The Carer Digital - Issue #1

T H E P U B L I C AT I O N F O R N U R S I N G A N D R E S I D E N T I A L C A R E H O M E S

W W W. T H E C A R E R U K . C O M

The Carer Digital

THECARERUK

THECARERUK

Issue 1

PPE Care Home Stock Requisitioned for NHS Says Care England

Care home industry leaders have voiced concerns that orders of supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) intended to protect staff and residents in social care settings are being requisitioned by the NHS for use in hospitals.

At a meeting of the Health and Social Care Select Committee on 26 March, Care England’s chief executive, which represents care homes told MPs: “Some of my members are having things they had ordered, sometime before this crisis, ‘taken at the borders’ for the NHS. So, we have got a situation where the normal areas of supply are not getting through.

“This morning, I heard from one case where the provider got a letter from their normal supplier where they said they would not be supplying any more because it was all going to the NHS. Obviously the NHS has needs but so does social care”

Nursing, residential homes and other care providers had been expecting to receive masks, aprons, gloves and visors as part of the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) packages sent by the government last week.

Earlier this week Robert Jenrick, the Communities Secretary, said that every care home had or would receive a delivery of PPE, however, all they have each received is 300 masks which are not even elasticated. They have been told not to expect anything further to protect frontline staff from Covid-19.

Chronic shortages mean that care homes are increasingly reluctant to take in new residents, and that government targets to discharge older people from hospital are unlikely to be met.

The lack of personal protective equipment for NHS and social care staff is ‘unacceptable’, the Royal

College of Nursing has warned.

RCN chief executive Dame Donna Kinnair added that all staff should be provided with aprons, gloves and masks as a ‘minimum’.

In a statement, she said: ‘It is completely unacceptable that weeks into this crisis, there are colleagues in all settings – hospitals, community or care homes – who have not been provided with personal protective equipment.

‘Every minute we wait is a minute too long. All nursing staff, no matter where they work, must feel safe.’

She added: ‘The RCN has said repeatedly that we will not accept anything less than aprons, gloves and masks for all staff, in all settings.

(Continued on page 3...)

PAGE 2 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 1

EDITOR'S VIEWPOINT Welcome to the first edition of The Carer Digital “Never believe that caring people can't change the world. For, indeed, that's all who ever have.”

MARGARET MEAD

Editor

Peter Adams

Welcome to the first edition of The Carer Digital. This is a new weekly “offshoot” from our normal quarterly Carer publication. We will be distributing The Carer Digital via our digital newsletter, social media and also available to read online whilst this current Covid-19 crisis continues.

• What can we say about the current crisis that has been said already?

• Quite a lot as it happens!

And that is what The Carer Digital in these coming weeks intends to do. We intend to provide you daily updates via our website, and further consolidate those updates with in-depth articles from industry observers and professionals. We’ll also be sharing your news and views, and publicising as much as we can the dedication, hard work, and innovation the sector is demonstrating during these unprecedented times.

The weekly Carer Digital will be distributed to our digital database for the duration of the crisis, and we would urge anyone reading this to sign up for a copy to be delivered to their inbox.

We aim to keep you as up-to-date as possible with news, - most importantly without the spin - as well as expert comment and opinion from industry professionals, and, as with our printed edition, the most diverse range of products and services every residential and nursing care business needs, particularly now!

Visitors to our site will have noticed we have a dedicated Corvid-19 section thecareruk.com/category/coronavirus, which is a hub for operators and employees alike. We would urge anybody who has any issues or questions to email us at editor@thecareruk.com and we will endeavour to put them in front of our experts and put the answers and comments up there for you to see.

In a sector which often finds itself in the court of public opinion, and with mainstream media often quick to attack, we are now rightfully so seeing first-hand the valuable work with such dedication the sector provides day in and day out, always at the coalface, never wavering, and often never getting the praise and recognition so richly deserved. So we are also delighted to include and share positive, heart-warming and uplifting stories as the sector rallies, in providing care, supporting residents, families each other and the country as a whole in this desperate hour of need.

So please contact us on the above email address and we will share your stories, your views, and your ideas which may help other homes and services “paddle their canoes through the storm”.

We are here to keep you informed and we are here to help - if we don’t know, we know somebody that does!

We are staying connected with our readers and advertisers, and most importantly providing you with all the tools and knowledge you need to enable you to continue to provide the service you do!

I will take this opportunity to offer our sincere thanks to our dedicated, valued advertisers who are supporting us in supporting you. We are free to trade publication relying solely on companies advertising their products and services and would find it exceptionally difficult to carry on the service without their support, so a big thank you!

