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Change – or kick the can?
This issue, the penultimate one for 2024, is also the last that was put together by Caring Times editor Sam Lewis, who has moved on to pastures new, so I have been afforded the privilege of standing in on an interim basis until we can recruit a new editor.
You may recall Sam’s last editorial in the October issue, where he had some pretty uncomplimentary things to say about the Care Quality Commission, though he was focusing on its press office’s less than proactive transparency, rather than the myriad criticisms that have been levelled at the regulator by the service providers over which it regulates.
Well, there’s been a change of personnel at the top since then with the appointment last month of Sir Julian Hartley as chief executive, so we might expect a new broom at work in the coming months. And in this issue we talked to a selection of industry leaders who offered their opinions about the regulator.
We began by asking each of them about their personal experiences of the CQC and if they had noticed any improvements of late. We probed further by asking if they have faith that its recent failings could be turned around, and finished up by exploring any potential changes the regulator could make that haven’t been highlighted by the government and the media so far.
The responses make very interesting reading.
We are also nearing the event I am sure many of you are looking forward to as Caring Times will be staging its annual National Care Awards ceremony at the end of this month, which is being held again this year at the Platinum Suite at ExCel London. In this issue we have been talking to some of this year’s Award sponsors, asking them about what they are looking forward to at this year’s event and reminiscing about their favourite memories from previous years.
One key article to note in this issue has been provided by Stephanie Nimmo, the communications and engagement
lead for the Digitising Social Care programme. This contains the very important reminder that the final deadline for securing funding to set up digital social care records is the end of this month, and that care providers need to apply now if they want to take advantage of the Adult Social Care Digital Transformation Fund.
Of course, this month also sees the debut Budget presented by the new Labour government and naturally all eyes from the care provider sector will be focused on Chancellor Rachel Reeves when she travels with her red box to the House Of Commons to reveal what’s in store for us from a financial standpoint.
The timing of the Budget on 30 October means that this issue of Caring Times will have just been printed, so we can’t offer any comment until the December issue.
What we can offer in these pages, though, is an article written by Alan Payne, group director at software provider Access HSC, who attended Labour’s recent annual conference and was able to secure interviews with health and social care minister Wes Streeting and care minister Stephen Kinnock.
But, back to the subject of the Budget, what we know is that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has stated that the government isn't able to commit to the timeline the previous Conservative government laid out for its care cost reforms.
So I fear we may be in familiar territory yet again, with a lot of vague talk about ambitions for an eventual end to government indifference about the multiple problems suffered by the care industry, set against the deafening rattle of cans being kicked down the road.
Charles Wheeldon
Interim editor
Caring Times
News in brief
POLICY & POLITICS
White Paper sets out solutions to fix social care
A new White Paper has been launched detailing the "first steps to fixing social care". Home care technology company Birdie released the paper which included recommendations from 20 UK social care experts across the sector.
Its seven key recommendations are
• New legislation to amend the 2022 Health and Care Act, mandating director of adult social care representatives to be on all NHS integrated care boards nationwide.
• NHS England to delegate healthcare tasks to trained care workers.
• Establish a national online support service for the five million unpaid carers.
• Reduce the hidden burden of travel time for home care workers.
• The Care Quality Commission to undergo a rapid overhaul using digital tools.
• Mandate real-time data-sharing between hospitals and care providers by integrating social care software with the NHS Capacity Tracker.
• Seed a Teach First-style programme for social care leaders.
Starmer cautious on social care reform
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has tempered public expectations regarding social care reform, particularly the cap on care costs. Starmer said that
the government wouldn’t be able to commit to the timeline the previous Conservative government had laid out for its care cost reforms.
Rishi Sunak's government had pledged to introduce an £86,000 limit on lifetime care costs for UK citizens by October 2025. Starmer has now called that timeline unrealistic and “undeliverable”. Instead, he confirmed that health and social care reform will not be a quick process, but will be set out in a 10-year plan, with no specific dates set for the launch of a National Care Service, a care cost cap or any other kind of reform.
Wales gets new health minister
Jeremy Miles a Labour Co-op politician, has been instated as the Welsh government’s health minister, replacing Mark Drakeford, the former First Minister, who was the interim health secretary.
New guidance on helping older people live at home for longer New guidance on helping people to live in their own homes for longer has been published by the Social Care Institute for Excellence to help those who commission, manage and deliver reablement services tackle key barriers that can prevent people from fully benefitting from the service.
Reablement is a time-limited, intensive intervention that helps people maintain their independence
by helping them find new ways to manage their daily lives, allowing them to continue living at home for longer. Older people recently discharged from hospital are among the primary recipients of reablement services.
Care workers’ real-terms pay cut since 2010
Some 30,000 care workers are losing out thanks to inflation, trade union GMB has claimed. Office for National Statistics figures show that in April 2010 the average annual salary for care workers and home carers was £12,879, with half of workers paid even less. This salary was worth £21,549 in April 2023 in real terms, yet workers only received £17,851 – a real-terms pay cut of £3,698 last year.
Sir Keir Starmer
Jeremy Miles
Guidance on helping the elderly to live at home
LEGAL & REGULATORY
CQC to tackle “serious organisational failings” following reviews
The Care Quality Commission has accepted the high-level recommendations of two reviews which identify “serious organisational failings".
In response to the final report of Dr Penny Dash’s review into the operational effectiveness of the CQC and the first report of Professor Sir Mike Richards’ independent review into the implementation of the CQC’s single assessment framework, the regulator has committed to:
• Appoint at least three chief inspectors to lead on regulation and improvement of hospitals, primary care, and adult social care services.
• Modify the current assessment framework to make it simpler and ensure it is relevant to each sector.
• Ensure the right systems and tools are in place to support its regulatory activity.
• Improve the experience for providers registering with the CQC.
SUPPLIER NEWS
Care home partners with specialist provider to offer rehab service
Luxury care home The Chase is partnering with a specialist rehab provider to offer short-term accommodation to older people recovering from illness and injury.
The Huntingdon care home, part of the Connaught Care Collection, will offer short-term accommodation and rehabilitation services to older people recovering from illness, injury, joint
operations, or medical events like stroke. The home is partnering with Therapies on Thames, a specialist provider of inpatient rehabilitation and post-op recovery services, to deliver the scheme. Under an all-inclusive fee, participants will temporarily stay at the home and receive weekly physiotherapy sessions, nutritional planning, tailored health and wellbeing advice, and round-the-clock care.
Care home rated Inadequate
An Essex care home has been given the worst possible rating by inspectors after one staff member was observed using social media to research dementia after an alleged lack of training by the operator. The Care Quality Commission dropped the rating for Elmcroft Care Home in Maldon from Requires improvement to Inadequate and placed the home into special measures to protect people, following an inspection that took place in May and June.
We Care Group launches staff bonus scheme
Care provider We Care Group has launched a £1 million-plus annual bonus programme to reward staff and enhance employee wellbeing. Staff bonuses are scheduled to be paid every three months, and the annual bonus amount is set to exceed £1 million in the first 12 months.
Ben Obese-Jecty, MP for Huntingdon, cuts a ribbon to launch The Chase's partnership scheme
We Care Group staff will receive bonuses
Property news
Family-owned care provider CHD Living, has commenced construction of a a 60-bed care home Elstead, Surrey, set to open in autumn next year. It will provide long-term nursing care, post-operative care and reablement services and have spacious residential rooms, landscaped gardens and a variety of communal spaces. The development will occupy part of a larger residential site, which completed last year comprising 69 detached houses and apartments. The approved planning permission covers a 3,000 square metre area designated for the home, set in one acre of grounds.
Care home operator, Curo Care Group, has purchased two care homes in Stockport, Greater Manchester, and a further two in Cumbria with the backing of a loan from Triodos Bank UK. Set in the town of Marple, Stockport, Marple Lodge is a 20-bed care home providing residential, mental health and dementia care. With 19 beds, Grove Lodge is in the nearby village of Hazel Grove and shares the same specialities. Set on the outskirts of Cockermouth, Cumbria, Hames Hall is a 25-bed care home offering palliative, residential and respite care. Providing 18 beds, Chichester Hall is close to the seaside town of Silloth, Cumbria and offers the same specialities, as well as dementia care.
Family-run business Camelot Care has acquired Deer Park Care Home in Holsworthy, Devon, a former care home which previously traded for many years offering elderly care with a Care Quality Commission registration for a capacity of 56 residents. The new owner plans to undertake a period of
refurbishment before reopening Deer Park as a care home. Business property advisor Christie & Co facilitated the sale.
Exemplar Health Care has opened its new South Elmsall care home after an extensive refurbishment process, which began in January this year. Hamilton Springs care home supports adults living with complex mental health needs, dementia, neuro-disabilities and physical disabilities. The home has 37 bedrooms with en suite wet rooms, split across three units. The home also features communal dining and living spaces, sensory bathrooms, an activities hub, a therapy room and a large accessible garden.
The Healthcare Management Trust has acquired St Quentin Care Homes comprising three care homes located on the same site in Newcastle-Under-Lyme: St Quentin with 19 single bedrooms; The Hawthorns with 31 single rooms and two double rooms; and Langley house, a new younger adults care home which has 22 wetroom en suite bedrooms with sky tracking, sensory room and rehabilitation facilities.
Stockport Council and Greater Manchester Combined Authority have appointed contractor Rowlinson to build a multi-generational residential community which will include an 82-bed intermediate care scheme, called the Academy of Living. Located in Stockport town centre The Academy will support people transitioning between hospital and home. The community will also include affordable housing with a mix of shared ownership and social rent.
Midlands Care has acquired three purpose-built care homes in Leicestershire: Parkhouse Grange Care Home in Earl Shilton; Whetstone Grange Care Home in Whetstone; and Enderby Grange Care Home in Narborough offer spacious rooms and communal spaces, as well as amenities for individuals requiring personal care, including those with dementia and other health conditions.
An unnamed first-time buyer has acquired Inwood House care home in Salisbury, Wiltshire, which is registered to provide care for a maximum of 20 service users. The property has 20 single bedrooms, 19 with en suite facilities, plenty of day space, a passenger lift and large rear gardens. The business has been owned and operated by retiring Alan and Diana Butchers since 2003.
The Isiakpere family has purchased Shottendane Nursing Home in Margate, Kent, which is registered for 38 residents. The vendor is Laurence Waitt. The Grade II listed building, built in 1910 and set up as a seaside convalescent home for railway workers in 1927, became Shottendane Nursing Home in 1988. Business property advisor Christie & Co facilitated the sale.
Real estate fund Elevation Healthcare Properties, in partnership with care home operator Anavo, acquired a site with planning consent for a care home in Havant, Hampshire. The vendor is Brackley Investments and healthcare real estate agent Portunus Associates brokered the sale. Brackley
Investments secured full planning permission for a premium style care home of 78 bedrooms with en suite wetrooms set in landscaped grounds. The building incorporates five households, in a part two-, part three-storey design.
Specialist care home provider Sandbourne House has acquired two Hampshire care homes from Auckland Care Holdings. Seventrees in Fawley is registered for eight people with learning disabilities. It occupies a detached two-storey dwelling offering all-single bedrooms, plenty of day space, and a large secure rear garden. Webber House in Park Gate is a supported living setting for nine residents offering 11 single bedrooms and a rear garden, good day space, and a passenger lift.
Nursing and care home operator Country Court has sold a portfolio of three care homes for around £50 million. The transaction includes the sale and leaseback of Hermitage House, a luxury care home in Kettering Thrapston, Northamptonshire, providing residential and specialist dementia care. Country Court has signed a 35-year lease to continue to operate the asset. The transaction also includes the sale of two care home developments with planning consent in place. In a forward funding structure, an undisclosed fund has acquired care homes in Chippenham and Lincoln, with Country Court retained as the long-term operator.
People moves
Intellectual disabilities care provider Milewood Healthcare has appointed Anthony Miller as director of business development and growth, responsible for expanding services, increasing occupancy, and building strong relationships with commissioners and other stakeholders. Miller has more than 25 years’ healthcare sector experience, particularly within private equity-backed specialist care organisations. He was previously head of business development at Aspirations Care and before that business development manager at Salutem Healthcare. He also worked at Priory-owned Craegmoor, where he managed the development of five new specialist services and expanded the business into Northern Ireland.
