Care Management Matters (CMM) February 2024

In this issue

Social Care Insights

In his latest column, Simon Bottery proposes a new name –a ‘hancock’ – for when ‘and social care’ is gratuitously added to policy statements. Read his opinion as to why.

Inside CQC

Mary Cridge, Director of Adult Social Care at the Care Quality Commission, outlines new care home initiatives and discusses the implementation of new regulations.

CMM News

Into Perspective

This month, our experts update on the developments taking place in social care nursing and comment on the nursing challenges and opportunities in 2024.

Celebrating Excellence

CMM reveals the 2024 finalists in each Awards category and announces a brand-new host who shares why she is so excited for the forthcoming Markel 3rd Sector Care Awards ceremony.

Event Preview

CMM comments on what we can expect from the Managers Conference – an event hosted by the National Care Forum (NCF) and Skills for Care, in collaboration with ARC England on 11th and 12th March.

What’s On?

Straight Talk

Parkinson’s UK is calling for the UK Government to fund training in Parkinson’s-related dementia. Gini Dellow, Policy Manager (Mental Health and Dementia) at the charity, explains why.

Steaming ahead: Continuing to champion our sector

As we enter a new year, Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, outlines the key areas of challenge for the sector and explains why we must keep striving for reform.

Understanding the reality: What action can I take when false statements are made about me?

What can providers do when a blatantly incorrect statement has been made against them? Lucy Bowker, a solicitor at Gordons Partnership Solicitors, explains the complexity surrounding defamation claims.

Powerful words can change the same old stories

Raina Summerson, Group Chief Executive of Agincare, encourages providers to share positive sector stories and outlines the financial position of homecare providers in 2024.

Supporting care leaders in 2024: How to increase resilience, retention and quality

My Home Life England Director, Tom Owen, details the key themes to emerge from the organisation’s professional development training programme to support care leaders.

Resource Finder: Technology

CMM profiles leading technology companies to support care providers in navigating their digital journey.

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CMM

SOCIAL CARE INSIGHTS

From Simon Bottery

Simon Bottery proposes a new name – a ‘hancock’ – for when ‘and social care’ is gratuitously added to policy statements that are in fact entirely about the NHS.

Every year the Oxford English Dictionary identifies a newly coined word that has taken on wide usage. For 2023 it was ‘rizz’ (meaning, roughly, ‘charisma’).

Social care also needs a new word to describe an annoying and potentially damaging trend that has been around since at least 2018. That was the year the Department of Health became the Department of Health and Social Care and, while this was a positive move, it also brought with it a tendency for Government policy statements to have the words ‘and social care’ added after ‘health’ even when social care had been given little or no consideration in development of the policy in question.

In the past, I’ve called this an ‘andsocialcareism’ but that’s far too clumsy a word. Instead, I want to suggest we call it a ‘hancock’ because one of the worst examples I have seen was from then Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock, who replaced Jeremy Hunt in July 2018. In a 2019 speech, he described how he had, ‘spoken to doctors, nurses, paramedics, porters, and patients the length and breadth of this nation’. He then went on to outline four priorities for the health ‘and social care’ system – infrastructure, prevention, people and technology – without giving a single example of how these relate to

social care. The speech is littered with health and NHS examples and policies but not a single one mentions social care.

A more recent but startlingly similar example of a 'hancock’ was the announcement in December last year by the new Health and Social Care Secretary, Victoria Atkins, of her priorities for the health and social care system. The Secretary of State ‘pays tribute’ to NHS, social care and research staff for their hard work but goes on to outline Government achievements in health and research (50,000 additional nurses, 50 million more GP appointments, the rollout of lifesaving HIV opt-out testing etc.) but not social care. In fact, in the whole piece, the only relevant part for social care is a bullet point referencing Government support for older people to maintain their independence for longer.

‘Hancocks’ aren’t just in speeches, though, they are in policies. In October 2021, for example, the Government announced, ‘the most far-reaching review of health and social care leadership in 40 years’, led by General Sir Gordon Messenger and Dame Linda Pollard. In practice, the review quickly identified that the huge diversity of structures, systems and staff across the health and care system meant it could not possibly adequately cover social

care. Yet when the review was reported in June 2022 with a focus almost entirely on the healthcare system, the announcement still boasted about the ‘biggest shake-up in health and social care leadership in a generation’. In practice, we are still waiting for a ‘far-reaching’ review of social care leadership (or, indeed, a workforce strategy).

This may all seem pernickety but ‘hancocks’ matter. They are small illustrations of a much broader policy assumption that what really counts in the health and care system is the NHS. Social care saw this perhaps most keenly during the early stages of COVID-19 when providers and commissioners felt that their needs for personal protective equipment and testing were not given the same priority as those of the NHS. All the signs suggest that the two main parties will focus on the NHS and avoid talking about the vitally needed reform of social care during the next general election.

So, while it is welcome that the department changed its name in 2018, it was never going to be enough. We now need to see a further shift towards genuinely treating social care as the equal partner that it is, not simply an added ‘and social care’ at the end of a list of health-focused policies.

As 2024 unfolds, Mary Cridge, Director of Adult Social Care at the Care Quality Commission, outlines pivotal initiatives in care homes and the implementation of new regulations in the evolving care sector.

Supporting people to live full and meaningful lives in residential care is a vital part of the work the social care sector does. The best example of care that we see in our regulatory activity is person-centred care. That doesn’t happen by accident. We're all individuals, with unique pasts and preferences, therefore all care is different.

It can be an ongoing challenge to balance safety with personal choice and I’m pleased that a new guide based on research by the University of Bedfordshire and supported by colleagues at CQC has been published to support providers and people with the use of alcohol in care homes.

The guidance focuses on the benefits of having alcohol available to care home residents who want it. It also examines the potential risks and how to mitigate them. The research was led by Dr Sarah Wadd. She said, ‘People living in care homes should be supported to have as much choice and control of their lives as possible. It is important to remember that just as health has value, so too does pleasure. The goal is to find a balance between minimising risk and maximising quality of life.’

The new guide for care home residents and the public along with a good practice guide for care home staff is now available. These will help everyone navigate the space where issues of choice and safety collide to make a real difference to people providing and using services.

Another important piece of guidance in development this year is in response to the introduction of an amendment to Regulation 9, to add a regulation on visiting and accompaniment in care homes, hospitals and hospices. This new fundamental standard is being introduced by the Government following their consultation in the summer of 2023.

The new fundamental standard is intended to highlight the importance of visiting for people using health and social care services and that visits should never be unreasonably restricted. As the

INSIDE CQC

Mary Cridge

regulator, we have a legal duty to issue guidance for providers on how to comply with the regulations. This guidance will also set out what people using health and social care services and their friends and family can expect. We’re currently consulting on this guidance and I encourage you to read the documents and share your views.

The Department for Health and Social Care proposes that the new regulation will come into force in April 2024. This consultation – which is limited to our guidance about the new fundamental standard and does not cover the scope and content of the visiting legislation itself – is open for your comments until midday on Tuesday 20th February. We'll publish the results shortly after that.

2024 sees the full implementation of our new regulatory framework across England. Those in our south of England and London and east of England regions are now using the framework. By the end of February, all remaining areas will have begun using the new assessment framework, too. We continue to work closely with providers to gather detailed feedback on the processes we’re using. One early adopter in the south of England said, ‘So far, the process has been communicated really well. Obviously there have been a few teething issues but our main assessor/inspector has communicated honestly with us about this. The honest open communication has been the best part of the process so far.’

Our formal assessments of local authorities have also begun, following the completion of the pilot phase. A key part of the assessment process is understanding how providers are supported by and interact with systems. Please complete the questionnaires that we send to providers when your local authority is due for assessment. Your feedback for assessments as with our ongoing consultations and development of guidance is vital.

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DHSC launches care workforce pathway

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has launched a new Care Workforce Pathway, which is part of a wider package of support for the domestic adult social care workforce.

Whilst being largely welcomed by the sector, concerns have been raised that the Government's plans do not go far enough to address long-standing issues surrounding recruitment and retention of staff.

Backed by £75m in funding, the announcement comes in the same week that the Government also started the second phase of the Made with Care recruitment campaign. The campaign is aimed at getting more people in the UK to consider a rewarding career in care.

The plans being rolled out include:

• The launch of the Care Workforce Pathway: For the first time, there will be a national career structure for the adult social care workforce, covering the breadth and complexity of care.

• Over £50m of funding for a new qualification: This will support up to 37,000 individuals in direct adult social care roles to enrol on the new Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate qualification between June 2024 and March 2025.

• An investment of over £20m for apprenticeships: Local authorities and adult social care providers will be able to use the money towards training and supervising hundreds of new social work and nurse apprentices.

• Subsidised training places: An uplift to the Workforce Development Fund will expand access to learning and development, creating opportunities for the workforce to become experts in their field or progress into new roles.

• A new digital leadership qualification: This will help equip social care leaders and managers with the confidence and capability to lead the implementation and use of technology in the delivery of care.

Professor Vic Rayner OBE, Chief Executive of the National Care Forum, said, ‘Social care delivers publicly funded services needed by millions of people each and every year. The Government must make the strategic decision to ensure that it adequately funds the pay, terms and conditions of the workforce to ensure we have the care and support we need both now and in the future.’

Secretary of State outlines priorities

Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins has thanked health, social care, and research staff for delivering on patients’ priorities, as she set out her commitment to make the health and social care system faster, simpler and fairer for patients. The Health and Social Care Secretary has committed to making health and social care services:

• Faster for patients, by making it easier to get treatment locally, improving A&E performance and cutting waiting lists.

• Simpler for patients, with joined-up, integrated care, and simpler for staff, by reducing bureaucracy and giving them the latest technology to free up their time to care for patients fairer, ensuring that:

- Children are protected from health harms.

- Health outcomes are not determined by where you live.

- Government supports older people to maintain their independence for longer.

- Government delivers a more productive NHS that is fairer for taxpayers.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Victoria Atkins, said, ‘Since joining the department, I have been bowled over by the way health and social care staff just keep on delivering for patients. The important milestones we’ve reached such as reaching 50,000 additional nurses and 50 million more GP appointments demonstrate real progress.' She added, ‘I have spent the past few weeks meeting doctors, nurses, GPs, pharmacists and other health workers and heard wonderful stories about how they have gone above and beyond to deliver outstanding care for patients and cut waiting lists. But I have also heard about their frustrations and where they feel they are not able to deliver the best possible care or where prevention or early intervention could have made a real difference. That is why I am committed to making health and social care services faster, simpler and fairer.’

APPOINTMENTS

ADASS

On 12th December, the Association for Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) announced that Anna Hemmings has been appointed as its new Joint Chief Executive, alongside Cathie Williams. Hemmings previously served as CEO at GamCare for five years and will take over the post from outgoing joint CEO Sheila Norris, who will continue to work with ADASS until May.

Creed

Miles Roberts has been appointed as Managing Director at Creed Foodservice taking over from Philip de Ternant who will assume the role of Chairman within the Board of Directors. With six years of experience as Sales and Marketing Director, Roberts brings a wealth of experience to his new position, garnered from senior roles at Brakes, Pepsi Co and Sainsbury’s.

Cygnet

Cygnet, leading health and social care provider, has announced Ian Brokenshire as its new Non Executive Director on its Advisory Board. Brokenshire previously served at KPMG on the Leadership team for 35 years advising the UK’s most significant healthcare organisations, including behavioural health, elderly care, nursing agencies, pharma and medical appliances, and will bring extensive knowledge to the board.

Kenton Hall

Malcolm Hanson has been appointed as the new care home manager at Kenton Hall care home in Newcastle. He has 17 years of management experience and a career spanning 33 years in the NHS and health and social care.

LGA publishes findings on council pressures

According to a new survey, The Local Government Association (LGA) estimates that councils in England face a £4bn funding gap over the next two years just to keep services standing still.

Last month’s Autumn Statement failed to provide the additional funding needed to protect services from further cuts.

"Councils continue to face the tough choice of whether to increase council tax bills."

This is despite councils of all political colours and types warning that growing demand and cost pressures are threatening their financial sustainability. Almost one in five council leaders and chief executives in England surveyed

by the LGA think it is very or fairly likely that their chief finance officer will need to issue a Section 114 notice this year, or next, due to a lack of funding to keep key services running.

In 2024/25, councils will be able to increase general council tax by 3% without the need for a referendum. Those with social care responsibilities will again be able to increase the adult social care precept by up to a further 2%.

