-deserved break. They will isolate at home for 10 days, due to their exposure to patients with Covid-19, and then return to the roles they had before they were seconded. Melanie Rowley, Lincolnshire County Council contract manager, added: “Working with Sal and her team, albeit virtually, has been a pleasure. “Sal has shown strength of leadership by demonstrating her ability to collaborate effectively with multiple services; challenging decisions and things “not quite right” in an appropriate way; engaging with review and discussion processes; and supporting her team to be part of the process. “Patients have been well cared for, and able to feel safe and respected, during a clinically vulnerable time. I wish Sal and the team all the best, thank you for the hard work you have all put in.”
Team members from homecare provider Bluebird Care Cardiff South and The Vale have completed a 13.5-mile walk to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society. They included owner and director Cardiff South and Lynne Churchill and her nine-year-old daughter, supervisors Tania Donaldson, Roxy Porter and Joanne Couch, care manager Julie Pope and finance manager Kirsty Rockey. Their walk up Salmon Leaps and Dinas Powys has so far raised £672. Lynne said: “We were inspired to walk for the Alzheimer’s Society as many of our customers and their families are affected by Alzheimer’s. We hope to continue raising money for amazing causes like this in the future.”
Best company success for homecare provider
HOME Instead has been revealed as one of the 10 best health and social care companies to work for in the prestigious Best Companies lists. The homecare company’s national office has also secured places in The North West’s 100 Best Companies to Work For, and The UK’s 100 Best Small Companies to Work For. Home Instead’s exact positions in the three lists will be based on the scores achieved in the Best Companies survey completed by the team and will be revealed at a virtual ceremony on May 21. Home Instead has already achieved three-star accreditation from Best Companies, the highest rating achievable, for their ‘world class’ levels of employee engagement. The provider’s people director, Karen Dakin, said: “In order for us to achieve our mission to change the face of ageing, we need great people,
Karen Dakin
great employee engagement and a shared goal. “We are really proud to have achieved a place in all of the three lists as it tells us that we have great cohesion as a team.” The Best Companies achievements are focused on Home Instead’s national office team of more than 70 staff who support the company’s network of 227 franchised offices across the UK.
Fiona Mirembe, Karen Jakeman and Leena Ghale at Royal Star & Garter in Surbiton.
Staff celebrate Nursing Associate qualifications ROYAL Star & Garter’s first cohort of student Nursing Associates has qualified. Karen Jakeman, Fiona Mirembe and Leena Ghale finished their twoyear course, and are now Registered Nursing Associates. The three, who were working as Health Care Assistants and Lead HCAs at the Surbiton Home prior to the course, will now be able to take on responsibilities which previously lay with Nurses, such as taking blood samples, administering oral medications, and assisting with residents’ care plans. During the course Leena, Fiona and Karen continued working at the Surbiton Home, while also attending St George’s, University of London, one day a week, and going on four-week placements in other care settings. Royal Star & Garter met the associated costs after receiving funding from St George’s NHS Foundation Trust. The course is endorsed by the Nursing and Midwifery Council and the charity viewed it as both an investment in its staff and recognition of their dedication and hard work. St George’s NHS Foundation Trust were able to transfer the cost of all
three roles by releasing funds from their apprenticeship account. During the final year of their course, studies switched online because of the pandemic, but the trio were still able to complete all their work placements. The programme was commissioned by Health Education England to bridge the gap between HCAs and Nurses. Surbiton Home manager Helena Maher said: “Leena, Karen and Fiona have studied hard to successfully achieve this qualification. “It’s wonderful for them, good news for the residents, and great for the Home to see the development of our team.” Royal Star & Garter was one of only a handful of care homes to successfully put staff forward for the course. It has also played a critical part in the rollout of the pioneering course by providing placements to other student Nursing Associates since the pilot began in 2017. Three staff members from Royal Star & Garter’s High Wycombe Home began their student Nursing Associate courses in October 2020, after the charity teamed up with Buckinghamshire New University.
