Care Management Matters (CMM) Magazine September 2024
Social Care Insights
Richard Humphries warns that the new Government’s dismal economic and fiscal inheritance should temper expectations of how much can be achieved and how quickly.
Inside CQC
Mary Cridge reflects on the interim findings of the Department of Health and Social Care-commissioned review of the regulator’s operational effectiveness.
CMM News
Into Perspective
Two industry leaders discuss how care providers can enact preventative measures to combat the threat of cybersecurity attacks.
Celebrating Excellence
Shaleeza Hasham, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Adopt A Grandparent, won the Making a Difference Award at the 2024 Markel 3rd Sector Care Awards.
Event Preview
The Care Workers’ Charity (CWC) shares the programme for its seventh annual Professional Care Workers’ Week (PCWW).
What’s On?
Straight Talk
Louise Blezzard highlights the importance of deterring social isolation for people receiving home care, offering essential guidance.
In this issue
Things can only get better? A new opportunity for Shared Lives
Ewan King tells the stories of people with lived experience to make the case for Shared Lives to be at the forefront of the new Government’s plans for adult social care.
Catering for change: Managing vegetarian and vegan preferences
Helen Ream discusses the anticipated rise of vegetarian and vegan preferences and explains how providers can remain ahead of the curve whilst respecting individual choice.
The Care Innovation Challenge: CMM meets the finalists
Part one of CMM’s interviews with the 2024 finalists. Meet Paul Tomlinson from Team Total Care Manager, Anna O’Gara from Team Carpe and Keerthi Busanaboyina from Team Ellyfe.
Getting winter ready: The essential guide to reducing seasonal pressures
Kelly Stoker details the essential guidance and practical solutions for providers to be aware of to minimise additional pressures on delivering care and support.
Resource Finder: Training
This Resource Finder gives you information on some of the sector’s leading providers, to help with planning your next training objectives.
CMM magazine is officially part of the membership entitlement of:
CONTRIBUTORS
@RichardnotatKF
Richard Humphries Senior Policy Advisor, Health Foundation
Paul Tomlinson Co-Founder, Total Care Manager
Mary Cridge Director of Adult Social Care, Care Quality Commission (CQC)
@CQCProf Ewan King Chief Executive, Shared Lives Plus @SharedLivesPlus
Helen Ream Healthcare and Food Service Dietitian, Compass Group UK & Ireland
Louise Blezzard Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Venelle @Venellelife
@ukhsa @PhoenixSpecRisk
Simon Bentley Director, Phoenix Specialist Risk Solutions
Kelly Stoker Nurse Consultant for Adult Social Care, UKHSA
Shaleeza Hasham Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Adopt A Grandparent @AdoptAGrandp
SOCIAL CARE INSIGHTS
From Richard Humphries
The sound and fury of electioneering is over – our country has a new Government. But its dismal economic and fiscal inheritance should temper expectations of how much can be achieved and how quickly, says Richard Humphries, Senior Policy Advisor to the Health Foundation.
Initially, there were some encouraging green shoots of hope. The Minister of State for Care’s appointment creates the unusual situation of social care policy in England being overseen by a Welsh MP with an internationalist outlook (his wife was a former prime minister of Denmark). His late mother’s experience of dementia will have given him a personal understanding of the nature of care.
Economic potential
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care’s first major speech cited the NHS and social care as the biggest employers in most parts of our country. They should be ‘engines of economic growth’ he said, ‘giving opportunities in training and work to local people, as well as providing public services’. This is a refreshing contrast to traditional political narratives that frame social care in terms of its
demands on the public purse. It could pave the way to reset our approach to social care reform, emphasising the benefits of social care investment as a vital part of our economic infrastructure. This strongly aligns with the new Chancellor’s pro-growth agenda. But there remains the danger that social care will still be seen as a junior partner, a bed-clearing adjunct to the NHS, rather than an essential public service in its own right.
Manifesto commitments
With every sign that the new Government intends to hit the ground running, what Labour’s manifesto commitments mean in practice will intensify. The promised ‘programme of reform’ to create a National Care Service begs questions about the content and timing of this work. How exactly will it reconcile national standards
and entitlements with local delivery, especially given the Prime Minister’s early commitment to power devolution?
The other headline was to establish a ‘Fair pay agreement’, preceded by consultation and learning from abroad. Providers will be interested in how better pay and conditions will be funded given the financial position of many councils and no signs of any immediate bail out. Will the sector’s workforce strategy, launched in July, have a positive influence on this work and is there an opportunity to develop a credible long-term plan?
Busy in-tray
Both pledges look to have a timeframe of years not months. But the new Government’s immediate policy decisions about social care have been discouraging. The Chancellor has abandoned the proposed funding reforms on the
grounds of affordability. Confidence was dealt a further blow when the Adult Social Care Training and Development Fund was axed for the same reason. This leaves the Government without any kind of plan – other than high-level talk of a Royal Commission to build cross-party support for reform.
Hopeful outlook
Despite the challenges that will beset the new administration, new MPs and ministers will bring fresh ideas, experience, energy and commitment. Moreover, whilst the short-term prospects for reform are discouraging, the importance of social care both to the wellbeing of individuals and families and to the economy has never been greater. How this can be translated into a clear priority for the new Government is now the central challenge for champions of social care reform.
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INSIDE CQC
Mary Cridge
Mary Cridge, Director of Adult Social Care at the Care Quality Commission (CQC), reflects on the interim findings of the Department of Health and Social Care-commissioned review of the regulator’s operational effectiveness, led by Dr Penelope Dash.
Dr Penelope Dash published an interim report of her review into the operational effectiveness of CQC at the end of July. The purpose of the review was to examine the suitability of CQC’s new single assessment framework methodology for inspections and ratings of health and care providers. In it, Dr Dash identified a number of internal failings that are hampering our ability to effectively fulfil our purpose.
These fall into five areas, including: our operational performance; IT challenges with the provider portal and regulatory platform; the loss of credibility within the sectors we regulate; concerns around the single assessment framework; and a lack of clarity over how ratings are calculated, including ratings from previous inspections being used to calculate a current rating.
We have accepted these findings, and the recommendations Dr Dash has made, in full. Many of these align with areas we have already prioritised as part of our work to restore trust with providers and the public. We know that people have been raising their concerns around our approach for some time, and we are sorry that we have not properly listened to these voices.
We have committed to listening better, working together more collaboratively and being honest about what we have got wrong. Our priorities now are to get back on track.
Kate Terroni, our interim Chief Executive, has set out her plans to achieve this, detailing our urgent and immediate actions.
Improve how we are using our regulatory approach
Firstly, we will increase and improve the support and guidance for providers on our regulatory approach. We will also increase the number of assessments and inspections we are carrying out. We will share more details on how we plan to do this, soon. In the meantime, we have already increased the number of people working in registration and we are working to get to any outstanding registration applications as soon as possible. Providers should soon start to see improvements in registration waiting times.
Improve our provider portal
The interim report highlighted that the deployment of our new provider portal resulted in ‘significant problems’ for users. We accept that these issues may mean that some providers are still not having a good experience. We will continue working with providers to identify what we can do to improve the portal and to design solutions together.
Rethink our ways of working
Lastly, the interim report detailed that relationship building between our inspectors and senior members of the health and social care sectors ‘has been largely lost’. To overcome this, we will be testing a new approach to relationship management that enables a closer and more consistent contact point for providers, and we will further develop this in partnership with them.
Moving forwards
We have listened to providers in recent weeks and confirm our intention to work with them, people who use services and our colleagues to develop a new CQC handbook for all providers. We will work together to shape this. So far, we have heard that this handbook needs to explain what you can expect from an inspection, what customer services standards you should expect from CQC and how we can, together, articulate our shared understanding of what ‘Good’ looks like for different service types.
Our regular engagement with colleagues in adult social care trade associations continues, and the feedback and insights we receive from their members is helping to shape our short- and long-term priorities. We will share details soon of how providers can get involved in this and other elements of our work.
Mary Cridge is Director of Adult Social Care at the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Email: providerengagement@cqc.org.uk : @CQCProf
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Scrapped reforms ‘have raised alarm bells’
The National Care Forum (NCF) has signed a joint open letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting. The letter is signed by over 30 social care leaders, and people with lived experience, representing organisations and voices across the sector.
It registers concern with Government’s recent announcements to scrap funding that was set aside for the training and upskilling of social care workers and to cancel the proposed adult social care charging reforms.
On 29th July, the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, confirmed that the charging reforms, due to be implemented in October 2025, have been cancelled. The Chancellor acknowledged during her speech that the sector has
been neglected, but, due to overspending by the previous government, she had no option but to cancel the reforms.
On 30th July, the Minister of State for Care, Stephen Kinnock, revealed that the Adult Social Care Training and Development Fund, proposed by the last government, will not be continued. Despite this, the Minister reinforced Government’s long-term plan which includes a Fair Pay Agreement for care workers and a National Care Service.
Commenting on the open letter penned in response to Government’s recent announcements, Vic Rayner OBE, Chief Executive Officer at the NCF, said, ‘This letter demonstrates the sector’s willingness to work with the
Report highlights CQC failings
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) must take immediate action to restore the confidence of health and care providers and the public following the publication of an interim report that has identified significant failings in the regulatory body’s effectiveness.
The interim report was produced independently by Dr Penelope Dash. Over the last two months, Dr Dash has spoken to roughly 200 senior managers, caregivers and clinicians. Over 50 senior manager and national professional advisers at the CQC were also spoken to.
The report has identified significant failings that are actively hampering the CQC’s ability to identify poor performance at hospitals, care
homes and GP practices. The report has also found that inspection levels are still below pre-pandemic levels, clinical expertise among investigators and consistency in assessments are lacking and problems with the CQC’s new provider portal are causing frustration.
In addition, many providers have been waiting too long for their registration and rating to be updated after an inspection, which is impacting local capacity. Immediate steps are now being taken by Government ahead of the full report’s autumn publication.
In response to the interim report’s findings, Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, said, ‘I have been stunned by the extent of
Government to find creative and feasible solutions to the entrenched issues social care faces.
‘The decisions made by the Government […] will affect the huge number of people drawing on care and support and those working across services. We are committed to working with the new government and want this shared message to ensure that priority and focus is given to social care from the outset of this new administration.
‘Cross party commitments to social care need consultation and communication with the sector and leadership from government. Only through collaboration can we learn from the past to shape the workforce of the future.’
You can read the joint open letter here.
Skills for Care
Beverley Tarka, the Immediate Past President of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS), will join the Skills for Care board in September. Having concluded her ADASS presidency in April, Beverley continues to serve as the Director of Adults, Health, and Communities at Haringey Council where she began her career as a residential social worker. Beverley's extensive experience within the borough, coupled with her various roles in the local authority, has uniquely equipped her to influence and shape social care policies and practices.
Westgate Healthcare
the failings of the institution that is supposed to identify and act on failings. It’s clear to me CQC is not fit for purpose. […] We cannot wait to act on these findings, so I have ordered the publication of this interim report so action can begin immediately to improve regulation and ensure transparency for patients.'
Helen Wildbore, Director at Care Rights UK, said, ‘We have been calling on the CQC for many years to act to protect people relying on care services, telling them how their lack of action is leaving people’s lives and dignity at risk. We hope now they will be forced into action. For the people we support, in the most vulnerable of situations, this cannot come soon enough.’
Read the interim report here
Allan Foad has been appointed Head of IT and Digital Transformation at Westgate Healthcare. With over 20 years’ experience in the IT industry, Allan has a proven track record of delivering advanced solutions across various sectors. In his new role, Allan will play a pivotal part in enhancing Westgate Healthcare’s IT infrastructure to support its continued growth. This involves optimising existing software and introducing new technologies across all care homes.
New Age Care
Nav Singh has been appointed Head of Governance and Quality Assurance at midlands-based home care provider, New Age Care. With a career spanning over 15 years in regulatory, inspection and governance roles, Nav brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record in driving quality improvements. Nav's role will play a vital part in creating a culture where staff feel empowered to deliver the best possible care.