This means that councils continue to face the tough choice of whether to increase council tax bills to bring in desperately needed funding to provide services when they are acutely aware of the significant burden that could be placed on some households.

The LGA survey – of council leaders and chief executives – reveals:

• Half are not confident they will

have enough funding to fulfil their legal duties next year (2024/25). This includes the delivery of statutory services.

• Nearly two-thirds of council leaders and chief executives said there were no announcements in the Autumn Statement that they thought would help them deal with their council’s financial position.

• The LGA said the circumstances that have led to a Section 114 notice so far have been unique to each local area and the pressures they face.

• However, all those that have had to curb spending in this way have faced the same underlying pressures – councils’ core spending power falling by 27% in real terms from 2010/11 to 2023/24, the impact of the pandemic, rising demand for

services, in particular statutory services like social care and homelessness support, and the extra costs to provide them.

The LGA said the Government urgently needs to use the forthcoming provisional Local Government Finance Settlement to provide councils with sufficient resources to set balanced budgets next year without having to make drastic cuts to services.

Dr Rhidian Hughes, Chief Executive of the Voluntary Organisation Disability Group (VODG), said, ‘It is paramount that the Government ensures the local government settlement provides enough funding for councils to meet the needs of their local communities. The demand for social care is only increasing; to keep ignoring and underfunding provision is failing millions of disabled people and their families who deserve better.’

CQC publishes new assessment process guidance

The CQC has published new guidance that is aimed at supporting providers in its new approach to assessment.

Providers can download and print the guidance, but the CQC will refine and update it and therefore providers have been told to keep up to date. The CQC’s new framework retains the regulator's five key questions and the four-point rating scale. CQC will assess services against quality statements. These replace CQC’s key lines of enquiry (KLOEs), prompts and rating characteristics.

CQC will gather evidence both on-site and off-site to make an assessment. The types of evidence that it will consider are grouped into six evidence categories. CQC lists the evidence categories it will look at for different sector groups. Assessments may be responsive (in response to information of concern) or planned. In both cases, CQC says it will be flexible and may expand the scope of an assessment if it

needs to. The regulator will continue to ask adult social care providers to complete an annual provider information return (PIR).

CQC is rolling out the new assessment approach by region so it can test and improve. Its guidance on how it is starting its new assessment approach sets out this process and the dates. Care providers do not need an account for the new portal for the regulator and the CQC is developing its portal to communicate about assessments but initially, it will use established methods.

The regulator will let providers know when new assessments will be starting in each area. It will do this by emailing a provider’s nominated individual and registered manager. If you provide several services, CQC may start using its new approach for some services ahead of others. Visit the CQC website for more information:

www.cqc.org.uk/assessment/how-assessment-process-will-work

New minister for disabled people

Mims Davies has been appointed the new Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, previously held by Tom Pursglove as Minister of State.

The Government has been subject to scrutiny since the announcement, accused of 'downgrading' the role. Mims Davies has taken on the role within the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) but remains a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State. This is the lowest of three tiers of Government minister and immediately

junior to a Minister of State. In response to the appointment of a new Minister for Disabled People, Dr Rhidian Hughes, Chief Executive at the Voluntary Organisations Disability Group, said, ‘Given the many challenges being faced by disabled people, including a cost-of-living crisis, the loss of essential services due to funding cuts and incoming changes to benefit and employment support, reappointing a Minister with a focus on disability is the right thing to do.’

Care sector reacts to immigration measures

The Home Secretary, James Cleverley, announced new immigration measures in December, which included a ‘Five Point’ plan to cut migration to the UK.

The Government said it will tighten the Health and Care visa, which has seen a significant number of visas granted to care workers and their dependants, by preventing overseas care workers from bringing their dependants to the UK. In addition, care providers in England will now only be able to sponsor migrant workers if they are undertaking activities regulated by the Care Quality Commission.

In the year ending September 2023, 101,000 Health and Care visas were issued to care

workers and senior care workers, with an estimated 120,000 visas granted to associated dependants. Over the past year, Care England has seen a reduction of 53,000 domestic workers working in the care sector but has also seen an increase of 70,000 people from overseas starting in care-providing roles in the adult social care sector.

From Spring 2024, the Government will increase the earning threshold for overseas workers by nearly 50% from its current position of £26,200 to £38,700. The Government will also increase the minimum income required for British citizens and those settled in the UK who want their family members to join them.

New healthcare reform report

A new report has called for healthcare reform to reap the rewards of integrated primary and community healthcare services. The report, published by the House of Lords Integration of Primary and Community Care Committee, has highlighted a lack of co-ordination between the everyday primary and community services relied on by people using the NHS.

Some of the key conclusions and recommendations from the report include:

• The need for streamlined structures and organisation of NHS services. Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) are a good starting point for collaborative working but their relationship with other healthcare bodies, public bodies and local government must be based on mutual professional respect.

The Department of Health and Social Care

(DHSC) should evaluate ICS structures before implementing any major health service reforms.

• There needs to be a more simplified and flexible system for awarding contracts and allocating funds within the NHS to encourage multi-disciplinary, integrated working. DHSC and NHS England (NHSE) should reform the contract process and ensure new contracts are flexible in the commissioning of primary care. The Government should explore different ownership models for GP practices to facilitate more joined-up and better care.

• Data-sharing is crucial to successful healthcare integration. When patient information is stored on different systems, people can end up frustrated due to

Armscare Ltd provides care home services to those in need and has several care homes in and around the Kings Lynn area and West Norfolk region. Raj Sehgal, Chief Executive Officer at Armscare Ltd, told CMM, ‘Cutting the supply line of a migrant workforce into social care will lead to the strangulation of a workforce into our health services. Further to this, the announcements only serve to make the UK even less attractive to migrant health and social care workers which reduces our option to recruit and retain the 'brightest and the best' to our sector. This policy change will only serve to drive up cost exponentially, which ultimately needs to be funded by the very Government that imposes such policies.’

answering questions about their conditions and treatment repeatedly as they switch between services. A properly maintained Single Patient Record (SPR) is an essential component in tackling this issue.

• Equipping staff to work across multiple clinical disciplines through improved training will make the integration of services easier. Currently, staff spend more time meeting everyday demands, rather than implementing new integration strategies. Clinicians should be introduced to the work of other services through job rotations. Social care needs should also be included in the NHS's Long Term Workforce Plan to ensure that enough well-trained social carers are available.

CIPFA calls for new approach to social care funding

The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy's (CIPFA's) latest publication calls for a new approach to social care funding. It hopes that adequate funding can be provided in the short term for services to recover and to deal with current challenges, and a commitment can be made to adequate longterm funding to make services fit for the future.

According to CIPFA, reform should specifically ensure that any reforms are equitable and do not benefit or disadvantage one group in society over another and that local authorities are fully funded to implement the reforms.

With the delay of the implementation of the Government’s proposed adult social care charging reforms from October 2023 to October 2025, the sector has the opportunity to take stock of the reforms and to consider possible routes forward, CIPFA states.

Dr Will Burns, CIPFA Social Care Policy Advisor, said, ‘The wider social care system is facing a myriad of challenges to do with the workforce, unmet need, increasing demand, and the risk of market failure. Without stable and adequate long-term funding, effective public financial management is hindered. Short-term funding arrangements have impeded

long-term planning, development, innovation and investment in social care. Charging reforms need to be fully funded for local authorities to implement them successfully.

'Among other recommendations, we’re calling on the Government to produce a new impact assessment for social care charging reform, provide a long-term social care funding settlement, improve access to social care and introduce a cap on care costs that includes local authority contributions.'

To read CIPFA's new publication, Charging for adult social care in England: reform and routes forward, visit its website.

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Welsh Government grants community care funding

The Welsh Government has held back an extra £8m this winter to support people at greatest risk to stay well, receive care at or close to home and reduce pressure on hospitals.

The money will be used to increase community health and social care workforce capacity in the evenings and on weekends including increasing the hours of community nurses and end of life care clinical nurse specialists.

The funding will also deliver services such as the assessment of those people living with frailty or other complex needs and agreeing on a plan to support their wellbeing and independence at home, particularly during illness or following an injury. This care is tailored to each person’s specific needs and could include community nursing, reablement, rehabilitative therapy, mental

health support or a combination of these and other services.

Carmarthenshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Social Services Cllr Jane Tremlett said, ‘Enabling patients to return home earlier from hospital settings and offering social care teams another tool to remotely support clients in the community allows for a more pro-active and preventative approach so where possible we can delay or even stop entry to these services.

The Home First team provides a single point of access to ensure that people access the right part of the system, the first time. This includes providing clinically safe alternatives to hospitals where appropriate and supporting people to remain within their own homes with the right support.’

Charities call to scrap defibrillator tax

A coalition of leading first aid and cardiovascular charities, including the British Heart Foundation, St John's Ambulance and the British Red Cross, have pledged support for a campaign to scrap the VAT on Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), a move which would increase affordability and save lives.

This comes as over 100 MPs and Peers wrote to the Prime Minister and Chancellor last month urging the Government to consider scrapping the defibrillator tax ahead of the Autumn Statement.

The Heart Restart Tax initiative is led by the British Healthcare Trades Association and brings together community groups, charities, businesses and MPs to campaign for change.

Small businesses, community groups, charities and private users must pay added tax on top of all defibrillator purchases – bringing costs up by £200-500 per defibrillator. The campaign is urging the Government to reconsider the tax to ensure that more defibrillators can be installed across the country.

Currently, local authorities, the NHS, and specific first aid charities are exempt from VAT on defibrillators, meaning that the tax only hits small businesses and charities, community groups, grassroots sports clubs and private owners.

In January, the Irish Government removed the VAT on defibrillators in Ireland in a bid to save lives and reduce pressure on healthcare services.

ARCO celebrates Integrated Retirement Community

ARCO, the national body for operators of Integrated Retirement Communities, is celebrating two years since the organisation launched the term to describe the modern housing-with-care schemes of its members.

Since its launch, the term 'Integrated Retirement Community' has seen remarkable growth. Google searches for the term have skyrocketed to over 14,000 results, marking a 250% increase in usage since its formal adoption by ARCO.

Over 100 UK organisations, including UK Government departments, news outlets and sector search portals, have embraced the term.

'Integrated Retirement Community' was introduced in November 2021 to help

distinguish the sector from residential care homes and legacy retirement housing.

ARCO conducted extensive research, involving 600 older people, ARCO members, and stakeholders. The outcome was a unanimous preference for the term 'Integrated Retirement Community'.

ARCO’s Chief Executive, Michael Voges, said, ‘When ARCO adopted the term two years ago, we called on our members, the wider sector and the external landscape to follow suit and provide clarity on the sector’s offering that our 2020 research showed was desperately needed. I am delighted to see this has been achieved with the term’s widespread use by over 100 organisations.’

Free elearning resource on data security launches

Care providers can now improve and assess their staff’s knowledge of data security and protection using a new elearning resource, specifically designed for the care sector.

Better Security, Better Care – the national programme supporting adult care providers with data security – has developed the course in response to a gap in the market.

Speaking about the new course, Michelle Corrigan, Programme Director of Better Security, Better Care, said, ‘Care providers said that it can be challenging to meet the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) requirement to train at least 95% of staff on data protection in the previous 12 months.

‘We have made the course completely open access, without

any need to register or log in because we want to maximise the number of people using it – especially staff in small care services. But it is also available as a SCORM (Sharable Content Object Model) compliant resource for providers who have a Learning Management System.’

The course, which reinforces the Data Security Standards and the Care Certificate, includes four modules and one online assessment. Each module takes around 10 – 20 minutes to complete, and there is one single assessment covering topics from all four modules. Staff can complete the modules in any order and over the course of several days.

Care managers, trainers and staff can access the course and corresponding user guides at www.digitalcarehub.co.uk

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MHA launches lifestyle and wellness app

The UK’s largest charity care provider, MHA, has launched MHA Active, an app offering tailored lifestyle and wellbeing content for older people, to keep minds and bodies active.

Through MHA Active, individuals can access a growing library of more than 600 videos, articles, games and quizzes. Activities such as yoga, tai-chi and arts and crafts are available, with the app also offering a dementia-friendly section.

MHA works with multiple specialists, including florists, artists and exercise instructors, to ensure that content is beneficial, entertaining and interactive.

All video content is produced in-house by MHA and bespoke

activities, requested by the app’s users, will be accommodated, where possible. For example, a virtual outdoor walking video was filmed, specifically after a resident in one of MHA’s care homes wanted to experience being outside in nature, after undergoing hip surgery.