There is no magic wand, and the major thing to do now is to focus on getting through this crisis, and while I do respect there is always a time and place for expressing opinions, it is worth making the point that the industry has been under immense pressure after almost a decade of cuts in local authority fees for residents and facing staff shortages of about 120,000 workers, according to the National Care Association.

Nadra Ahmed, chair of the NCA, said this week that sickness levels were steadily rising to a level that will make running care homes “extremely, extremely difficult”, potentially leaving services “unable to function”. And yet despite all that the sector is a glowing example of an industry pulling together!

And we would urge you to look on page 5. Regular readers will know we run an Unsung Hero competition each Summer and Christmas. A no-frills invitation for residential and nursing homes to nominate somebody they think has gone that extra mile, and the prize is a two night break for two in a choice of over 300 luxury hotels around the UK. It is one of the highlights of our year here, as you read the many uplifting stories of dedication hard work and commitment.

I am sure there are thousands of Unsung Heroes at this time, so in our next edition going out at the end of April we are adding another CARER UNSUNG HERO. Same prize a luxury two night break for two for someone, any department in a residential and nursing care home who has during this crisis gone above and beyond and deserves to be recognised. I know you will all be busy but please if possible email us with a small paragraph explaining how your nominee has gone that extra mile!

nominate@thecareruk.com

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 1 | PAGE 3

PPE Care Home Stock Requisitioned for NHS Says Care England (Continued from page 1) But this is a minimum – and that is why we are so disappointed even that level of protection has yet to be provided.’

Labour MP James Murray, a member of the Commons health and social care select committee, has written to the health secretary Matt Hancock to ask him to urgently review the government’s policy for supplying PPE to care homes.

He said his local authority, Ealing, had informed him that the PPE requirements for the 50 care homes in the borough amounted to 20,000 masks a week – 5,000 more than ministers had guaranteed. A fifth of those homes had already shut their doors to new admissions because of an outbreak of Covid-19.

Murray wrote: “I appreciate that there are enormous pressures on every aspect of the health and social care system, and those working in other parts of the system – not least NHS workers on the frontline in hospitals – desperately need PPE too. However, I am concerned that without the government coordinating a plan for care homes’ supply of PPE, the situation will not improve.”

Social care staff looking after the elderly and vulnerable are ‘frightened and frustrated’ at not getting access to protective equipment, says UNISON today (Wednesday).

The union said it has received reports from workers that employers are denying them masks and basic protection such as hand gel, and that supplies of other kit are running low. These safety essentials are vital in cutting the risk of them infecting the frail people they support, says UNISON. Some staff have been driven to tears for fear they will infect their own families. One care worker, whose daughter has underlying health issues, said: “I feel guilty that I’ll be the one who puts her life at risk, every time I go to look after someone else’s parent.”

UNISON is urging employees to call the new government hotline set up to ensure personal protection equipment (PPE) reaches care workers who need it. This includes anyone who is experiencing shortages or no safety kit at all, and those concerned they are not receiving the correct guidance.

UNISON assistant general secretary Christina McAnea said: “Care workers and their employers have huge concerns about getting their

hands on the equipment they need. It’s too easy for staff to fall through the net given councils are dealing with many different care providers.

“Supplies for the NHS have rightly been given a lot of attention. But any shortages in social care are equally crucial. Solving this problem could help reassure thousands of care staff that they’re not putting themselves or the people they look after at risk.”

“We’d urge everyone who has a concern about PPE to call the new government hotline. This way we can ensure all providers have adequate supplies to protect staff and the people they care for.

UNISON cited a home worried care worker who said: “Me and my colleagues are frightened and frustrated. We’re told we can only have protective masks if someone is showing signs of coronavirus or has it.

This is far too late. It feels as though we’re not important as long as the shifts are covered. I find myself crying before my shift and worried going home to my loved ones. My daughter, who lives with me, has underlying health issues. I feel guilty that I’ll be the one who puts her life at risk, every time I go to look after someone else’s parent. I’m not trying to shirk my duties – I love my job. But I’m worried to the point my mental health is being affected.”

Thousands of Care Homes Throughout England Sign-up for Web-based Capacity Tracker In a speech last week, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock spoke about how better technology is vital for the NHS. Already leading the field in this area is the digital portal, Capacity Tracker, which is proving to be a valuable tool for health and social care staff across England, especially when dealing with winter pressures and helping individuals find a suitable care home once that’s been determined as an appropriate place of discharge.