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Care home seeks ‘star bakers’ for competition INSPIRED by the hit Channel 4 show The Great British Bake Off, staff and residents at Herald Lodge care home situated are looking for local star bakers to participate in their upcoming competition. Residents are offering local people of all ages a chance to don their pinnies and battle to become crowned the ‘Coventry Star Baker’. Manager Angie Rose said: “So many of our residents love watching the Great British Bake Off on TV that we knew hosting our own contest would go down a treat. “It has been lovely discussing each bake theme with our residents and then giving it a go ourselves – it actually brought back many memories of cakes and pastries our residents used to make for their friends and families which has been really wonderful to hear.” The contest will comprise of several competitive rounds where the resident judges will be scoring points for design, creativity and, most importantly, taste. In the first round bakers are being asked to submit photographs of their bakes via social media, which residents will use to judge the round’s star baker. The finalists will then go on to create a showstopper bake, which will feature an all-important taste test, as bakers must send or drop off samples of their tasty treats to the resident judges. Each baker must include their
Resident Carol Trevarthen and healthcare assistant Anni Chown.
Ice cream van heralds the arrival of spring
Herald Lodge resident Yvonne North inspiration behind the bake to help with the overall judging. Each week residents will also be whisking up their own bakes following the theme of the competition, in the hopes to inspire the competitors to have fun and share their own top tips which will be shared on their official Facebook and Tik Tok accounts. Bakers must submit their name to enter the competition by May 7, with the first round of bakes starting on May 12. Entries can be submitted to the official Herald Lodge care home Facebook page – https://www. facebook.com/herald.lodge/
RESIDENTS living with dementia in Somerset and Devon enjoyed a first taste of spring thanks to Ilminster ice cream van operator Darren Harley doing the rounds of the Camelot Care Group’s homes. The ice cream van tour was the brainchild of Richard Dempslake, activities co-ordinator for Camelot House and Lodge, who had arranged for Darren to visit the home where he works in Wellington. “Our residents were so excited to hear the music that meant the van was coming,” he said. “And their faces when it pulled up outside were a picture. “They crowded over to the lounge windows so they could see the ice cream concoctions being put together, and were absolutely delighted with Darren’s delicious freshly-made ice cream.
“They especially loved being able to choose their own toppings. “Every resident received an ice cream of their choice, which was a big task but it was worth it for all the smiles.” After Darren had finished serving everyone at Camelot House and Lodge, Richard put to him the idea of visiting Camelot Care’s other homes, and sharing the same pleasure among all the people living with dementia who they support. Seeing how much pleasure his ice creams had brought to the residents, Darren was happy to agree. His second visit was to Butterfly Lodge in Plymouth, where the van’s arrival created every bit as much excitement as in Wellington. His trip to Avalon Nursing Home in Bridgwater is scheduled for the near future.
“We believe that with the right tools and technology we can address potential health risks in the early stages, which we project would have a huge impact on the costs and pressure currently being experienced within the health and social care system. “Already, despite the pilot still being
in its infancy, the benefits of this new process are apparent, and feedback from participating clients and care staff has been overwhelmingly positive.” The main objective of the Early Deterioration in Home Care Project is to bridge the gap between homecare and primary care professionals to help them make earlier, robust decisions. To achieve this, the team – consisting of a number of key industry stakeholders – has developed a thorough workflow process. At the heart of this process, detailed observations are made by trained Fosse care staff – including blood pressure and respiration rate, for example – which are shared digitally with the care recipient’s GP using technology developed for the project by Birdie, to decide what clinical or care support they may require. The pilot scheme was officially launched within the Newark branch of Fosse Healthcare and affects approximately 150 consenting care recipients. The pilot will run for up to six months to give the academic partners enough time to undertake their evaluations.
Digital breakthrough pilot bridges gap between home care and primary care HOMECARE provider Fosse Healthcare has publicly launched its early deterioration pilot scheme. When the pandemic hit in March 2020, Fosse Healthcare became one of many businesses forced to adapt and digitise its services to ensure the safety of staff and clients. However, it wasn’t long before Fosse noticed that many of their new processes were producing unexpectedly positive results. With these in mind, Fosse Healthcare managing director Volt Sacco reached out to key industry organisations with a proposal for a new pilot scheme, designed to demonstrate how technology could potentially be used to strengthen other aspects of the care industry – specifically the communication between adult social home care and healthcare. The significance of the pilot was recognised by the NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Clinical Commissioning Group and, with their missions aligned, Fosse and the CCG joined forces to form the ‘Early Deterioration in Home Care Project’. East Midlands AHSN will be partfunding an evaluation of the project. Volt said: “Fosse and the CCG
both wanted to understand the implications of developing a system which could be adopted throughout the industry, and used to connect care providers with GPs, emergency services and the NHS to proactively identify and treat ‘soft signs’ of deterioration before they become a larger medical concern.
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