Jonathan Mace, Director of Communities at MHA, said, ‘We want our app to become the go-to for people over 65 who are looking to stay healthy and active. It’s easy to use and our content is very much user-led, which is what makes it unique.’

Those wishing to join the MHA Active app community can download it via the App Store, Google Play or their web browser.

Virtual ‘memory lanes’ seek to improve wellbeing

Care home residents across the UK are experiencing captivating, personalised virtual environments to improve their mental and social wellbeing with the launch of innovative VR technology built specifically for the care sector and supported by Alzheimer’s Society’s innovation programme.

"Virtual reality has the power to transform the lives of residents."

With Recreo VR residents can experience environments that reflect their own personal histories, hobbies they’ve enjoyed and topics of interest from the past, such as favourite holiday destinations. Bespoke content can be requested by individuals, promoting person-centred care and empowerment while helping to stimulate memories.

New minimum price for homecare

WHAT’S THE STORY?

The Homecare Association has published its Minimum Price for Homecare for April 2024 to March 2025. It has calculated this minimum fee rate for the purchase of homecare by local authorities and the NHS at £28.53 per hour. This allows for full compliance with the new National Living Wage (£11.44) in April 2024 and the delivery of sustainable, good-quality, regulated homecare services.

The minimum price has increased from last year (£25.95 per hour) because of a 9.8% increase in the National Living Wage from April 2024, and inflation in operating costs.

WHAT WERE THE FINDINGS?

Founders Alex and Sam were inspired to create Recreo VR after seeing the transformation a journey to a beach had on Sam’s grandmother towards the end of her life. Joyce, who lived with dementia and had been non-verbal for a long time, began to smile and engage in conversation during the trip. This experience is what Sam and Alex aim to replicate using VR technology, as they said, ‘We believe that virtual reality has the power to transform the lives of residents, build social connections and enhance their quality of life. We want to empower care organisations to embrace new technology and create experiences in their settings that have noticeable impact on both residents, their families and staff that go beyond the traditional approaches.’

Recreo VR is supported by Alzheimer’s Society’s Accelerator Programme, a service that champions dementia innovation.

The Homecare Association stresses the importance of paying care workers much more than the legal minimum. This is to recognise the skill and responsibility of their roles and to improve retention and recruitment of staff.

Also reported are the equivalent fee rates required in England, based on the Real Living Wage, the London Living Wage and for NHS Band 3 with 2+ years’ experience (including a supplementary figure for this band in Outer London). A fee rate of £30.31 per hour is required to pay careworkers an equivalent wage to an NHS Band 3 Healthcare Assistant with 2+ years’ experience (or £34.34 per hour for Outer London).

The Government set aside money in the Autumn Statement 2022 explicitly to improve fee rates for care providers via the Market Sustainability and Improvement Fund. They expect that this will

amount to £683m in 2024-25.

However, to allow the homecare sector to pay similar wages to the NHS for equivalent roles would cost over £2bn per year (without considering the rising demand for social care, changes in terms and conditions or associated costs in other parts of the social care sector, such as in care homes).

WHAT DO THE EXPERTS SAY?

Dr Jane Townson, Chief Executive of the Homecare Association said, ‘Low fee rates from councils and the NHS lead directly to homecare workers receiving poor pay and terms and conditions of employment. It’s hardly surprising there is a shortage of homecare workers. Without adequate investment in homecare by central and local government, providers cannot maintain and grow the workforce to meet rising demand. Over 400,000 older and disabled people are already sitting on council waiting lists, unable to access the support and care they need.

‘We call on the Government to recognise the value of homecare and the vital role it plays in enabling people to live well at home. Delivering highquality care at a fair price to all those who need it is within our grasp. This requires investment and co-ordinated effort across central Government, local government and the NHS, as well as a commitment by providers to delivering excellent services.

‘With adequate funds for home-based and community support, we could help to extend healthy life expectancy, reduce inequalities, take pressure off the NHS and reduce costs for the health and care system.’

Loneliness trends among ageing Canadians

Canada is facing a pressing challenge with its rapidly ageing population and experts are sounding the alarm on the detrimental effects of loneliness and social isolation, especially among individuals aged 50 and older. A recent report from the National Institute of Ageing (NIA) reveals that 41% of Canadians in this age group are at risk of social isolation and a staggering 58% have experienced loneliness.

The implications of these findings extend beyond emotional wellbeing, as health experts

equate loneliness to extreme physical harm. Despite the severity of these consequences, the report emphasises that medical training often neglects these issues, lacking both monitoring and treatment strategies.

The survey aligns with global concerns highlighted by the World Health Organization, warning that loneliness could evolve into a global epidemic. While many older Canadians report having a network of family and friends, more than 40% are considered socially isolated, with an even higher

prevalence of loneliness at 58%.

Notably, loneliness and social isolation tend to intensify with age, influenced by factors such as health issues, retirement, widowhood and the loss of family or friends. Family ties, higher education, income security, and good health status emerge as protective factors against loneliness and social isolation.

According to the report, Canadians aged 80 years and older seemed to experience better outcomes, with lower reported levels of social isolation

Europe’s urgency for better brain health

Brain conditions, both neurological and mental, are pervasive and challenging to treat, affecting a significant portion of the European population, a number set to increase due to ageing.

Conditions like Parkinson’s and dementia have more than doubled in incidence over the past three decades, with a substantial increase in anxiety, depression, and stress-related disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. The economic burden of brain disorders in Europe now exceeds

that of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes combined.

Recognising the immense challenge, the European Brain Council (EBC) emphasises the need for concerted efforts to understand the mechanisms of proper brain function. The call is for increased resources to promote research and application of knowledge to combat the growing pandemic of brain health.

Collaboration and co-operation are highlighted as essential, involving interdisciplinary expertise and uniting brain

researchers, healthcare professionals, industry regulators, policymakers, and patients. The EBC urges the brain community to speak with one voice, fostering co-operation, dialogue, and advocacy to improve the lives of the 179 million Europeans living with brain conditions.

Global collaboration is seen as crucial, with the EBC facilitating the exchange of best practices and priorities on a global scale. The recent Science Summit of the 78th United Nations General Assembly brought together over

and loneliness compared to their counterparts aged 50 to 64 years and 65 to 79 years.

In response to these findings, the NIA recommends the implementation of a national strategy, similar to efforts in the United Kingdom and Japan, to address social isolation and loneliness. Social prescribing programmes, where doctors prescribe activities aligned with patients' interests, are proposed as a potential solution to combat these pervasive issues and promote overall well-being.

150 organisations to emphasise the importance of international collaboration in brain research.

Looking ahead, the European Commission plans to launch a European Partnership on Brain Health in 2025/2026 as part of Horizon Europe's second Strategic Programme. The EBC, having led the European Brain Research Area (EBRA) project, continues its involvement in EU-funded initiatives like BrainHealth, contributing to the co-ordination of brain health research in Europe.

Bringing compassion to an ageing population in Chile

Chile is contending with the consequences of a globally ageing population, leading to increased loneliness and a rise in homelessness among the elderly. Data from the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (CELAC) reveals that Chile has one of the fastest rates of population

ageing in Latin America, with the elderly projected to represent 32% of the population by 2050.

Currently, 43% of homeless individuals in Chile are aged 50 and above, facing challenges such as family issues, bereavement, financial struggles, and mental health concerns.

Sr. Virginia Vargas, working

with older adults in La Serena, Chile, emphasises the dignity of every individual and the importance of not being indifferent to those in need.

Vargas describes the nursing home as a waiting room for heaven, where efforts are made to bring joy and transform pain into redemption.

Reflecting on her daily tasks, Vargas stresses the need to treat the elderly with love and respect, combating the indifference often experienced by older individuals. She highlights the challenges and rewards of working with the elderly, emphasising the lessons of humility and gratitude they offer.

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Continuing to champion our sector

Given the lack of long-term sustainable funding for the social care sector, Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, explains how the organisation is focusing on what it can control to ensure the best possible outcomes for people working in the sector and for people receiving care.

The adult social care sector is starting a new year having come through a time of unprecedented challenge. This narrative, however, is not a new one and is a testament to the incredible work that care providers across the country do daily.

We have come through a year of new challenges and old ones. Through fee uplifts to recruitment and retention challenges, the sector stands resilient.

The political landscape has only contributed to these challenges with turbulence and instability fostering anything but a strategic approach to our sector. The current political direction is characterised by a short-term, sporadic approach, which is limiting our progress as a sector.

Social care is not, and can no longer be, a political football that can be kicked into the long grass. Politicians must face the challenge head-on. Continued funding and workforce pressures, against a backdrop of demographic change, have only increased the fragility of our sector, leaving it in a precarious condition.

There remains the absence of a long-term plan for social care reform from the Government. Quality social care cannot be delivered on a shoestring. The continued lack of a long-term sustainable funding solution will threaten the delivery of quality and timely care that enables people to live meaningful, fulfilling lives.

The people who work in adult social care are everyday heroes and must be the cornerstone of any future reform. The sector requires a long-term workforce plan, akin to that of the NHS, where career progression, pay and rewards are identified. Without a

long-term commitment from Government to establish a sustainable social care sector the NHS will become increasingly burdened.

Championing our workforce

With a general election likely to take place this year, there is a new chance for change as plans begin to be put forward by major political parties in the coming months.

Before the sector presents its needs to Government, we must ask ourselves: if I had a blank piece of paper which would dictate the future of social care, where would I start?

Ensuring that the people who work in adult social care are seen and valued as everyday heroes must be the cornerstone of any future reform. The notion that the sector requires a long-term workforce plan must now be realised and has become all the more real with a commitment from Skills from Care.

Individuals who work in adult social care play an invaluable part in supporting people to live full and independent lives. This comes with significant responsibilities and, as a role, it encompasses personal care, emotional support and financial management, as well as working with the NHS and other agencies to manage physical and mental health needs.

Fortunately, we have a foundation to work from in the form of the NHS long-term workforce plan published in June of this year, but unfortunately, the NHS plan does not cover the social care workforce.

This is despite the knowledge that the workforce challenges in social care have a knock-on effect on the entire system and the people who rely on social care services, contributing to delayed discharges, increased waiting times for treatment, and greater pressure on emergency and acute services.

For a prosperous social care workforce, we must first look through the lens of increasing education and training, as well as increasing the routes into social care through the likes of apprenticeships. We know the visibility of a career in care is not always something seen in secondary education, but also particularly in the informative years of primary.

Improving cultures

Next, we need to improve culture and leadership across organisations whilst also looking at support mechanisms for current staff in terms of health and wellbeing. We need to focus on the importance of recognition and fair pay for care staff reflective of their skills and competencies and commensurate with the work they undertake.

Finally, we need to use new technologies to improve efficiencies, as well as provide more defined career pathways into existing roles as well as new roles which will take account of the changing epidemiological profile of those who draw on care and support.

Unfortunately, no such blank piece of paper exists, nor can we pin our hopes on political actors to deliver the change we require. It’s now incumbent upon us as sector professionals to look around and reflect on how we can provide our own solutions to the problems we face.

Driving digital transformation

A consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic was the acceleration in technological advancements within our sector.

We are witnessing a technological revolution within the sector, moving us towards a more effective and efficient system. We must turn away from an attitude of fear of the unknown and embrace it. When introducing new technologies into care, the first focus must be on enhancing outcomes for people in receipt of care. Developments can lead to more responsive care, more person-centred care, and swifter reactions. Once elevated outcomes are achieved, our focus can shift to using technology to improve the efficiency of systems within the sector.

The Digital Transformation Fund built a foundation upon which providers can build their electronic systems. Moving away from paper records means tools like AI can extract data and analyse it, reducing the administrative burden on staff, and allowing people to focus on the person-facing aspect of their role. This analysis can link with additional technology, such as tools for

fall prevention and pain assessment. This can create evidence-based, wrap-around care, that reduces hospital admissions and allows people to spend more time in the places they call home.

A technological focus on care can also help the wider health and care system operate more effectively. Interoperability between care services, GPs and hospitals enables truly joined-up care, bettering outcomes for people.

Using technology can help organisations plan their shifts in a way that is dynamic, and caters to the needs of staff, who may have commitments that limit the hours they can work. Many other sectors allow flexibility in the hours their staff work. It is imperative that social care, wherever possible, keeps up with trends and harnesses technology to aid this shift in working patterns.

Embracing technology not only ensures better outcomes for the people in receipt of care but allows staff to do the work they came into the sector to do: care.

A voice for the sector

Care England continues to look for ways for providers to improve their outcomes for the people in receipt of care and create efficiencies to drive forward their organisation.