Aura Care Living has appointed Richard Scarth as chief operations officer and Colleen Joubert as care home general manager. Scarth has more than 20 years’ experience within the health and social care sector and previously held senior positions with Sunrise Senior Living, Barchester Healthcare and Care UK. Between 2015 and 2022 he worked in the NHS at director and chief executive level and was instrumental in developing schemes to support patients moving from acute care into residential and nursing care. Most recently, he left the NHS for an operational role within a fire and rescue service and currently splits his time between life on shift and time spent working for Aura. Joubert qualified as a nurse 28 years ago before going on to community nurse, midwife and psychiatric nurse.
Hamberley Care Homes has appointed David Moore as head of dementia. Moore has held multiple leadership roles in dementia care and dementia education. He began his career at Merevale House as a carer and eventually became the manager before
in association with
moving onto a role at Dementia Care Matters. Subsequently, he worked at the University of Worcester as head of education, and as dementia lead at West Sussex County Council. He also led dementia strategies at other care operators. In addition, he has written 10 books on dementia, had numerous research articles published, and is a regular speaker at dementia conferences.
Ambient Support has appointed Claudette Marcano as chief finance officer to help manage and implement the charity's plans for growth. Ambient Support provides care and support services for older people, people with a mental health need and people with a learning disability. Previously chief finance officer at Alliance Homes Group, Marcano has business and finance experience in the private and public sectors. She is a Chartered Institute of Management Accountants qualified accountant and holds the ACT certificate in treasury.
Anthony Miller
Richard Scarth
Colleen Joubert
David Moore
Claudette Marcano
Care home provider Signature Senior Lifestyle has appointed Vishul Seewoolall as chief operating officer. Seewoolall has had a 20-year career in the care industry and was previously group director of operations and sales at Signature Senior Lifestyle, having originally joined the company in 2018 as regional operations director. Before that, Seewoolall held leadership roles at care organisations including Bupa, Look Ahead and MTVH. He also holds multiple accreditations in community mental health, psychology, registered management and quality assurance.
The Care Quality Commission has appointed Sir Julian Hartley as its new chief executive. Sir Julian has been the chief executive of NHS Providers since February last year, and was chief executive of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust since 2013. Sir Julian said: "It is vitally important for NHS trusts, foundation trusts and the wider health and care sector to have effective regulation to support improvement and safe care for patients. This move will give me an opportunity to really focus on that goal.”
London-focused luxury care provider Loveday & Co has appointed Sian Hammer as managing director. Hammer has experience of strategic management and senior care services in the senior living, housing and care sectors. She was previously group sales and marketing director and board director at Audley Group and before that held senior leadership positions within healthcare and residential real estate.
and Ireland law firm Browne
has appointed Laura Chinyere-Ezeh as HR consultant in health and social care to lead a new offering for residential care homes, nursing homes, domiciliary care providers and hospices, based at the firm’s Birmingham office. Chinyere-Ezeh has more than a decade of experience as an HR generalist. She was previously an HR business partner at Ramsay Healthcare, and was part of senior leadership teams for three neurological rehabilitation centres’ clinical support functions for acute care and central corporate teams. She has also held several HR management positions, including with a domiciliary care provider for local authorities.
Law firm Anthony Collins has appointed Joe Mulrenan as legal director in its corporate team. Mulrenan previously worked at HCR Law. He has more than 10 years’ experience of dealmaking activity and advising health and social care organisations, including those offering specialist care, supported living and children’s care. Mulrenan has also acted for many financial institutions and entrepreneurs, on complex mergers and acquisitions transactions. His experience also spans the manufacturing and communications sectors.
UK
Jacobson
Vishul Seewoolall
Sir Julian Hartley
Sian Hammer
Laura Chinyere-Ezeh
Joe Mulrenan
Get ahead of the story
Ensuring effective communication in the event of a crisis is critical to preserving the bond of trust between care providers and care receivers and their loved ones, explains William Walter, founder and managing director of Bridgehead Communications
The social care sector operates where trust and accountability are paramount. With the wellbeing of vulnerable individuals at stake, any crisis can escalate quickly. Navigating such moments effectively is an important skill for any provider in the sector.
Prepare
Effective crisis management begins well before a crisis ever unfolds. For care providers, proactive preparation is key. This includes developing a clear, adaptable crisis communications plan that ensures your care organisation can respond swiftly and confidently when challenges arise.
An effective crisis comms plan involves detailed protocols for all staff to follow in the event of a journalist making contact. These protocols should make clear who press enquiries should be directed to and their contact details. They should also include pre-prepared holding statements to be issued to buy you time.
Fostering relationships with third parties is also important. Establishing connections with local and trade journalists before a crisis occurs can pay dividends. By inviting them to events, sharing positive news, and being open about your work you can cultivate a reputation of transparency and trust. This can help to ensure that any media coverage surrounding a crisis event is
“An effective crisis comms plan involves detailed protocols for all staff to follow in the event of a journalist making contact.”
“Establishing connections with local and trade journalists before a crisis occurs can pay dividends.”
covered in a broader, more sympathetic context rather than focusing solely on more negative aspects.
Get ahead
If you spot a crisis looming before it’s made public, often it’s better to take control of the story. Waiting for news to leak is rarely advantageous. Instead, proactively communicating it ahead of time, particularly to a sympathetic journalist, can help you to take control of the narrative.
Informing journalists about the crisis before they hear it from other sources, providing a well-crafted statement acknowledging the situation, taking accountability, and outlining solutions can help to limit damage to your reputation and retain public confidence.
Accountability
Crises often come out of the blue. When they do, media management becomes critical. Before speaking to the press, ensure you fully grasp the details. Ambiguity can make you appear evasive and as though you lack full control of the situation. Transparency in a crisis can often be your ally. If an error occurs, acknowledge it, but also make clear how you will remedy it.
Equally important is the tone of communication. Social care is centred around people, and responses should reflect empathy and accountability. This doesn't mean dodging hard questions; rather, it means steering the conversation back to your key messages
“Crises often come out of the blue.
When they do, media management becomes critical.
Before speaking to the press, ensure you fully grasp the details.”
such as your values, commitment to improvement, and steps being taken to address the crisis.
Managing a crisis in social care goes beyond damage control – it’s about preserving the trust of care receivers, their families, and the community. By preparing thoroughly, building media relationships, and responding with transparency and empathy, care providers can shield their reputations. Proactively and reactively controlling the narrative can make the difference between a crisis that undermines trust and one that ultimately reinforces your organisation’s integrity and commitment to those in your care.
William Walter
Care
Fully funded existing operator looking to purchase a profitable, compliant care home from someone looking to retire or sell.
• Up to 30 beds
• Located in the South East, South West (as far West as Dorset), Midlands (South of Birmingham) or London
• Price range of £1m- £3m
• Scope to extend desirable but not essential
If
Your duty to prevent fire business | legal and regulatory
Beth
Farrer, an associate at law firm Mills & Reeve, provides an overview of the general fire safety responsibilities for care home providers
In last month’s legal column, my colleague Sam Lindsay noted that fire is a particularly high-risk area for care providers, particularly for residential services. The care home environment presents unique challenges and the consequences of getting fire safety wrong can have catastrophic results.
The main piece of legislation governing fire safety in buildings, places and structures other than individual private homes in England and Wales is the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 or the ‘Fire Safety Order’ (FSO).
Who does this apply to?
The FSO places responsibilities for ensuring premises meet required fire safety standards on the “responsible person”, who is either the employer, if the workplace is under their control, or the person who has control over the premises, for instance the occupier or owner.
The responsible person must ensure that any duty imposed on it by the FSO is complied with, as a failure to do so will mean it is committing a criminal offence punishable by unlimited fine and/or imprisonment.
Risk assessments
A responsible person must conduct a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risk and identify the necessary general fire precautions, which are defined as being measures to reduce the risk of fire, and spread of fire, on the premises.
The person conducting the assessment
must be competent and capable of ensuring that the risk assessment is suitable and sufficient.
The government has published detailed guidance titled ‘Fire safety risk assessment: residential care premises’ to assist the completion of effective risk assessments. The assessment should cover the whole of the premises and be carried out in a practical and systemic way, and must be reviewed at regular intervals and when there is a material change in circumstances.
Case law has confirmed that fire risk assessments for residential care home premises should extend to practical considerations and not be limited strictly to risks arising from the building or premises themselves. For instance, they need to cover risk from smoking, for example.
Key duties
The key duties of a responsible person under the FSO are as follows:
• Take general fire precautions.
• Conduct a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks.
• Make, give effect to and maintain any fire safety arrangements.
• Eliminate or reduce any risks from dangerous substances.
• Ensure that the premises are equipped with appropriate fire-fighting equipment and detectors.
• Ensure that emergency exits are kept clear at all times.
• Establish and, where necessary, give effect to appropriate fire safety procedures, including safety drills.
• Ensure that the premises and any facilities, equipment and devices are maintained, and
• Provide employees with fire safety information and provide adequate safety training.
The FSO includes further duties for premises where there may be dangerous substances and hazards, which should be considered as necessary – items such as oxygen tanks, for example.
As with the risk assessment, the responsible person must ensure that a competent person assists with implementing fire safety measures. All of your workforce will need to be informed about relevant fire safety information including information specific to their role.
New homes must be fitted with sprinklers
A provision for sprinklers to be installed in new care homes from March next year was announced in September by the building safety minister, Rushanara Ali. This is not retrospective, and therefore only applies to new care homes, however many have opted to include sprinklers in their care home designs. Sprinklers offer an enhanced protection and are particularly useful in instances of building evacuation where residents may be reliant on others for assistance.
Beth Farrer
Opportunity for change
Alan Payne, group director at software provider Access HSC attended the Labour Party conference and spoke to health and social care minister Wes Streeting and care minister Stephen Kinnock about the role of digital and data following the publication of Lord Darzi’s review
Wes Streeting and his team have committed to three big shifts in health and social care – the move from hospital to community, analogue to digital, and reactive to preventative care.
At the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool a few weeks ago, there were detailed discussions about how this would be delivered, including the important recognition of the significant challenges in social care and how it has long been the Cinderella service compared to healthcare.
Yet, to achieve what Streeting calls Labour’s “mission-led” strategy and three big shifts in health and social care, which will also include a National Care Service, critical issues such as staff pay, retention and recruitment all need addressing. Therefore, it was encouraging to hear comments from the care minister Stephen Kinnock about giving social care the “priority it deserves and needs”, and discussions at the fringe events about delivering an imminent Fair Pay Agreement for adult social carers.
The ministerial team also championed a “new direction” at the conference, which includes investment and reform. Commenting on the mistakes of the previous governments that have taken an either/or approach, Streeting talked about lobbying for investment that enables the delivery of a National Care Service and focusing on reform that delivers whole-person care. In doing so, he will consider wider social determinants of social care (and health) such as housing, social security and education.
Role for tech
With technology being so central to the government’s plans and recent reports such as Lord Darzi’s review calling for a “tilt towards technology”, it was also encouraging to see a focus on digital and data. MPs including Anna Dixon and Ben Coleman rightly highlighted the importance of commissioning innovative
technology and continuing to scale existing and effective digital solutions such as digitalised care plans. There was also the acknowledgement of disparate data and the need to deliver more joined up information sharing across the sector.
Notably, Kinnock acknowledged there needs to be a fourth “big shift” from piecemeal to systemic improvements across the health service. And while he wasn’t talking specifically about tech, this is certainly the right approach for the future, because we all know that social care isn’t starting from scratch. It isn’t as much a shift from analogue to digital, but a move from disparate digitalisation to whole-scale transformative implementation.
There are so many great examples across the country of Streeting’s vision of digitally enabled social care services. For example, Bay Care, a domiciliary and live-in care provider in Devon that uses carer scheduling, electronic care planning, electronic MAR, mobile working, and care monitoring, billing and finances to create a realtime view of care for its citizens and saves £111,000 a year on admin. And Sutton London Borough Council, replacing reactive telecare models with proactive, preventative, inclusive digital technologies that aid independent living.
However, unfortunately, too often these are isolated examples that reflect locally driven needs because of the very nature of service demand, commissioning models and extremely limited budgets. What really needs to be prioritised by government is the right investment and reform to empower councils and care providers to scale digital (and data) in such a way that it doesn’t continue to mimic the silos already in existence within social care settings.
Opportunity for change
At the conference, there was also a heavy emphasis on the Long Term Plan that will be published next spring,
including a commitment to a national conversation on what it needs to address. As part of this process, it’s vital that government has a genuine understanding of the complexity of care tech and data integration.