Built by NHS North of England Commissioning Support (NECS) in partnership with NHS England, Local Authority representatives and care home providers, it enables care homes to make their vacancies instantly visible to all discharge teams across England in real-time and is also helping to improve sustainability in some care homes.

Capacity Tracker has removed the requirement for discharge teams to perform the time-consuming task of speculatively calling care homes to gather up-to-date vacancy information which gives them time to spend on more value-added activities.

Launched last year, Capacity Tracker helps individuals make the right choice, ensuring they don’t stay in hospital any longer than is necessary when discharge from hospital to their own home is not possible.

Having the ability to rapidly access care home vacancies across

England in real-time helps minimise avoidable Delayed Transfers of Care and frees up beds in acute settings for other patients.

Over 7,500 care homes and circa 13,000 users have already signed up to the system. It takes just 2 minutes to register for access, it’s very easy to use and is accessible from any desktop or mobile device; crucially it takes just 15 seconds for care homes to update or refresh their vacancies and provide visibility of their short and long term availability.

Diane Ashton, a care home trusted assessor at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust said: “It’s in the patient’s best interests to give them accurate information to help them make the choice that is best for them and Capacity Tracker does this.

“It takes away the confusion individuals and their families often associated with finding a care home and having the ability to search out of the area is an added benefit.

“It’s so easy to use you simply type in the postcode and search radius, and the results are immediate, it has made us so much more effective and efficient, and within 24 hours the patient is usually in their chosen destination.”

The NHS Long Term Plan recently pledged to upgrade NHS support

to all care home residents, reduce avoidable long stays in hospital and improve the sharing of information between care homes and NHS staff.

Ruth Holt, NHS England/Improvement (North East and Yorkshire)’s Director of Nursing/Independent Care Sector Regional Lead, said: “Capacity Tracker is an excellent example of how a digital portal can have a significant impact on some of the day-to-day challenges faced by health and social care staff.”

Designed to meet the challenges hospital and social work teams face when trying to find the right care for people medically fit enough to be discharged, it is a vital tool for joining up health and social care professionals and ensuring individuals receive the care they need in the right place at the right time.

Care homes, Local Authorities, CCGs and NHS Trusts were involved in creating the application and users are regularly encouraged to give feedback to improve functionality and promote the benefits of it. You can find out more about Capacity Tracker by visiting www.necsu.nhs.uk/CapacityTracker or follow us on twitter @CapacityTracker. Care homes, NHS and social care teams can also register by visiting https://carehomes.necsu.nhs.uk/.

PAGE 4 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 1

How QCS’s COVID-19 Hub Can Help Your Care Home Or Domiciliary Care Agency Philippa Shirtcliffe, Head of Care Quality, Quality Compliance Systems (www.qcs.co.uk), discusses the importance of implementing infection control and pandemic policies.

When I wrote began writing about the SARS-CoV-2 virus back in February the world was a very different place.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) had yet to announce a Pandemic. (It did so on 11, March, 2020). Europe and America had largely been unaffected and only China was under lockdown.

Now, just a few weeks on, and with a vaccine some way off, governments across the globe have had little choice to impose tough lockdowns to slow down the spread of the virus.

ELDERLY MOST AT RISK With the elderly most at risk, those who work in the UK’s 15,545 CQC registered care homes, have been singled out for praise and rightly so.

In these challenging and unprecedented times, those who work on the front lines have done - and continue to do - a great job in extremely difficult circumstances.

Over the last few months, our own customer support team has seen an increase in enquiries from worried care managers seeking advice and guidance on how best to equip their service to manage the situation.

We responded by first producing an online factsheet containing a comprehensive list of policies and procedures around infection control and pandemic, and then developing a comprehensive suite of policies and procedures, which are focused exclusively on COVID-19 With regulation around Coronavirus fast evolving, we’re constantly updating our policies and adding to them as and when regulation changes.

POLICIES FREE TO ACCESS ON QCS HUB What’s more we’ve made them free for any provider to access, regardless of whether they subscribe to the QCS platform. You can also sign up for notifications when new content is added to the hub. Since launching the specialist policies and procedures document, which you can find on the QCS COVID19 Hub at www.qcs.co.uk/coronavirusupdates, we've had an overwhelmingly positive response. But in case you haven’t had the chance to access the guide, here is a summary of what it covers: • • • • •

Stay at home requirement Shielding Vulnerable Individuals Hospital Discharge Updated Fact Sheets Key Worker Letter Template.