Sector Pulse Check 2024 survey launched
Hft and Care England have launched the survey for the Sector Pulse Check 2024. The survey's findings will contribute to an annual report analysing the financial health and workforce challenges faced by the sector.
This year, the survey also looks at what the care sector expects of the new Government. Hft and Care England are calling on providers to share their experiences to ensure the true state of the sector can be represented to the Government and key decision makers.
With the final report due in January 2025, the Sector Pulse Check 2024 sets out to contribute a valuable evidence base to support conversations with key stakeholders about the creation of a truly sustainable and thriving sector, which can support people to live the life they choose. For more
information, including a link to the survey, click here
In response to the survey’s launch, Steve Veevers, Chief Executive Officer at Hft, said, 'Through our joint report with Care England, we aim to bring the Government face to face with the reality experienced by providers in order to illustrate the true scale and impact of 14 years of systemic underfunding and kicking the can of social care reform, truly has had on providers.
We hoped the new Government would give us a chance to push social care up the agenda. As this hasn’t happened yet, we urge all providers now more than ever to make the most of this opportunity to take part in the survey and join us in calling for the change our sector, those who work in it and draw upon it, so desperately needs.'
ADASS Spring Survey 2024
According to an annual survey from the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS), the results of which are drawn from 95% of councils with responsibility for adult social care across England, people are needing more complex care and support due to illness and disability, but councils are struggling financially to meet people’s higher-level needs.
For example, the survey revealed a 7.5% increase in the number of people requiring multiple visits from two or more care workers, called ‘double handed care’, since last year, now totalling 49,000 people. As more care workers are needed to provide care and support to people with complex needs, costs to councils are increasing.
Directors report that this rise in complex care, in part, is the result of an ongoing push to discharge people from hospital more rapidly. The average size of care packages for people being discharged from hospital has increased in 76% of council areas over the past 12 months. This means that many older people and adults with a disability need more support from social care as they are more unwell following their hospital stay.
Directors ranked higher costs due to increased complexity of need as the greatest concern in relation to financial pressures on their budgets. As councils provide more hours of complex care and support, people
needing low-level, early support at home –which has gained cross-party support – risk missing out on receiving care or experiencing their care needs escalate.
This means that people are more likely to need to access emergency care and hospital treatment, which illustrates, according to the survey’s findings, the interdependence between health and social care – 99% of directors agreed that increased NHS pressures in 2023/24 will result in additional pressures for adult social care.
Directors report that the increase in complex and long-term care, in addition to National Living Wage increases and inflationary pressures, means almost three-quarters (72%) of councils in England overspent on their adult social care budgets in 2023/24, totalling £586m nationally.
In response to the findings, ADASS President, Melanie Williams, said, 'Instead of focussing on investment in hospitals and freeing up beds, the new Government must shift to investing in more social care, supporting unpaid carers and providing healthcare in our local community to prevent people reaching crisis point and ending up in hospital in the first place.
'Without investment in early care and support at home or the community, spending more on the NHS is like pouring water down a sink with no plug in. This approach is also better for us all in terms of
Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive at Care England, said, 'The new Government has already broken its promise on social care reform. So now it has never been more vital for a government to have a clear view of what is happening in social care and the impact of their policies both in the present day, and for the future of our sector.
'Sector Pulse Check is our opportunity to evidence the necessity for meaningful change and I urge care providers to have their say by taking part in the survey. With the opportunity to influence a new government, the importance of illustrating these through meaningful and reliable data cannot be overstated. Providers: this is your chance to be part of the change you want to see for our sector.'
mental health, sense of independence and overall wellbeing.
'The new Government must have the courage to commit to a long-term, fully funded solution for social care and shift from short-term crisis management, especially during winter, to more care at home in the long term. Care at home is better for all involved, but also makes more financial sense.'
Dr Jane Townson OBE, Chief Executive Officer at the Homecare Association, said, 'This survey paints a picture of a homecare sector that's running to meet soaring demand while juggling flaming torches of rising costs and complexity. We're seeing more hours delivered, more complex needs met and providers being squeezed from all sides.
'There’s no wealth without health. Investing in homecare isn't just about enhancing health and wellbeing – it's an economic no-brainer. A thriving homecare sector creates jobs, reduces pressure on the NHS, and enables family carers to remain in the workforce. It's a triple win for the economy.
'We're in favour of the new Government's policy to prioritise early support in the community over crisis management in hospitals. Let’s see them walk the talk.'
Click here to read the ADASS Spring Survey 2024 in full.
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Sheltered Housing reinvestment urgently needed
An All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Housing and Care for Older People inquiry has highlighted urgently needed reinvestment in sheltered housing. The inquiry was produced by the Housing Learning and Improvement Network (LIN) and sponsored by Abbeyfield.
In response to the results of the inquiry, the Group has called for urgent action to regenerate a significant proportion of sheltered housing properties in the UK. The Group has suggested that reinvestment is necessary to provide good-quality, accessible homes for people in later life that meet contemporary standards and expectations.
The report gives examples of where providers have regenerated existing sheltered properties, however, it recognises the financial challenges hampering investment in updating the majority of existing sheltered housing stock. In addition, it recognises the value of investing in the refurbishment of sheltered housing and urges social landlords to consider the broader social benefit of upgrading housing for older people.
The report draws attention to the requirements of a contemporary service
model in sheltered housing which would enable the properties to cater for a diverse range of older people. These requirements include having a balanced on-site staff presence and the integration of technology to enhance resident contact, experience and to support social interaction.
The report suggested that with the current state of sheltered housing, the aim must not only be to grow the sector, but to give a new lease of life to existing properties. The panel that created the inquiry has urged Government to increase the range of housing options available to older people by adopting the suggestions put forth by the inquiry.
Lord Best, Chair of the APPG on Housing and Care for Older People, said, ‘Sadly, a lot of the sheltered housing of the 1960s and 1970s is now past its sell-by date and ready for a serious upgrade. Bed-sits – let alone shared bathrooms – are no longer acceptable. If this accommodation becomes hard-to-let or is sold off, the nation will lose a precious asset that will be hugely expensive to replace.
‘So now is the time for a significant programme of imaginative regeneration of
outdated sheltered housing that can provide much-needed affordable, accessible, sociable homes fit for our ageing population for decades to come.’
Jeremy Porteus, Chief Executive Officer at Housing LIN, said, ‘[The inquiry] has shown that sheltered housing still provides a safe and secure home for tens of thousands of older households in the UK. […] However, we have discovered that the sector is encountering significant operational challenges in maintaining this valuable asset. Much of the housing stock is in need of improvement, and there are increasing cost pressures on services.’
Paul Tennant, Chief Executive of Abbeyfield Living Society, said, ‘This report highlights the vital contribution that existing sheltered housing is making in communities for older people. […] There is an urgent need for a clear plan for the future which includes access to funding and investment opportunities geared towards the refurbishment, upgrading and maintenance of existing housing stock as a viable alternative to simply building new developments.’
You can read the full report here
Food guidelines for care homes launched
A new set of menu planning and food service guidelines for care homes, the Care Home Digest, has been launched by the Food Services Specialist Group and Older People Specialist Group of the British Dietetic Association (BDA) and the National Association of Care Catering (NACC).
The guidelines intend to support care homes to review their services to understand what they are already doing well and where improvements could be considered and made. Chapters in the publication include
delivering a positive mealtime experience, menu planning and design and catering for special diets.
Helen Ream, Vice-Chair of the BDA’s Food Services Specialist Group, said, ‘I hope [the guidelines] will be the "go-to" resource for care home teams to support them to understand what their food services and menus should include to support residents to have a great mealtime experience whilst also meeting their nutritional needs.’
Neel Radia, National Chair of the
New DNACPR guide published
Learning Disability England and Turning Point have published a new guide for Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR). The new guidelines have been co-produced by the two organisations with the aim of educating and guiding people on the DNACPR decision-making process. Working with self-advocates, family members, support workers and experts, Learning Disability England and Turning Point
have updated the DNACPR guide to collate information that is accurate and accessible to people who need it, including:
• When DNACPR might be the right recommendation.
• What a doctor should tell a person about DNACPR and vice-versa.
• Resources – including examples of forms and letters to raise concerns about a recommendation.
NACC, said, ‘This document is a welcome and necessary publication to enable consistency across the care home sector. A multidisciplinary team bringing hospitality and nutrition together is the best solution for an all-encompassing approach to meeting residents' nutritional needs.’
The BDA and NACC hopes that the Care Home Digest will also aid the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and other inspecting bodies to better assess food standards at care homes.
You can read Care Home Digest here
• Information on DNACPR laws.
• Where to get further help and information.
Julie Bass, Chief Executive of Turning Point, said, ‘We are proud to have worked alongside Learning Disability England to create this vital information pack that gives self-advocates and families access to the relevant information to make an informed decision on DNACPRs.’
You can access the new guide here
NIHR funding awarded to universities
The National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) has awarded £33.2m funding to universities across 12 regions in England. The funding has been awarded to provide research training and engagement programmes for students and early career professionals.
The funding is for three years. According to the NIHR, it will support institutions to deliver engagement programmes to attract people into research careers. It will also offer fully funded Research Masters places to train students who are new to research.
The funding is part of the new INSIGHT: Inspiring Students into Research programme. The NIHR has stated that this programme will aim to help students and those at early career stages to access the full range of research careers. This includes roles ranging from research delivery to academic.
The programme will set out to provide over 300 Masters places available per year across 12 regions. It aims to build research capacity across England, making sure competitive research training opportunities are available to all, regardless of geography. Each region has been awarded up to 30 Masters studentships per year.
The regional programmes are open to students and recent graduates from professions without much exposure to research during their professional training. The NIHR has outlined that the programme will broaden access to research training and create a more diverse research workforce.
Forming part of the programme, innovative engagement activities will promote the benefits of research careers within health and care. This includes careers combining research and practice. Activities
are wide ranging, and examples include workshops, networking, mentoring programmes and showcase events.
The fully funded (including both course fees and stipend) Research Masters opportunities will enable students and recent graduates to gain valuable research training and experience. This will help develop the skills needed to join the research workforce and aims to help build capacity within health and social care.
Institutions in each region will advertise their Research Masters training and engagement opportunities. They can be held full-time or part-time (over two years). The first cohort of places start from September 2024.
Commenting on the announcement, Professor Waljit Dhillo, Dean of NIHR Academy, said, 'We know how important early exposure to research is for helping students and early career professionals develop the knowledge and skills needed to join the research workforce and build successful research careers in the future.
'The INSIGHT programme will offer over 300 funded Research Masters places per year and provide engagement activities that have the potential to excite and capture the imagination of students at an early stage in their career.
'I’m delighted that we can invest in our next generation of researchers in this way and show students all of the benefits that research roles and careers have to offer.'
Regional INSIGHT programmes include a wide range of organisations. This includes universities, NHS Trusts and local authorities. For more information about the INSIGHT programme, visit the NIHR website.
CARE FOR BUILDINGS | CARE FOR CLIENTS
Analysis reveals large variation in care requests
Analysis conducted by the Care and Support Alliance (CSA) has revealed a large variation in the chance of care requests being accepted across the UK. The research draws on the latest figures for the number of requests for care made by older and disabled people to local authorities and the proportion of requests that are either accepted or rejected.
The research has found that the region with the highest acceptance rate is the North East with 64% of requests being accepted. The West Midlands is the lowest, with only 32% of requests being accepted. However, the data has shown that the variations in each region vary substantially.
"It's not as if care is an optional extra: if you need it, it's essential."
This variation, according to the analysis, is most stark in London, where the difference between local authorities accepting care requests stands at 64 percentage points.
This is the largest regional variation in the country. Within a few miles, the acceptance rate ranges from 84% to 20%. The least regional variation is in the East Midlands, with a variation of 31 percentage points.
The CSA has argued that these numbers reflect a ‘perfect storm’ of the rising demand for care, rising costs of care, region-specific workforce challenges and the underfunding of local authorities.