And with the consultation expected “‘imminently”, there’s a real opportunity to tackle these issues and champion tangible change for commissioners and providers of social care.
It means we’re at a critical juncture, whereby the ambitions of the new government are laudable and early signals suggest opportunities for collaboration that will influence their “mission-led strategy” over the next 10 years. Therefore, it’s on us, collectively, to make visible the common challenges faced by service providers and their industry partners. For example, the competing commissioning incentives across care settings (that cause friction between the part of the system that invests in technology and the part that benefits) and the duplication of siloed decisions that inhibit patient flow and prevent economies of scale.
Only by taking these immediate next steps, can we create the evidence for the national conversation on the 10-year plan and give social care the best chance of becoming a fully digitally-enabled national service that is empowered to provide more preventative care closer to home.
Alan Payne
On the origin of leases
Rob Walton, real estate partner and Sean O'Mahony, a trainee in the health and social care team at law firm RWK Goodman highlight key considerations for care providers when taking on or renewing a lease
Leases can be favourable given the flexibility they offer compared to owning the freehold outright, but only if they suitably protect a care provider’s interests. Providers may look to set up a new business and purchase a lease in the process (known as ‘taking’ a lease). Alternatively, the term of their tenancy may be drawing to a close and the provider would like to renew at the same property as before. Below we have highlighted some of key areas providers should remain mindful of when taking or renewing a lease.
Preparatory work
Where providers are looking to take a new lease, they should spend time evaluating the business needs. Providers might consider factors such as the number of beds at the property, its location to determine if it’s easily accessible, and whether it might be subject to nearby disturbances from neighbours if it’s in a built-up area. The more that can be done at this stage will narrow the options and save both time and money in the long term.
Even where a provider is looking to renew an existing lease, this step is advisable because it may identify a property elsewhere that presents a new opportunity and possibly on favourable terms.
“Even where a provider is looking to renew an existing lease, this step is advisable because it may identify a property elsewhere that presents a new opportunity and possibly on favourable terms.”
For new leases, once a property has been identified the provider should contact the owner or their agent to negotiate heads of terms. This will set out the basic terms of the lease, such as the annual rent, any rent review provisions, and the contractual term. Providers should consider agreeing additional provisions that offer greater flexibility such as break clauses and assignment or underletting. Instructing an agent at this stage can deduce the commerciality of the terms and its suitability for the provider. Issues should be ironed out at this stage to prevent protracted negotiations later. When renewing a lease, heads of terms should still be agreed, although providers should expect increases to their annual rent in line with inflation and should seek to agree a cap.
Investigations
Once the heads of terms have been finalised, a deeper dive into the property and lease should take place.
Investigating the title and searches
Where the property is registered, a copy of its title register and plan can be obtained from the Land Registry. If it is unregistered, a solicitor will ask the landlord to deduce title to the property. Providers should be aware that some leasehold properties own a separate title number from the overarching freehold, so both should be inspected. A solicitor can determine any issues by considering areas such as the seller’s identity, if the property has a sufficient class of title, any charges against the property, and boundaries or covenants that may affect the property’s use. For example, a restrictive covenant may prevent the property from being used as anything other than an office, making the property unusable without permission from the person or company who granted it. This can often take time and prove costly to a provider. A provider
would be well advised to take this step whether they are taking or renewing a lease as entries may have been added to the register since their tenancy began.
Some searches are advised prior to taking a new lease to determine whether the property is suitable. Searches commonly used in transactions include:
Local authority – shows matters affecting the property such as planning permissions, building regulation consents and proposals.
Environmental – reveals whether the property is built on or near contaminated land or water and addresses the risk of flooding.
Water and drainage – showing how water is supplied to the property and sewer connections.
Mining searches – determi es whether the property is situated near a mine entry and any subsidence issues.
Once searches have been returned, further enquiries regarding issues identified can be made to the seller to ensure the property has complied with any remedial actions.
The landlord should provide (at their cost) a management pack containing further information about the property. This will include details of any major works, service charges and ground rent. Review this carefully to ensure that there are no surprises later down the line.
Reviewing the lease
Some areas of a lease that should be considered are self-explanatory for a provider, such as rent, its frequency, and the term of the lease, and can be easily determined on review. There are, however, other areas that providers should remain mindful of.
Checking a lease to ensure it includes
“Newer care providers, who don’t have the most detailed financial history available, may be required to give the landlord a deposit by way of a rent deposit deed.”
the correct permitted use and that the permitted use is validly authorised by the local planning authority is paramount. A suitable lease contains use under C2 of the Town and Country Planning Act. The absence of this, or a different use, should be raised with the landlord as care providers cannot lawfully run their business without it.
Repair and alteration clauses should also be considered. The reality for care providers is that a property can be subject to wear and tear. Limiting any repair clauses to a schedule of condition is favourable. This will annex photos to the lease which show the condition of the property prior to tenancy. The clause should then limit the provider’s liability to put the property in the condition shown by the schedule. Note whether the lease allows for alterations to the property as some providers may wish to add or remove room partitioning, so ensuring the lease does not restrict the tenant from doing so is key.
Break clauses can be incorporated which allow for the early termination of the lease. We sometimes act for providers that take on service users
who move at short notice. In some cases, a tenant-only break clause can be inserted which can bring the lease to an end if any of the care contracts are terminated. These are known as a ‘rolling break clause’ and will often require the provider to give notice to the landlord that because care contracts were terminated, the provider wishes to rely on the rolling break clause to end the lease early.
The lease will determine whether it can be transferred, known as an assignment, to a new tenant. It is difficult to predict what challenges or opportunities may present themselves in several years’ time so recognising this is paramount. A clause can be negotiated that grants an option to sell the remainder of the lease term to a new tenant, subject to the landlord’s consent. This offers flexibility and security for providers looking to relocate in future.
Newer care providers, who don’t have the most detailed financial history available, may be required to give the landlord a deposit by way of a rent deposit deed. This will specify a number of months’ rent to be paid in advance as security to the landlord against financial difficulties the provider may face.
Insurance
Remain mindful of what obligations are contained in the lease for the landlord to insure the property. These are usually defined as ‘insured risks’ and list situations where the landlord is responsible for having a policy in place to cover damage at the property.
Note what the landlord’s obligations are to maintain the property. Should it
fall into disrepair, the lease may include a compensatory clause to the tenant’s benefit.
Completion
Having funds available to transfer to the seller on completion is fairly straightforward and a solicitor should advise the provider in advance. Providers need to ensure that any mortgage or refinancing secured is appropriate for the transaction. Securing lending can take time, so providers should consider how they mean to cover fees incurred in the early stages of a lease, such as work carried out by their agent or solicitor. Where a provider intends to pay the sums from its own pocket, it is vital to ensure that all the necessary funds will be available, including any deposit required by the landlord.
Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT), or Land Transaction Tax for properties in Wales, is payable on commercial leases. Solicitors cannot provide tailored tax advice so providers will need to consult their accountant for a detailed assessment of their affordability. It’s easy to overlook SDLT because of basic costs such as rent and solicitor/agent fees. SDLT is payable within 14 days of the ‘effective date’ of transaction, which is commonly the date of completion.
As we have seen, there are several considerations for care providers when taking on a new lease or renewing an existing one such as business size, aims and strategy. It is therefore recommended that any professional advisors you use have experience of the health and social care market so that they can provide tailored and pragmatic guidance.
Do-it-yourself care tech
Why don’t more care homes design their own AI-based compliance software? It sounds an unenviable task, but it’s paid off for Paul Nery and Rose Care Group as its Carey AI system (under the banner of Quik-AI) becomes available for other UK care homes to purchase
As if managing 10 care homes was not enough to keep them busy, Nery and his team also got stuck into the technology side of care too. Under the banner of his newest company, Quik-AI, the managing director and his colleagues at Rose Care Group have designed their own AI-based care home management software, named Carey, rather than employ one of the many software suppliers in the sector, ensuring full control of how the system works for RCG’s homes.
On the system’s inception, Nery says: “I’ve found that ensuring robust care delivery is about creating structure from complexity, so a lot of energy has gone into creating stable working approaches for our teams that give them confidence that we can achieve what we need to. Innovation is integral to what we do and we employ an active technology team, disproportionately large for our size, that has built our own care home management software and launched a first-of-its-kind AI system.”
Explaining that, in a very short period of time, Carey has gone from being an in-house pet project for RCG to a legitimate business, Nery continues: “The AI audits our care plans and is now commercially available in the UK. Carey has been a huge time-saver since she can audit a care plan in about five minutes and tell you what’s wrong. She’s also driven up care plan compliance to 95%, reduced costs and boosted happiness of staff within the firm as a whole.”
The platform has already been rolled
“Ensuring robust care delivery is about creating structure from complexity”
out across Rose Care Group’s 10 homes. Nery explained that the Carey-AI platform can review and audit care plans, carry out daily monitoring, suggest best-practice care improvements, point users to further information, and analyse trends and patterns. Users interact with the platform by asking ‘Carey’ questions and giving commands.
Nery, who has a degree in computer science, said he developed the platform to tackle deepening challenges around compliance. “Case complexity is rising – how are we going to keep pace when already people are put off in our sector because they’re thinking I have to do so much compliance work?” he says. “We have done some statistical analysis, and our managers reckon that they’ve saved around five hours personally per week each, while senior carers are saving around an hour a day. Average compliance in care planning is around 80% and we are seeing the stats rise to 95% for everybody.”
The platform is used by senior staff including the quality assurance director, area managers, home managers and senior carers. Rose Care Group has already changed practice based on information highlighted by Carey, after
asking the platform for an incident report covering the last month.
“It turned out that one site had most of its events occur on a Friday, so we adjusted our staffing duties on the Friday to mitigate the effects of those incidents,” says Nery. “We have definitely caught more incidents than we would have in the past just off the back of that change.
“The AI audits our care plans and is now commercially available in the UK”
“Having only launched two months ago, we really want to deliver for both RCG’s care homes and also the raft of customers who have come on-board to use it too as there are so many areas, not just care plans, where she can transform our approaches to care. In a sector where regulatory pressure is high and standards are continually rising, Carey has already made a huge difference to how operators using her can tackle the complexity of compliance and increasing resident acuity.”
Requires improvement
As the Care Quality Commission welcomes new chief executive Julian Hartley, Caring Times asks some of the sector’s key players: did the Dash report do the trick and is the regulator on the road to improvement?
Sue Sheath, director of regulation and quality, Barchester Healthcare
How was your experience with the CQC prior to 2024?
It’s important to state from the outset, we all want and need good regulation in the sector. We at Barchester, and I am sure many industry colleagues, would be delighted to work with the CQC to achieve this. Genuine co-production and joint testing are essential to ensure that the system delivers confidence to all stakeholders.
Until the start of the Covid pandemic, our experience with the CQC was generally positive. Services were inspected periodically. There were named inspectors for each service. This transparency enabled us to design systems for continuous improvement of our services. In about 2019, however, we saw a new focus on “intelligence” –often negative views from former staff who had been dismissed for poor care delivery that wasn’t triangulated. At the start of the pandemic, the CQC became
“We are continually impressed by the dedication and commitment of the vast majority of CQC staff on the ground.”
invisible, rarely visiting services. It then focused on what it perceived to be risk areas, often guided by this so-called intelligence. We need to get back to good-quality, transparent regulation that drives continuous improvement in the sector.
Have things improved through 2024? Unfortunately, through 2024 the situation has deteriorated further. We have multiple concerns about the Single Assessment Framework (SAF). Its implementation was badly planned. There was no proper piloting. Quality statement assessments were effectively being decided using out-of-date and
non-aligned historical ratings. Despite visiting, inspectors have asked for excessive amounts of information, readily available in the service, to be scanned and sent afterwards, preventing staff from delivering care. Much of that information has been irrelevant, for example, asking for policies when the critical point is not whether we have a policy but whether it’s being implemented. Only 5% of our services have had an assessment under the SAF since December 2023. The few that have taken place have lacked consistency. This is demotivating for our hard-working teams and fails to deliver up-to-date information for the public.
Care Quality Commission's chief executive Sir Julian Hartley
We are continually impressed by the dedication and commitment of the vast majority of CQC staff on the ground. They want to see the CQC succeed and for the people in the services to enjoy the best regulation experience, but have also been let down by the way in which the SAF and other innovations have been rolled out.