And here are some key points to consider:

CREATE AN UP-TO-DATE INFECTION CONTROL PLAN Providers must not only implement a bespoke SARS-CoV-2 infection control plan, but also put in place a robust business continuity plan to safeguard them from any events that might cause disruption. The techniques laid out in an infection control plan should be clear to both staff and service users. They must also include guidance so that carers can

help service users to maintain infection control best practice. Thirdly, a robust infection control strategy is one where front line staff have access to reliable and accurate information. Any inaccuracies or myths must be quickly dispelled, so that staff and their service users are not distressed.

Finally, when formulating such a strategy, providers must work closely with partners, suppliers and commissioners to ensure that a safe and effective can always be delivered to service users.

INCLUDE INFECTION PREVENTION GUIDANCE An effective plan should reduce the risk of staff and service users contracting and spreading the virus. It achieving this, it should cover staff responsibilities when they're not at work too. That means communicating the fact that they should follow the advice laid out by Public Health England. When at work, a comprehensive framework they should also emphasise the need to ensure that service users also follow government requirements, which state that people should only go out only if absolutely necessary - for food, medicine or exercise, while always maintaining a distance of at least two metres between themselves and others.

CREATE AN UP-TO-DATE CONTINGENCY PLAN It’s crucial to stress the importance of advanced emergency preparedness planning. Every provider should have such a plan in place by now of course, but the strategy must be specifically tailored towards preparing for a Coronavirus outbreak, and must be constantly updated to reflect the latest regulation.

Within the plan, it’s important that providers appoint a Pandemic coordinator, who will be the Single Point of Contact (SPoC), if there’s a COVID-19 outbreak in a home or service. Moreover, it’s absolutely essential that the SPoC and everyone else in the service knows their roles and responsibilities. For example, are the contact details of key members of staff in the plan? Is the escalation process clearly mapped out, and is there a contingency plan in place to cover weekday nights and weekends?

RE-VISIT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES Providers should tailor existing infection control and prevention policies ensuring that the guidance also covers a Coronavirus outbreak.

When the policies and procedures are updated, Registered Managers need to ensure that everybody in the service – including admin staff, service users and their families – understand how the updated policies will impact on the home and on them.

Secondly, front-line workers need to ensure that that the policies and procedures, which are constantly evolving, are actually being implemented at ground level.

MANAGING SICKNESS AND ABSENCE Care providers must have robust policies and procedures in place around staff sickness. In the current crisis, staff shortages could be considerable, and so Registered Managers need to ensure that permanent staff have the right knowledge and training in place to cover for carers who fall ill.

Registered Managers need to also take into account the fact that a serious outbreak of Coronavirus in a home might mean staff having to take days off to look after their loved ones. So it’s imperative that care providers also develop an ‘Unable to attend work policy’ too.

REPORTING A DEATH Registered Managers and their staff, need to be fully prepared if a

service user passes away unexpectedly. While the cause of death may not be due to COVID-19, it is important that Care Home staff can answer three questions, namely: Who’s going to manage the situation? Who needs to be notified and how should the team respond?

It’s vital too that all providers have updated their compassionate leave policies so that they are in line with the Parental Bereavement (Leave and Pay) Act 2018, also known as ‘Jack’s Law’ which, when it comes into force in April, will grant parents dealing with the death of a child under the age of 18, the right to take two weeks paid leave.

Providers need to ensure that not only are they able to offer a bereaved staff member the support that they need, but can also make contingency plans.

REPORTING CONCERNS Finally, an infection control and pandemic plan must provide managers, care workers, service users and family members with an opportunity to raise concerns about the service. A whistleblowing policy needs to be developed and rolled-out, as staff need to be fully aware what constitutes malpractice is this area. If staff have safeguarding concerns, they need to know who to speak to, how to report the incident, and need to be assured that if they do blow the whistle, they won’t suffer any adverse consequences at the hands of their employer.

FIND INNOVATIVE WAYS TO SUPPORT WELLBEING I want to end on harnessing the power of technology as a force for good. Under lockdown, technology in the form of video calling has never been so much in demand. It is helping to reduce loneliness, isolation and can only be good for our mental health. But in care homes, where residents may not receive any visits for next few months, it is playing an invaluable role in keeping them connected to their loved ones.