Local authorities have a duty set out in law to provide social care services to those who require it and, according to the CSA, it is not unreasonable to expect that care to be the same across the UK. The CSA’s analysis has expressed that this is simply not the case, with at least 2.6 million people going without at least some, if not all, of the care they require.
Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK and CSA Co-Chair, said, ‘These variations in the proportions of requests for care that are accepted by local authorities are simply too big. It’s not as if care is an optional extra: if you need it, it’s essential, so it’s reasonable to expect a broadly consistent response wherever you live. […] Government needs
to grip this problem and act so older and disabled people, and the unpaid carers, get the support they need.
‘Across England […] just over half of all requests for care made to local authorities are turned down. To add to the sense of unfairness though, some local authorities are better placed than others to compensate for the lack of central Government support through their local capabilities.’
Jackie O’Sullivan, Executive Director of Strategy and Influencing at Mencap, said, ‘The scale of this postcode lottery for a crucial public service is unacceptable and underlines why our new Government must waste no time in reforming and refinancing social care.’
Emily Holzhausen, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at Carers UK, said, ‘Ministers have said they want to build a National Care Service and one of the measures of success should be how quickly these variations between and within the English regions can be reduced over the next few years.’
To reveal key statistics relating to care requests across the country, take a look at CSA’s new campaign tool here.
New dementia awareness research
New research has revealed a lack of understanding around dementia and the impact it has on society. In a recent survey of 1,000 people, although 43% of those questioned said they know someone with dementia, 50% were unaware that it can be treated and 47% did not know the correct cause of dementia (damage to nerve cells to the brain), with some wrongly thinking it is a natural part of ageing (15%) or is hereditary (11%).
The research was carried out by Luye Pharma Ltd as part of its ‘Let’s talk Dementia’ campaign to raise awareness of dementia and offer help and support for people whose lives have been affected by the condition.
The research was conducted in March 2024 with 1,000 people across the UK aged 18 to 65 years old to gain an understanding of what people know about dementia. Participants were asked 15 questions, covering areas including what causes dementia, can it be treated, how many people are affected, what are the risk factors and what is the care burden.
People were also unsure about the burden
of care that dementia can cause. 87% of people questioned did not know that one in three people in the UK will care for someone with dementia at some point in their life. In addition, six out of 10 people incorrectly thought that dementia care, such as in a care home, is paid for by the NHS or a charity and 92% didn’t know that dementia costs the UK £42bn annually.
GP, journalist and broadcaster, Dr Rosemary Leonard, who is working with the Let’s talk Dementia campaign, said, ‘One of the most important things is to come forward early –dementia can be treated and managed and the earlier treatment starts the better the outcome can be. Treatment also doesn’t just mean medical interventions – there are many lifestyle initiatives that can help. The Let’s talk Dementia campaign offers advice and tools that can make a really positive difference for those living with dementia.
‘Although memory problems are the main symptom of dementia, having memory issues doesn’t necessarily mean you have
dementia. There are other conditions that can cause memory difficulties. This is why it’s so important to come forward early so we can establish what is causing the problem and, if it is dementia, offer treatment and support.’
There are currently more than 944,000 people in the UK who have dementia and one in 11 people over the age of 65 have the condition. It is estimated that up to 1.7 million people could be living with dementia in England and Wales by 2040.
Although most people in the research were familiar with the common early signs of dementia, such as memory problems (78%) and struggling with decision making (69%), some wrongly believed that headaches (19%), fatigue (27%) and joint/mobility problems (13%) are all symptoms.
Lastly, the research has demonstrated that people are concerned about access to dementia information (how it is diagnosed and managed, symptoms and where to get help and support). 57% thought that there is not enough information and 22% were unsure.
New standard launched to ensure effective safeguarding
New safeguarding guidelines designed to help all organisations, including charities, keep people safe and protect the vulnerable from harm, have been published by BSI.
The new standard comes in light of several high-profile cases exposing organisational failings in relation to safeguarding both adults and children. Changes to legislation outlined the importance of organisations prioritising robust safeguarding practice at the centre of their operations.
The freely available guidance, published by BSI in its role as a UK National Standards Body, offers a step-by-step process for organisations to reduce the risk of individuals coming to harm or becoming the victims of abuse.
Safeguarding for Organizations: Guide (BS25800) introduces the knowledge, skills and experience on managing safeguarding risk to help organisations across all sectors who come in contact with children and adults in the course of their work.
There are both public expectations and statutory duties for UK organisations to provide assurance that they have measures in place to prevent harm to individuals. The measures are collectively known as safeguarding. All organisations working with
the public are required to be aware of their legal safeguarding responsibilities and are expected to prioritise the safeguarding of children and adults at risk.
The standard has been written to complement existing legislation and statutory guidance. It gives guidance on raising awareness and preventing harm, thereby supporting agencies with statutory safeguarding responsibilities, and helping organisations support victims should harm occur.
Commenting on the launch of the new guideline, Anne Hayes, Director of Sectors at BSI, said, ‘The new standard is intended to help develop a consistent approach to safeguarding practice across the UK, and provide a crucial tool to protect and support the welfare of vulnerable people, including children.
‘This clarity on best practice can help reduce the risk of individuals coming to harm or becoming the victims of abuse, while also enabling organisations to demonstrate to stakeholders that they understand and respect national safeguarding standards.’
BSI Safeguarding Committee Chair, Sarah Hamiduddin, said, ‘The Committee’s aim is to provide a guidance standard that supports a
positive safeguarding culture for adults and children right across the UK. We recognise that very small organisations might appreciate advice on where to start and that signposts relevant information on where to go next.’
To further support BSI’s work on the important area of Human Rights, the standard is aligned with other purpose-driven standards, including the alignment with Organizational Responses to Modern Slavery (BS 25700), designed to support the prevention of modern slavery. The guidelines also complement Risk Management (BS ISO 31000) and Whistleblowing Management Systems (BS ISO 37002).
The standard encourages interaction with relevant authorities and agencies, including Department for Education; Ministry of Justice; Home Office; Department for Business and Trade; Dept for Work and Pensions; and Welsh Government.
The BSI Safeguarding Committee includes representatives from Barnardos, Rugby Football Union, the Independent Safeguarding Service CIC, Royal National Lifeboat Institution, Save the Children UK, and the Ann Craft Trust, along with individual experts working in schools, faith settings, and public and private organisations.
Deafblind UK expands services
National charity, Deafblind UK, is expanding its services for people impacted by Usher syndrome, including people who have previously been supported by Sense. As part of this expansion, the Sense Usher team and its service users, have transferred to Deafblind UK.
Both Deafblind UK and Sense have welcomed this move.
Commenting on the expansion, Nikki Morris, Chief Executive Officer at Deafblind UK, said, ‘We are delighted to welcome the Usher specialists to our team and the service users to our membership, we would like to extend a very warm welcome to both parties. This is a move that both Sense and Deafblind UK agree will provide the best possible specialist support for people impacted by all types of Usher syndrome.’
Maria Horton, Group Director of Operational Services at Sense,
said, ‘We believe the agreement we’ve reached works well for both charities, and means, most importantly, that the Usher community will continue to receive vital support.’
Deafblind UK will continue to provide specialist support for people affected by all types of Usher syndrome, including education around Usher syndrome and communication techniques, support with accessing services and providing opportunities to network and socialise.
People previously supported by the Sense Usher team will now also have access to the wide range of specialist services provided by Deafblind UK, including counselling, support with technology and employment. Existing members of Deafblind UK can now access the Usher service, in addition to its existing support provision.
New care worker support initiatives
The Care Workers’ Charity has launched the Care Workers’ Advisory Board and Care Worker Champions Project. Funded by The Rayne Foundation as part of its Better Careers for Better Care programme, these initiatives are designed to amplify the voices of care workers and address critical sector policy issues.
Commenting on the launch, Karolina Gerlich, Chief Executive Officer at the Care Workers’ Charity, said, ‘We are deeply grateful to The Rayne Foundation for their generous support. Their partnership has been instrumental in bringing this project to life, and we look forward to working together over the next two years, along with other funded projects under the Better Careers for Better Care programme.
IN FOCUS Digital technology central to delivering 'Neighbourhood Health Service'
WHAT’S THE STORY?
Focusing on digital technology can be a key enabler of moving care closer to home and help the new Government achieve its vision of a ‘Neighbourhood Health Service’, a new independent report by The King’s Fund, commissioned by Nourish, has found.
WHAT WERE THE FINDINGS?
The authors concluded that bolstering digital technologies in GPs, pharmacies, community trusts and care providers can help reduce the number of people needing to access already over-stretched hospitals. They can also improve patient experience and outcomes and help people with ongoing care needs to live independent and full lives.
to the individual, starting with people’s existing digital skills. This might mean some people have an app on their phone; for others, a better option might be a tablet acting as a display for simple notifications.
However, many digital technologies in community settings are built with hospitals in mind, which can lead to staff frustrations that they do not always cater for mobile working. Many staff found that electronic records software interrupts workflows, and they are often left to duplicate tasks across different systems. To avoid inefficiencies, the report concluded that community NHS and social care staff should be involved in developing or selecting digital systems.
WHAT DO THE EXPERTS SAY?
‘This is an ambitious project to recruit a network of frontline care workers from across the UK who will serve as a vital platform for care workers to share regional insights, enhance skills and visibility and ensure care workers can feed into policy discussion and decision making.
'The Care Workers’ Advisory Board and Care Worker Champions Project will foster collaboration across the care sector, ensuring that care workers and those who draw on care are at the centre of advocacy efforts. By creating a space where care workers can share their stories and insights, we aim to ensure that their invaluable expertise are at the forefront of advocating for meaningful change in the care sector.’
The report, which draws on a roundtable with national stakeholders and expert research, found that community providers are all too often at the back of the queue when it comes to accessing the funding they need to digitally transform and improve services.
Some integrated care systems (ICSs) are trying to overcome digital challenges, such as improving interoperability – where health and care information is accessible across multiple organisations – by creating additional systems that link up all electronic records.
The researchers also reported that people and patients’ experiences of using digital technology for their health and care needs are variable. Some ICSs are working to tailor services
Pritesh Mistry, Fellow in Digital Technologies at The King’s Fund, said, 'Underinvestment in digital technology in community settings has been holding back improvements to care and is frustrating staff and patients alike. As the country’s population ages and expectations around how to access health care services change, investment in these areas has become increasingly necessary, not optional.’
Nuno Almeida, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Nourish, said, ‘One way to drastically improve is to invest in digital technology which will streamline processes, save time and join up care information across the board. To do this the wider system needs to come together and co-create a solution designed for a community setting.’
NEWS FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE
Funding for new Social Care Networks (SCNs) programme
Governor Kathy Hochul has announced that nine organisations statewide will receive a total of $500m in awards over the next three years to create a new SCNs programme in New York State.
The programme will address health disparities in low-income communities by leveraging federal funding to facilitate Medicaid members' access to nutritional meals, housing supports, transportation and other social services that can have a significant impact on an individual’s health. By integrating social care and health care, this programme advances a key initiative under the New York Health Equity Reform
(NYHER) waiver amendment.
Commenting on the announcement, Governor Hochul said, ‘The Social Care Networks will help us transform how we support communities with the greatest unmet needs. Through the SCN programme, we are making a direct investment in the health and wellbeing of our local communities and New Yorkers will be connected to a more equitable and integrated social and health care system.’
New York State, as part of its Medicaid Section 1115 Demonstration Waiver, is making an historic step forward to create a new model of care that will integrate health
care and social care via networks with associated funding.
The $500m programme is one component of a $7.5bn three-year waiver with nearly $6bn of federal funding. The SCNs will be core to facilitating the delivery of health-related social needs, including nutrition, housing supports, transportation and case management for eligible Medicaid members, which are essential to addressing health disparities and improving population health.
Data shows that subsidising health-related social needs can have significantly positive impacts on health outcomes for low-income New Yorkers.