The provider portal is not fit for purpose. Many registered managers are unable to access it and we have no corporate oversight currently. It should be suspended until the problems are resolved. The factual accuracy portal is also very clunky and needs some further work.
Do you have faith in the CQC being able to turn things around?
We are delighted that Sir Mike Richards has been called back to provide some much-needed insight and that Dr Penny Dash has been able to cast an objective eye over the situation.
It is crucial that the new chief executive has the vision and drive to make significant changes at pace. Unfortunately, incremental, gradual change will mean that a bad situation will take years, if not decades, to recover. For the sake of the residents, patients and other stakeholders, there’s no time to waste.
Lessons need to be learned from sister regulators. Stakeholders get good inspection service from regulators in Wales, Scotland and Jersey and the CQC should learn from them.
A matter of urgency is that old ratings need to be reviewed, or the regulatory requirement that we must display wholly out of date, and somewhat misleading, ratings must be revoked.
“It is crucial that the new chief executive has the vision and drive to make significant changes at pace.”
Are there any potential changes the regulator could make that you haven’t seen discussed by government and media yet? Any further comments?
It is secretary of state Wes Streeting’s duty, and hopefully intention, to ensure that the new chief executive has the tools and the political cover to do whatever is required to restore confidence, to deliver for all stakeholders – residents, patients, relatives, staff and providers.
Mangion, director of operations, Boutique Care Homes
How was your experience with the CQC prior to 2024?
The relationship with the CQC has not recovered since Covid-19. The communication with homes’ local inspectors disappeared and providers did not know whether any of their communications sent to the CQC were being read by anyone, but at least we were still able to use our portal and send regulatory communications through this facility. We knew that there were many changes afoot at the CQC, both in the direction it wanted to follow and in its teams’ structure. However, most of this knowledge came mainly through individuals rather than through a CQC statement. Generally though, we always had a good relationship with our local inspectors. We have not been inspected at one of our homes for nearly five years, two years at our second home and are still waiting for our first inspection for our newest home which opened in January 2023.
Have things changed/improved through 2024?
I still cannot understand why the CQC decided to ditch the existing portal,
which was basic but working just fine and introduce something that created havoc and even if it works (and in our case it does not as we are still unable to use the new portal), it is not going to enable us to communicate any better or across any more areas. As the nominated individual, I have spent hours trying to resolve this; to date I have not received any assistance to resolve this issue and nobody I have contacted is able or willing to help. They just send an email saying sorry for the inconvenience and that they are trying to resolve it. The SAF is fine in itself, but how it was inspected and rated initially was wholly unfair and unprofessional. Glad to see the CQC saw sense and rectified this injustice. We have not seen any improvement except its admissions that it got so many things wrong.
Do you have faith in the CQC being able to turn things around?
To be honest I hope it does because I’m old enough to remember the change from CSCI to CQC and the mayhem caused when every provider had to reregister every care home all over again. With respect to Wes Streeting, he keeps telling us nothing is working but has he given the CQC a clear indication of what he expects from it, with a deadline to achieve it? Changing chiefs will not make everything right. The CQC and us providers need a clear vision of the government’s intentions and expectations. Where is the motivation for CQC colleagues when they don’t even know if they will have a job in the coming months? All the promises of provider handbook, new chief etc are ‘nice to have’ but decent funding for social care and its regulator with a clear mandate of what’s expected should be the priority.
Are there any potential changes the regulator could make that you haven’t seen discussed by government and media yet? Any further comments? Reintroduce local CQC inspectors to get the relationship between provider and regulator back to working for better care of all residents. Confirm that SAF is the way ahead for the sector so that
Andrew
we all get on with it. Either ditch the new portal shambles and revert back to the old system or resolve the issue. The government must be brave and unambiguous in what it wants for social care, not least its funding for the long term.
John Godden, chief executive, Salutem Care and Education
How was your experience with the CQC prior to 2024?
It was somewhat inconsistent, particularly in terms of communication, consistency of inspection outcomes and inspection frequency, especially services that were not inspected for some years. The regulatory framework often felt rigid and sometimes disconnected from the complexities of service delivery, particularly in our complex, specialist care settings. While the aim of inspections was always to ensure quality and safety, the approach occasionally lacked the flexibility needed to understand unique challenges. Communication was more reactive than proactive, which could be frustrating. A more collaborative and ongoing dialogue would have been beneficial, as it often felt like the process was more
“Reintroduce local CQC inspectors to get the relationship between provider and regulator back to working for better care of all residents.”
about compliance than genuine quality improvement.
Have things changed/improved through 2024?
Yes, 2024 has seen some improvements. The introduction of the Single Assessment Framework has brought the prospect of some consistency and clarity to the inspection process, allowing us to better align our internal practices with CQC expectations. This has helped shift our focus towards continuous quality improvement rather than preparing reactively for inspections. However, frequency and prioritisation of services that we believe are Good and have not been inspected has not improved. The new provider portal has not worked at all and the CQC has been open to state we should not use it for its intended use such as sharing information to alter judgements. Leadership changes have impacted the relationship between providers and the CQC, with a more open and partnership-based approach emerging, albeit slowly. This shift has fostered a sense of being heard and supported, making it easier to address challenges collaboratively, but the necessity to move to action is still slow.
Do you have faith in the CQC being able to turn things around?
I am cautiously optimistic but this feels like a journey of years not months. The recent changes suggest that the CQC is committed to improving its practices and rebuilding trust with providers. The new framework and portal, when fixed, are steps in the right direction, and the upcoming provider handbook and new leadership give further hope for positive change. The scrutiny following the Dash report and public backing from figures like Wes Streeting indicates that the CQC is under pressure to deliver. However, this could also serve as a catalyst for continued improvement. With the right leadership and an ongoing commitment to partnership working, the CQC can regain confidence and set a new standard for regulatory excellence which we welcome, whether this is more likely to
produce the required progression rather than a fresh start with a new construct is a point of debate.
Are there any potential changes the regulator could make that you haven’t seen discussed by government and media yet? Any further comments? One potential improvement could be a more tailored approach to inspections, taking into account the specific needs and challenges of different service types. A dynamic model that reflects the complexity of services would provide a more accurate picture of quality and performance. Additionally, a stronger feedback mechanism where providers can contribute to shaping the inspection framework would make the process more responsive and effective. This would create a more balanced regulatory environment that not only identifies areas for improvement but also highlights best practices that can inspire others.
Overall, building a culture of mutual respect and continuous improvement, where both the regulator and providers work together, is key to achieving the best outcomes for those we support.
Amanda Keeler, compliance manager, Walfinch home care
How was your experience with the CQC prior to 2024?
At Walfinch we have never seen the regulators as the enemy, but as an essential partner in delivering the highest-quality care. We appreciated the fact that each provider had their own, named, inspector, and if we asked them anything, they were ready to help. You could build a relationship with them, so you knew your inspector and they got to know about your specific >
> business. That personalised approach to providers is integral to providing personalised care.
We welcome stringent CQC checks and we train our franchisees and carers to meet, and surpass, CQC standards. Compliance is vital to safeguarding and protecting clients, so we are keen to see any changes that help the whole sector achieve that. On a larger scale, a strong, reliable regulator and inspectors are vital in building a high-quality care sector that benefits everyone.
Have things changed/improved through 2024?
Bringing in a new regulatory system inevitably means changes for providers and this can be frustrating in the short term, but in the long term, working hand-in-hand with the CQC is essential. Contacting it by the new central portal can mean speaking to someone to whom
“It is well-known across the sector that new businesses are waiting longer than in the past for registration, which is preventing them starting work.”
you may never have spoken before. Initially this can make providers feel that the personal relationship with their regulator and inspector is reduced.
However, Kate Terroni, the former interim chief executive of the CQC, announced that it will be testing a new approach to relationship management so providers have a closer and more consistent contact point. We welcome any changes made to support providers in a person- centred way. She has also said it will continue working with providers to identify improvements that can be made to the portal, which we are happy to help with.
Meanwhile, it is well-known across the sector that new businesses are waiting longer than in the past for registration, which is preventing them starting work. Part of this frustrating problem is caused by the portal delaying registration. Fortunately, this has already been recognised, and the CQC says it has increased the number of people working in registration and is working to complete outstanding registration applications. Providers will be hoping so, because at present they, and the country as a whole, need to see more, much-needed carers coming into the community.
There are also new businesses which, though registered, have waited over three years for an inspection – yes, they can work with private contracts – but clients and families look online for inspection ratings before choosing a service, so a provider without a rating risks losing
customers. Terroni announced that the CQC will increase the number of assessments and inspections that it carries out.
What's more, the CQC says it is working to increase and improve the support and guidance for providers on its regulatory approach, so the new assessment framework handbook cannot arrive too soon. Providers want guidance and clear leadership, so we know what ‘Good’ looks like.
Do you have faith in the CQC being able to turn things around? It certainly should turn things around, because the care sector is full of great carers and leaders who want to improve clients’ lives, and the regulator is vital to this.
Are there any potential changes the regulator could make that you haven’t seen discussed by government and media yet? Any further comments? One factor that could make things easier is the use of new technology. At Walfinch we are rolling out a care management software system that can be used to help create client-centred care plans, simplify risk assessments of their environment, and record what they would like to happen as a result of getting a carer. It increases transparency, helps providers make better decisions, can improve care quality, and there is evidence that it supports outstanding CQC inspections, which may save the CQC effort and benefit everyone.
Time for whole system change
Councillor Beverley Egan, chair of Essex County Council’s Caring Communities Commission says it’s time for a new way of tackling public service pressures
It’s no secret that health and social care services are under immense pressure. Increasing numbers and complexity of need, particularly since the pandemic, is one of the main drivers of demand across Essex and the whole country, with these pressures set to keep rising.
Despite the fact that nearly 50% of Essex County Council’s budget is invested in care services, we struggle to meet all the needs of our residents all the time in the way we and they would like. Across the public service landscape more widely, we see organisations struggling to keep up with increasing demands placed on them. It’s clearly time to find new and different ways of doing things. We want the most vulnerable in our society, and their families, to receive the care and support they deserve from all our public services. We want our front line staff, in whatever organisations they work in, to feel they can give their best to the people who need it every day.
It was therefore my privilege to chair the first meeting of the Caring Communities Commission. This is a powerful group of diverse organisations representing the NHS, voluntary sector, political groups and healthcare providers, determined to change the status quo for public services.
In its first year, the commission will be
listening to communities to understand their health and social care concerns using face-to-face meetings and online forums. This includes meetings with healthcare providers, front line staff and service users across Essex.
The commission will explore local and community-based solutions focused on the whole system, in particular, by looking at early intervention and prevention.
All the commissioners bring knowledge and experience, but most importantly passion and commitment, to help us answer the big question – how can we make sure everyone receives the support they need throughout their lives?
We will explore how best to foster resilient communities, including where existing assets can be amplified and how connections can be strengthened. We will then produce a report in March next year setting out our initial findings.
This report will not only drive real change in outcomes across Essex – we also hope it will influence government in driving national change.
I have spent the whole of my career in the voluntary and public sector, most recently as cabinet member for children’s services and early years at Essex County Council. As a result, I am particularly keen to engage with people who use our services and have real experience of the
challenges we are trying to address. I have seen first-hand, through my work with children in care, that the people with the deepest understanding of public services are those who must make sense of them for their wellbeing and their families’ wellbeing.
The Caring Communities Commission looks forward to learning as much as possible over the next few months as we work towards real change. You can stay up to date on our progress and meet the commissioners on our website: essex.gov.uk/adult-social-careand-health/essex-caring-communitiescommission
Councillor Beverley Egan
Commissioners of the Caring Communities Commission
The Caring Communities Commission at its inaugural meeting
One word is not enough business |
Kevin Shaw, chief executive of
Hartford Care,
comments on whether changes to Ofsted’s ranking system could – and should – apply to the CQC
In the wake of Ofsted’s changes to its ratings system, namely the abolition of its one-word-fits-all rankings, calls for similar changes to the CQC’s own process are growing louder. This is a change that we at Hartford Care believe couldn’t come a moment too soon.
