Issue 91 19.01.22
The weekly online newsletter for the care sector
Staffing crisis means sector in ‘meltdown’ CARE of our oldest and most vulnerable is on the edge of meltdown as the staffing crisis robs them of the help and support they need. The Independent Care Group has called for urgent Government intervention as the sector struggles. Severe staffing shortages and falling incomes are pushing many providers to the brink of survival. At least 49 councils in England are having to ration care for those eligible for support, ADASS has reported. And a National Care Forum survey found that 43 per cent of homes are closing to new admissions and 66 per cent of home care providers are having to refuse new requests. ICG chair Mike Padgham said: “If we could, as a sector, we would declare a state of emergency in social care. “Of the two years we have gone through with the pandemic, this is the worst point in terms of continuing to deliver care. “We have been warning for months that the staffing situation was becoming critical but have yet to receive any proper support. “Now we see evidence that care is being rationed, providers are having to limit what they offer and vulnerable people are suffering. “That is our mothers, fathers,
brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles and friends.” The Omicron variant of Covid-19 and the rising staff absences it is causing, has exacerbated an already critical shortage of care staff. At the same time, care homes with Covid-19 outbreaks cannot take new admissions until 28 days after their last positive test. This means that homes are suffering severe financial hardship through a drop in income. “This double-whammy is putting the whole delivery of social care at risk,” Mike added. The Association of Directors of Social Services said, following a survey, that half the councils that responded were taking difficult decisions over who gets care and who misses out. “Some 1.5m people are already not getting the care they need at all,” added Mike. “Now we are hearing that even those that get care are having it rationed because there simply isn’t enough care to go round. “The President of ADASS, Stephen Chandler has described the current situation as ‘lockdown by another name’ and that is a scandal. “How long is the Government going to sit around, wringing its hands and allowing this neglect to go on?”
Care home’s prestigious accreditation
A care home operator is spreading joy across its dementia communities with the introduction of new HUG companions in time for National Hugging Day on Friday. New Care is one of the first groups in the UK to introduce HUGs; innovative soft comforters that are designed to be cuddled and bring respite to those living with advanced dementia. With weighted limbs and a soft body that contains a simulated beating heart and music player that can be programmed with a playlist of the resident’s favourite tunes, HUGs can reduce anxiety and agitation, improve quality of life and enhance social interaction, providing many benefits for those living with dementia. Resident Ann Cain is pictured with the HUG companion.
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A HIGH Wycombe care home for veterans and their partners has been accredited with an ‘excellent’ rating of The Butterfly Approach, after creating an exemplary dementia care culture where people can thrive. Royal Star & Garter’s High Wycombe care home recently received the distinguished accreditation from care and culture consultancy Meaningful Care Matters for the implementation of its personcentred care model. Manager Reggie Ballos said: “I’m lucky to have such a hard-working, caring and talented team who do their best for our residents every single day. The excellent rating of The Butterfly Approach accreditation from Meaningful Care Matters is testament to the wonderful work they do.” The Butterfly Approach has a meticulous focus on creating a person-centred care culture where people are ‘free to be’. The model values emotional intelligence, a relationship-based culture, and the core belief that everyone has a unique story that has meaning and matters. It is about putting the focus back on people and their emotions by engaging in the reality of their lived experience in the ‘here and now’. The newest of three homes run by Royal Star & Garter, the 74-room Buckinghamshire Home opened in April 2019, offering nursing care, therapeutic care, and specialist dementia care to military veterans and their partners.
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Exeter home retains New drive is launched to ‘Outstanding’ rating meet increased demand STAFF and residents at a luxury Exeter care home are celebrating after being reaccredited with an ‘Outstanding’ rating from the Care Quality Commission. The Lodge has retained the highest available rating from CQC inspectors after a recent visit to the Victorian home found residents were “safe, well cared for and valued.” The report noted how people’s holistic needs were “very well met” by a staff team who were “well-trained” and “understood the “ethos” of ensuring person-centred care. It also evidenced that the 62-bed home‘s care, meals and the cleanliness were exceptional in their quality and delivery. One section of the report read: “Staff received really well-planned support, training and supervisions to enable them to do the best job possible. They were there for residents and their families at the point of admission, when needing to transfer to hospital or at the end of their lives. In
addition, staff had achieved national accredited training in end-of-life care and demonstrated a commitment to valuing people as individuals, supporting them to lead active and healthy lives and achieve their individual aspirations where possible. They genuinely cared for the people they were supporting.” Deborah Skinner, general manager at The Lodge, added: “I am immensely proud of the staff commitment and care they provide. “It is a true team effort. I also take great pride in knowing my residents, and their families and friends. “This means we can tailor our service to ensure the best care possible.” The inspection, which was unannounced, also saw inspectors get feedback from residents and their family members on their experience of The Lodge. The Lodge is part of Elizabeth Finn Homes, which operates a portfolio of nine care homes throughout England.