Social Workers’ Unions demand 10% pay rise
Social services in the Czech Republic are currently short of 3,000 employees and are demanding a 10% pay rise for all workers in the sector, said representatives of the Health and Social Care Employees’ Trade Union at a recent press conference. The Labour and Social Affairs Ministry has proposed a 7-10% pay rise for technical workers in social services, but not for care workers.
According to one example given by the union, a care worker with 18 years of experience has a salary of around CZK
23,000 after tax. In Germany, an equivalent worker would receive CZK 65,000-80,000 and free accommodation. The unions also point out that the sector is not attracting young people.
Last week, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs presented a proposal that would raise the base monthly pay of some public sector workers by between CZK 850 and CZK 1,220 per month, depending on their expertise and length of professional experience. This would apply to white-collar workers, cultural staff, technical workers in
social services and health care and non-teaching staff in the education sector.
The health care sector in the Czech Republic is funded by public health insurance, which has about CZK 500bn available this year. The Health Ministry has previously said that hospitals spend about 60% on staff salaries, which is higher than in the West. Social services are subsidised by the regions and the state budget. Trade union representatives are due to meet ministers before the Government approves next year’s state budget.
National Assembly adopts social care employment package
The Slovenian Ministry of a Solidarity-Based Future has produced a package of measures to stimulate employment in social care institutions. The measures were adopted by a broad social and political consensus. The resulting Act was enacted at the National Assembly’s 77th extraordinary session.
The National Assembly approved the proposed Act on temporary measures to improve personnel and working conditions, as well as the capacities of providers of social assistance and long-term care services, aiming to stimulate employment in social assistance and long-term care.
The Act brings key measures designed to increase and maintain the accessibility of social assistance and long-term care services, providing support for and relieving the burden on the personnel performing these services, ensuring an adequate number of qualified professionals and increasing the quality and safety of these services.
The total value of the eight measures and the Act to be implemented in 2024, 2025 and 2026 is estimated at nearly €10m.
The Act will enable and co-finance the acquisition of a national vocational
qualification, improve the conditions for strengthening volunteer work for providers of social assistance and long-term care services and establish a quality and safety assurance system for providers.
The Act will also co-finance the acquisition of modern technologies to assist personnel with complex tasks, provide for integration programmes and additional tasks of the Employment Service of Slovenia in hiring foreign workers, co-finance the costs of employee education for providers’ needs and introduce a scholarship system.
Things can only get better?
A new opportunity for Shared Lives
Ewan King, Chief Executive at Shared Lives Plus, tells the stories of people with lived experience to make the case for Shared Lives to be at the forefront of the new Government’s plans for adult social care.
In 1997, the last time there was a Labour landslide victory at the general election, the D:Ream song, Things Can Only Get Better, topped the charts. For people working in and drawing on social care, no song rings truer than this one after this July’s election; for social care is on its knees, and the only way really is up. Will we get a much anticipated properly funded plan for social care? We will need to wait and see.
What is working well?
What we do know is that we have an opportunity to think afresh about social care. However, this doesn’t mean we tear up everything that went before. There is much to celebrate in social care – examples of good social care exist in many places. However, they exist in pockets, often starved of the resources they need to grow. Instead, we need to look at the services we currently provide, including services which may no longer be right for the community, and decide what works, how we support the best to grow and which services we need to stop delivering. In every area, there are bound to be great examples – such as Local Area Coordination, a form of support that connects people to one another and support in the community; Small
Supports, which are community organisations helping people with significant support needs; Micro Enterprises, which are small care businesses providing highly personalised care; and community-led support, a whole systems approach to developing good social care practice that can reduce demand for formal social care. In almost every part of the country, there will also be Shared Lives, a pioneering and proven approach to supporting people who need support in their local communities.
What is Shared Lives?
Shared Lives involves an approved, self-employed Shared Lives carer being carefully matched with someone who is seeking support. Together, the Shared Lives carer and cared-for person share family and community life. According to Care Quality Commission, 97% of Shared Lives schemes are rated ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’, making it the highest quality and safest form of social care in England. It is also cost effective, saving on average £19,500 per person in Shared Lives compared to residential care. Amongst those shaping our thinking on the future of health and care, it also has influential supporters.
Discussing the impact of Shared Lives, Hilary Cottam OBE, a British innovator, author and social entrepreneur, said, ‘Shared Lives takes the idea of community support a step further for the fastest growing population group that needs support: young adults. It asks those who can, to share their homes with a person and to offer them the support they need to live as independently as possible.’
Success stories
What does this mean for those who draw upon Shared Lives? For many, it is a life transformed. Lee had a complicated and turbulent childhood, moving often between foster carers and getting into trouble at school. After many false starts, Lee eventually moved in with Shared Lives carer Maz and her family, who he had been carefully matched with. It was his first real chance at a stable home. Lee said, ‘I was scared. I was frightened of being rejected. But it’s been amazing.’
"I am more positive and talkative. I have a job working in a supermarket. I have friends my own age. I am learning to drive."
As well sharing home life with Maz’s family, Lee was also given the chance to travel the world with them. Lee continued, ‘I’ve been to Orlando, Spain, Turkey and Egypt. We went to Canada; we visited New Brunswick, Halifax, Toronto and Niagara Falls. It’s very special if you go at night because it lights up.’
Maz said the biggest change she has seen in Lee is his confidence and his ability to believe in himself. Maz said, ‘He can have discussions about things now and know he’s supported whether he’s wrong or right. If he makes a mistake, we talk it through and start again. He’s less vulnerable and not acting on impulse as frequently. He’s starting to think things through more and take more pride in himself.’
20-year-old Mollie moved in with her carer Mae through a Shared Lives scheme. Together, they share family and community life, and Mollie receives personal care and support in a place that feels like home.
Mollie explained, ‘I’d been in crisis throughout my life and then I reached breaking point. I couldn’t manage basic life skills.’ When Mollie’s social worker offered her the Shared Lives scheme, she chose to move in with Mae, an approved Shared Lives carer. Mollie lives in an annexe so has a place of her own, but with the full support of Mae and her family.
Since moving in, Mollie has grown in confidence. She said, ‘I am more positive and talkative. I have a job working in a supermarket. I have friends my own age. I am learning to drive. I am learning to cook, I do my own washing and I’m learning how to run a house, pay bills and clean my space. My mental health has improved, I feel proud of myself and I make my own choices.’ >
Compliant
Controlled Drug Disposal
What’s the catch?
The catch, if there is one, is that Shared Lives can be difficult to grow. Whether it is to do with the problems which are faced in recruiting carers, or in finding money to invest in the service or whether its due to the challenge of getting busy social workers to buy into the model; it is never easy to grow the service. But these barriers are not insurmountable.
Top of the challenges faced is in finding and keeping enough Shared Lives carers. Part of the problem is about the fees we pay carers, which in many parts of the country are lower than people would get for entry-level retail work – and being a Shared Lives carer is hard and skilled work. At the same time, subsistence allowances to cover food and utilities have not kept up with increases in the cost of living which have soared in recent years.
Beyond the pay issue, effective and sustained efforts to recruit carers are vital. This means exploiting every opportunity across the health and social care system to raise awareness of Shared Lives opportunities; joining up, where possible, broader health and social care recruitment activities with Shared Lives recruitment and using community networks to reach people through word of mouth. Furthermore, carers, like anyone in an intensive carer role, get tired and even burn out. Making breaks available to carers is a vital part of keeping a happy team of carers.
Increasing the demand for Shared Lives, through more frequent and better-quality referrals, is no less challenging a problem. In this instance, what is needed is sustained effort to build up the skills, knowledge and experience of social work teams so that they understand who would most benefit from Shared Lives and when is a good time to make a referral.
A call to Government
Leadership commitment is essential to making all of this happen at roughly the same time. At the top, you need committed leaders who regularly promote Shared Lives and make the case to colleagues for investing in the service. Heads of services and social care team leaders are equally vital to promoting the benefits of the service on a day-to-day basis to colleagues. Finally, registered managers who operate each scheme have a critical role to play in energising their teams and driving through innovations against significant barriers.
Leadership is an essential part of the story about the growth of Shared Lives in Devon. It started with the County Council’s leadership team building a case for investment; producing analysis which showed that if it increased the number of people supported in Shared Lives arrangements
by 30 in year one, and 15 in year two, it would save the council approximately £900,000 per annum.
Then, the County Council started to work on two of the main problems confronting the service, the difficulty in recruiting carers and the lack of high-quality referrals. To address the former, the council funded its independent provider of Shared Lives to invest much more in recruitment of carers, efforts which are starting to bear fruit with increased applications. To tackle the latter, the County Council asked us to upskill its social workers by increasing their awareness of Shared Lives and how to make good referrals, which has led to a rapid increase in referrals to the service.
As the Director of Integrated Adult Social Care at Devon County Council, Tandra Forster told me about Shared Lives, ‘It will be difficult, but far from impossible, to grow Shared Lives. If we work together, share resources and learning and are creative and brave with the money we have, we can continue to invest in and grow Shared Lives, to ensure that even more people benefit from one of the highest quality and safest forms of social care in the future.’
So, can things only get better? That question will define the next five years for social care. We hope it is a resounding yes, but only if we show a willingness to back the services and models of support which are proven to work, like Shared Lives, and if we stay the course, giving these services the attention, funding and support that they will need to flourish. CMM
What else can be done to increase the prominence of Shared Lives on Government’s
Visit www.caremanagementmatters.co.uk and leave a comment on this
or join the conversation to share your thoughts.
Care software provider excels in enhancing dementia care
Working towards a better social care system for all
Person Centred Software (PCS), the UK’s no.1 software solution for care providers, has received much attention lately for its dedication to improving care delivery and resident outcomes through its Connected Care Platform.
This platform offers a wide range of integrated solutions for every service type, covering the entire digital transformation journey within social care, from care management and medication management solutions to digital tools that improve resident experience, care operations, and learning and development for care workers.
PCS’s commitment to excellence
In recent months, PCS was honoured with the ‘Highly Commended’ award for ‘helping to connect health and social care’ at the HSJ Digital Awards, alongside Digital Transformation NHS England (London Region) and OneLondon. This remarkable achievement follows the company’s previous win as ‘Social Care Technology Provider of the Year’ at the esteemed HealthInvestor Awards 2024 recognised as the ‘Best Social Care Software Developer 2024 – UK’ by the Global Excellence Awards.
PCS’s recent victories highlight its dedication to delivering innovative social care software solutions that enhance outcomes for everyone. The company is pioneering positive change and setting new standards in the sector.
Enhancing dementia care
According to Alzheimer’s Research UK, the number of people living with dementia was estimated to be close to one million in 2021 (944,000), and by 2050 this figure is expected to rise to 1.6 million.
Alzheimer’s Society estimates that 70 per cent of people in care homes have dementia or severe memory problems. Additionally, 60 per cent of people who receive homecare support are living with dementia.
These statistics highlight the significant impact of dementia on individuals and the role of the Connected Care Platform in providing support.
PCS’s Connected Care Platform supports all care services, but given the prevalence of dementia, it has played a crucial role in helping care teams improve the delivery of dementia care.
One such solution is the digital social care record system mCare. Over the past decade, this system has streamlined care services and helped care teams deliver better dementia care.
For example, B&M Care, a family-run and family-focused private residential and specialist dementia care provider for older adults, has been using mCare for the past eight years. Operating 27 exceptional homes, B&M Care accommodates 1,340 residents, 90% of whom are living with some form of dementia.
Caroline Inch, the director of care and operations and a specialist in dementia care at B&M Care, says:
I use mCare to gather all kinds of necessary data; this could be related to person-centred care planning or the data I collect from the wide range of risk assessments available on mCare, which all meet industry standard assessment tools.
Whatever it is, with mCare, I can audit data quickly and easily, whenever and wherever I am. I then use this information to form the initial part of my dementia audit, which gives us a lot of insight into the lived experience of residents with dementia and covers essential aspects such as whether the homes are adhering to our ‘Shaping the Future Together 2023 – 2026 Dementia manifesto’ or our key projects around the use of anti-psychotics and positive communication protocols, whether or not the homes are providing person-centred care, etc.