While a range of well-publicised issues can be identified, we believe that the single biggest hurdle facing care homes with a negative rating is the CQC’s inspection timescales. The CQC’s system means care homes with an existing rating are inspected based on a series of quality statements. The CQC will select which statements to look at during their visit; they are highly unlikely to look at all of them. This selection will be based on national priorities and information on record about the care home. The new scores for these quality statements will be based entirely on the new assessment, however for remaining quality statements, scores will be based on previous findings.
This means that even if a home has improved its ranking in those areas, it could still be years before the other statements are reconsidered which could lead to the overall rating remaining the same even though the home has
improved. It could – and can – take, quite literally, decades for a home to be formally recognised, and to shake the damning indictment of a one-word rating. Care homes become trapped.
A ‘Requires improvement’ or ‘Inadequate’ rating is a red flag to potential residents and their families, impacting private sales, while an embargo by local authorities on ‘Inadequate’ care homes has even further reaching repercussions, contributing to the long-term undersupply of statefunded places and – as an extreme result – bed blocking in NHS wards. The ratings system as it stands can leave reputations in tatters and directly lead to the closure of much-needed care homes.
I’m certainly not suggesting that formal inspections should be scrapped, far from it, or that poor care homes shouldn’t be publicly called out, for the protection of their existing residents and future ones. But there are plenty of care homes – full of hardworking teams of employees and happy residents – overcoming challenges every day to ensure lessons are learned from their inspections and improvements are made. The system as it stands means they don’t receive the formal or public recognition they deserve for it.
If a car fails its MOT, its inspectors will work through a clear, itemised list of the issues, fixing them one by one in order to ensure a ‘pass’; the objective of the system and all involved is to get
the vehicle back on the road, in tiptop condition, as efficiently as possible.
While the CQC has made the right noises around offering more support to those homes requiring improvement, promising to inspect all quality statements with this rating to offer the opportunity of an uplift quicker, this hasn’t yet materialised.
The CQC and care providers should be working together to improve facilities and services across care homes for the good of residents. Improvements in individual areas should be monitored and acknowledged over much shorter, regular, timeframes, and publicly documented, without a ‘one word covers all’ headline and no idea of when the next inspection might come. Reports should highlight failings, yes, but should focus on learnings and supporting improvement. More care home providers, especially the smaller operators, would and could viably invest in improvements if there was a real hope of getting back on track. For now, too often, this investment might seem futile.
The system is broken, and a move away from one-word ratings would lead to bigger investment by providers, better care for residents, and a sector working in collaboration with the CQC to deliver a solution to the social care crisis gripping the UK.
Kevin Shaw
Creative Caring
As always, carers have been demonstrating their creativity through fun and innovative events for their residents
Play time
Residents at Connaught Care Collection’s Meadowbrook in Bishop’s Stortford in Hertfordshire welcomed local children as part of a visit organised by Happy Kids Childminding Service. The day was part of an ongoing effort by Meadowbrook to create strong intergenerational bonds at the home, and there are plans for further visits in future.
Prize pooches
Colten Care’s Whitecliffe House in Blandford Forum, Dorset welcomed families, friends and four-legged competitors to the home’s first dog show, with all proceeds going to the Dorset Children’s Foundation. Residents were fully involved in setting up and running the event, working with the home’s gardener Joan Batchelor to create floral decorations for visitors’ tables and preparing homemade lemonade. Three residents formed the judging panel as the dogs vied for glory across nine categories.
Cultural costume
Hamberley Care Homes marked National Inclusion Week with a lively celebration across its care homes. The team at Montague House in Brampton, Cambridgeshire showcased cultural attire from India, Ghana, Kenya, Sri Lanka and the Philippines, and shared the unique
stories behind each traditional outfit, explaining its significance and the occasions on which it is typically worn. Other homes enjoyed global cuisine and music.
Indoor fair
Lincoln home MHA Stones Place didn’t let the weather spoil the fun, setting up an indoor fair in one of its lounges and opening its doors to the wider community. The fair included an arts and crafts stall, local honey, cakes and the usual tombola and raffle. Residents, staff members, volunteers and members of the community were entertained by the Lincoln Ukulele Band.
Dream on
Sheila Eley, 91, a resident of Colchesterbased care home Crouched Friars, was treated to a performance by the Dreamboys after confessing to the team that it was her wish to see a male strip show. After emailing the Prince’s Theatre in Clacton, activities director, Vanessa Brown was gifted two tickets for Sheila to fulfil her wish of seeing the Dreamboys live.
Pick up a penguin
Amberley Hall Care Home in King’s Lynn, Norfolk granted the wish of a resident when two adorable Humboldt penguins paid a visit. Susan Fisher, 70, asked to meet the pair as part of the home’s ‘Making Moments’ initiative.
Pringle and Widget toured the care home, making sure even residents unable to leave their rooms had a chance to experience the joy.
Dining in
Black Swan’s Southwell Court Care home in Melbourn, Cambridgeshire, transformed into a classic American diner for the afternoon with delicious burgers, milkshakes, and the unmistakable tunes of rock and roll. Guest singer Jonny Parrish provided the entertainment.
Fair’s fair
Residents and staff from Avalon Care Home in Bridgwater, Somerset were among the crowds enjoying the annual Bridgwater Fair. The party of 12 travelled the short distance between their dementia care home and St Matthews Field where the Fair has been taking place for more than 600 years. Avalon’s activities coordinator Lisa Priddice said: “Our ladies and gents are all familiar with the Fair and they loved telling us about visits they’d had in their younger days.”
Scaring is caring
Friends of the Elderly’s New Copford Place in Colchester is celebrating its win at this year’s Copford and Easthorpe Scarecrow Festival. Residents were involved in the design and construction of scarecrow ‘Marilyn’ during an arts and craft session, and are already planning next year’s entry – potentially to be named Strawlock Holmes.
Easy riders
Forty motorcyclists were welcomed by residents at Diamond House Care Home in Downham Market, Norfolk with sausage sandwiches, tea and coffee. The event was designed to evoke cherished memories for residents, some of whom have a long history with motorcycles. Allison Webster, activities coordinator, said: “The classic and retro bikes, in particular the Triumphs, were of great interest to our residents, as those are the models they remember best.”
Dog star
Winnie, the pets as therapy dog, was the star of the show when residents at
Friends of the Elderly’s Luton-based Little Bramingham Farm celebrated her second anniversary of visiting the home. Winnie was presented with a bag of treats including a play mat, to represent ‘cotton’, the traditional second anniversary gift.
Creepy crawlies
MHA Starr Hills, in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire welcomed giant snails and snakes into the home for residents to get up and close with. ZooLab, an organisation that offers educational workshops on animals, brought millipedes, cockroaches, frogs, spiders, a giant snail and a four-foot American snake. The visit was a hit with residents, who touched, stroked and held the animals.
Sketch show
Judith Forster, a resident at Colten Care’s Abbey View in Sherborne, Dorset has staged an art exhibition after sketching pencil portraits of its entire roll of 73 staff members. The project took six months to complete, after the idea of sketching each one of her carers, companions, clinical team, chefs, waiting staff, domestic assistants and others came about in February this year.
Sporting life
Inspired by a summer of sport in which Team GB excelled in Paris and the England men’s football team reached the final of Euro 2024, residents at HC-One’s Woodlands View care home in Stevenage,
Hertfordshire participated in a mini Olympics. Activities included throwing emoji balls into buckets, hook-a-duck, and the egg and spoon race.
Green light
Each of Oakland Care’s 10 homes in London and the Southeast held an Eco Fair as part of the organisation’s Greener Month. The homes invited local sustainable businesses to exhibit stalls focused on reusing materials to create art and making environmentally friendly and sustainable products to sell. The care provider also hosted a series of seminars for local businesses to learn more about sustainability.
Garden gang
HC-One’s Capwell Grange Care Home won the ‘Best community garden’ category in the Luton in Bloom awards. Capwell Grange’s dementia community garden includes a wide variety of flowers and plants, including many varieties of tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, cauliflower, pumpkin and aubergines. The kitchen team uses the vegetables as ingredients for residents’ meals.
Managers guide to… increasing occupancy
Operations director Paul Brady and senior customer relations manager Ann-Marie Baker at Berkley Care Group share their tips on meeting and even exceeding occupancy targets
Jubilee House in Warwick, a member of the Berkley Care Group, has consistently smashed its occupancy targets. The 78-bed home, which opened in May last year, exceeded its initial occupancy target by 40% and has seen a steady increase month-on-month ever since. By June last year, occupancy rates were 50% above target, and in July, the home surpassed its targets by 36%. The second floor was opened last November, four months ahead schedule, and the third floor is just about to follow suit. When it comes to increasing occupancy, our main challenges are local competition and funding – plenty of people want to move in, but they may not be able to afford it. Here are some of the strategies that contributed to the home’s success, which reflects both the high demand locally and the team’s hard work.
1. An experienced and dedicated customer relationship manager is integral to the success of a home. AnnMarie Baker is the senior customer relations manager for both the new Jubilee House and our existing Leycester House, both in Warwick. She can steer potential residents towards Jubilee House or Leycester depending on the needs of the resident and the type of environment that they would like to live in.
2. Consistency of management is important, as is taking a long-term view. Some care providers employ short-term commissioning managers who will open the home and then move on after 12 months. In the run up to Jubilee House opening we had general manager Pippa Cook in place before the home opened, working closely with operations director Paul Brady, which is not as common as you would think. Taking this approach allows the home to build for the future. A short-term commissioning manager focuses on the here and now, but doesn’t have a vision for the next two or three years. Ideally the manager should be around for the next three to four years
at least, building the team and the culture of the home, and creating a strong foundation which allows the customer relationship manager to really sell the home.
3. Keep enquiries warm. Don’t stop talking to prospective residents, even if they say they are not yet ready. We have 50 or 60 enquiries on the back-burner at any given time, and we invite them to events at the home, send them birthday cards and catch up with them regularly if we haven’t spoken for a while. Don’t close anyone down, as circumstances can change, sometimes overnight. If you are in the right place at the right time, they will come to you and not to your competitor.
an initial discount. Another option is to offer a price freeze for the first 10 residents, although that’s not something we have done.
7. Promotional deals can sometimes have an effect. Some of our homes offer three for the price of two deals on respite care, for example.
4. Digital marketing is key when it comes to boosting occupancy. We work with a marketing agency, Townsend, which creates company-wide social media posts and videos, but a lot of our social media posts come directly from individual homes. We use Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. We are targeting 45 to 65 year olds, the families of potential residents – they are the people on Facebook who are reading our posts.
5. Keep an eye on local competition. We noticed three or four months before a local competitor opened they were gearing up their digital investment, and online searches for us started to show their home instead. Our digital agency Smooth Digital was able to manipulate key words on our website to ensure we returned to the top of the search listings.
6. It is important to build a community as quickly as possible in a new home, so you need to get the first 10 or so residents through the door quickly. We offered ‘founding membership’ for the first 10 residents, who received
8. Making connections with GPs, district nurses, local charities like the Parkinson’s trust and similar professionals is very important. These are the groups you know are in contact with people who might need residential care. Daycare centres have also been a good connection for us. Invite these people in for cake and coffee, and a tour.
9. Don’t neglect local domiciliary care agencies. Home care services often find it hard when they can no longer give someone the support they need to stay in their own home. They are happy to recommend us when they can’t meet someone’s needs anymore. In return, we can recommend them – sometimes we have people look round who say “I’m pleased that there is somewhere mum can be looked after when the time comes, but she hasn’t reached that stage yet – do you know any good home care agencies?”
10. When families and potential residents are looking around the home, make sure there are activities going on, and residents are engaged. A good activities team is a boon for increasing occupancy.
Time’s up to tool up
November is the final deadline for securing funding to set up digital social care records – and care providers need to apply this month for the Adult Social Care Digital Transformation Fund. Stephanie Nimmo, communications and engagement lead for the Digitising Social Care programme, explains why now’s the time to act
The clock is ticking to secure funding for digital social care records before it’s too late. The application process is simple and there’s lots of support on offer, so if you have not yet made the switch, go to our website (digitisingsocialcare.co.uk) and follow the links to our funding offer and support.
Since the Digitising Social Care (DiSC)’s ‘Clock is Ticking’ campaign launched in April this year, more than 900 new care locations have joined the many thousands of providers who have ditched paper and adopted digital social care record approaches. The campaign called on CQC-registered providers to take advantage of government funding and local support while it’s still available.
More than 70% of providers are now using a digital solution to plan and record care, which is offering enormous benefits to staff and the people they are supporting.