The care sector is unlikely to be saved by the Government, so we must be our own heroes. One way we offer support for providers is our new publication in partnership with Care Management Matters, Savings, Solutions, and Sustainability. This magazine is for the sector, by the sector, with contributions from providers of care and providers of services to aid care alike. There are untapped solutions lying at the fingertips of providers which could solve the issue of keeping you awake at night.

Care England speaks to providers every single day, and we hear voices in a sector brimming with enthusiasm, talent, and hope. The resilience of the sector is astounding, in the face of a crushing pandemic and continued exacerbation of deep-rooted issues, we remain united in our goal to support people to live good lives.

Our purpose is to continue banging the drum for our sector, ensuring the Government understands the nature and scale of the challenges we face and is prepared to deliver the necessary reform. But beyond this noise, we are also bringing solutions to the table which can have a real material difference to providers.

With challenges ahead, against an increasingly challenging backdrop of ongoing pressures and in the absence of further Government action, it is imperative that providers are part of a wider community of opportunities to help troubleshoot the issues affecting your service and push you forward to deliver your core ambitions. Care England is the body to help foster those opportunities and we look forward to another year of championing the change our sector requires. CMM

Professor Martin Green OBE is the Chief Executive of Care England. Email: info@careengland.org.uk. X: @ProfMartinGreen

To read the latest issue of Saving, Solutions, and Sustainability, visit www.caremanagementmatters.co.uk/care-england-publication-saving-solutions-and-sustainability/

UNDERSTANDING THE REALITY

What action can I take when false statements are made about me?

Care providers may want to sue the regulator if they believe they have been treated unfairly. However, the law is complex and not always on the side of the provider. Lucy Bowker, a solicitor at Gordons Partnership, explains the difficulties in bringing claims against the regulator even when there may have been obvious shortcomings.

Understandably, many of our clients are incredibly distressed by inaccurate comments made about their business by regulators and/or by inaccurate comments made by other professionals to the regulators. This is especially true when the statement is demonstrably wrong or misleading. Clients regularly come to us wanting to ‘sue’ the regulator but in practice, this is not as straightforward as it may at first appear.

Regulators have a duty to investigate intelligence presented to them. Although a statement might be blatantly incorrect to our clients, it is only right that the regulator reviews and triangulates evidence in relation to any allegations or statements made. So, what can clients do when presented with a situation where a blatantly incorrect statement has been made against them?

Defamation claim

When a false statement has been made, it is not unreasonable for clients to then consider a defamation claim. A defamation claim must be made within one year of the publication of the statement complained of. A claimant must be able to prove that a defamatory statement was made about them, it was published to third parties and has caused serious reputational harm (or is likely to do so). This is set out in s1 of the Defamation Act 2013.

Although this sounds relatively straightforward to establish and we have seen cases where clients have been able to make out a claim, it is also important

to note the defence of qualified privilege. Qualified privilege applies when the maker of the statement has a legal, social, or moral duty to make the statement and the person receiving the statement also has a legal, social, or moral duty to receive such a statement.

Realistically any statement to the regulator (or by the regulator) is likely to fall under this defence unless the claimant can establish with proof that the statement was malicious. To prove malice, the defendant must have made the statement with the knowledge that the statement was untrue or with reckless indifference to the truth. Even if malice is suspected, it is very difficult to prove which means any defamation claim is highly unlikely to be successful.

Negligence claim

As established in Donoghue v Stevenson [1932] AC 562 to prove negligence, a claimant must establish a duty of care, a breach of that duty, factual causation, legal causation and damages.

Whilst it may be tempting to consider a negligence claim when considering how a provider has been treated by a regulator, the House of Lords made it very clear in the case of Trent Strategic Health Authority v Jain and another [2009] UKHL 4 that regulators in the health and social care arena do not owe a duty of care to providers. This means that any claim is likely to fall at the first hurdle.

Trent Strategic Health Authority v Jain and another [2009] UKHL 4 remains the

authority confirming that regulators do not owe a duty of care to care providers.

In this case, Nottingham Health Authority had made an application without notice to a magistrate for the cancellation of Mr and Mrs Jain’s nursing home registration under section 30 of the Registered Homes Act 1984 which was the legislation in force at the time. This application was granted on 1st October 1998 and the order was made which required the immediate removal of the elderly service users living there.

Mr and Mrs Jain appealed the decision to the Tribunal, but it was not heard until February 1999. Even though this appeal was a resounding success, and the Tribunal concluded that none of the issues raised were sufficient to justify the immediate closure of the home, the Tribunal allowed the appeal and the magistrate’s decision was overturned; however, it was too late. By this point, irrevocable damage had been done to the business.

Therefore, Mr and Mrs Jain decided to seek damages via the route of a negligence claim. Initially Sir Douglas Brown found in their favour deciding that they were owed a duty of care; however, the decision was appealed to the Court of Appeal. The majority did not believe that a duty of care was owed, therefore an appeal to the House of Lords was made. This appeal considered whether there would be a remedy in the law of tort.

Therefore, the highest court in the land at the time determined it would be contrary to the public interest to establish a duty of care between the regulator and the care provider,

regardless of how unjust the circumstances may be. The House of Lords was concerned that such a duty of care would mean inspectors would 'look over their shoulder' defensively when inspecting a service in fear of being challenged in the courts for acting negligently. To succeed, a provider would need to show malice on the part of the inspector which is very difficult to prove.

Judicial review

Where a decision has been made by a public body (for example, the regulator), it is worth considering whether it might be appropriate to bring a judicial review challenge. If a decision has been made on the basis of an incorrect statement being made, then this could be an opportunity to challenge that statement. There are four categories of judicial review: illegality, irrationality, procedural unfairness and legitimate expectation.

"Judicial reviews can be costly, but they are an extremely effective way in which to hold regulators to account where appropriate"

Time is of the essence with a claim for judicial review. It must be filed promptly and, in any event, must as a general rule be within three months of the date on which the grounds for judicial review first arose. In some circumstances, the time frames are even tighter. These rules can be found in the Civil Procedure Rules 54.5.

Judicial reviews can be costly, but they are an extremely effective way in which to hold regulators to account where appropriate.

To proceed with a Judicial Review claim, the Pre-Action Protocol for Judicial Review must be followed. The Protocol recommends sending a ‘Letter before claim to the defendant’ so that the issues in dispute can be identified and narrowed with the hope of

avoiding litigation.

In our experience, when appropriate, a letter before the claim can help to alter the route taken by a regulator. In one of our cases, an inspection report prepared by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) was fundamentally flawed and did not consider the true nature of the service in question. Despite going through the usual channels of the Factual Accuracy Process, sufficient changes were not made to the inspection report, and we instructed a barrister, then sent a letter before the claim. This resulted in the report being withdrawn from the CQC website pending an investigation and a constructive meeting with CQC in order to highlight the key issues. While it did not need to go as far as the court, it was a helpful tool to engage the regulator in a way that would not have been possible within the normal confines of the relationship.

Complaints

This may appear to be an obvious route and many dismiss it as being fruitless but, in our experience, it can be a very useful mechanism in order to hold regulators to account. It is also a method to express for the record dissatisfaction with the way in which a situation has been handled.

In our experience, regulators rarely pay our costs. However, in the case outlined above where CQC prepared a report riddled with errors and the process was handled poorly, our client was forced to incur

significant legal costs in order to challenge the report. The report was ultimately withdrawn by CQC. After all of this, a detailed complaint was submitted to CQC and ultimately, after some negotiation, our client received over £50,000 which was approximately 75% of the total costs incurred inclusive of VAT.

Additionally, if the complaint response is not satisfactory, then it is worth considering a complaint to the appropriate ombudsman. These investigations are not quick exercises, but it is worth considering as an option in order to hold the regulator to account for maladministration which has caused injustice to a care provider. In relation to CQC, the appropriate ombudsman is the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO). The provider must refer the complaint to the local MP who then passes it on to the PHSO. Currently, we are acting for two clients who have taken their complaints up to the PHSO. The PHSO can make recommendations to correct injustice, including recommending compensation.

Navigating difficulties

Despite the difficulties outlined above for clients to ‘sue’ their regulators or parties referring to the regulators, in our experience, there are ways in which it is possible to hold relevant parties to account. We can help providers navigate these situations in order to achieve the best possible outcomes depending upon the specific facts and evidence. CMM

INTO PERSPECTIVE

What are the developments in social care nursing for 2024?

Social care nursing is a vital element of the sector’s skilled workforce, supporting people to live well in their communities. Skills for Care introduces this month’s Into Perspective feature – taking a look at what lies ahead for social care nursing in 2024.

According to Skills for Care’s latest data, there are around 37,500 registered nurses working in social care as part of a workforce of 1.6 million.

The nursing workforce has grown for the first time since this data has been collected

and we have also seen an increase in nursing associate roles which are relatively new to the social care sector. Deborah Sturdy, Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, has driven the following agendas.

The voice of nursing continues to be shared through the We Are Social Care Nursing resource, as do many opportunities for the workforce, along with various networks and forums for people to get involved. For more information, visit Skills for Care’s dedicated nursing pages on its website.

At an academic level, Skills for Care has seen the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Foundation invest in the first Chair of Adult Social Care Nursing at the University of Salford, which is a five-year investment appointing the first Professor of Social Care Nursing.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) launched the standards of proficiency for community nursing specialist practice

qualifications (SPQ) last August and since then, The Queen's Nursing Institute (QNI) has, with partners, developed some voluntary field specific standards for social care. Universities are currently building these programmes which should be launched next year.

The sector has also seen the development of Social Care Nursing Advisory Councils, sitting in every Integrated Care Board (ICB) in England and representing social care in strategic planning and delivery across health and care. Some of these councils are still being established but they present a promising way of getting involved locally.

Support for registered nurses and nursing associates in social care is incredibly important in order to retain the workforce and ensure social care is an attractive place to work. Skills for Care has recently launched its nursing recruitment and retention toolkit webinar series, which will be an ongoing resource for employers, the workforce and key stakeholders to access.

In addition, The Foundation of Nursing Studies (FoNS) will be delivering fully funded Resilience Based Clinical Supervision (RBCS) programmes for social care nurses to support wellbeing across England next year for any social care setting. Later in this feature, FoNS provides further comment about its new RBCS programmes and how it hopes to benefit the sector with meaningful training and development opportunities.

Skills for Care’s workforce data tells us that the sector’s nursing workforce remains diverse, with 44% of nurses coming from a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) background. To support this, the Florence Nightingale Foundation is offering fully funded BAME Leadership programmes to develop the sector’s social care nursing workforce.

In terms of newly appointed colleagues to look out for in 2024, NIHR has appointed a Social Care Fellow, Dr Zena Aldridge, who will be developing the research offer for the social care nursing workforce. NIHR will also continue to offer its online sessions, CRED Talks: Social care and research partnerships, for anyone interested in social care research to join. Secondly, the RCN has a new team dedicated to the independent sector, including adult social care.

Further resources continuing to share the latest research, best practice, innovation and policy in 2024 include The QNI’s Care Home Nurses Network funded by the RCN Foundation and supported by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

There is so much happening for social care nursing and the sector in 2024. Get the latest updates from Skills for Care via its dedicated website and social media channels.

Acknowledging challenges, prioritising innovation

Lucy Gillespie, National Professional Lead – Nursing, Skills for Care

@LucyHGillespie

Email: lucy.gillespie@skillsforcare.org.uk

The social care nursing workforce has lots to look forward to in 2024. There will be a continued and inclusive call to action via the We Are Social Care Nursing resource, bringing together the voice of social care nursing in the sector and its place in the wider system.

It is also hoped that in the year ahead, contemporary social care nursing will be better understood as nurse-led services with great professional autonomy. There will also be opportunities to innovate, with a truly person-centred focus.

The work of Deborah Sturdy, Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, who is passionate about the experience and development of nursing in social care, has and will continue to be a huge driver of this work. Deborah is firmly placing social care nursing in ICBs and the wider health system, in universities and in the sector itself, as an opportunity to promote healthier lives, better outcomes and enhanced experiences of care.

2024 will see more conversations take place and greater action taken to ensure

social care nursing has parity of esteem with other sector specialisms. This means that ongoing work towards planning our nursing recruitment and retention toolkit webinar series will be needed. This interactive resource will continue to deliver content on developing placement opportunities, early careers support through preceptorship, evidence-based practice and promoting career development.