With the right training, support, and a system like mCare, technology can significantly enhance caregiving services while saving time and safeguarding the home. Furthermore, it can transform services and provide adult social care with tremendous opportunities.
Read the full success story on our website to see how mCare’s features are making a real difference in dementia care.
To learn more about Person Centred Software and its Connected Care Platform’s integrated solutions, visit personcentredsoftware.com or email hello@personcentredsoftware.com
CHANGE: CATERING FOR
Managing vegetarian and vegan preferences
Helen Ream, Healthcare and Food Service Dietitian at Compass Group UK & Ireland, discusses the anticipated rise of vegetarian and vegan preferences amongst people drawing on residential care and support and explains how providers can remain ahead of the curve whilst respecting individual choice.
I work within the White Oaks team, part of Compass Group UK & Ireland’s Healthcare sector. The White Oaks team is dedicated to food and dining services across the senior living sector, specialising in care, extra care and retirement living.
In each, the team creates a food service offer that is developed to meet the specific mealtime preferences and needs of residents and tenants, offering quality, choice and flexibility throughout the day.
Our collective purpose is to deliver a quality food service at the highest level, placing residents at the very heart of that service. By doing this, we can guarantee a professionally managed and innovative food and dining experience – supporting better living, a ‘home from home’ environment and a sense of community that is important to our clients and residents alike.
Importance of mealtimes
Mealtimes for our residents are more than just a source of nutrition – they provide pivotal interactions throughout the day, which provide opportunities for a sense of community, familiarity and enjoyment.
There is no doubt that in these settings, food brings our residents together, evokes
memories and the meals we provide play a vital role in care, contributing to more general good health, morale and wellbeing.
Our extensive menus are created by our team of chefs and dietitians, who work side by side to produce dishes that have an attractive and appetising appeal, plus strike the balance between great taste and delivering the required nutritional benefits. We offer a choice of options at each mealtime and ensure that they are presented and served in an environment that encourages residents to eat well.
Vegetarian and vegan options
Plant-based food is rising in popularity among the general public, however in our care home settings it is not a dominant trend at the moment. We foresee this growing rapidly over the coming years, with an ageing population that includes more people that embrace vegetarian, vegan and flexitarian diets.
Reducing meat intake has now become a lifestyle choice for many people, especially as we are all more conscious of food choices from a health, locality, seasonal, ethical and environmental perspective.
As a wider business, we are constantly analysing recipes for health and environmental impacts and within Compass Group UK & Ireland, we have encouraged an increase in the use of plant-based proteins – for our chefs this has created an opportunity for innovation.
Nutritional needs for older adults (those aged 65 years and over) are slightly different from the rest of the adult population. It is recognised that older people need a nutrient-rich diet, which means choosing foods which contain slightly more protein or calcium, for example, as protein is vital to maintaining muscle strength and reducing the risk of muscle loss and frailty.
Many residents in care homes are also at a higher risk of malnutrition, so it is imperative that meals provided meet both preferences and nutritional needs. Many vegetarian dishes are popular and already feature widely on our menus including omelettes, macaroni or cauliflower cheese, savoury tarts, vegetable pasta bake or vegetarian cottage pie – they can be rich in protein and other key nutrients.
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Plant-based (vegan) meals are currently less popular and tend to be naturally lower in protein and micronutrients, including vitamin B12, folate, calcium, iron, zinc and iodine, so where these are prevalent, it is important that they contain a good source of protein and chefs make use of ingredients such as beans, pulses, nuts and soya proteins to ensure meals meet protein needs, within a suitable portion size.
In addition, the carbohydrate, vegetables and accompaniments in vegetarian and vegan meals should be similar to the regular menu and appropriate for the dish with which they are served. Suitable vegetarian or vegan gravy and sauces should also be provided as appropriate to the dish. These should be encouraged as they can make food less dry and therefore easier to eat.
Accommodating preferences
When planning our menus, we spend time considering which dishes to include – plant-based meals can offer the opportunity for residents to try something different and can be tested during theme days and activities to ensure residents would like to see this on the menu. They can also feature on ‘specials’ menus where residents might like the option to try something different.
Catering teams should have the knowledge and skills to cook familiar and appropriate meals for all residents including those who choose a vegetarian or vegan diet. The same standard of food and drink offer should be provided for all residents, to avoid meal repetition as much as possible.
It’s important to mention that our chefs cater for a broad spectrum of dietary requirements, as we need to meet everyone’s specific needs and, in these settings, they can be varied. With this commitment in mind, I was lucky enough to Chair the group that created the recently released Care Home Digest – this has been a really significant step forward for the care sector.
The Digest is the first of its kind for care homes for older people, providing menu planning and food service guidelines to support home teams to provide high-quality food and drink services for residents. Chapters in the Digest include nutrition and hydration needs, delivering a positive mealtime experience, menu planning and design and catering for special diets.
The Digest also covers the importance of choice in terms of what residents are eating and their portion size and how homes can work to review and enhance meal services. What is key for me here is the respect of our residents’ choices. It is our job to provide food that residents actually want to eat, as well as being nutritionally valuable.
Where we are accommodating vegetarian and vegan diets, the Digest highlights that a vegetarian or vegan diet should meet a resident’s
nutritional needs and include foods like soya, tofu, calcium-fortified plant-based milks, fortified breakfast cereals, nuts and beans can help to support residents to eat a nutritionally balanced diet.
Furthermore, residents who are vegetarian or vegan may have additional dietary needs, such as swallowing difficulties and/or diabetes, which may require further consideration and meal planning. These additional needs, combined with taste preferences, poor appetite and/or cultural preferences, can increase the risk of malnutrition. Where there are long-term challenges to overcome to meet residents’ nutritional needs, professional advice from a dietitian should be sought.
Food passports
Through catering for specific diets and understanding the residents' needs we created our food passport system – this enables better care and consistency, as well as supporting communication between caterers and care teams.
Our food passports are often useful for understanding specific dietary requirements, such as those following a vegetarian diet, those with religious requirements or those with dysphagia, who require texture modified meals. However, they also allow a resident to tell us about their ‘food story’ and how they like their meals to be individualised for them.
Evolving menus
We strive to constantly be at the forefront of menu development, evolving our menus to cater for residents by ensuring we understand the up-and-coming trends and practices that are emerging within the marketplace. We value feedback and think it is important to collect this from our residents and their families, so we host regular food forums and ask people to take part in surveys so that we can review offers and implement changes where possible.
We understand that residents often love our classic, homestyle meals, but also encourage them to try new tastes and concepts. To support this, we often host themed food events and ask our residents to join in baking and cooking as an interactive activity. This can be through our calendar to celebrate traditions or events throughout the year. It is often an opportunity to try things a bit differently within our menus, sometimes including vegetarian and vegan options.
Looking ahead
In anticipating the growth in this area, we are continuing to innovate across vegetarian and vegan menus, catering for this need more frequently. Across the sector, it will be an interesting shift to monitor, and I believe it will inspire creativity. We must be mindful to always put the residents’ needs at the centre of our planning and create great-tasting choices that they will enjoy eating. CMM
Are you seeing an increased interest in vegetarian or vegan options in your care setting? Is this
you are encouraging
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INTO PERSPECTIVE
How can providers manage cybersecurity threats?
In this issue, Into Perspective invites two industry leaders to discuss how care providers can enact preventative measures to combat the threat of cybersecurity attacks, highlighting the value of robust data standards and sufficient insurance cover.
In 2023, Government announced a strategy to improve the resilience of the sector against cyberattacks. As the sector becomes increasingly digitised, the risk of cyberattacks is ever increasing. Consequently, care providers need to improve and bolster their cybersecurity measures.
Cyber security attacks can have numerous consequences and happen to any company. They can cause loss of sensitive data through theft and/or corruption, loss of productivity if systems are shut down, fines, blackmail, damage to reputation and even lawsuits in the worst circumstances.
The first thing to acknowledge is that a cybersecurity threat can come from anywhere and it may not be your system
that gave it the chance. Every system and individual that interacts with your system has the chance to open a door and enable a cyberattack. This can be from suppliers, managers or from system interactions, such as a medication ordering system that may be operated externally.
What’s the best way to stop a thief? To lock all the entry ways, of course. This is what you must do to your digital system – ensure all entry methods are secure. The easiest way to accomplish this is with password management. Your password is the key to your server’s front door – it is the most obvious entryway for cybercriminals to exploit.
To ensure your system is secure, you
must create a superior password. The safest passwords are between 12-14 characters long, with a combination of upper- and lower-case letters, numbers and symbols. It should not be anything obvious, such as your location, company name or a single word. Your password should be changed every three months, and each new password should be significantly different than the one prior.
The best passwords tend to be memorable phrases where words are spelt wrong or made up of numbers and symbols instead of letters. A password doesn’t need to be a completely random jumble of letters, numbers and symbols to be effective and strong.
Another simple way to help prevent cybersecurity threats is to install and activate antivirus software across all your devices; this includes tablets and/or smartphones. Antivirus software will act as a secure wall around all your devices, helping to keep cyber criminals out and away from your server. There is a wide variety of antivirus software available to choose from; you should conduct your own research and seek consumer advice to find the software that suits your needs the best.
Once a cyberattack has started, it is a complex and lengthy process to bring it to an end. In an effort to decrease the impact of a cyberattack, you should have back-ups of all important documentation. This could be hardcopies or saved on an external drive. These back-ups should be kept in a secure location and regularly updated to match the digital records on the server.
Consistently updating these back-ups may seem like extra work. However, in the event of a cyberattack, these records would become a lifeline. By creating these back-ups, that can only be accessed by in-house personnel, you can ensure that your service will run as smoothly as possible despite a cybersecurity threat taking place.
Cybersecurity is an ever-changing landscape as digital services are always being updated. In the same way, cyberattacks are also always being updated to match the efforts of cybersecurity. You must stay on top of the best cybersecurity management methods in order to protect your data as best you can.
Care providers must lead on cybersecurity
Paul Tomlinson, Co-Founder, Total Care Manager Email: paul@totalcaremanager.com
There are three dangerous myths about cybersecurity in the care sector. The first is that digitalisation is risky. Even if this were true, that ship has sailed. Providers who have not yet adopted a care management platform are using other systems for storing data.
It only takes one staff member clicking a fraudulent email to expose the company to risk. Digital Care Hub has identified BYOD (‘bring your own device’), where carers use their own smartphones for work, as a risk factor.
The second is that Digital Social Care Record-approved solutions are fraud-proof. The Assured Suppliers list is a welcome initiative, but its criteria are geared more towards helping care providers harness the benefits of digital transformation, than to helping them defend against fraud.
There are security principles which software providers should observe. However, unless the technology was built in the last five years, when these principles became standard, they may be lacking from the software. This includes never storing more personally identifiable information (PII) in one place than necessary.
For example, customer numbers should be used in place
of names, with the name saved and encrypted. So, if your system is hacked, the hacker cannot hold data hostage for ransom.
The third and most dangerous myth is that cybersecurity is the responsibility of technology providers. This is no truer than the prevention of car accidents being the responsibility of car manufacturers. Even the safest tech can be used in a risky way. Modern technology, designed to keep up with fast-evolving cybercrime, is the first line of defence against fraud. It often has AI features which monitor for spurious activity and act accordingly. But using modern technology does not mean one can rest easy.
Care providers should take steps such as implementing two-factor authentication across all their software and devices, informing staff that patient/customer records are appealing targets for cybercriminals, and how to be vigilant for cyber-threats.
All care providers should employ IT experts – internal or external – to identify vulnerabilities. It is the customer’s responsibility to use their technology responsibly. Knowing where the risks lie is the first step.
In the last few years, we have seen several security breaches across multiple sectors with some significant incidents in the health and social care sector –most recently, the release of the NHS blood data.