Take some them therefore to update your social media policy. Ensure that residents - in addition to phone contact – can have face-to face contact with their family and friends. In facilitating this, ask yourself, ‘Does the home have enough tablets to enable this contact?’ If not, can their family and friends supply them? Do staff know how to operate Skype? Can they set up a video call for residents? And are they able to teach residents to use vide based technology, who show an interest in using it?

Finally, while it may not be possible at this current time to physically tap into services within the local community, technology can help providers to maintain virtual contact with local services. Why not explore whether this is possible? And why stop there? Perhaps there’s an opportunity to cast the net even wider and collaborate with regional and national bodies, or religious and cultural groups that may not operate in the local area but have a considerable online presence.

To conclude, there may be physical limits on all lives right now, but technology has taught us that with some adjustment, service users can live enriched and fulfilling lives - even in a lockdown.

Philippa Shirtcliffe is Head of Care Quality at Quality Compliance Systems (QCS). If you wish to download QCS’s latest Coronavirus Policy and Procedure for Residential Care, please visit www.qcs.co.uk/coronavirus/ free-coronavirus-policy-and-procedure-for-dom-care-version-4/

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 1 | PAGE 5

£2.9bn Funding to Strengthen Care and Free Up 15,000 Hospital Beds £2.9 billion is being be made available to support the vulnerable during the COVID-19 outbreak while freeing up more than 15,000 beds by helping patients no longer in need of treatment to return home safely and quickly.

The funding is allocated from the £5bn COVID-19 fund announced by the Chancellor in last week’s Budget. £1.6 billion of additional funding will go to local authorities to enable them to respond to other COVID-19 pressures across all the services they deliver, including stepping up support for the adult social care workforce and for services helping the most vulnerable, including homeless people. £1.3 billion will be used to enhance the NHS discharge process so patients who no longer need urgent treatment can return home safely and quickly.

The funding will cover the follow-on care costs for adults in social care, or people in need of additional support, when they are out of hospital and back in their homes, community settings, or care settings.

The enhanced discharge measures will help free up 15,000 hospital

beds across England and ensure more staff have capacity to treat people needing urgent care, including those being cared for with coronavirus.

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said: “Our NHS and social care colleagues are at the heart of protecting the most vulnerable during the coronavirus outbreak, and the whole country is tremendously grateful for their commitment during this challenging time.

“This funding will help the NHS and social care services in our communities to rise to this once in a generation challenge by allowing the NHS to do what it needs to, and help move people out of hospital as soon as possible to get them back home with the right support.

“We are clear that we will do whatever it takes to protect lives and protect our NHS.” Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, said: “I’ve been clear that the NHS and other vital public services will receive whatever they need to protect people from Coronavirus.

“Our £5 billion Budget response fund is now being used to free up

In This Time of Crisis, Nominate YOUR Unsung Hero

more beds in hospitals and ensure some of our most vulnerable people are getting the care they need. The government will continue to lay out comprehensive and coordinated responses to get this country through this situation.”

Local Government Secretary, Robert Jenrick said: “The work of local authorities to deliver social care and other vital public services has never been more important than it is now – and will be – in the days and weeks ahead.

“That’s why we’re giving local councils £1.6 billion of additional funding to spend where it’s needed most, to ensure they can meet the cost of the increased demand for social care, and continue to protect the most vulnerable people in society.”

This funding is part of government commitment to ensure NHS and social care system, and other public services, have all the resources they need during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The government will continue to monitor pressures in the NHS and Local Govt and will keep future funding under review.

Care Workers Included As ‘Key Workers’ During Covid-19 Crisis

A 2 night luxury break for 2 people in a choice of over 300 hotels awaits the April Carer Unsung Hero!

Once again we here at The Carer are looking for an Unsung Hero!

To say that the healthcare /social care system has been under pressure recently would be stating the obvious, and we are all to aware of many thousands of Unsung Heroes at this time!

The current health crisis has highlighted all the hard work and dedication that those working in the sector deliver on a daily basis. There is no doubt that there are many heroes working in the social care sector and we are offering a chance to nominate yours that person who has gone that extra mile and whose work deserves recognition.

Over the past couple of years we have invited residential and nursing care homes to nominate somebody in their home who they believe is that “Unsung Hero”.

Every care home will have somebody who goes that extra mile, and often receives little recognise or reward, and, over the past two

years we have had a phenomenal response to our Unsung Hero award, with some absolutely heartwarming and uplifting stories.

With the current health crisis we thought that it was only right that we should once again add to our Unsung Hero winners.

Once again we have have a fantastic luxury break for two in a choice of over 300 hotels for that lucky Unsung Hero winner.