Extension of free PPE to sector is welcomed CARE England has welcomed the extension of the provision of free PPE to the health and care sector to March 31, 2023. The DHSC previously committed to providing free PPE to the sector until March 31, 2022 and launched a consultation in October 2021 on whether to extend this offer for a further year. Professor Martin Green OBE, chief executive of Care England, said: “We are pleased that the Government has listened to Care England in extending the offer of free PPE. “The sector is currently contending with a multitude of issues against a backdrop of outbreaks and rising infection levels, so this represents a welcome relief and will provide a real boost for the sector as we learn to live with Covid. “Most importantly, the continuation of free PPE will continue to help better protect some of society’s most vulnerable.” Care England’s response to the consultation highlighted that free PPE via a centralised mechanism had been an enormous win for Government and the potential return
Professor Martin Green OBE to a situation similar to March 2020, when there were huge challenges in accessing PPE, would be a retrograde step in the management of the ongoing pandemic. Martin added: “This is a positive step forward in the Government’s response to aiding the sector, but this must be accompanied by further measures, including a comprehensive solution to the ongoing workforce pressures being felt by the sector. “The adult social care workforce is our biggest resource and must be recognised and valued as such.”
BLUEBIRD Care Bromley, Lewisham and Southwark and Sevenoaks has launched a recruitment drive in an attempt to ease the shortage of workers in the industry. The provider is recruiting home care and live-in care assistants, with shifts available mornings and afternoons during the week, and days and nights during the weekend. Ben Davie, director of Bluebird Care Bromley, Lewisham and Southwark and Sevenoaks, said: “Our Bluebird Care franchises are determined to mitigate the strain that the current health and social care national workforce is under. “In a post-Brexit, Covid-19 era, we are proud to be providing local jobs for local people, with the ultimate aim of being able to help more people in need throughout our community. “We are immensely proud of our team of care assistants who have diligently soldiered on through the challenges posed by the pandemic, so that their customers could continue to live independently at home. “Home care is an incredibly rewarding profession for those of
the right mindset. “We’re now looking to welcome new members to our wonderful team to meet the growing needs of the communities we serve.” Bluebird Care Bromley, Lewisham and Southwark and Sevenoaks offer competitive rates of hourly pay, flexible working hours, performance related bonus schemes, a company pension, healthcare benefits, learning and development opportunities and a strong track record of recruiting for office positions internally from the care team. Care assistants also benefit from generous holiday pay and mileage between visits, both of which are paid in addition to basic wage rates. Staff also benefit from ongoing training and regular support from their local office, who are always on hand when needed. The application process is an interactive and efficient one. Those interested will have an informal chat followed by a formal interview. Every successful applicant then undergoes a comprehensive skills assessment programme to ensure that no one starts work unprepared.
A Bradford woman who painted hundreds of landscape pictures and Yorkshire landmarks, many of which adorn the walls of local homes, has received a special message from Buckingham Palace after celebrating her 100th birthday. May Monk celebrated her big day with her family and the team at Brookfield Care Home in Nab Wood near Shipley where she has lived for the last nine years. She has 11 grandchildren and eight great grandchildren and in 2019 decided to put a lot of her artwork up for sale at the Saltaire Arts Trail and donated the proceeds to the RNLI in recognition of her Hull roots and the city’s maritime history. May is pictured with Manisha Kaur from Brookfield Care Home.