As we become more focussed on technology, we need to acknowledge that there are new and unknown risks. Personally, the race to the top of the AI mountain scares me and deep fakes even more so, but that’s another conversation…
In the event of a cyber-security breach, you need to have some immediate things to hand. The first is your business continuity plan, as this should have the details you need to be able to manage the situation and, as the name suggests, continue to do business and provide your service.
If you have an outsourced IT company, this will almost certainly be the first port of call. Making contact should help to stop the breach. In addition, if your backups are up to date (which they should be), this should mean that you can continue with business as usual (or as usual as it can be).
Where data has been
affected, you need to alert the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) within 72 hours of becoming aware of the incident.
"Educating everyone with access to your systems and technology infrastructure is also vital."
I would also suggest you discuss with your IT provider the ways in which you can be more secure. This can range from multi-factor authentication, through to endpoint detection and forced intrusion testing to see where your systems are vulnerable. Educating everyone with access to your systems and technology infrastructure is also vital. As we become more technologically advanced across the planet, the risks we face will change and we need to adapt to them and embrace the associated challenges. Taking the time to understand the consequences of not being prepared is also essential for care providers.
CARE INNOVATION CHALLENGE
Hosted by The National Care Forum (NCF), the Care Innovation Challenge (CIC) 2024 took place on 29th-30th June at Coventry University’s TechnoCentre. The CIC welcomed participants from all backgrounds and levels of experience, from brand-new ideas to some who have been testing their products for years. CMM caught up with the five CIC finalists to find out more. This month, we spoke to Paul Tomlinson from Team Total Care Manager, Anna O’Gara from Team Carpe and Keerthi Busanaboyina from Team Ellyfe.
CMM meets the finalists
CMM meets Team Total Care Manager
CMM: What is your idea?
Paul: As anyone who’s worked in care knows, the greater the care needs, the greater the risk. The solution we've come up with is the UK's first dedicated electronic health record for the care sector. All care management solutions have a basic electronic health record, but it's included with a lot of the other tech that you need to run a care business. Total Care Manager
only offers the electronic health record. It brings the clinical detail of hospital-based systems to the adult social care sector. It's been co-created with care professionals to make it easy and intuitive to use. Care managers can easily configure the software for any service user from dementia to complex care with no IT support. Crucially, you don’t have to break contracts with your existing care management platform to start working with Total Care Manager. You can work as a stand-alone solution for a small care team, but it can easily integrate with your existing care tech, enhancing the complex care capabilities of any care provider.
CMM: Why did you decide to get involved in the Care Innovation Challenge?
Paul: I’ve been working on Total Care Manager for two years alongside the team.
We really are live and testing but we need help. There's so much potential here but we physically can't develop it. That money is needed for sales, marketing and software development to put the finishing touches on tech and produce a fully capable platform that could support any level of complexity at any care business. With that head start, we can scale into a self-sustaining technology company within three years and enable care businesses UK wide to deliver a safer and higher quality of care.
CMM: Have you received any helpful guidance from the mentors?
Paul: Liam Palmer, who I've been speaking to quite a lot over the last year actually, has given us some really good help this weekend and he’s guided us with differentiating a pitch message for an audience. It’s been great to chat with various other mentors too.
CMM: How did you find the weekend overall?
Paul: It was brilliant. I wasn't expecting there to be so many care providers in the room. It became evident to me over the weekend that there's quite a lot of innovation coming from the inside. It was probably the most useful time I've spent in terms of networking so far. I just had all these cogs whirring in my mind speaking to everybody in the room and having the chance to get up on stage and pitch was fun.
There was a real collaborative environment where everybody wanted to spend a good amount of time with each other and work through complex ideas. The brainstorming meant that better quality thinking happened because people were able to give feedback and suggest alternative angles. So, it was hugely productive. In a world where we don't win the Care Show in Birmingham, which I sincerely hope we do, I would come back next year.
CMM: What do you hope to showcase at the final?
Paul: Still, nobody is talking about complex care. If you look at what's happening in the industry where more people need complex care and where care businesses are moving towards greater acuity, I think it's
really important that we start talking about it specifically because those people just need a lot more help. We need to start making sure that appears on the agenda at every care show. >
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Anna: The aim is to produce a hardware device for the recording and reporting of epileptic seizures worn by a care worker or someone supporting a person with epilepsy. It would record the timing and duration of the seizure, which links to an app where the carer can upload information about the event so they can focus more closely on the person during the seizure. At a later time, the carer can write up a report detailing elements such as what kind of seizure it was, if any medication was taken and any injuries they sustained. The aim is to make epileptic seizures easier to log in a way that integrates with previous records which can help in neurology appointments, for example.
CMM: Have you seen a gap in the market for this kind of product?
Anna: I know that there are some resources available to support people with epilepsy, but they don’t provide a full picture while some apps are hard to use, and they don’t necessarily record seizures very well. Carpe is more for the workers and will focus on the integration of the person’s records and the description of the seizures.
CMM: What did you learn during the weekend?
Anna: It was great to chat with the mentors who came from a variety of backgrounds. Some specialised in technology, some in product and market research. They gave me a lot of insight and experience. Rachel Mason was great to chat with – her son has epilepsy, so she is well aware of the panic that you have at that moment. We talked through some of the issues she’s had with videoing seizures
because that’s really difficult but valuable to neurologists to know and see what’s happening and to understand how it’s presenting.
CMM: What are you hoping to show the judges at the Care Show?
Anna: I’m hoping to focus on usability and show how Carpe can be used practically for a provider. In the meantime, I’ll be speaking to some care providers to gain their opinions and conduct more market research to build my evidence base. That way, when I do present Carpe at the Care Show, I can show I've spoken to other providers and heard their suggestions, and my idea has evolved to accommodate what they think will be realistic.
CMM meets Team Ellyfe
CMM: Can you tell us about your product and its features?
Keerthi: As we age, we lose the sensation of thirst. So, if we stop the preliminary cause we’ll stop dehydration-related issues. We are developing a wearable device which monitors hydration movements for older people who are aged above 60. The band will collect data which is processed in our software and will show the percentage of water in their body. We can also see what medical complications they have and set up a baseline of how much water they have to drink.
CMM: Have you done any market research?
Keerthi: We have some competitors right now, but they are developing patches, and most are working for athletes right now. So, they are our competitors in an indirect way, not in a target market. Our target market is purely older age people.
There is a big gap in the market because older people are underserved. Nobody is
touching this market. There is a limitation because they have different specifications and perspectives and it’s a market that’s expected to grow in the future.
CMM: Have you had any feedback from the mentors?
Keerthi: Yes, this is our second year coming here. Every time we come here we learn something. We gained a new perspective on releasing the product according to the markets. We know how we can reach out to care homes and hospitals now. The idea was born here at the Challenge and we’re improving it each time.
CMM: What plans do you have for your product ahead of the final?
Keerthi: We want to develop our product more accurately to gain medical approvals. So, we’ll be looking at various stages including the NHS and virtual worlds. We’ll be working towards developing a fully functional medical-grade device where we are looking at collaboration with doctors’ suggestions who will hopefully prescribe our device to be worn daily in the future.
CMM: How did you find the weekend overall?
Keerthi: There’s so much information at the Challenge with a lot of knowledgeable and experienced people. We came prepared with a clear, relaxed and well-focused mind. We made the most of it because I was prepared for the wealth of knowledge, and I knew people were there to help us. This is one of the best events I've ever been to because there are many experienced people and it's very specific to our startup.
CMM: What are you hoping to show the judges at the final?
Keerthi:We are getting in touch with mentors soon, so it'll be helpful to speak with them. It’ll be good to clarify their expectations. We want to showcase studies, pilot testing and our fundraising. It’ll be good to speak with the mentors and take their suggestions and expectations. CMM
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GETTING WINTER READY:
The essential guide to reducing seasonal pressures
The changing seasons can place additional pressures on delivering care and support. In this feature, Kelly Stoker, Nurse Consultant for Adult Social Care (ASC) at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), details the essential guidance and practical solutions that providers need to be aware of this winter.
Today’s ASC team within UKHSA is the descendant of the COVID-19 ASC Cell, set up by Public Health England in the early stages of the
We support the delivery of the UKHSA’s responsibilities for ASC in partnership with other UKHSA teams and external partners.
Our work is centred on understanding the variety of people, populations, settings and priorities relating to people drawing on and providing ASC.
High-quality advice and good decisions require understanding of the many different needs and characteristics of the people who draw on and provide care. We collect and use data, intelligence and evidence to support colleagues across UKHSA to provide a tailored health protection service across the sector.
Preparing for winter
Now is the time to start getting prepared for winter. There are several things that providers can do to prepare for and respond to winter-related issues. Fundamentally, providers should prepare for cold weather, which can put people at greater risk of ill health and even death. It increases the risk of falls and of complications from existing diseases. There are numerous actions care settings can take to prepare which are outlined here
Secondly, providers should ensure best practice in Infection Prevention and Control (IPC)
– preventing and reducing the spread of infection is key to the health and wellbeing of people drawing on and providing ASC. Standard Infection Prevention and Control precautions (SICPs) are basic measures that should be used at all times. They include:
• Cleaning hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub between tasks and between people drawing on ASC.
• Respiratory and cough hygiene (Catch it, bin it, kill it!).
• Regularly letting fresh air into rooms and shared areas (for more information on ventilation, see Government guidance on ventilation).
• Cleaning shared equipment, especially after use.
• Regular cleaning of the environment with particular attention to frequently touched surfaces and shared areas.
• Appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Correct handling and segregation of waste and infectious linen.
People drawing on ASC should also be supported to actively participate in these measures, especially handwashing and cough hygiene. >
The role of vaccines
Vaccines are a crucial safeguard for the health and wellbeing of people drawing on and providing ASC. They reduce the risk of serious illness and outbreaks, which can be devastating in ASC environments (people drawing on ASC often have long-term health conditions and compromised immune systems, making them more susceptible to infectious diseases). Moreover, vaccinated carers are less likely to become ill themselves and transmit infections to vulnerable individuals.
Vaccines can also reduce the need for antibiotics, lessening the risk of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) developing. Many people drawing on ASC may not know which vaccines they received in childhood. This should be recorded on their GP records.
Three vaccinations are especially relevant for the care sector this winter. Firstly, from 1st September 2024, the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) older adult programme will start. People who turn 75 on or after 1st September 2024, as well as people already aged 75 to 79 (until the day they turn 80) will be eligible for a free vaccine to protect them from RSV. This is because older adults are more at risk of serious complications from RSV.
RSV infections can occur all year round, but cases peak every winter. RSV can spread through coughs and sneezes. To help prevent the spread of the virus, people drawing on residential care and support should be encouraged to cover their mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing (ideally with a tissue, or else into the bend of their elbow) and to wash their hands frequently. For further information, click here
Secondly, from 1st October 2024, the following people will be offered the flu vaccine:
• People aged 65 years and over.
• People aged between 18 years and 65 years in clinical risk groups (as defined by the Green Book, Chapter 19: Influenza).
• People in long-stay residential care homes.
• Carers in receipt of carer’s allowance, or people who are the main carer of an older or disabled person.
• Close contacts of immunocompromised individuals.
• Frontline care workers without an employer-led occupational health scheme, including people working for a registered residential care or nursing home, registered domiciliary care provider, voluntary managed hospice provider or who are employed by people who receive Direct Payments (Personal Budgets) or Personal Health Budgets, such as Personal Assistants.
All frontline health workers, including both clinical and non-clinical staff who have contact with patients, should be offered the flu vaccine from 1st October 2024 as a vital part of their organisation’s policy for the prevention of the transmission of flu. This is in line with the national flu immunisation programme.
Thirdly, from 1st October 2024, adults aged 65 years and over, people living in a care home for older adults, people aged six months to 64 years who are in a clinical risk group (as defined in tables three and four
of the GreenBook,Chapter14a-COVID-19-SARS-CoV-2) and frontline health and care workers will be offered the COVID-19 vaccine.