No catches no rules no gimmicks, simply nominate somebody in your care environment who you think has done something you feel has made an impact and gone that extra mile and is worthy of a nomination.

They can be from any department, frontline care, laundry, maintenance, kitchen, administration we will leave that up to you.

We will be drawing a winner before the next print edition later in April, so please nominate with a short paragraph on why you are putting your nominee forward and send to:-

nominate@thecareruk.com

Adult social care sector workers have been included in the government’s ‘keyworker list’ essentially allowing their children to stay in school so that they can keep caring for people during the coronavirus epidemic.

The government published an official keyworker list https://www.gov.uk/government/pu blications/coronavirus-covid-19maintaining-educationalprovision/guidance-for-schools-colle

ges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision which includes care workers, doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, social Health and social care This includes but is not limited to doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, social workers, care workers, and other frontline health and social care staff including volunteers; the support and specialist staff required to maintain the UK’s health and social care sector; those working as part of the health and social care supply chain, including producers and distributers of medicines and medical and personal protective equipment.

Meanwhile, Martin Green, chief executive of Care England, welcomed the recognition of social care staff as key workers.

He said: “We are pleased that the government has included social care workers in the key workers scheme, and it’s important that all schools understand this, and allow the children of key workers to attend school.”

PAGE 6 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 1

CQC To Stop Inspections to Focus on Supporting Providers During Pandemic The Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care at the Care Quality Commission, Kate Terroni has written to providers to announce that CQC will stop inspections as of today due to coronavirus (COVID19).

In the statement, Ms Terroni says, ‘Our primary objectives during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic will to be to support you to keep people safe during a period of unprecedented pressure on the health and care system’ During the COVID-19 pandemic, the CQC’s primary objective will be to support providers to keep people safe during a period of unprecedented pressure on the health and care system.

Ian Trenholm, Chief Executive of CQC, said: “During this period, our priority will be to support those who deliver health and social care to keep people safe during this global health emergency.

We will therefore be stopping routine inspections from today. It may still be necessary to use our inspection powers in a very small number of cases when there is clear evidence of harm, such as allegations of abuse.

“In adult social care, our inspectors will also be acting as a support for registered managers, providing advice and guidance throughout this period in the absence of a single national body equivalent to NHS England. We are talking to social care providers about how to most effectively collect information from them to ensure that the Government has a clear picture of the impact that COVID-19 is having on the sector.”

Other support that CQC is offering the system includes the return of clinically qualified CQC special advisors to the frontline to help with the wider national response; secondments of staff to DHSC, Public Health England and NHS England. Our customer contact centre expects to start taking nonclinical COVID-19 calls [from next week] in support of 111. CQC staff stand ready to help any other part of the national effort whether that be in the public or private sector.

Urgent Need For End Of Life Care Volunteers To Play A Critical Role In Our NHS say Helpforce and Marie Curie

Almost three in every ten patients in hospital are in their last year of life1, yet many of them will die alone on a busy ward, spend long periods on their own, or have little company in hospital or at home.

This is set to change with a new collaboration between Helpforce, a charity inspiring NHS Trusts to work with more volunteers in innovative roles, and terminal illness charity Marie Curie.

With funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, The Peter Sowerby Foundation, the Welsh Government, and Marie Curie they are launching seven innovative projects across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which will mean more end of life care volunteers working in hospitals and in the community to provide much needed extra support to patients, families and friends, and staff.

The seven projects: The West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust; The Northern Trust in Northern Ireland; NHS Borders in Scotland; York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, and three projects in Wales, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, Powys Teaching Health Board, and Hywel Dda University Health Board, will embed end of life care volunteers in hospitals and in the community. The volunteers will be trained to support terminally ill people and their families, and be there for them at a very difficult time. They will provide emotional and practical support, companionship and alleviate social isolation. They will ensure fewer patients die

alone, bring comfort and help relieve the stress and guilt that staff sometimes feel when they can’t be with dying patients as much as they’d like.

Mark Lever, CEO Helpforce, said: “There is significant untapped potential for volunteers to play a greater role in the NHS, and to better support patients, families, staff and services. The reality for some terminally ill patients is that they will spend a lot of time alone, and face the devastating prospect of dying alone on a hospital ward. Others may have partners or family and friends, but they can often feel overwhelmed and isolated. This is why we are excited about launching these seven projects with Marie Curie. Training more volunteers to support people at the end of their life and their families, will be a positive change in many people’s lives.”