Care staff can save an average of one hour less per shift on admin according to our research with providers who have been using digital social care records for a while. Going digital means upto-date information about a person’s care, preferences, medication and more are available at the touch of a button and selected information can even be
“More than 70% of providers are now using a digital solution to plan and record care, which is offering enormous benefits to staff and the people they are supporting.”
accessed by family members who want to find out how their loved one is doing at any time.
Reporting, audits and inspections are also far more straightforward with digital social care records in place, reducing the need to pull together and prepare information in advance.
As well as giving support to apply for funding, local integrated care system digital teams can put you in touch with other care providers who are already using digital solutions, to find out how they chose their supplier, what the transition has been like for them and what differences they have seen.
Every day, care providers are telling us just how beneficial a digital social care record solution has been for their teams and the people they work with.
Whether they are team members supporting people in their homes and in care settings or registered managers, everyone tells us time saving has been one of the greatest benefits. Staff talk passionately about having more time to spend with people – often the reason they went into care in the first place –and of the relief of finishing shifts on time, without having to stay back to finish off paperwork.
More and more care providers are also finding that carefully selected digital solutions help support neurodivergent staff. One care worker with autism and dyslexia told us recently: “I feel like
an actual human now. I used to get so worried and nervous and embarrassed about showing any of my paperwork because it was so bad, and I struggled with it so much.”
This is the last month to apply for the Adult Social Care Digital Transformation Fund. Care providers are therefore urged to act now to get support to make an application before the deadline.
We have seen a really encouraging rise in care providers securing funding, finding and adopting digital solutions since we launched our campaign in the spring. But the clock really is ticking now. With the final deadline for applications in November, it’s a good idea to contact your local integrated care system team now to secure their support and advice for both making your application and choosing the right solution.
Visit our website at: beta. digitisingsocialcare.co.uk for a list of list of digital social care record solutions which have been assessed and assured by NHS England to help you find the best possible tool for your organisation.
It’s also a good idea to complete the ‘Data Security and Protection’ toolkit to make sure you know how to keep both your paper-based and digital information safe and secure. Again, your local integrated care system team can help with this.
Caring for all care |
Teagan Robinson-Bell, diversity and inclusion manager at Anchor, a not-for-profit provider of care and housing, talks about caring for everyone
In today’s world, the significance of diversity and inclusion cannot be overstated, particularly in care environments where understanding and respecting everyone's needs is essential. As England’s largest provider of specialist housing and care for people in later-life, Anchor recognises that true excellence in care begins with a significant commitment to these values.
At Anchor, we strive to place diversity and inclusion at the forefront of our operations, ensuring they become an everyday reality rather than a mere checkbox exercise.
We are always striving to create an environment where the unique contributions of our colleagues and residents are not only valued but celebrated and we are proud to offer five key networks to create safe spaces for both residents and colleagues. The networks aim to honour diversity, address concerns, review policies, and support one another. These include our open Resident Inclusion Community group, the LGBT+ Resident Advisory Group, and our enABLE, embRACE, Rainbow, and Inclusive Ambassador networks, along with our newly launched Carers network. These groups collaborate closely with the diversity and inclusion lead on the resident council to listen, assess practices, and drive change.
It’s vital that everyone who chooses to live and work with us feels recognised, respected and heard. These networks provide opportunities for education, advocacy, and connection, ensuring
“We
strive to place diversity and inclusion at the forefront of our operations, ensuring they become an everyday reality rather than a mere checkbox exercise.”
every voice is represented in our ongoing efforts toward inclusivity.
In 2019, a survey conducted by Stonewall uncovered alarming statistics regarding the mental health of LGBT+ individuals in Britain. It revealed that 61% of lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals lack confidence in social care services to support them adequately, compared to 51% of their heterosexual counterparts.
This data not only underscores the pressing need to take action, but also highlights the importance of establishing robust support networks to alleviate these concerns. Through creating a workplace where people in the LGBT+ community are being supported by carers and colleagues who are members of the community or understand how to foster an inclusive environment, we can directly address this issue and fundamentally provide better care.
One of our key initiatives is the establishment of our Rainbow and LGBT+ advisory groups, created directly in response to feedback from residents and colleagues. This initiative exemplifies our commitment to being a supportive resource for older individuals, their families, and colleagues alike, particularly given the increasing number of transgender people who hide their identity at work.
According to a YouGov survey of 410 trans employees across the UK, conducted on behalf of Totaljobs, 65% said they have had to hide their trans status at work, compared to 52% five years ago – a 13% rise since TotalJobs started carrying out this survey in 2016. Anchor wants to ensure this doesn’t happen as part of our commitment to retaining and developing talented colleagues. Therefore it is very important to ensure trans and non-binary colleagues are supported.
In response to the study’s findings, Anchor has pledged to develop sectorspecific guidance with the aim of
Teagan Robinson-Bell
Anchor West Hall
“Inclusivity is not a one-size-fits-all approach; there is no singular way to be trans or non-binary.”
providing support for both trans and non-binary individuals, and managers who are supporting trans and nonbinary colleagues. A gap for such guidance was identified, with existing resources being outdated, too focused on medical transitions, and aimed at just line managers rather than trans or non-binary people. After receiving positive feedback from Stonewall on the plan, our team produced a new guide that takes a ‘human-centric’ approach to guidance.
The guidance is intended to help individuals navigate identifying as trans at work, whether they are questioning their gender identity, wanting to transition, living as a trans person, or
supporting a trans person, either in the workplace or in their personal life. This guidance contains several sections, from resources for questioning one’s gender identity, to practical advice for transitioning at work.
We also recognised the importance of ongoing support, acknowledging that a trans person’s journey does not end once they have transitioned. It is vital that their identity continues to be affirmed in the workplace. With the guidance also providing support to managers, we’re aiming to improve the general lack of awareness in relation to gender identity in the workplace, offering advice for managers who are approached by a colleague in this situation. It’s critical that organisations offer comprehensive support for anyone questioning their gender identity, ensuring they feel empowered throughout their professional journeys.
Inclusivity is not a one-size-fits-all approach; there is no singular way to be trans or non-binary. This is why feedback from diverse perspectives and intersectional identities, including those
from different networks within Anchor, was invaluable in shaping our guidance.
Moving forward, we regularly review and update our approach to reflect the evolving language and legal landscape affecting the trans and LGBT+ communities. By establishing a schedule for periodic reviews and encouraging ongoing feedback, we can ensure that our support for trans and non-binary colleagues remains relevant, effective, and collaboratively developed, allowing others to benefit from what works best. It is essential that every individual feels a sense of comfort and belonging, and at Anchor, we strive to empower everyone to bring their authentic selves to work.
To further this commitment, we have also implemented a reverse mentoring scheme, which serves as a powerful tool for ensuring inclusivity. This initiative allows carers and other employees to engage directly with colleagues in senior leadership positions, bridging the gap between different levels of the organisation. This open communication not only provides valuable insights to leadership about the challenges >
"There is always more to learn and do to improve and embed a culture of inclusion."
and experiences faced by their teams, but also strengthens community ties across the business. By establishing and developing these connections, we aim to create a workplace culture where diverse perspectives are not only heard, but actively shape our policies and practices. We understand that each person brings unique perspectives that enrich our community, and we are committed to leveraging and responding to these diverse viewpoints and perspectives to enhance our workplace culture. In light of this, we also offer opportunities for colleagues and residents to commemorate, discuss and celebrate
various national events, days, and weeks throughout the year to weave diversity and inclusion into our daily conversations – it is about making them part of our everyday language.
However, addressing diversity and inclusion also requires us to confront the harsh realities of antisocial behaviour and hate crime. After receiving feedback from our embRACE Network, we established a working group focused on improving our reporting systems and support structures for colleagues experiencing antisocial behaviour and hate crime. This group, composed of diverse teams within our organisation, including representatives from the embRACE Network, ensures that incidents are captured accurately, and that support is provided promptly. Transparency is crucial; we must acknowledge and confront the existence of antisocial behaviour and hate crime. We are implementing consistent response protocols across our network, so that when someone reports an incident, they have a clear understanding
of the next steps. This predictability helps build trust within our community, encouraging more individuals to come forward and feel heard.
Diversity and inclusion are not just ideals at Anchor; they are fundamental to our operations. While we were awarded the first Gold Inclusive Employer Status within the care sector – recognising us as among the best employers in the UK when it comes to equality, diversity and inclusion – we know that there is always more to learn and do to improve and embed a culture of inclusion. And as we continue this journey, we invite everyone – colleagues, residents and families – to join us in creating a culture that champions diversity, uplifts marginalised voices, and enhances the quality of life for all those we serve.
In a world where the demand for respect and inclusion is louder than ever, Anchor stands ready to lead by example, ensuring that every individual, whether a resident or a colleague, can thrive in an environment that celebrates their contributions.
Bring about change
Henry Fairnington, Anchor’s diversity and inclusion officer, discusses bringing about tangible improvements for overlooked demographics
An organisation as large and as influential as Anchor has a great opportunity to effect change, and this is something we’re starting to see. Particularly in care and housing for people in laterlife, we’ve been able to get involved in some tangible improvements for demographics that are sadly overlooked. However, sectors such as care and other organisations for social good need to be more conscious of other factors that come into play. We can only claim to be an organisation for people over 55 if we explicitly welcome and provide for all residents over 55, including those from various ethnicities, religions, sexualities, genders, and so many other characteristics.
It goes without saying that having a service that is representative of its users is important. We can be so much more inclusive of everyone when we have people of different backgrounds and experiences contributing to something’s creation. It allows for cognitive diversity (ensuring we have different perspectives while working) and intersectionality (acknowledgement of the complexity of our identities). Those phrases might seem intense, but it boils down to making sure that individuals are heard and valued, because each lived experience will be able to offer a unique perspective.
With that in mind, it’s crucial that we are creating a space for people –including those who are trans and non-binary – to be able to come to work authentically. That could be as much as feeling comfortable to disclose their identities, but as a first step, knowing they’re in a safe environment that can support them in showing up as their true selves. ‘Coming out’ as trans or non-binary isn’t a one-time thing, and it’s not always something that is visually apparent, so ensuring workplaces are openly inclusive is vital. In care settings, this has a significant knock-on effect for residents, as well as their friends and families. If people can see a diverse group of colleagues supporting residents, then
it follows that there’s capacity to support a more diverse range of residents too.
We’re starting to see more studies and reports on the challenges that older transgender adults face in regard to social and medical care, and that is really positive. However, there’s still a lack of inclusion for people who fall outside that gender binary of male or female, because a lot of the time these studies were made about us, not by us. Having more people who identify as trans and non-binary in care settings helps to advocate for that need, but so does having overt allies and advocates. Trans and non-binary people make up less than 1% of the UK population (according to the 2021 census). Not all of those people will want to, or have the energy or safety to, educate others or even be open in their identities. In explicitly making care settings inclusive of and welcoming to trans and non-binary people, we can naturally make these settings safer for those who require care.
This also goes for friends and families of residents. Knowing that trans and non-binary visitors will be welcomed and catered for is hugely important in fostering communities and tackling issues like loneliness and isolation.
Finally, there’s the elephant in the room. As a trans person, I’ve often thought about what will happen to me, and members of my community, as we age. I have had struggles with healthcare professionals not being equipped to talk about transgender identities, let alone provide me with adequate healthcare, so if a time were to come when I needed care services, I would feel far more comfortable knowing that there’s a concerted effort going
towards inclusion. At the moment, trans inclusive care services aren’t guaranteed, and we simply need to do better. With every aspect of inclusion, we are constantly learning. Sectors such as healthcare and education still fall short of the mark for various minoritised groups, so with every trans inclusive policy, every commitment to being antiracist, every adaptation put in place for someone with a health condition, we’re getting closer to making these systems more supportive of everybody.
Creating trans and non-binary inclusive spaces for care colleagues and in care settings benefits those communities, obviously. But it also supports cisgender people who access hormone therapy, and other minoritised groups who notice displays of advocacy and inclusion. It shows people that whoever they are, there’s a space for them when they’ll need it, and that comes only with deliberate change to be inclusive.
Henry Fairnington
Winner takes it all
With the National Care Awards 2024 just around the corner on Friday, 29 November at ExCeL London’s Platinum Suite, hear from our sponsors, the people who make this special evening possible, about what you can look forward to on the night
As the main sponsor of the National Care Awards for the first year, we are truly excited to be part of such a prestigious event that celebrates excellence, dedication and innovation in the care sector.