COVID-19 treatment eligibility
The NHS offers treatment to people drawing on residential care and support and people aged 70 years or over. Find the full list of eligible people here. NHS organisations are responsible for making COVID-19 treatments available.
The way providers can request and access the treatment for people in their care depends on where they live. Your local NHS integrated care board (ICB) will provide further information. The best way to protect people drawing on care and support from severe illness is to ensure they are offered the vaccine.
Changing guidance
Testing guidance has changed and now only Lateral Flow Devices (LFDs) should be used for testing symptomatic people who are eligible for COVID-19 treatments. Click here to find a local pharmacy where tests can be obtained.
Specific guidance on managing Acute Respiratory Infections (ARIs) such as RSV, flu and COVID-19, is available here and includes guidance on what to do if multiple care home residents develop ARI symptoms.
Any outbreaks of illness should be reported to your local Health Protection Team (HPT). It is common for vomiting bugs such as norovirus to circulate in care settings during winter. To find your local team, click here. Further IPC resource on ASC can be found here
Supporting visiting
The guidance on visiting has been updated to reflect Regulation 9A, the new Care Quality Commission (CQC) fundamental standard on supporting the right to be visited and accompanied in health and care settings. This states that visits to care home residents must be facilitated, and that residents should not be discouraged from taking visits out of the care home.
The guidance explains how providers must respect the right of each person to receive visits, consider their needs and preferences and take account of relevant legislation. Providers must do what they can to ensure that visiting can occur safely, such as supporting visitors to practice good IPC.
In exceptional circumstances, HPTs may advise that, to reduce the risk of infection spread, the number of people entering and leaving a care home should reduce. This should only happen if facilitating a visit would pose a significant risk to the health or wellbeing of someone in the care home, which cannot be mitigated.
The UKHSA has published Supportingsafervisitingincarehomes duringinfectiousillnessoutbreaks. This provides general operational principles for anyone involved in making decisions or providing advice to ASC homes. It describes a range of considerations for safely planning and protecting visiting during outbreaks of infectious illness. CMM
is a Nurse Consultant for Adult Social Care at the UKHSA. Email: kelly.stoker@ukhsa.gov.uk :@ukhsa
How will you ensure that best practice is implemented in your setting this winter? Visit www.caremanagementmatters.co.uk and comment on this feature or join the conversation to share your thoughts.
Kelly Stoker
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Blue Stream Academy RESOURCE
FINDER:
TRAINING
Training to strengthen workforce retention has never been so paramount and there are so many training platforms, technologies and courses within the social care sector to help advance your workforce and your organisation. This Resource Finder gives you information on some of the sector’s leading providers, to help with planning your next training objectives.
Tel: 01773 822549
Email: hsc@bluestreamacademy.com
Website: www.bluestreamacademy.com
SECTORS
• Dementia care.
• Respite care.
• Convalescent/ post-operative care.
• Learning disability services.
• Continuing care.
• End of life care/palliative care.
SERVICES
• Health and social care e-learning library (130+ CPD-certified modules).
• Online care certificate training and competence assessment system.
• Live training and policy reporting, with over 18 reports and a CQC-friendly training matrix.
• Digital policy library with user agreement reporting and the optional e-learning links.
• Optional HR system integration with rota management, shift organisation and performance recording.
• Built-in DBS checking system.
• The only cross-sector healthcare discussion forum, uniting a quarter of a million health and care members.
LEAD INDIVIDUAL
Jack Burton is Health and Social Care Accounts Manager at Blue Stream Academy. He joined the company in 2023 and has the responsibility of managing its health and social care accounts. Jack’s background is in sales, where he obtained level three NVQs in both Sales and Management.
Jack Burton
Tel: 01773 822549
COMPANY INFORMATION
Join Blue Stream Academy as it empowers health and care providers with its e-learning and management platform. Trusted by over a quarter of a million individuals and more than 5,000 organisations, Blue Stream Academy is dedicated to enhancing the quality of patient and resident care through high-quality education, experience and development. Join over a quarter of a million trainees benefiting from Blue Stream Academy’s:
• Comprehensive e-learning: Receive a CPD certificate for every module completed and monitor team completions with built-in training reports.
• Advanced management tools: Utilise Blue Stream Academy’s management platform and fully integrated HR system to create a centralised compliance approach. Run automated reports, customise training plans, track face-to-face training and create a digital policy library, all from a single built-in management platform.
• Accreditation: Blue Stream Academy is Skills for Care endorsed, CPD certified and Cyber Essentials Plus certified, so you can be sure that you’re receiving the highest quality training and data security.
Ready to transform your healthcare approach? Email hsc@bluestreamacademy.com
Email: jack.burton@bluestreamacademy.com
Medline Consultancy Ltd
Tel: 0330 118 0480
Email: Office@medline-consultancy.co.uk
Website: www.medline-consultancy.co.uk
SECTORS
• All sectors.
SERVICES
• Training academy offering over 175 courses including e-learning, face-to-face and blended courses.
• Medical and first aid supplies.
COMPANY INFORMATION
Medline Consultancy Ltd is a reputable provider of high-quality event medical cover and first aid and medical training, as well as first aid and medical supplies, across the UK. Its training academy offers
over 175 courses covering a broad range of subject areas including first aid, education and training, clinical skills, continuing professional development and many more. Courses are delivered by an expert training faculty who bring industry and occupational experience to the classroom, giving you and your learners an outstanding learning experience.
Medline Consultancy Ltd is also a one-stop-shop for all your first aid and medical equipment needs, offering brands which you recognise and trust. It is committed to offering superior quality services and going the extra mile to meet the expectations of its esteemed clients.
Solicitude Training Ltd
Tel: 01256 345530
Email: info@solicitudetraining.co.uk
Website: www.solicitudetraining.co.uk
SECTORS
• Nursing homes.
• Residential care homes.
• Domiciliary and community care agencies.
• Children’s services.
• Supported Living services.
• Hospices.
SERVICES
• Health and social care awareness courses, including the Care Certificate and Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate.
• Clinical skills for nurses and carers.
• Complex care training.
• Train the trainers courses.
• Accredited first aid and mental health first aid courses.
• Various health and social care diplomas (levels 2 to 5).
• Consultancy, including clinical governance, competency assessments, mock CQC inspections and action plans, manager mentoring and staff training and development, support with Notices of Proposal (NOP) and Notices of Decision (NOD) and training needs analysis.
LEAD INDIVIDUAL
With over 30 years’ experience as a nurse in the health and social care sector, Jenny brings a wealth of experience and expertise to
her training programmes. She holds a RGN and BSc (Hons) degree in nursing, along with qualifications in management, teaching and assessing.
Jenny has a proven track record of helping services improve their ratings from ‘Inadequate’ to ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’. Her career spans roles from volunteer to director of nursing and CQC specialist adviser, showcasing her broad expertise and leadership abilities.
COMPANY INFORMATION
For over 10 years, Solicitude Training has been providing high-quality, engaging and face-to-face training and consultancy to the health and social care sector. It offers a wide range of cost-effective training courses which are tailor-made to a client’s specific needs and around the learning style of candidates.
Courses are designed to improve and make a difference to the care being given. Through its array of consultancy services, Solicitude Training supports service providers with CQC regulations, operation and management matters, resulting in safer and secure environments. Solicitude Training is registered with both Qualsafe and TQUK.
The Eden Alternative
Tel: 01626 868190 or 07843 359472
Email: admin@eden.alternative.co.uk
Website: www.eden-alternative.co.uk
SECTORS
• All sectors. SERVICES
• Respected, international training movement.
• Transform the culture of care in any type of care setting or organisation to one that is relationship-centred, empowering and inclusive.
• Helps businesses to enhance reputation, capability and performance.
• Underpins wellbeing in teams, residents and family members, with each working together as partners.
• Effective in challenging loneliness through building loving companionship.
Geoffrey Cox
• Lessening helplessness by working in partnership.
• Diminishing boredom through developing meaningful occupation, spontaneity and joy.
COMPANY INFORMATION
The Eden Alternative is an international ‘not for profit’ training and development movement. It delivers a train-the-trainer course in the Eden model, as well as delivering in-person and live and interactive online training. It also undertakes an external validation of social care organisations or promotion to provide independent evidence of the great work that is being undertaken.
Tel: 01626 868190 or 07843 359472
Email: admin@eden.alternative.co.uk
YourHippo
Ltd
Tel: 0161 871 7512
Email: hello@yourhippo.com
Website: www.yourhippo.com
SECTORS
• Care homes.
• Domiciliary care/home care agencies.
• Supported Living.
• Children’s homes.
• All other social care.
SERVICES
• E-learning courses.
• Care Certificate.
• Management dashboards.
• Real-time reports.
• 12-month compliance drill back report.
• Training pathways.
• Policies and procedures area.
• Face-to-face bookings and events calendar.
• Ability to upload historical records.
• Full API integration with any modern system.
LEAD INDIVIDUAL
Jamie began his care sector journey over 25 years ago, working in children's homes. In 2004, he founded Orchard Rock, which delivers face-to-face training across the UK, covering everything from mandatory training to train-the-trainer courses. Alongside this, Jamie has provided sector consultancy, particularly in care
homes. In 2017, he launched YourHippo, marking the start of his e-learning and learning management system (LMS) journey.
Jamie has prioritised customer needs in developing the LMS, building the system from scratch with an in-house development team based on industry feedback from his experience.
COMPANY INFORMATION
YourHippo has become a training hub with features like face-to-face bookings and an events calendar. Managers can schedule training sessions, invite delegates who receive automated session details and track attendance and scores. Compliance and matrix updates occur automatically once sessions are completed.
Currently, over 450 care groups across the UK use YourHippo, with over 2.3 million logins per quarter, making it a leading care training and LMS platform. The upcoming 12-month roadmap promises to further streamline learning and development with next-level innovation for all YourHippo clients.
Care Match UK
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12 Surveys Per Year
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Bi-annual onsite surveys
Employee of the Month Award
ADDITIONAL SERVICES
ABOUT US!
Care Match UK specialise in supporting and innovating health and social care services across the UK with a focus around digital transformation. Care Match UK has an established nationwide client base, we work both remotely or on-site depending on the needs of your business.
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Our expert training is designed to support businesses in transforming and realizing their full potential. Comprehensive training sessions from £495.
Our Health Check provides care providers the confidence and insights to be able to use their digital systems the way it was designed to be used, and therefore allowing your home to be more productive.
Our Care Quality dashboard easily integrates into your digital system and uses its powerful analytics to perform live and accurate audits within seconds.
CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE
IN MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Shaleeza Hasham, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Adopt A Grandparent, won the Making a Difference Award at the 2024 Markel 3rd Sector Care Awards. In this issue, CMM learns more about Shaleeza’s dedication to fostering intergenerational relationships.
In a rapidly ageing society, the challenge of social isolation among older adults is becoming increasingly urgent. In 2019, I founded Adopt A Grandparent with a mission to address this pressing issue. Initially a local initiative in Surrey, the programme quickly expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic when the call to ‘virtually adopt a grandparent’ attracted over 100,000 volunteers from around the world, including as far afield as Hawaii.
Today, Adopt A Grandparent stands as a registered charity integrated with over 50 care homes across the UK, using cutting-edge technology to foster deep intergenerational interactions and combat loneliness.
The transformative power of intergenerational connections
Research consistently highlights the benefits of intergenerational programmes. Generations United reports a 20% reduction in loneliness among older adults participating in such initiatives. The World Health Organization’s campaign against ageism suggests that engaging in intergenerational activities can
extend life expectancy by up to seven and a half years.
According to the Centre for Ageing Better, four out of five people desire connections with individuals from different age groups. Through Adopt A Grandparent, volunteers frequently report increased empathy and understanding, while older adults experience a stronger sense of community and belonging. These connections not only alleviate loneliness but also enhance overall physical health, mental health and wellbeing, creating a more inclusive and compassionate society.