We will continue to collaborate with key stakeholders to raise the profile of social care nursing. This will be achieved by ensuring nursing programmes and development opportunities are relevant. The wider social care sector will also continue to be a valued partner and help us to achieve our objectives. Despite this, we do recognise there will also be ongoing challenges to navigate, including workforce shortages, the cost-of-living crisis and an increased public demand for health and care services, improving access to development opportunities.

The spotlight is shining on social care nurses in 2024

Sue Hill, Resilience Based Clinical Supervision (RBCS) Project Manager and Co-facilitator, the Foundation of Nursing Studies (FoNS) @5sue2 • Email: sue.hill@fons.org

The spotlight is shining on social care nurses in 2024, with several opportunities for professional development.

It is recognised that clinical supervision has not previously been particularly accessible to nurses working in social care, but this is all about to change with the provision of the RBCS programme.

The FoNS is an independent charity that focuses its energies, knowledge and expertise around compassionate, person-centred cultures of care. The vision of the charity is that all individuals should experience health and social care as person-centred, safe and effective. This includes those who are both giving and receiving care.

The RBCS programme is designed to show nurses how they can give compassion to themselves and therefore to others. It is a form of restorative supervision where nurses understand how to listen, support and challenge themselves and their colleagues to be able to improve their capacity to manage the difficult and stressful

situations they experience.

RBCS is a participative programme which runs over five sessions. Each session builds the knowledge and confidence of the nurses, so they will, by the end, feel able to have supervision sessions with their colleagues.

It is an evidence-based model of clinical supervision which focuses on the ‘emotional systems motivating the response to a situation’. It includes elements of mindfulnessbased exercises with a view to ‘enhancing wellbeing, resilience and improving patient care’.

Nurses from any social care setting are welcome to attend the RBCS programme. All that is needed is the time to attend, a quiet space and a laptop with a camera, as it is a participative programme.

The programme is currently free to all social care nurses. For more information, please visit our dedicated website or email rbcs.socialcare@fons.org. We look forward to welcoming you on to the RBCS programme.

Powerful

words can change the same old stories

Powerful words can change the same old stories

How can the social care sector change the Government's and the public’s perception of social care to enable progress for reform? Raina Summerson, Group Chief Executive of Agincare, shares the challenges facing the homecare sector and encourages providers to talk about the positive differences they have in people’s lives and their communities.

A new year and a new start? It doesn’t always feel that way for social care. We can feel stuck in an ongoing cycle of headlines around funding deficit, workforce challenges and quality issues. So, how can we acknowledge that there is a lot to tackle in social care and that uncomfortable situations do exist, whilst ensuring that we don’t diminish the great stuff that happens each day? We also don’t want to forget to convey that everything about social care is about people.

As a social worker, I was trained to be part of a practice-based profession that promotes social change, development, cohesion and the empowerment of people and communities. It seems to me that those principles have been increasingly undermined by the lack of public recognition of investment in our communities, and in the infrastructure that makes them stronger.

Sadly, this stems from a lack of central policy and funding commitment. Focus has moved increasingly towards the deficit in funding and ongoing battles between central Government and local Government responsibilities. Changing attitudes and demographic profiles can leave both the people drawing on social care and those working in it feeling like they are simply a huge problem.

So, when our Government and wider society stop feeling any collective responsibility for strong communities, and human support and seemingly not care about the impact of this, then what are we left with?

Funding is not the whole story

The Homecare Association (representing homecare providers) publishes a Deficit Report each year and sadly the most recent one reflected a worsening picture for social care. The report asserted that an extra £2.08bn per year across the UK is required to ensure that homecare workers can receive a fair wage while enabling services to be of good quality and financially sustainable.

It shows, again, that many public bodies do not pay enough to cover the core costs of quality care delivery. This message is echoed across reports from Care England, and the National Care Forum as well as public policy think tanks such as The King's Fund and public sector representative groups such as the Local Government Association, and the Association of Directors of Adults Social Services (ADASS).

Fee rates for all areas of social care services are commonly recognised not to generally be sufficient to enable consistent, quality care with the investment and long-term planning needed, or to promote better terms and conditions for the people working in social care. However, funding is not the whole story; commissioning practices and a lack of risk-sharing are other key reasons for ongoing issues in statutory provision. This leads to the restriction of better innovation, broader thinking and change of practice around future care and community-building.

Sector leaders must 'pool forces' to convince policymakers that social care is a 'core' public service, urges the president of ADASS.

In her keynote speech of their recent conference, Beverly Tarka said, ‘Maybe part of the reason why social care hasn’t secured either that funding or that change for the past 25 years…is that we have been too fragmented. We need to come together, as commissioners, providers, people who draw on services and carers, to pool our forces.’

Challenging the prevailing narrative

Independent social care providers, along with public sector bodies, are increasingly being challenged about the narrative chosen to present the situation and, importantly, in efforts to effect change. Perpetual stories of gloom and doom abound about a sector on the brink of collapse and a diminished, under-valued and challenged workforce. The impact on

people’s lives because of persistent, long-term underfunding of a system is mentioned, but not the focus on how we would all want to be supported when needed.

The ‘so what’ is too often framed broadly as ‘risk of provider failure’ rather than the impact of people’s care being at risk, delivered by carers they know and trust and from an organisation that they may feel comfortable with. The fact is that in the event of provider failure these people, and often their families, will be worried that their local network may disappear, the prices may go up, the care may be withdrawn and that options left in their local community are limited if this happens.

The fact is that we know when provider failure happens that existing care teams tend to fragment, try something else or take the opportunity to retire: we lose valuable skills and people from areas that so badly need them. This is the human consequence. The consequence of society’s reduction of community services, community spirit and an attitude that a lack of positive, meaningful social care is something that affects someone else.

Let’s talk about people first – always

If we are to make the public and the politicians share the outrage felt by those working in social care then, as challenged, should we as providers do more to turn this narrative on its head? Let’s start by ensuring that we talk about people first, always.

Let’s start by celebrating what we achieve each day as providers in terms of supporting people – not always in ideal circumstances and yes, as part of a broken system, but with the majority of people doing their best and trying to effect change along the way.

Let’s talk about the investment and

background support that is needed to deliver social care, including for services that need significant investment, including accommodation options – and that the public sector isn’t doing enough of it.

Let’s talk more about what more we could do, and better, for people and communities if providers were better funded.

Let’s get a more honest and open understanding of why not just short-term but medium and long-term viability and surplus are necessary for ongoing development and future investment, but how current funding and commissioning structures don’t allow the security for longer-term commitments, often those linked to employment conditions and future planning.

Reframing social care

The arguments presented by different perspectives from those with lived experience to voluntary groups, micro-providers, public sector providers or larger independent providers can seem to clash and only serve to dilute public messaging further.

In recent years, Social Care Future, a people-powered movement for change in social care, has sought to bring people together to change this narrative, with a central theme of ‘gloriously ordinary lives’. This reframes good social care as what any of us would want to live in our homes, in our communities, in the way we wish to for as long as possible. This is a focus on change, and recognition of good social care being what all of us should want, as any of us could need it at any time, of mindfulness of language used that can distance ourselves from ‘others’ who are vulnerable or at risk. Bryony Shannon lays down challenges around social care’s use of professional challenge, often driven by legislation and policies but also often dehumanising.

This movement can, for some, be seen as a challenge too far, with a perceived lack of recognition for necessary public service delivery that, at its best, still can and does empower, enable, and allow people to live the lives they want to. Public services provide places that none of us like to think we might welcome but that are required and valued at times. Some of the challenge is that this need and acceptance is only created by a lack of choice and ingrained ways of thinking.

Ultimately, we are all saying the same thing. Society needs to recognise people and be more active in seeking and maintaining

ways that give people choice and control to provide communities that enable people to live their lives and to live through illness, disability and end of life, with as much dignity and independence as possible.

True choice is only possible when support and care are recognised in policy frameworks and funded adequately. It is only possible when there are different options available, together with transparency about them.

One example is the increasing growth of unregulated care providers – by some seen as essential for more innovative ways of working and helping personal choice and control, by others seen as fraught with risks and an often unfair comparison with regulated services, which bear different scrutiny and costs.

Government policy needs to recognise this and support a system that enables meaningful and fully informed choices to be made.

As the ADASS quote observed, the current situation can lead to increased fragmentation of voices and diminish the collective good that is done here and now (against all odds it seems) and the ambition for many different parties to do more, and differently.

Together we can make the difference

Across social care there is a great deal of time and effort that people give to improvement, engagement, community links and some of those really meaningful things that we do collectively as ‘social care providers’.

Where we are more aligned with the public sector and social movements than many may realise, are the threads that join us. In Agincare, these range from our own Community Interest Company, many community initiatives and skills support, funding of community projects and supporting small local charities through to fundraising, links with Department of Works and Pension, community schools and colleges, care leavers, and working with other providers.

So, let’s allow ourselves to be challenged by movements such as Social Care Future and people with different viewpoints. In the provider role, we need to consider our part in changing the narrative. Small daily actions that bind us in language and action can easily be taken, with the hope that together we can affect more positive change. Because one day it will be us, or someone we love, who wants better social care to be there. CMM

Education and training for the social care workforce

If you work in adult social care, Macmillan’s Social care community on the Learning Hub is the go-to place for free education and training on cancer care.

There are over 20 on-demand e-learning courses, bitesize resources and virtual classrooms to develop your knowledge and skills in supporting people affected by cancer.

This community is for all staff working in adult social care who want to improve their understanding of cancer and skills in supporting people affected by cancer. This includes staff working in residential care, nursing homes, home care, sheltered accommodation, assisted living and day centres.

In the community you’ll find the following topics:

• Cancer awareness

• Cancer and other conditions

• Communication skills

• Personalised care

• Palliative and end of life care

Scan the QR code to log in or register for an account, then search ‘Social care community’

Macmillan

Supporting care leaders in 2024

How to increase resilience, retention and quality

My Home Life England has been working hard to support care leaders by delivering professional development programmes. Tom Owen, Director at My Home Life England, shares what key themes emerged from the sessions.

At My Home Life England, we’re now moving into our 18th year working alongside care leaders including those participating in our professional support and development programmes. It remains a real privilege to be supporting the workforce who continue to manage care homes and care settings every day.

These care leaders work in an incredibly important, complex and socially significant job. It’s a role that can also be mentally, physically and emotionally demanding. People often feel undervalued and overburdened with a multitude of different responsibilities. We owe it to our care leaders to support them to best navigate this. The question is – how do we do this?

We spoke to over 200 care leaders who had recently completed a My Home Life England programme. We wanted to hear from individuals themselves about the challenges they were facing and the support they found most valuable.

These individuals came from a range of ethnic backgrounds and levels of care experience. Length of service varied and so did the size and type of care service they represented. Despite the differences, key themes emerged.

Supporting leadership

Understandably, effective leadership is a key theme that emerged from the professional development programme.

Care leaders have to balance authority and manage a whole range of issues, whilst simultaneously building and maintaining good relationships with their teams. We know this is not easy.

We heard from those on our programmes that an ‘appreciative’ approach was hugely impactful when thinking about their leadership style. Many agreed that their natural instinct was to focus on

‘problems’. However, through appreciative inquiry – a core aspect of our My Home Life England approach – they were instead able to identify the benefits of focusing on what was already working well in the service and valuing one another, as well as giving and receiving encouragement and praise.

People spoke about positively changing their management behaviours to be more effective. They learnt new ways of thinking about situations and developed a more facilitative style of leadership. This improved communication and supported accountability and delegation. It also led to an increased number of junior staff taking up the initiative. By the end of the programme, 98% of those we spoke to reported an increase in the quality of their management and leadership, which was fantastic to hear.

Developing resilience

Maintaining personal resilience was another challenge we heard. Time-poor individuals described themselves as 'running on empty' somewhat unsurprising given their far-ranging responsibilities. They were simultaneously endeavouring to lead their teams and maintain quality, whilst balancing commercial interests and dealing with other ongoing factors, including building maintenance, changes in ownership or even closure.

"People believed in themselves as leaders and some felt more able to apply for promotions. Others talked of developing the resilience to respond head-on to issues of staff poor performance…"

This was taking its toll, affecting sleep, levels of self-care and personal relationships. One said, ‘I’m drowning and don’t know how to get up again.’ Some individuals told us that they were seriously contemplating leaving social care altogether.

Having access to a safe space where they could share their challenges and feel less alone and more supported was crucial for these care leaders. It helped people explore the extent to which they could 'let go' of some of the pressure they were under. As a result, individuals described taking more care of themselves and building resilience: 91% said that, over the last 12 months, their confidence as a professional had increased.