Why we chose to be the main sponsor Ontex is a well-known manufacturer of continence care products used across the UK, and we are committed to supporting and championing the care industry. Sponsoring the National Care Awards is an exceptional opportunity to show our appreciation for those who work tirelessly to enhance the lives of the vulnerable. The National Care Awards, with its legacy of recognising the very best in the sector, aligns perfectly with our values, and we are honoured to take on such an important role this year.
Sponsoring the National Care Awards
is a natural extension of our belief in the importance of supporting the people who work in care. The care sector plays a crucial role in the fabric of society, providing essential services to those in need, and ensuring dignity, compassion and respect are at the heart of every interaction. By being the main sponsor, we want to shine a spotlight on the outstanding individuals and teams who exemplify best practices in care, celebrate their achievements, and show our gratitude for their hard work.
Supporting the awards provides a platform to highlight the invaluable contributions of care workers, and helps raise the profile of the sector as a whole. It’s not just about recognising excellence but also about fostering a sense of community, pride and progression within the industry.
What we are looking forward to most about the event
The National Care Awards is a highlight of the care sector’s calendar, and we are especially looking forward to celebrating alongside the nominees, winners and all the attendees. It will be a pleasure to see the exceptional individuals and
teams who have gone above and beyond in their roles be recognised for their contributions. The event provides an opportunity to hear their stories, learn about their experiences, and acknowledge their invaluable work.
Any favourite memories of prior years?
While this is our first year as the main sponsor, we have sponsored award categories in previous years and have always been impressed by the warmth, energy and professionalism on display. Each year, the sense of celebration that fills the room is infectious. Seeing everyone come together to support and uplift one another in a sector that often goes unrecognised is heartwarming. These moments of shared success and appreciation are what make the National Care Awards so memorable, and we are excited to experience it again this year from the perspective of a main sponsor. We would like to extend our congratulations to all the nominees and winners. Your work is essential and invaluable, and we are honoured to be part of an event that showcases your dedication, passion and achievements.
Kate Garraway
Award sponsored – Care activities co-ordinator of the year
Lorna Badrick, managing director, TLC Care
Why we chose to sponsor this category TLC Care’s sponsorship of the ‘Care activities co-ordinator’ award at the National Care Awards 2024 highlights TLC Care’s deep commitment to enhancing the health and wellbeing of residents and team members. By supporting this category, we celebrate the vital role that activities co-ordinators play in enriching residents’ lives, promoting joy, and improving overall wellbeing. For TLC Care, this sponsorship is a way of acknowledging the dedication of individuals who make a meaningful impact in the care sector. Being part of this recognition through sponsorship for the second year reflects our continued focus on resident happiness and passion for exceptional care.
What we are looking forward to most about the event
TLC Care is most excited about joining fellow professionals in celebrating the dedication and exceptional contributions
of teams across the care sector. The National Care Awards offer a special opportunity to reflect on the remarkable impact that care home professionals make every day. It’s a chance to recognise and celebrate their hard work, passion and achievements. TLC Care looks forward to the shared joy, camaraderie and sense of pride that come with honouring the collective efforts of all those committed to enhancing residents' lives. The evening promises to be filled with inspiration, celebration, and connection with other care providers.
Any favourite memories of prior years? We had a fabulous evening last year, our fondest memories include the heartwarming speeches and sharing the outstanding devotion of so many care professionals. We were honored to be recognised for the activities award. We’re thoroughly looking forward to this year’s event.
Award sponsored – Dementia care manager of the year
Caroline Roberts, chief executive, Aria Care
What we are looking forward to most about the event
I think it’s so important to recognise and celebrate the exceptional level of care provided to people; it’s important that people feel recognised and appreciated, coming together to celebrate the very best people in social care does just this. The NCAs provide a unique opportunity to honour the dedication, compassion and hard work that’s demonstrated by so many individuals in this vital sector.
By raising awareness and celebrating exceptional care, we collectively enhance the standard of care, motivate others, and continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible in social care.
Why we chose to sponsor this category Supporting people living with dementia is so much more than meeting physical care needs, ensuring people have the best possible quality of life requires meaningful engagement through thoughtful interactions and commitment to truly know the person. Sponsoring the ‘Dementia care manager’ category at the National Care Awards highlights the importance of this role and inspiring continued excellence; it reflects a commitment to raising awareness about great dementia care.
It’s the sector’s opportunity to say thank you.
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Any favourite memories of prior years?
The opportunity to connect and celebrate with other care providers and hearing the stories of people who dedicate their lives to the care sector. The NCAs create an environment to share knowledge, celebrate achievements, and exchange valuable insights.
A particularly proud moment for me and Aria Care was winning the ‘Large care home group’ award last year, an incredible recognition of the hard work and dedication our teams put into delivering high-quality, compassionate care across our communities. That evening stands out because it reinforced the sense of purpose that drives everything we do at Aria Care and across the sector.
Award sponsored – Care team of the year
Gareth Reichers, director of growth and partnerships, Impact Futures
Why we chose to sponsor this category Care staff are at the beating heart of everything we do at Impact Futures. We’ve
sponsored the ‘Care team of the year’ category to show our continuing support for all the diligent workers who dedicate themselves to providing quality care to some of the UK’s most vulnerable people.
What we are looking forward to most about the event
I’d say the thing we’re all looking forward to most is celebrating successes, and seeing people receive the recognition they deserve for a job well done. Nods like these go a long way towards motivating and encouraging the continued work of these incredible teams.
Any favourite memories of prior years?
This event is always a highlight of our year. Not only is it a great opportunity to gather together, but it’s also extremely uplifting to hear the stories and congratulate the nominees and winners. We always come away feeling happy and inspired. This year will be no exception, I’m sure.
Award sponsored – Tech innovation of the year
Chris Poole, director of business development, Sanctuary Care
Why we chose to sponsor this category We are proud to sponsor the ‘Tech innovation of the year’ category, because
at Sanctuary Care we are passionate about embracing modern technology, where it can support us to further enrich the lives of our residents and provide staff with the very best tools to do their job. We have our own business transformation team who are experts in trialling different technologies, carefully choosing those which enable us to enhance communication, safety and care efficiency, so we are very excited to see who wins.
What we are looking forward to most about the event
We are in the running for five awards so are delighted to reward our finalists with a truly memorable night, which will be another opportunity for us to show them how valued they are, not just by their colleagues, the residents they care for, and their loved ones, who all contributed to these nominations, but by the entire care community. External recognition on this national level means so much and shows our finalists how far they have come on their journey with Sanctuary Care.
Any favourite memories of prior years?
Last year was very special indeed for two colleagues in Scotland, with Kirsty Bagan, activities coordinator at our Forefaulds home in East Kilbride, collecting the ‘Care newcomer award’ and Bunga Gurden from our Birch House home in Peterculter, collecting the ‘Carer of the year’ award. Both of these inspirational women embody everything we are passionate about at Sanctuary Care when it comes to living and breathing our vision of enriching lives. They thoroughly deserved this recognition for themselves, their teams, and the residents they care for.
Award sponsored – Care home group (medium) of the year
Derek Breingan, head of health and social care sector, Virgin Money
Why we chose to sponsor this category The ‘Medium care home group of the year’ represents some of our most active and progressive regional providers. These groups are crucial to the provision of much-needed beds and care in our communities and we at Virgin Money
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are excited to be presenting this award in recognition of that.
What we are looking forward to most about the event
The best part of the awards is seeing the people who are out there, day and night, supporting vulnerable citizens, being recognised and acknowledged in a celebration of all that’s good in the sector.
Any favourite memories of prior years?
A memorable moment was listening to Kate Garroway openly sharing her admiration and her heartfelt thanks for the carers that had been involved in caring for her husband.
Award sponsored – Care leadership of the year
Thomas Brandrick, managing director, Domus Recruitment
Why we chose to sponsor this category Domus sponsors the ‘Care leadership award’ as we specialise in leadership recruitment across the social care sector and it’s a great way for us to give back to the sector. It looks like
the awards are less elderly care-centric this year which is great for us as we cover all of social care, and recognising learning difficulties, mental health and children’s care providers as well is a great for them.
What we are looking forward to most about the event
Every year, we enjoy the awards because we’re there to celebrate all of the amazing work that goes on in care and the amazing people doing it. I love seeing care teams letting their hair down at the event and having a thoroughly deserved night out.
Any favourite memories of prior years? It’s hard to pick a favourite moment, but actually presenting the award that we sponsor to the recipient is an amazing honour. When they hear their name read out and then come to the stage to receive it, it’s a wonderful thing to be involved with.
Award sponsored – Care home manager of the year
Bernie Suresparan, chief executive, We Care Group
Why we chose to sponsor this category We Care Group is proud to sponsor the ‘Care home manager of the year’ category because we understand the pivotal role that managers play in delivering >
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exceptional care. Their leadership and dedication directly impacts the quality of life for residents, staff morale, and the overall success of care homes. By sponsoring this category, we aim to recognise and celebrate these outstanding individuals whose hard work often goes unnoticed but makes a profound difference in the lives of many. It’s our way of saying thank you for their unwavering commitment to excellence in care.
What we are looking forward to most about the event
We are most looking forward to celebrating the remarkable individuals and teams who have gone above and beyond in delivering exceptional care. The National Care Awards is a fantastic opportunity to shine a light on the dedication, compassion and innovation in the sector. It’s inspiring to hear their stories and witness their well-deserved recognition. The event fosters a sense of community and pride, and we look forward to sharing in the joy of celebrating those who make a positive difference in the lives of others.
Any favourite memories of prior years?
One of our favourite memories from previous National Care Awards is seeing the overwhelming emotion when winners are announced. The genuine surprise and gratitude in their reactions truly highlight how much the recognition means to them. It’s a powerful reminder of how dedicated care workers are, often going above and beyond without expecting accolades. Witnessing their peers, families and teams cheer them on is incredibly heartwarming. These moments reinforce why it’s so important to recognise the hard work and dedication that happens behind the scenes in care homes every day.
Award sponsored – Care chef of the year
Gavin Squires, business development controller, healthcare and education, Bidfood
Why we chose to sponsor this category Sponsoring the National Care Awards 2024 is a privilege for us at Bidfood because it allows us to honour the incredible
dedication and compassion of care home teams across the industry. We are sponsoring the ‘Care chef of the year’ award and this award honours individuals with exceptional talent who are revolutionising the sector and becoming true trailblazers in care home catering, a category that is extremely important to us.
What we are looking forward to most about the event
This event is a chance to celebrate as a collective and shine a light on the incredible organisations and individuals that push forward proactively to build the future of this sector. With this in mind, we can’t wait to see the recognition, celebrations and joy it will bring to the finalists and winners on the night.
Any favourite memories of prior years? When we think back to previous years, it’s a joy to remember how much each award truly means to each recipient. We are very much looking forward to being a part of it again as a sponsor for the ‘Care home chef of the year’ award. We are also honoured that this year, we are a finalist ourselves. We have been shortlisted for ‘Supplier of the year’ –the team and I are very excited and are counting down the days until the awards evening.
Award sponsored – Care registered nurse
Rachel Harvey, care, quality and governance director, Care UK
Why we chose to sponsor this category Care UK is passionate about recognising, celebrating and developing the talents of nurses in social care. This year, we had the first graduate of our internal Seacole Academy of Care and Clinical Excellence. The Seacole Academy continually develops our nurses to ensure they are equipped with the right skills and knowledge to provide excellent care to older people and provides detailed learning on complex conditions, as well as sharing best practice among care homes. It’s one of the many ways that we demonstrate our commitment to the highest standards of care quality and continuous improvement to colleagues, residents and relatives.
What we are looking forward to most about the event
It is always a privilege to attend the National Care Awards and celebrate the
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hard work of those within our sector and getting to hear about all sorts of achievements, from housekeepers to carers, activities coordinators to chefs, and everyone in between. It is inspiring to learn their stories and know that colleagues across the care sector go above and beyond every single day to support residents and their loved ones.
Any favourite memories of prior years?
Seeing the reactions of proud friends, family members and colleagues is always a highlight of any awards ceremony. I know that Care UK colleagues will cheer nominees on throughout the night.