Julie Pearce, Chief Nurse and Marie Curie Executive Director of Quality and Caring Services said: “Bereaved families repeatedly tell us that more needs to be done to improve the experience of dying patients and their loved ones. At the same time, we live in a society where we don’t talk readily about death and dying, and this can have a profound impact on family members who are not well prepared or clear about what is important to the person who is dying. It can create stress and anxiety for everyone involved, including the professionals who support them.

“We should be more open to looking at ways of supporting each other to care for people well. Our own services show how well-trained volunteers supporting patients and families in different care settings can enhance the holistic support provided, as well as reassure staff that their patients are getting the emotional, practical and compassionate support they need and deserve.

“Caring for someone and their family during their final weeks and days of life is both a privilege and a challenge. There is only one opportunity to get the end of life right for people and when it doesn’t go well it can affect a family for many years.”

WE NOW SUPPLY A WIDE RANGE OF FURNITURE

John Knights, Senior Head of the UK Portfolio at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “Helpforce recognise the great impact volunteering in hospitals and the community can have, and now with Marie Curie and thanks to National Lottery funding, volunteers will support terminally ill people and their families across the UK. By bringing people together this project will ultimately help reduce isolation and loneliness whilst providing emotional and practical support.”

Mandy Preece, volunteers for a small charity connected to the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospital Trust. She said: "My journey toward volunteering was initiated by the deaths of three people in fairly quick succession – my dad, my mum and one of my best friends. And, afterwards, it got me thinking, they had family, they had support and visitors, but what if you had noone? What if you were facing your death alone?

"So, in 2011, I began volunteering on the ward of a palliative care unit in Christchurch Hospital in Dorset.

I volunteered in the day centre, and my role involved lots of listening. As I got to know the patients, I began to visit them when they were on the ward for symptom relief or because they were facing their last weeks. Eventually, I asked the Trust if I could volunteer on the ward, in the evenings, and sit with patients who were lonely, low in mood or dying alone. At first there was reluctance – volunteers don’t do this! But there was one nurse who championed me and eventually I was given a 6 month trial. That was eight years ago, and we now have a team of 15 end of life volunteers for a 16-bed unit. It means every night throughout the year is covered.

"This quote from someone I met on my first ever week on the ward says it best. A 96 year-old lady who had very few visitors. She was bright as a button and a total inspiration. We talked together for hours. On the last time I saw her, she said “Promise me you will never stop doing this – it is so needed.

You have made such a difference to my time here.

Promise me there will always be volunteers wishing to sit with those of us facing the end.”

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 1 | PAGE 7

Further Details of Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme Announced Businesses furloughing staff during the coronavirus outbreak will receive further financial support – with the costs of employer national insurance and pension contributions being covered by the government.

Under the scheme, employers can claim a grant covering 80% of the wages for a furloughed employee, subject to a cap of £2,500 a month.

In a move that could save businesses an extra £300 a month for each employee under the scheme,the government will now cover the employer national insurance and minimum auto-enrollment pension scheme contributions employers pay on the wages they must pay their

furloughed staff – on top of the wages covered under the scheme.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP said: Since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, I’ve made it clear that hard-working employers and employees should not have to suffer hardship unnecessarily.

Our Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme supports workers and businesses up and down the UK – and today we’re strengthening it because we will do whatever it takes to support jobs.

New guidance on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme published

by the government also confirmed that those made redundant after 28 February can be reemployed and placed on furlough.

Those on furlough will also be permitted to volunteer without risking their pay – and will be able to join the 500,000 members of the public who have signed up to help the NHS during the coronavirus outbreak.

The scheme is part of an unprecedented package of measures announced by the Chancellor to protect individuals and businesses.

Care Homes Call for Swabs to Test for Coronavirus

A social care leader is calling for an urgent and specific support package for struggling care homes and homecare companies in Wales – including an about turn on the decision to refuse to give them swabs to test for coronavirus.

Mario Kreft MBE, the chair of Care Forum Wales, said many of the organisation’s 450 members who provide care for 20,000 vulnerable were striving to cope with the massive and unprecedented pressures caused by the outbreak.

According to Mr Kreft, many providers had told him they felt “abandoned” by the Westminster government and called on them to provide Wales with the necessary funding.

The Welsh Government, he said, should then do “whatever it takes” and make social care a special case for support because it was a business like no other, with lives at stake.

It was clear, he said, that care home residents would no longer be admitted to hospital while GP visits and pharmacy support were being reduced or halted completely.

One thing that could be done immediately to help the social care sector was to provide care homes and domiciliary care companies with swabs so residents and staff could be tested.