People believed in themselves as leaders and some felt more able to apply for promotions. Others talked of developing the resilience to respond head-on to issues of staff poor performance when previously they might have overlooked shortfalls in practice because of anxiety around staffing levels. One said, ‘I now have the confidence to tackle difficult conversations with staff.’

It wasn’t just the care leaders who reaped the benefits. This increased confidence and enhanced resilience, which also had a knock-on effect on

teams, relatives and service users. Programme participants were more likely to be modelling relationship-centred care and making time for team members and relatives, who then felt more listened to and more supported. In turn, this created a stronger culture of engagement and trust, which ultimately improved the culture of the care setting and the outcomes for service users – something we all want to see.

Improving external relationships

Looking at relationships outside of the service, we frequently heard about difficulties regarding relationships with external professionals from health and local authority social care teams. Unrealistic expectations from these individuals were sources of considerable pressure for care leaders. A lack of trust, poor processes and communication around assessment, review, access to services and discharge created significant challenges. Care leaders often felt undervalued, underpaid and misunderstood.

One said, ‘We want to be prepared when we take an admission, making sure we have the right staffing ratio and support, for example, but we are often taken for granted, like "it's over to you now"!'

Provider take-homes

1. There is an ever-increasing need for the wider health and social care system to recognise the expertise of the sector and engage with care services as equal trusted partners who have important perspectives to share regarding solutions to problems within the system. The care leaders in our programmes developed their confidence and assertiveness to communicate more effectively and work more collaboratively with others, but this needs to be an open, two-way process.

2. At a time when we are struggling to both attract and retain staff within the sector, it’s more important than ever to be nurturing the leadership and professional development of our current social care workforce, as well as supporting and integrating overseas workers.

3. We need greater access to regular professional development and independent supervision for care practitioners at all levels. This will help individuals feel valued and give them dedicated space to step back and process the emotional content of their complex work. In turn, this will support quality, resilience and emotional wellbeing.

The full My Home Life England research report and executive summary with insights and data from 200+ care leaders is available on the My Home Life website. CMM

Adapta Consulting

RESOURCE FINDER: Technology

Care providers have embraced technology recently and, to help with your digital transformation journey, we have selected some of the leading technology companies and shared their areas of expertise.

Tel: 020 4558 8070

Email: hello@adaptaconsulting.co.uk

Website: www.adaptaconsulting.co.uk

SECTORS

• Adult social care.

• Hospices.

• Learning disabilities.

• Mental health support.

• Nursing homes.

• Residential care homes.

SERVICES

• Digital, data and technology strategies.

• System specification and selection – e.g. care management systems, staff rostering, resident management, HR, finance, fundraising and marketing.

• Interim technical leadership.

COMPANY INFORMATION

Adapta is a leading independent technology consultancy for the health and social care and broader non-profit sectors, providing tailored advice and strategic guidance on everything to do with data, digital and technology.

As trusted advisers and specialists, we offer a depth of knowledge and appreciation of the sector, and our consultants all have experience at senior levels. We are completely independent, and in all our work we set the highest standards to ensure our services are objective and tailored to the needs of the organisations we work with.

We can help you with some of the key technology challenges facing the social care sector today, including:

• Digital, data and technology strategies – Working with your senior management team to help you understand how social

care organisations are adopting digital tools, managing data and using technology to modernise their operations, and helping develop a plan of action to help drive your organisation forward.

• Supplier and solution selection – Whether it’s a new care management system, a new finance system, a new managed IT services provider or anything else – we know the market inside-out and can help ensure you get the right solutions to meet your needs.

• Information security and data protection – Helping you to understand your risks and plan for addressing them – to make sure your data is as safe as it can be.

‘Adapta Consulting provided WSBH with a professional and truly independent consultancy service. Their advice was invaluable and having them on board ensured that we could be completely transparent in our decision-making and use of best practice.’ Paul Bartlett, IT Manager, Woking and Sam Beare Hospices

Shared-learning events 2024

Our events programme provides a platform for health and social care organisations to share experiences and learning to draw out best practices and new ways of working. Free to attend, view the programme and book places via the QR code.

Advanced Health and Care

Tel: 0330 311 6077

Email: socialcare@oneadvanced.com

Website: www.oneadvanced.com/products/time-and-attendance

SECTORS

• Residential.

• Domiciliary.

• Supported living.

• Extra care.

• Retirement living.

• Mental health.

• Local authorities.

SOLUTIONS

• Care business management.

• Financial management.

• Workforce management.

• Performance management.

• Risk management and governance.

• Education and learning management.

• Contract and supplier management.

COMPANY INFORMATION

With over 20 years of experience in the UK care sector and a user base of over 50,000 care professionals, Advanced is a trusted provider of software solutions for care organisations. Our time and attendance software allows care organisations to effectively manage their workforce and improve operational efficiency. This comprehensive software streamlines time tracking, reduces administrative tasks, improves scheduling efficiency, and provides valuable insights for workforce management.

One standout feature of Advanced's Time and Attendance software is its automated time-tracking functionality. By automating the process of submitting, tracking, and managing attendance and worked hours, this feature significantly reduces the burden on HR teams and ensures

accuracy in recording and processing employee time.

The software also includes robust absence management tools, enabling efficient tracking and management of staff leave, including holidays, sick days, and other types of time off. There is also the self-service functionality for employees to request and manage their absences, resulting in a reduction of administrative tasks for HR teams, resulting in smoother leave management processes.

The people planning and costing feature empowers care organisations to schedule employee hours effectively. Employees can indicate their availability for shifts or overtime, taking control of their own schedules. Additionally, the software offers job costing capabilities to track tasks and budgets across multiple cost centres, allowing for efficient resource allocation and cost monitoring.

Time and attendance analytics provide real-time data insights and reporting capabilities, enabling care organisations to monitor workforce trends, analyse productivity, and make informed decisions to improve operational efficiency.

By utilising Advanced's Time and Attendance software, care organisations can enhance their workforce management processes, optimise productivity, and reduce costs. To learn more about our software solutions, speak to one of our care team specialists today.

CoolCare

Tel: 0113 385 3853

Email: info@coolcare.co.uk

Website: www.coolcare.co.uk

SECTORS

• Care homes.

• Home care.

• Care home groups.

• Independent care providers.

PRODUCT

• Care home administration software.

COMPANY INFORMATION

CoolCare is centred on admin made easy, with its services aimed at making operating care homes easier, more efficient and more profitable.

Following three decades of care home administration software development, CoolCare knows what good looks like –and it seeks to help care homes love their admin by making it simple. Its intuitive design drives higher staff confidence and increases the impact of digital adoption, while CoolCare’s user-friendliness is legendary, making it the software of choice for some of the UK’s leading care home operators.

Implementation and support

Software is only as good as it is used. Effective implementation and user adoption is key to success. That’s why our software is so intuitive and implementation is easy, with teams on hand to help your ongoing digital journey. CoolCare is more than just software, it’s great service.

Care home administration

Take the 'Aaargh' out of your admin. Say goodbye to reams of paper, endlessly clicking through spreadsheets and human errors

of care home admin. Have your records saved digitally with smart features that are easily accessible across multiple care homes and teams.

Workforce management

Smarter staff management = better recruitment and retention. With less work for everyone, smart workforce processes mean improved outcomes, less cost and more time. It’s a no-brainer.

Time and attendance Manage staff hours efficiently. No more paper timesheets or hours of reconciliation. Just automated clock-ins, accurate shift adjustments and quick checks. Trust us: your team and bank account will thank you.

Finance

Streamline your resident finances; everyone's a winner! The team saves time and your invoicing is more accurate. With automated billing rules, speedy invoicing and analysis, you'll have time to dedicate to business improvement.

Occupancy management

Quickly fill your empty beds with no fuss. No more calls from Head Office to 'check' the latest figures. Just seamless enquiry tracking to increase occupancy, self-funder ratio and weekly fees, supported by live reporting to show you're on track.

PASS powered by everyLIFE

Tel: 03300 940118 • Email: hello@everylifetechnologies.com

Website: www.everylifetechnologies.com

SECTORS

• Domiciliary care.

• Supported living.

• Reablement.

• Residential care.

• Complex care.

• Nursing homes.

• Extra care.

• Children’s care.

• Learning disabilities.

• Retirement living.

PRODUCTS

• Care planning.

• Care rostering.

• Care reporting.

• Medication management.

• Invoicing.

• Scheduling.

• GP Connect.

• openPASS friends and family portal.

COMPANY INFORMATION

Our innovative all-in-one care management software is everything you need to run your care business, right at your fingertips. We deliver effective tools and services that release the potential of care teams, leading to outstanding care delivery and helping you to prioritise the people you care for, making paperwork a distant memory.

We support over 56,000 care professionals daily through:

• Person-centred care planning – Create templated or bespoke digital care plans, mirroring each individual's needs and preferences in real time, enabling carers to focus more on delivering personalised care and less on time-consuming administration. Care plans are available in an instant via our Android and iOS apps.

• Streamlined scheduling –Our smart rostering, invoicing and payroll support tools ensure reliable and consistent care delivery. Plan every visit to the last detail, from travel time to healthcare needs.

• Real-time reporting –Our reporting tools give you a detailed view of the care being provided, in real time. This means you can quickly adapt care plans, ensuring they always align with the evolving needs of those in your care.

• GP Connect – Gain instant access to GP patient records, placing vital information like current prescriptions and medical histories straight into your hands. This ensures timely, safe, and well-informed decision-making, significantly minimising the risk of errors.

• openPASS family portal – Offering families insights into their loved one's care, delivering peace of mind and transparency.

• Leadership empowerment – PASS is a helpful leadership tool, offering vital insights for informed decision-making about staffing, care quality, and operational strategies.

• Personalised onboarding and training – You can expect a smooth digital transition with personalised onboarding, comprehensive training, and unlimited 24/7/365 customer support.

For more on how PASS care management software can transform your care business, book your free tour today.

Health Automated Ltd

Tel: 01255 446655

Email: general@healthautomated.online

Website: https://healthautomated.online

SECTORS

• Care homes.

• Home care.

• Supported living.

• Nursing homes.

• Healthcare.

SERVICES

• Architecture digital care management system (AI Driven).

• Social JobFindr digital recruitment for health and social care.

• E-Learning with Automated Data Sync with Architecture.

• Digital/Web-based Services (Data storage, Hosting, Emails, App Development).

COMPANY INFORMATION

Health Automated are leaders in artificially intelligent care management systems for health and social care providers. Architecture, our patent-pending system, sets the new benchmark for expected functionalities in a 2024-based social care environment. Our systems

have been used by social care providers nationally, where the adoption of architecture has surpassed expected outcomes on performance, efficiency, and cost savings by using our AI-driven tools, such as our AI Auto Rota Management, Advanced AI applications, Lone Worker Safety and Emergency Features, and BICS (our built-in communication system).

Architecture allows full operational management for your business in one application set, saving you time and costs from cross-decking between other services and platforms. There are no key infrastructure requirements to get started, saving the need for heavy hardware investment and time, and organisations can adopt a remote working, or away from the desk, working methodology.

If your organisation is looking to ditch the tech from 2012 and warp into 2024, look at our website and see why architecture is the right fit for your digitisation strategy. Our team are happy to assist with architecture capability sessions to allow you to harness the true power of modern technology.

Nourish Care

Tel: 0238 000 2288

Email: hello@nourishcare.com

• Website: www.nourishcare.com

SECTORS

• Residential care homes.

• Nursing homes.

• Learning disabilities.

• Domiciliary care.

• Dementia care homes.

• Supported living.

• Mental health.

• Substance misuse.

• Hospital and maternity.

SERVICES

• Digital care planning on mobile and web.

• Manager and carer views.

• Personalised and contextual care plans adapted to every individual.

• Best practice libraries of assessments and interactions for every care type.

• In-app dashboard reporting.

• Integrated with eMAR, Nurse Call, CRM, Remote Monitoring systems and many other leading technology providers.

• GP Connect.

• Family Portal.

• Service management.

• 24/7 Support.

COMPANY INFORMATION

Nourish Care is the leading digital social care records platform, used by 204,000 carers daily to support 320,000 people.

With Nourish, care and support teams can plan, record and co-ordinate care via the desktop app and on the go using the mobile app. The Nourish platform is flexible and configurable to retain what’s important and unique about your care service. With powerful built-in features such as reporting and analytics, custom interactions and personalised timelines, everyone within the circle of care is continually informed, giving more time for face-to-face, person-centred care.