Award sponsored –
Care
housekeeper of the year
Natasha
Koppert, national account manager, P&G Professional
Why we chose to sponsor this category At P&G Professional, we are proud to be sponsoring the ‘Care housekeeper’ award category at the National Care Awards. As a partner in cleaning and hygiene solutions
– including brands such as Ariel Professional, Fairy Professional and Flash Professional – we recognise the indispensable role of housekeepers in maintaining clean and safe environments within care facilities. By sponsoring this category, we celebrate the dedication and hard work of housekeepers who go above and beyond to ensure the wellbeing and comfort of residents.
What we are looking forward to most about the event
We are most looking forward to the opportunity to connect and engage with incredible individuals in the care sector. It’s a chance to learn from their experiences, hear their inspiring stories, and celebrate their remarkable achievements. This event is a platform for collaboration and growth in such a vital sector, and we can't wait to be a part of it.
Any favourite memories of prior years? For us, some standout memories from the National Care Awards include the moments of celebration and appreciation. Witnessing the genuine joy expressed by award recipients was truly inspiring. The speeches and shared moments of triumph created an atmosphere of positivity and motivation.
Bringing back memories
Louise Turner, activity coordinator and editor of Inspiring Memories Magazine, on the true power of a trip down memory lane
The never-ending search for meaningful activities that engage residents, is one of the most rewarding and challenging parts of any activity coordinator’s role.
For me, I found that while some residents loved music and games, others simply needed a decent, meaningful conversation. For them, talking about their past life, or even historic events they’ve lived through, was far more impactful than an arts and crafts session.
In preparation for these chats, I would often search online for ‘on this day’ facts, or interesting topics of conversation, to get residents talking. However, this took up a lot of time, taking me away from my residents. What’s more, while there are some resources online, you often have to pay expensive subscription fees. So, like so many others in this role, I would conduct research in my own time, often using my own money. This is a huge problem in our industry, so, I decided to do something about it.
Enter Inspiring Memories
Magazine. A new weekly reminiscence magazine, containing facts, events in history, and interesting talking points, designed to get residents talking. What’s more, it’s just 50p per issue, with no subscription necessary, making it a flexible, and
incredibly affordable resource, especially for those working on limited budgets. Simply pay your 50p, download, and print. You can either do it every week, or whenever you need it.
I first created the magazine to use with my own residents and it was an instant hit. It would evolve each week, with residents bringing me feedback on what they loved and what they would like to see more of. I saw in real time the stories that sparked the most conversation. They even helped me with things like finding the perfect sized font and even asked me to add some word searches into the back. The end result was a magazine made for, and by, residents.
This led to an incredible moment. While reading the magazine with a lovely lady called Joan (who really reminds me of my nan) we learned about the invention of the sewing machine. All of a sudden, Joan burst into a story about how her mother would make dresses for her and her twin sister. We had no idea Joan was a twin. What followed
was a very animated Joan, in full flow, reminiscing about her childhood. From a simple fact about a sewing machine, I saw Joan transported back to her childhood. Without sparking that memory in an engaging way, I am sure we would have never found out.
It’s so important to remember that a great activity doesn’t always have to be noisy or energetic. Sometimes, what residents need most is a quiet chat and the feeling that they’re truly being listened to. Listening is such a powerful tool in caregiving – it helps coordinators better understand each resident’s needs and preferences. Inspiring Memories Magazine makes it easy to create these quiet, meaningful moments, with content that encourages deeper conversations without the need for a lot of fuss.
Many older adults have lived rich and fascinating lives and giving them a chance to talk about their memories helps them feel valued and is not only mentally stimulating but emotionally fulfilling, for both residents and caregivers alike.
Scan the QR code to access the Inspiring Memories website.
Louise Turner
Employee of the month
Lisa Whymark has worked in the care sector at Athena Care Homes’ Aria Court in March, Cambridgeshire for 17 years, starting in laundry and domestic, then as a kitchen assistant and cook, before moving into her current position as head chef
Who has been your inspiration
My nan was my inspiration – she was head chef at a Sue Ryder hospice and I wanted to be like her.
What’s special about working at Athena Care Homes?
For me, it’s the best job ever – I love to cook and to be able to do it for a living is a pleasure. I get to see the smiles on people’s faces every day. My job is all about making people happy and caring for them at some of the vulnerable points in their life.
How do you vary your menu to provide choice for residents?
We want everyone here to feel like they have a say in what they eat. We start by asking about their likes and dislikes when they move in, and then we keep checking in with them regularly – the kitchen team is often out and about ‘door knocking’ to get feedback.
We change things up four times a year based on feedback, and we also have seasonal options with taster sessions before menus are decided just to be sure we are getting it right.
How do you meet residents’ nutritional and health needs?
We make sure we cover all bases when it comes to nutrition and health. I know about every condition or ailment a resident might have, and I ensure there’s something suitable for everyone. Whether it’s low salt, low sugar, low fat, or increased fat, as well as modified foods for those who need them – it’s a central part of person-centred care.
How do you care for residents with dementia?
We provide a range of specially modified foods, all made fresh right here in our kitchen. But it’s not just about the food; it’s the whole dining experience. We use brightly coloured cloths and special utensils to help residents living with dementia feel comfortable and dignified.
We also use ‘show me, tell me’ plates –a plated up example of the food on offer at each mealtime – which allows those living with dementia to make choices for themselves.
What’s your most popular dish?
It’s probably something really traditional – cottage pie or shepherd’s pie with fresh vegetables – liver and bacon is also really popular.
What’s your favourite dish? Honestly, I like everything and will always try something different if it is served up.
How do you make the dining experience special for residents and their families?
We want every meal to feel like a special occasion and are constantly working to improve the experience here at Aria Court – we currently have a special programme ongoing – Mealtime Champions. At its core, the Mealtime Champions concept revolves around presentation,
service, portion sizes and individuality. Each meal is crafted to be more than just sustenance; it’s an occasion to be eagerly anticipated and thoroughly enjoyed. Whether it’s a hearty breakfast or an elegant dinner, every dish is prepared with attention to detail.
The implementation of the Mealtime Champions scheme involves me giving some simple yet effective training for the team members, equipping them with the tools and techniques to enhance each meal’s presentation.
There are hints about how to get the best looking mashed potatoes on the plate and garnishes to add before serving – whether it’s a sprig of fresh herbs grown in the Aria Court garden or a lemon twist, these subtle touches add an extra layer of delight to the dining table.
Families are always welcome to come in and eat at Aria Court; they can use our café area at the front of the home to eat with their loved one and this gives the feeling of going out for a meal.
We always celebrate birthdays with a special meal or cake which the catering team take turns in making.
Lisa Whymark
The Ontex Care Hero is…
Carly Pounder takes home the third of the runner-up certificates for this year’s Ontex Care Heroes Award, along with a £250 Love2Shop voucher
There are thousands of people working in UK care homes who make a real difference, whether it’s behind the scenes in the laundry room, preparing meals in the kitchen or providing direct personal care for the residents. The Ontex Care Heroes Award seeks out and recognises those who go beyond the job description.
Whether it’s the gardener who brings residents their favourite biscuits or a housekeeper who helps residents to rediscover their hobbies, the award is designed to shine a spotlight on those who bring a little bit of extra joy into the care world.
“We’re excited to again sponsor Care Heroes,” said Ontex marketing manager Nicole Fenton. “It was tricky selecting the winners due to the many worthy nominations submitted. Our winners really have gone above and beyond in the workplace, so it’s lovely that they are recognised by their colleagues, residents or family members who have nominated them.”
For this year’s Care Heroes Award, Caring Times invited three runners-up and the overall winner on stage at the Care Managers Show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham at the end of June to receive their certificates and prizes.
The winner and runners-up were selected after what was the most competitive Care Heroes nominations process yet.
As well as receiving their certificates, each of this year’s Care Heroes was awarded a Love2Shop voucher – £250 for runners-up and £500 for the overall winner.
Over the past months we have spotlighted the runners-up and next month we will feature the winner with a page in the magazine.
Our third runner-up is Carly Pounder, senior carer at Care UK’s Cranford Grange in Knutsford, Cheshire. Here’s what her colleague had to say about her admirable dedication to the role: One resident said of Carly: “She’s a cracker.
looked after me when I first moved in and has done ever since.”
Carly is a natural carer. Experience gained through caring for her grandparents and a mother with cancer add empathy to her natural abilities. This benefits residents and their loved ones because she truly understands their individual situations.
Ask Carly how she goes about delivering the extra mile and she will say that she doesn’t feel she is doing anything special. “Our home is one big family, and this is how I view residents and their families. I treat each one as I would treat a member of my own family – to me this is the only way to do my job.” This is not false modesty, just a pure understanding of how to provide an active life full of care and love for residents.
Ask residents, their families and colleagues about Carly, and they will say how much they recognise and appreciate the exceptional care she provides. Many residents will only be helped to get ready by her, and relatives adore her warmth and approachability. For colleagues she is the ‘go-to’ source for support, the example to which they aspire as she mentors them to become equally excellent carers.
Carly spends a lot of her time caring for residents at end-of-life, marrying her empathy and experience to the Gold Standard Framework. For many residents, it is her care that supports them in the final stage of their lives. An example is a gentleman who came to the home and initially struggled to settle –he viewed it as a ‘gilded cage’. Through her gentle enthusiasm, Carly brought him out of his shell. He began to love activities (especially quizzes) and became a participant rather than a bystander. He looked forward to his daily walks with Carly, and on the day he died the last thing he did was give her a hug. Deputy manager Jennifer Hartley says: “There is no doubt that Carly enriched the final period of this resident’s life.”
From doing nails and hair, to spending time with every resident attending to their every need, to bringing in her children to the delight of them and residents, Carly plays her role with joy, which radiates out to all. Carly says: “I just want every resident to feel loved, happy and safe. Their smiles are reward enough for me.”
She
Carly Pounder
Repeating and forgetting
Regular columnist Norrms McNamara reflects on what it’s like to live with dementia
Atypical week in our house goes a little like this: my wife says: “You’ve left the bathroom light on”, or “You haven’t locked the front door, you’ve left the cooker on, you have left the tap running, you haven’t emptied the bathroom sink, your shoes don’t belong there, what did I say about this last week? Remember we had a conversation about this?” And so it goes on.
Now I can’t speak for everybody else with dementia, but I would bet a royal sum of money that most of them scream inside their heads: “I’ve got dementia! What part of that don’t you understand, just as I do?” And so it goes on. Whose fault is that? Mine? Dementia`s? Or my wife’s for not being understanding?
Well, some might be surprised to hear it’s certainly not my wife’s, as this is what we call normal life and things like that are said, every day in every household, dementia or not. I have to say I absolutely cringe when I hear the, mmm… what should I call them?... the ‘advisors’ shall we say, that say and publish things like: “Things not to say or do when talking to someone with dementia” and at the top of the list every single time is: “Never disagree with someone with dementia”.
Now, let’s get this into perspective and speak as we find. If you, I or anybody else who has been married for 30-plus years, when suddenly told,
male or female, that you have to stop disagreeing with your spouse because they have dementia. Let’s just think about that for a minute. It is, I would say, physically impossible to do this as it comes so naturally to disagree on some things as you have for the past 30-plus years. What on earth are these people thinking about when they publish these things? Why should things be so very different for those with dementia? Why should you tippy toe around someone when they’re not used to it? Wouldn’t that be like putting them into a box and minimalising them? Or would you maybe just be a little more careful than usual in what you say, and not be as critical as you would normally be to lessen any possible tension. You know, change a little, but not so much so as
they feel they are living with someone else. So no, it’s not all the wife’s/ husband’s fault for keeping reminding them of what they’re forgetting; it’s just human nature, though the irony isn’t lost on me in saying they themselves keep repeating themselves – tee-hee.
The fault lays firmly at dementia’s door, nobody else’s, just dementia’s, it’s the disease that makes us forget and repeat ourselves. It’s dementia that’s taken away our ability to remember what we used to, so please, if you want to shout or cuss, please shout at it, as it’s really not our fault.
Please remember we don’t choose to forget these things. We don’t do it to wind you all up and please put yourselves in our shoes just for a minute and imagine if it was you being told these things consistently, how would you feel? Every time I am reminded of what I haven’t done or what I have forgotten, a little piece of me dies, and that’s certainly not anybody’s fault but dementia’s. I don’t blame my wife, I blame the illness, and the sooner we drag this age-old disease kicking and screaming into the 21st century and laying it bare for all to see for what it is, the better