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Dementia specialist is awarded an MBE BARCHESTER Healthcare dementia care specialist Deena Heaney has been awarded an MBE for services to dementia care. She will be invited to London to receive her award from a member of the royal family later this year. Deena said: “I am absolutely overwhelmed, it really has not sunk in yet. I am humbled by the wonderful response I have received from family, friends and colleagues who are all ecstatic for me and so very proud which is just lovely. “I absolutely love what I do and I am lucky enough to work with amazing people who make every day a complete joy, I want to share this award with them – I couldn’t have done it without their hard work and commitment. “My family and friends are so supportive of my career, I want to thank each and every one of them and I can’t wait to celebrate with them.” Originally from Borrowash in Derby, Deena has dedicated her entire career to working in the care sector. After studying health and social care at college, she began her working life as a carer at a care home in Derby and is now coming up to her 40-year anniversary in the sector. Her passion for dementia care started early on when she found there was a lack of knowledge on the subject and set out to acquire it for herself. She attended lots of courses and lectures, and was particularly inspired by a dementia expert called Victoria Metcalfe who she went on to work for and from whom she learnt a great deal and became a specialist in her own right. Deena joined Barchester Healthcare in 2015. She regularly speaks at conferences and has won multiple awards for her work in supporting staff to provide the best possible person-centred care for residents
Home launches mental health initiatives Deena Heaney living with dementia. Her whole motivation is to make a difference and to promote positive effective communication between staff and residents, she says to provide the best care you need to understand the uniqueness of each individual. Deena lives for the lightbulb moment when she is training staff and she can see that they ‘get it’ and that training leads to an enhanced experience for residents. She is also passionate about supporting the friends and family of those people living with dementia for whom the experience can be an incredibly difficult journey. Barchester Healthcare’s managing director for the central division, Lorna Rose, added: “I have worked with Deena for many years and I have always been incredibly proud of her achievements, her work in training our staff to support our residents who are living with dementia is exceptional and inspiring. “I am delighted that her dedication and commitment has been recognised with this wonderful accolade. She is an absolute superstar and I could not be happier for her.”
Residents enjoy home’s pub RESIDENTS at a Cassington care home have been enjoying the British culture of ‘pub nights’ and making the most of drinking in their onsite pub. Churchfields built its public house two years ago at the residents’ request. Residents mentioned they wanted somewhere ‘cosy to sit’, enjoy a drink and also to socialise. The drinking hole is open all day and residents can order any drink they like, at any time. Activities coordinator Faye Tanner
said: “Residents love to use the area to socialise, chat with friends and relax. When families visit the residents, they often use the area to play cards, board games or dominoes. “The bar is a central part of the home and it is used by everyone. “For us, it is extra special because it was built and designed around our residents’ requests. It’s become even more valuable now because of the pandemic and we are able to bring the atmosphere of the pub into the home, in a safe environment.”
RESIDENTS at a Hertfordshire care home have taken part in mental health initiatives to promote happiness and connection – boosting positive wellbeing during the cold and dark January period. Foxholes near Hitchin has been promoting positive health through a meditation session and a dropin coffee afternoon for its staff and residents. The meditation session, which took place in the home’s Norton TV lounge, provided residents with enriching mental stimulation – with benefits including lower blood pressure, decreased pain, better immune system function, as well as improved mood and brain function. Estate manager Neil Gandecha said: “It’s been another challenging winter period for everyone, and particularly
for those in social care. “Every year we see Blue/Brew Monday as a chance to talk and offer support to people who may be struggling with their mental health. “With that in mind, it was our mission to provide our residents and staff with activities that connected everyone on a meaningful level, whether it’s through meditation, or sharing a coffee to help reach out and stay connected.” Originally created by UK travel company Sky Travel, the term Blue Monday has traditionally been given to the third Monday of every January since 2005. Brew Monday was then given to the same day by the charity Samaritans, with a focus on connecting with family, friends, colleagues and loved ones.
Dream machines come to visit enthusiast Jim A CLASSIC car aficionado was left ‘speechless and grinning from ear to ear’ when a collection of vehicles from different eras turned up outside the door of his Dorset nursing home. Knowing of his long-standing hobby, team members at Colten Care’s Newstone House in Sturminster Newton arranged the surprise birthday treat for resident Jim Atkins. They contacted local owners’ club Sturminster Newton Car and Bike Enthusiasts who brought along nine of their much-loved vehicles to display at the Outstanding-rated home. The models included an early 1950s Alvis limousine, various cars from the 1960s, a Normandy Landings US Army Jeep and a Porsche 911 sports car. Karlene Duffy, Companionship Team leader at Newstone House, said: “Jim always talks about car shows he has been to, and he has a passion for classic cars, with lovely memories of red ones in particular. “When the owners’ club kindly offered to bring some of their collection over for Jim to see we thought it would be a chance to rekindle memories of driving on the open road in years gone by. “We weren’t disappointed – Jim was speechless for most of the time and grinning from ear to ear.” Jim was especially taken with a red
Jim Atkins Sunbeam Alpine, a British marque made famous in popular culture through appearances in 1960s films such as the James Bond blockbuster Dr No and the Michael Caine-Shirley MacLaine comedy heist caper Gambit. He added: “There were so many cars I wanted to drive them all. It was wonderful. “Thank you so much to everyone who helped to make this happen.” Weymouth-born Jim, a retired farmer, has been a classic car enthusiast all his life with a particular fondness for red models, so the Sunbeam was a definite draw.
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