Intuitive and easy to use,

Nourish empowers care and support services to deliver exceptional care outcomes. Nourish is also ISO 27001:2022 and Cyber Essentials Plus compliant, ensuring all your data and information are secured at the highest level possible.

Nourish works with a multitude of integration solutions that prioritise outcomes for the people you support in order to enhance the care you provide. Nourish has a suite of trusted integration partners to choose from depending on the needs of your care service, giving you the autonomy to choose the partner that is most suited to you. By integrating other systems with Nourish, it acts as a central hub where all systems seamlessly communicate with each other, providing care teams with rich and up-to-date information at their fingertips.

The outcomes focus on the following areas:

• Medication management.

• Preventative care and chronic disease management.

• Pain management.

• Personal wellbeing and falls prevention.

• Incident management.

• Care administration and workforce management.

• NHS systems such as GP Connect and eRedBag.

Nourish has already helped many thousands of care services to go digital. Whether you’re still paper-based or looking to change from your current digital care management supplier, book a free personalised demo today with one of our friendly and knowledgeable team.

OneTouch Health

Tel: 0161 509 2309

Email: sales@onetouchhealth.net

Website: https://contact.onetouchhealth.net

SECTORS

• Supported living.

• Extra care.

• Day care.

• Mental health support service.

• Home/domiciliary care.

• Reablement, children and young person’s care.

• Complex care

• Residential care.

SERVICES

• Scheduling.

• Electronic Health Records for Patient Data.

• Training.

• Call monitoring.

• Digital care plans.

• KPI reporting.

• Insta care.

• Compliance.

• Medication management/eMAR.

• Auditing.

• Invoice/payroll.

• HR.

• Clinical governance.

COMPANY INFORMATION

OneTouch is a market leading care management system that works alongside your carers to enable the best provision of care. OneTouch provides a comprehensive digital foundation to let you manage the workflows and processes you need to run your care organisation smoothly. We provide a single system, on a single platform that manages the operational needs of care providers. This includes full and bespoke functionality suites for carers, clients, client families and the management team of your care organisation. All this functionality is available from a single system to allow for instant sharing of information across all stakeholders. For example, if a carer calls in sick at short notice the admin team can immediately

see which carer is best placed to cover the visit and assign it, the client’s family get immediate visibility of the change via the family app and the carer has instant access to the client’s complete digital health record and any associated information that may be required.

We are on a mission to improve the lives of everyone receiving care through our technology and support. OneTouch is built by care professionals, for care professional. Our in-house team is made up of clinicians, nurses, social workers and former care home managers. We pride ourselves on working closely with our users to provide a best-in-class system that they love using because it makes their day-to-day working lives easier. OneTouch has been developed as a single digital platform that provides a comprehensive functionality suite to let you start with scheduling while also providing digital solutions to manage every other aspect of the care delivery journey. We even help you to prepare for and excel during audits!

OneTouch is built to complement the skills of your workforce by giving them an easy-to-use system that has the functionality they need to do what they do best – provide care. OneTouch makes admin tasks simple, straightforward and quick to complete. This creates the most valuable resource of all –time. Time to focus on the service user, and the care provided by your organisation.

We believe that changing to our system should be as easy as turning on a light switch.

Person Centred Software

Tel: 01483 357657 • Email: hello@personcentredsoftware.com

Website: www.personcentredsoftware.com

SECTORS

• Residential care homes.

• Nursing homes.

• Dementia care homes.

• Supported/retirement living.

• Mental health support.

• Learning disabilities.

• Local authorities.

• Domiciliary care.

SERVICES

• Digital care planning system.

• Medication management (eMAR).

• Wellbeing and activities.

• Wellbeing and training for staff.

• Digital reception.

• NurseCall messaging.

• Maintenance and asset management.

• Connected care.

• PCS learn.

• Clinical handheld device.

• Built-in speech to text.

• Accidents and incidents.

• Observations and charts.

• Fluid and nutrition monitoring.

• API integration and reporting.

• Electronic medicines management integration.

• Body map/wound care.

• Electronic activities evidence.

• Relatives gateway.

• Group reporting.

• GDPR compliant record-keeping.

COMPANY INFORMATION

Person Centred Software offers a connected care platform covering the full spectrum of care management through a suite of integrated solutions with a focus on driving outstanding care and improving lives in social care.

Solutions include care planning, medication management, wellbeing and activities and care home operations.

Person Centred Software’s Connected Care Platform allows you to use one solution on its own, or you can use multiple connected together, all through

a single device.

Person Centred Software’s seamless integration philosophy also extends to solutions offered by valued partners providing you with greater flexibility and opportunity to connect all aspects of your care management.

Person Centred Software build products that improve the lives of people living and working in social care. Their solutions are loved by carers because they are built for carers – in a way that is simple to use and highly effective. As an organisation, Person Centred Software is dedicated to driving outstanding care.

Customer’s quotes

'Person Centred Software is a fantastic piece of software that I highly recommend. Being accredited by the NHS Transformation Directorate and on the assured supplier list gives me confidence that Person Centred Software has been assured at the highest level.' Brendan O'Neill, Technology Development Manager at Amicura.

'mCare is a far better system than the one we used before, and we certainly don’t have any complaints!' Chris Green, Health and Safety Officer, Orchard care homes.

'Everyone was quick to see just how positively Person Centred Software’s products were impacting the work they were able to do and the positive impact on the lives of the residents.'

Monika

Katinas, Home Manager, Belford House

Unique IQ

Tel: 0800 888 6868

Email: sales@uniqueiq.co.uk

Website: www.uniqueiq.co.uk

SECTORS

• Care.

• Cleaning.

• Education.

• Supporting: Domiciliary care.

SERVICES

• Digital care planning system.

• Electronic call monitoring.

• Medication Management (eMAR).

• Invoicing.

• Client and family portal.

• Carer app.

• Full KPI reporting functionality.

• Experienced, in-house support team.

COMPANY INFORMATION

As care has grown more complex, the way you do things has become more complex too. Now is the time to bring it all together. IQ:caremanager is Unique IQ's next-generation software for home care providers. Built upon our award-winning existing software systems, which our care customers know and love, IQ:caremanager brings together the tools you need to plan, deliver, monitor and manage home care.

Plan – Organise your care provision. Care managers and supervisors can process referrals, manage care packages and quickly schedule carers to cover visits.

• Scheduling and rostering.

• Client/carer best matching.

• Client records.

• Care planning.

Deliver – Empower your people to provide outstanding care. Our mobile app lets carers see their scheduled visits, clock in remotely, access necessary information, record notes, and clock in and out.

• Mobile app.

• eMAR.

• GPS Attendance Tracking.

• Client and family portal.

Monitor – Analyse data and streamline operations. Get a better understanding of your organisation's car provision. Our real-time monitoring technology helps care managers stay on top of planned visits.

• Dashboards.

• Report builder.

• Alerts and reminders.

• Live status and GPS.

Manage – Oversee your people and processes. Our software features a suite of HR and finance tools to help manage your internal team.

• Carer records.

• Incident handling.

• Invoicing and payroll.

• Mini-CRM.

We've been working with home care providers for 17 years, so we understand the needs of agencies, carers and clients. Our system is entirely bespoke to meet your business operation's needs while keeping the client's best interest at heart. Book a demo today to discover how to supercharge your homecare agency. It's not about software; it's about care.

First wave of speakers include:

Dr Jane Townson, CEO of Homecare Association

Professor Martin Green OBE, CEO of Care England

Avnish Goyal CBE, Chair of Hallmark Care Homes

Aneurin Brown, Managing Director of Hallmark Care Homes

CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE 2024 FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

Markel 3rd Sector Care Awards

CMM is thrilled to announce the finalists for the 2024 Markel 3rd Sector Care Awards.

CMM’s thanks go to everyone who entered this year’s awards; the judges faced the challenging task of creating a shortlist of finalists and winners from the exceptional nominations received. As the ceremony approaches, it’s time to meet the awards’ brand-new host and get the latest information about how you can secure your ticket for the event.

All about the awards

Over the last 10 years, the awards have grown and become a highly respected fixture on the care sector events calendar. CMM is looking forward to welcoming everyone at The Grand Hotel in Birmingham on Friday 15th March 2024, where the ceremony will take place.

The awards shine a spotlight on so many worthy individuals and organisations that improve the lives of people with tremendous challenges up and down the country. The entries demonstrate the diversity and capability of organisations in the voluntary and/or not-for-profit sector, all of which do so much good.

The awards’ judging day is a highlight of the year for the CMM team and offers judges and sponsors the opportunity to step inside the lives of those working in the 3rd sector and hear the raw and honest accounts of their experiences.

The judging panel included experts from Choice Support, the Nursing and Midwifery

Council (NMC), the Association of Mental Health Providers, the Royal Hospital Chelsea (RHC) and more. Thank you to all judges who joined CMM on Friday 26th January 2024 to meet the finalists virtually and to hear about their incredible achievements.

10 years of Celebrating Excellence

This year, the Markel 3rd Sector Care Awards celebrates its 10th anniversary of recognising outstanding individuals and organisations in the voluntary and/or not-for-profit sector. To mark the occasion and CMM’s ongoing dedication to highlighting best practice, a brand new category has been launched to allow even more brilliant professionals to showcase their achievements.

The Social Care Nursing Award will identify an exceptional registered social care nurse at any level, who has used their wide-ranging skills to implement outstanding and innovative person-centred care in the voluntary and/or not-for-profit sector.

CMM looks forward to announcing the inaugural winner in this exciting new category.

For a look at what lies ahead for social care nursing in 2024, see this month's Into Perspective, beginning on page 30. With comment from Skills for Care and the Foundation of Nursing Studies.

Meet the host, Sally Lindsay!

CMM is delighted to announce Sally Lindsay as the brand-new host of the Markel 3rd Sector Care Awards. Sally is a native of Manchester and got her first break in the groundbreaking sitcom, The Royale Family. Sally then went on to create one of Britain’s best-loved barmaids, ‘Shelley Unwin’ in Coronation Street, where she enjoyed a very happy five years.

Since then, Sally has appeared in numerous television shows including the BAFTA-winning Murdered for Being Different, Still Open All Hours and Ordinary Lies to name just a few. Most recently, Sally created, co-wrote and stars in the brand-new series, The Madame Blanc Mysteries

Sally has also diversified into presenting and fronted the BBC documentary, Emmeline Pankhurst: The Making of a Manchester Militant. She has also hosted Tenable for ITV and co-hosted Pointless for the BBC. Sally’s film credits include Pond Life and the voice of ‘Piella’ in the Oscar-nominated animation, A Matter of Loaf and Death

Sally is an ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Society in loving memory of her grandmother, Ellen. Sally is also the President of the Women of the Year Luncheon & Awards.

Commenting on being announced as the new host of the Markel 3rd Sector Care Awards, Sally said, ‘I’m so excited to be a part of these fantastic awards. I wish all the amazing finalists could be winners, but it will be an honour to reveal the judges’ choice in each category and get to meet each of the winners on stage.

‘It is truly remarkable to hear about the achievements of the awards’ finalists who have all worked tirelessly to make a difference to the lives of people in their communities. As an Ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Society, I’ve experienced first-hand the positive impact that these invaluable services can have. The people behind them deserve recognition and I look forward to learning more about their stories in person. Good luck to all the finalists!’ CMM

CMM’s 2024 finalists

Compassion Award

• Phil the Gardener, Nightingale Hammerson.

• Keith Jenkins and compassionate partners, St Andrew's Healthcare.

• HOPE Team, The Cellar Trust.

End of Life Care Award

• Nightingale Hammerson.

• Galanos House, Royal British Legion.

• St Ann's Hospice.

Community Engagement Award

• St Margaret's Hospice Care.

• New Beginnings NE Ltd and Ngage NE Ltd.

• East Support Services Vulnerable Adults Services.

Making a Difference Award

• Ed Russell, WCS Care.

• Shaleeza Hasham, Adopt a Grandparent.

• Mark Heasman, Provide.

Leadership Award

• Edwine Tembong, Outlook Care.

• Davina Collins, Cumbria Health.

• Donna Henderson, Birmingham Mind.

Technology Award

• Health at Home, Cumbria Health.

• Bolton Cares Group.

• Data and Analytics Department, St Andrew’s Healthcare.

Book your tickets

Headline sponsor

Dementia Care Award

• Alzheimer’s Support Day Care Team.

• Nightingale Hammerson.

• Sage House, Tangmere.