Bridging generations with technology
Adopt A Grandparent represents a pioneering approach to tackling social isolation by leveraging advanced technology. Our dedicated community app facilitates secure video and audio calls between older individuals and younger volunteers, creating a virtual space where stories and companionship can be shared safely and easily. Partnering with Togetherly, we utilise AI-driven software to personalise
care, manage safeguarding issues and enhance emotional engagement. This ensures that each interaction is safe and meaningful.
All Adopt A Grandparent volunteers undergo a comprehensive training programme designed by Barclays Digital Eagles. This training equips them with essential skills in digital communication, safeguarding and understanding the specific needs of older individuals, including people living with dementia.
Care homes
We have been overwhelmed by the number of care homes that have signed up to our programme and we know that providers acknowledge the physical and mental health benefits for residents that come with taking part. What many care homes don’t know is that the Adopt A Grandparent initiative is recognised by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the National Activity Providers Association and the Duke of Edinburgh Award.
Participating in Adopt A Grandparent directly aligns with the objectives of the CQC’s new single assessment framework, which emphasises person-centred care, safety and effective service delivery. By encouraging intergenerational connections, we enhance the social and emotional wellbeing of residents, ensuring that their care is holistic and personalised.
The advanced AI technology provided by Together.ly monitors interactions to ensure safeguarding and provides real-time feedback and emotional analytics, helping care providers understand residents better. This technology can monitor emotions during calls and provide detailed reports on the topics discussed, which we, at Adopt A Grandparent, can then feedback to you, the care homes.
Our collaborations with platforms like carehome.co.uk and Autumna ensure that a care home's involvement with Adopt A Grandparent is prominently showcased. This visibility makes the home more attractive to potential residents and their families, who are often seeking facilities that offer comprehensive, compassionate and engaging care. Being part of our renowned initiative signals a commitment to addressing the social and emotional needs of residents, which can be a decisive factor for families choosing a care home.
Real stories
Jenny, a young volunteer, was paired with Gay, an older lady living with dementia. Through their regular exchanges, Gay rekindled her engagement with the world around her, experiencing a noticeable improvement in her mood and cognitive function. Gay, who had no short-term recall, started to recognise and
remember Jenny after just five calls. For Jenny, the experience provided a new perspective on life, deepening her empathy and understanding of the ageing process.
Another example is the bond formed between Ruby Rose, an actor, and Iris, an 87-year-old movie enthusiast. Their weekly conversations and shared love for films brought immense joy to Iris, who often spoke of Ruby’s calls as the highlight of her week.
Recently, we also welcomed our first father and son team to virtually adopt grandparents in two UK care homes. Tristan, 15, and his 48-year-old father Jeff have formed meaningful relationships with 78-year-old David Abel and 74-year-old Margaret Smith from Surrey Heights and Kings Lodge care homes.
Tristan joined the scheme to fulfil the volunteering section of his Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award and was paired with David due to their shared love of football. Jeff reflects on their experience, ‘The process to apply was straightforward and pairing up with a suitable “grandparent” occurred within a month or so. All the calls have been scheduled for times to suit everyone and both care homes have been very supportive throughout.
‘I've spoken to Margaret four times now and we get on really well, covering a variety of topics during the calls. It has certainly been an enjoyable programme so far and I would encourage others to sign up.’
Looking ahead
Our objectives for the next three years include increasing care home participation by strengthening partnerships and enhancing volunteer recruitment. We aim to ensure active participation by providing user-friendly technology and comprehensive training. Enhancing volunteer involvement is crucial, and we plan to identify local community volunteers to support new care homes and offer ongoing assistance.
To support our growth, we will expand our administrative team and enhance our technological capabilities, including integrating Together.ly into our mobile app. Regular reporting and data analysis will drive continuous improvement, ensuring long-term success.
Finally, we aim to grow our sponsor base and raise awareness through targeted outreach and strong relationships with sponsors, securing sustainable funding to support and scale our mission.
Adopt A Grandparent is committed to creating a society where older individuals feel valued, respected and engaged with younger generations. By joining our programme, whether you are a volunteer, an adopted grandparent or someone working in the care sector, together, we can build a more connected, compassionate community for all generations.
For more information, visit www.adoptagrandparent.org.uk. CMM
Shaleeza Hasham is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Adopt A Grandparent. : @AdoptAGrandp
Email: hello@adoptagrandparent.org.uk
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PROFESSIONAL CARE WORKERS’ WEEK 2024: THE FUTURE OF SOCIAL CARE
The Care Workers’ Charity (CWC) shares the programme for its seventh annual Professional Care Workers’ Week (PCWW).
This week-long celebration will spotlight the invaluable contributions of care workers across the UK. On the heels of the election, we turn our gaze towards the future of social care, seeking solutions for a sector that can best support its workforce, people drawing on social care and unpaid carers. This week presents a unique opportunity for care workers, care leaders, care providers, policymakers and the broader public to uplift the sector.
"PCWW 2024 is more than just a series of events; it's a movement to recognise and elevate the role of care workers."
For anyone new to PCWW, it is a dedicated week that features an exciting schedule of virtual panels, roundtables and information sessions. These events are led by care workers, care managers and prominent sector figures, making them a unique platform for sharing insights and experiences. These sessions are free and accessible online.
Focus on professionalisation
At the core of PCWW lies the concept of professionalisation, which underscores the
importance of recognising care work as skilled and valuable, and addressing the historical challenges of low pay and high turnover rates. It seeks to establish a supportive environment where care workers are valued, respected and resourced to provide exceptional care.
For care workers, this includes acknowledging the diverse skills within the workforce, ensuring fair compensation, offering career pathways and recognising the significant societal value of their role. For care recipients, professionalisation aims to enhance trust, safety, accountability and transparency. For the sector, this involves securing full Government funding and providing long-term financial support to local authorities for social care, including funds specifically earmarked for the wellbeing of care workers.
What to expect
This year’s event promises to be an exciting journey with a strong focus on shaping the future of social care. Discussions will delve into social care reform, Skills for Care’s Care workforce pathway for adult social care, evolving practices in home and residential care and ensuring the safety and wellbeing of care workers. These topics are not just conversations but pathways to improvement within the sector, setting the stage for partnership building.
We will also be exploring the responsible use of AI, launching the Caseworkers’ Guidance and Statement of Expectations on the Responsible Use of AI – a live document completed in partnership with the University
of Oxford Institute for Ethics in AI that provides some of the first guidance for the sector on this topic.
Celebrating care workers
Alongside these discussions, PCWW remains a celebration of the care workers who support people with dedication and compassion. Throughout PCWW, The CWC encourages gestures of appreciation such as hosting tea parties, distributing thank-you cards or organising small events to recognise the efforts of care teams. These gestures can boost morale by highlighting and giving thanks for the impact care workers have on individuals and communities.
We are also thrilled to invite people to join us in supporting the CWC by hosting an afternoon tea event. This could take place in a local café, church hall, community centre or your own care service. Our fundraising pack will provide you with everything you need, from bunting to organising tips and tricks. It's a wonderful opportunity to bring together friends, family, colleagues and community to enjoy some cake and celebrate care workers.
This week is an opportunity for collaboration, learning and forward-thinking that can help shape the future of social care. PCWW 2024 is more than just a series of events; it’s a movement to recognise and elevate the role of care workers. By getting involved, you can help celebrate these professionals and ensure that their value is appreciated, setting the stage for a more supportive sector.
Mark your calendars for September 16th-20th and join us in celebrating PCWW 2024! CMM
WHAT’S ON?
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My Home Life England Webinar: Are care homes a positive option for older people? 4th September 2024, Online www.city.ac.uk/news-and-events/events/2024/ september/are-care-homes-a-positive-option-forolder-people
Dementia Summit 10th September 2024, London https://dementiasummit.co.uk
Interactive Projection in Care: Transforming Care Home Environments 10th September 2024, Online www.careengland.org.uk/events
The King's Fund Annual Conference: Hope, Challenge and Change 11th-12th September 2024, London www.kingsfund.org.uk/events/annual-conference
The Adult Safeguarding Conference 2024 12th September 2024, Online https://adultsafeguardingconf.co.uk
Digital Leadership Programme 19th September 2024, Online www.nationalcareforum.org.uk/events
Navigating the CQC Quality Statements: A Practical Guide 24th September 2024, Online www.careengland.org.uk/events
Moving Care Closer to Home 26th September 2024, London www.kingsfund.org.uk/events
Leading in Care Summit 2024 (ADASS members only) 17th-18th September 2024, Burton-on-Trent www.adass.org.uk/events
CMM EVENTS
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CMM Insight: East Midlands Care Association Alliance Conference 2024
Tuesday 5th November 2024, Derby www.caremanagementmatters.co.uk/event/ east-midlands-care-association-alliance
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.
Louise Blezzard, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Venelle, highlights the importance of deterring social isolation for people receiving home care, offering essential guidance for providers.
The silent struggle with loneliness can have a profound impact on people who rely on home care. For caregivers, creating a robust network of social contacts and engaging activities is crucial. This approach not only enhances the quality of life for people under their care but also shields them from the detrimental impact of social isolation.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics in England illustrate the gravity of this issue, revealing that 24% of adults feel lonely often, always or some of the time. This is especially acute among people with health problems or disabilities, with over 15% reporting loneliness often or always compared to almost 4% of the broader population. This highlights the vital role caregivers play in fostering connections and actively combating loneliness.
To address this, caregivers can employ various strategies such as organising group activities and outings. These activities disrupt the monotony of daily routines and provide opportunities to form friendships. By planning visits to local community centres, parks or cultural events, caregivers can facilitate enriching experiences that resonate with the people they care for. This often leads to more meaningful interactions and fosters a stronger sense of community. Caregivers can also look to local charities and councils to find accessible events.
Engaging in group challenges is another way to cultivate a sense of community and collective achievement which in turn, can help combat loneliness. These range from fitness challenges, such as tracking steps or light gardening, to more involved
cultural pursuits like collective art projects or cooking competitions. These activities not only encourage regular interaction among participants but also promote health and wellbeing. Most importantly, they can be tailored to the abilities of each participant, ensuring inclusivity.
Technology is another essential way to deter social isolation among people receiving home care. Virtual reality experiences can transport individuals to distant places or allow them to participate in concerts and exhibitions from home. Social media and videocall apps enable regular face-to-face interactions, which are vital in maintaining strong relationships despite geographical separation. By integrating these technologies into daily home care routines, caregivers can provide a richer, more connected experience, significantly alleviating feelings of loneliness.
Innovative social strategies also play a key role in promoting connection. Establishing a pen pal scheme offers recipients the chance to forge new friendships and engage in ongoing communication. Extending this to include international pen pals can open windows to different cultures and lifestyles, broadening the horizons of people who spend a lot of time at home.
In addition, book clubs allow participants to explore new ideas and share personal reflections within a safe, friendly environment. For people unable to leave their homes, virtual book clubs can serve as an excellent alternative, utilising videocall platforms to facilitate discussions. This not only keeps the activity accessible but also integrates modern
technology into the activity, making it easier for friends and family to join from afar.
Regular phone check-ins can also provide comfort and a lifeline for people feeling isolated. These calls do not need to be lengthy; even brief conversations can uplift a person’s spirits and show that someone cares. Organising a schedule where volunteers or fellow care recipients make these calls can foster a supportive community network. For caregivers looking to implement these strategies, several steps should be considered:
• Assess the needs and interests of people under your care to tailor activities that align with their interests and capabilities.
• Forge partnerships with local organisations and community groups to offer venues, materials and support for activities.
• Recruit volunteers to help facilitate activities and provide companionship. This can add new energy and different perspectives.
• Regularly solicit feedback from participants so you can adjust activities based on their responses, ensuring that the initiatives remain relevant and engaging.
• Encourage care recipients to help organise or lead activities, enhancing their sense of purpose and self-worth.
By focusing on these initiatives, caregivers can have a profound impact on the wellbeing of people they look after – enriching lives by building meaningful relationships.
Louise Blezzard is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer
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