Campaigning for Change Award

• Social Care Frontline Pay Campaign.

• Community Integrated Care, Unfair to Care.

• St Andrew’s Healthcare and those who supported the Language Matters Campaign.

Collaboration (Integration) Award

• Intergenerational Music Making (IMM).

• Safe Spaces.

• Dementia Support.

Development and Innovation Award

• Elorm Boglo and Ryan Jones, Brainkind.

• The Nursery in Belong.

• The Co-production of the Care Planning Process with people living with Dementia, St Andrew’s Healthcare.

Creative Arts Award

• DARTS - Creative Directions Project.

• We Care Campaign/Domestic Dusters Collaboration.

• Ngage North East Ltd.

Social Care Nursing Award

• Jemma Sharratt, Belong Ltd.

• Nicole Hepplewhite, PBS4.

• Tracey Dunkley, Jaffray Care.

Markel UK will once again be the headline sponsor of the Markel 3rd Sector Care Awards. Markel UK is a dedicated supporter of the care sector with 10,000+ charity and third sector clients. Markel UK also has insurance, legal, tax and consultancy capabilities. This includes its specialist care consultancy, Markel Care Practitioners, which helps clients with a range of issues including risk management, inspection preparation and continuity planning.

Join CMM as the winners are announced in a face-to-face lunchtime ceremony at The Grand Hotel, Birmingham, on Friday 15th March 2024. Book your tickets on the awards’ dedicated website. Please also talk to CMM about sponsorship, another fantastic way to be a part of the celebrations. Sponsorship opportunities allow you to showcase your organisation amongst some of the sector’s leading associations, alliances and thinkers.

You can take a look at last year’s winners and finalists to see what truly makes the Markel 3rd Sector Care Awards such a special event or watch 2020’s virtual awards ceremony here. To stay up to date, don’t forget to follow the awards on X (formerly Twitter): @3rdsectorcare #3rdSectorCareAwards

For more information, visit www.caremanagementmatters.co.uk/3rd-sector-care-awards

THE NCF MANAGERS CONFERENCE 2024

11th and 12th March 2024, Wyboston Lakes Resort, Bedfordshire

The Managers Conference is dedicated to supporting social care managers working in a variety of settings. This includes residential and nursing care, homecare, housing with care and supported living to extra care, outreach care and support services and dementia care.

The conference is hosted by the National Care Forum (NCF) and Skills for Care, in collaboration with ARC England and supported by headline sponsor, Marr Procurement. It features a packed programme of keynotes, workshops and panel sessions plus a bustling exhibition featuring plenty of quality suppliers showcasing key solutions to support social care managers.

Policy-led agenda

Kicking off at 6.00pm on Monday 11th March with networking and a warm welcome from the event hosts followed by dinner, speaker and evening entertainment, the full conference and exhibition opens at 9.00am on Tuesday 12th March.

Miriam Levin, Director of Participatory Programmes at Demos, will deliver the first keynote of the conference. In her address, titled ‘People Power: Ideas to help fix the social care staffing crisis from the frontline’, Miriam will share insights from the organisation’s ‘citizen’s assembly’ where members of the public concluded that staffing was the biggest issue facing the sector.

A further keynote from Organisational Development and Inclusion Consultant, Ola Lanunju, will focus on what care managers need from their employers to feel cherished, challenged, inspired and noticed in their work. It will also empower delegates to ensure their teams feel the same recognition.

Develop your skills

The conference has a series of planned workshops addressing key business objectives

and opportunities. This will enable delegates to build their own bespoke programme at the conference based on their priorities. Workshop topics will cover all the key concerns facing social care managers right now, with workforce retention high on the agenda. Lori Barber-Field, Delivery Manager at Affina Organisation Development, will lead a session focusing on how managers can develop compassionate leadership skills for happier and more stable care teams. Neil Eastwood of Care Friends, together with Amanda Marques and Dave Beesley of Cohesion, will bring their combined expertise to a discussion on recruitment and on-boarding of staff.

As well as workshops on data and the role of digital innovation in care, managers can also brush up on their social media skills or learn something new by attending a session run by Michelle Rebello from Dimensions and Nikki Scrivener from Fourth Day. Also, Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, Deborah Sturdy, will co-host a discussion called ‘Contemporary nursing in social care’ to explore the building of a professional identity for social care nurses. Deborah will also take the opportunity to celebrate all the amazing social care nurses in attendance.

Making it all possible

Marr Procurement is the conference’s headline sponsor and will be showcasing the Marrgo Procurement Platform, which brings together benchmarked prices for care managers in a trusted, value-driven and convenient interface. Joining the event exhibition is commercial caterer Apetito, digital planning provider Nourish Care and PainChek®, the world’s first regulatory cleared medical device for the assessment of pain. Also taking part in the exhibition with its integrated Connected Care solution is Person Centred Software, together with training and learning supplier, Altura Learning, amongst others.

Registration for the Managers

Conference closes on 22nd February and tickets are selling fast. Visit the NCF website to find out more and to register.

Registration for the full conference and exhibition, including accommodation and dinner on 11th March is £315+VAT per person and a small number of day delegate tickets for the conference and exhibition on 12th March only are available, priced at £175+VAT per person. CMM

BOOK YOUR TICKETS

Friday 15th March 2024

The Grand Hotel, Birmingham

WHAT’S ON?

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Care England Conference and Exhibition 14th March 2024, London https://10times.com/care-england

Nursing recruitment and retention toolkit webinar series

30th January, 20th February, 5th March 2024, Online www.skillsforcare.org.uk/news-and-events/ Events-and-networks.aspx

LGBTQ+ good and best practice

29th February 2024, Online

www.skillsforcare.org.uk/news-and-events/ Events-and-networks.aspx

NCF Managers Conference 11-12th March 2024, Wyboston Lakes, Bedfordshire

www.nationalcareforum.org.uk/events/ the-managers-conference/

Annual leadership and workforce summit 2024: The future of work is now – embracing positive disruption to meet future challenges

19th March 2024, The King’s Fund, London

www.kingsfund.org.uk/events/annual-leadershipand-workforce-summit

Tax in the health and social care sector

6th February 2024, Online

www.careengland.org.uk/events/tax-in-thehealth-and-social-care-sector/

CMM EVENTS

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Markel 3rd Sector Care Awards Ceremony 2024

15th March 2024, Birmingham

Lisa Werthmann, Director, 01223 207770 lisa.werthmann@carechoices.co.uk

www.caremanagementmatters.co.uk/ 3rd-sector-care-awards/

CMM Insight Online - In association with the National Care Forum (NCF)

8th February 2024, Online

Lisa Werthmann, Director, 01223 207770 lisa.werthmann@carechoices.co.uk www.caremanagementmatters.co.uk/webinar

Please mention CMM when booking your place. Sign up online to receive discounts to CMM events and for more information on our upcoming events in 2024.

www.caremanagementmatters.co.uk

@CMM_Magazine #CMMInsight

STRAIGHT TALK

A letter organised by Parkinson’s UK and signed by nearly 1,000 people was delivered to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) last November, calling for the UK Government to fund training in Parkinson’s-related dementia. Gini Dellow, Policy Manager (Mental Health and Dementia) at the charity, explains why.

Parkinson’s is the fastest-growing neurological condition in the world. There are currently 153,000 people in the UK living with Parkinson’s and with population growth and ageing, this is likely to increase to around 172,000 people by 2030.

People with Parkinson’s are up to six times more likely to develop dementia compared to the general population, and three in 10 people with Parkinson's have Parkinson'srelated dementia at any one time. It’s not talked about enough, and most people are afraid to start the conversation and are fearful of the outcome, including many healthcare professionals who feel ill-equipped. This results in limited access to treatment and support, creating a ripple effect with the absence of high-quality care to meet the needs of people with Parkinson’s dementia, impacting not only their wellbeing but that of their loved ones.

The care needs of people with Parkinson’s-related dementia can often be even more complex than other dementias because of the combination of movement issues and changes in cognition. Parkinson’s-related dementia typically causes problems with mood disruptions, memory, and thinking, including hallucinations and delusions. Add to these the general Parkinson’s symptoms, such as freezing, difficulty walking, and a higher risk of falling, and it’s easy to understand the complexities of caring for someone with the condition.

A lack of sufficient training means many health and social care professionals are unaware of Parkinson's-related dementia and how to care for people with the condition. Just 14% of health professionals who have had training say it has prepared them well enough to provide high-quality care for people with

Parkinson’s-related dementia (Parkinson’s UK report, 2021). The failure in training often forces carers of loved ones with Parkinson's-related dementia to step up or step in to ensure they receive the quality of care they deserve.

Only 33% of people with Parkinson’srelated dementia received their Parkinson’s medication on time, every time while in hospital (Parkinson’s UK report, 2021). Plus, 59% of carers have had to provide care (such as feeding or explaining procedures) during their loved one’s stay in hospital (Parkinson’s UK report, 2021). This is unacceptable and a recipe for an epidemic of unpaid carer burnout.

And, that is why, in July 2023, Parkinson’s UK launched a joint open letter to the UK Government in partnership with Alzheimer’s Society, Neurology Academy, and the British Geriatrics Society, and nearly 1,000 people in the community calling for funding for training in Parkinson’s-related dementia for health professionals. Since the delivery of that letter in November 2023 and the subsequent Autumn statement, we’re yet to see any funding commitment by the UK Government.

It is an indisputable fact that this issue is only going to escalate. A collaborative effort is recommended via integrated care systems, NHS Trusts, Health Education England, and NHS Digital to inform, adapt, and advise on Parkinson’s dementia along with access to qualified Parkinson’s multi-disciplinary care teams and sufficient care models. Without this, people with Parkinson’s-related dementia and their loved ones will have to continue to contend with these challenges alone or with limited support.

Last year, The Parkinson’s Excellence Network, which is supported, funded, and

facilitated by Parkinson’s UK and brings together health and social care professionals to transform care for people with Parkinson’s, collaborated with the University College London (UCL) on dementia toolkits for healthcare professionals. The project, Patterns of Perception in Parkinson’s (PoP-PD), was co-developed with people living with Parkinson’s and Parkinson’s UK.

Dr Rimona Weil, Consultant Neurologist at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery and Neuroscientist at University College London (UCL), led the project. The project’s purpose was to assist in detecting and managing Parkinson’s dementia. It also aimed to further the understanding of the risk factors, symptoms, and assessments and educate healthcare professionals about treatment strategies, support, and what to discuss with patients.

The Parkinson’s Excellence Network and UCL's efforts are a great start, but we also need to see action from the Government. It must invest in the training of health professionals in Parkinson’s-related dementia. It must happen urgently to future-proof care for people with Parkinson’s and their carers. High-quality training of professionals is the cornerstone to improving outcomes for people with Parkinson’s-related dementia. We have identified the need. It is now time to take action.

To read the full Nobody Really Knows Us report, visit the Parkinson’s UK website. For more information on the Parkinson’s Excellence Network and UCL’s toolkits for detecting and managing Parkinson’s dementia, visit A toolkit for detecting and managing Parkinson’s dementia | Parkinson's UK (parkinsons.org.uk).

Gini Dellow is the Policy Manager (Mental Health and Dementia) at Parkinson's UK. Email: campaigns@parkinsons.org.uk X: @ParkinsonsUK

JAN to MAR

CONNECTED TO CARE

Connected to care; awareness campaign across social media encouraging people to donate and express how they are related to care

WALKIES FOR CARE

Dog walking fundraising month with a collective walk in Richmond Park on Friday 26th April

GOING THE EXTRA MILE

Get together with your colleagues, friends and families and Go the Extra Mile for care workers.

SKYDIVE

This is your chance to be a superhero for a cause. Rally your friends, family, and colleagues, and let's create a sky-high wave of support for care workers.

LEVEL UP FOR CARE

5 - 30 AUG

Level up your support for a cause you're passionate about by participating in our gaming fundraiser, where every virtual victory directly contributes to making a real-world impact

PROFESSIONAL CARE WORKERS’ WEEK 2024

ANNUAL TREK (EXACT LOCATION TBC) (CHARITY CHALLENGE)

TBC -OCT

THE CWC FIREWALK

Spend an evening with Mindshift Experiences learning how to overcome your fears then walk across fire to raise funds for The CWC. 4

WRITING COMPETITION 2024

Yes, that’s right. Absolutely free.

 Gain CPD points

 Access extended features and additional content

 Read latest news email alerts

 Comment on features and debate on important subjects

 Access archived editorial

 Receive a digital edition of CMM (10 issues per year)