It would, he said, be a great help to the care homes but also relieve the growing strain on the NHS. At the moment, if a member of staff comes into contact with a resident suspected of being infected they have to self-isolate for up to 14 days, leaving the front line depleted.

If the swabs were available and the results of the test proved negative the member of staff would be able to return to work within a day.

Mr Kreft is writing to Prime Minister Boris Johnson

and First Minister Mark Drakeford to say it was vital they made care homes and domiciliary care a special case.

He said: “It is of course important to prop up all areas of the economy including tourism and hospitality but social care really needs to be made a special case for a specific support package because our fantastic and dedicated staff are on the frontline dealing with life and death situations.

“The social care sector provides care for 20,000 vulnerable people in care homes across Wales – that’s 8,000 more than the NHS – so the scale of the crisis facing our members and their heroic staff is enormous.

“As well as supporting the sector in the short-term, it’s also vital that care homes and domiciliary care homes survive in the longer-term because the need for them is not going to go away.

“The social care sector has previously been recognised by the Welsh Government as one the key pillars of the foundation economy in Wales.

“It is of critical importance that we maintain the capacity in our care homes otherwise the future is going to be even more bleak for the older people in our population.

“Rather than being seen as being at the bottom of the priority list, they should be seen as part of the solution.

“Care homes are available to help relieve the growing burden on the NHS and free up desperately needed beds in hospitals but anybody who is being discharged from hospital and transferred to a care home really must be tested for coronavirus before that happens.

“We have asked the Welsh Government for swabs so that staff can be tested if they are caring for somebody with the virus.

“If they test proves negative they can then return to work on the frontline after just a day of self-isolation but the fact that we are being denied the ability to test means that staff who come into contact with patients who are infected will have to be off work for a week or a fortnight. And that’s causing huge problems in terms of staffing.

“Protective equipment has been promised but has not been delivered and that’s also major issue that needs to be resolved urgently.

“We need better, clearer advice on how to risk assess people in vulnerable groups, people with underlying health conditions and pregnant women.

“If pregnant women need to be off for four months, funding should be available to pay them and people needed to replace them during that period.

“Statutory sick pay does not apply to the larger companies with more than 250 employees and that’s a massive cause for concern which will could have catastrophic unintended consequences.

“The vast majority of the social care in Wales is publicly funded and commissioned by health boards and local authorities so there is an obligation on them to provide the necessary resources at this time of unique need.

“The sector was chronically underfunded before all of this began and you could not possibly expect providers to be able to meet the current challenges in the fees that are currently paid.

“We’re looking for an announcement from the Chancellor that the Welsh Government is going to get the resources it needs, one that is specific to social care, specific to what are we going to do to ensure that care homes can meet the challenge that they are facing in terms of the equipment, in terms of the extra staffing, in terms of all the things that couldn’t possibly be envisaged to fall on small and medi-

um enterprises.

“This is a national emergency and social care is an invisible emergency service which has always underpinned the NHS. “I am being told by our members that they feel the sector has been abandoned – our members are not just anxious they are frightened.

“These are independently-run, publicly-funded facilities in communities providing care for the most vulnerable.

“In many cases they’ve been the bastions of their community providing services for years, and now in this time of great need they don’t know where to go.

“Local authorities are inconsistent in what they’re saying and Care Forum Wales very concerned that any extra resources that come through local authorities or local health boards will not necessarily reach the sharp end to pay staff or recruit extra staff.

“We need a consistent, clear approach instead of 29 variations on a theme via the 22 councils and seven health boards which is a recipe for confusion.

“This cannot be a postcode lottery. It needs to be done centrally in a consistent and coordinated way.

According to Mr Kreft a similar picture was emerging in England where the UK Home Care Association had mirrored their concerns.

The association’s chief executive Dr Jane Townson said: “We are desperately worried about the ability of care providers to remain solvent, whilst paying unprecedented numbers of care workers who are sick or self-isolating.

“Councils and the NHS only pay for care delivered.

They will not pay for care workers who are prevented from working. People who buy their own homecare will not be able to bear the additional cost of staff absence.”

PAGE 8 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 1

Digital Therapy Aids for The Elderly

By Simon Hooper, Co-founder and CEO of ReMeLife ‘’What were your favourite movies?’’ ‘’Oh, look at your wedding cake, doesn’t it look amazing?’’ ‘’Wasn’t Ginger Spice the trend those days?’’

It’s fun to explore such memories of our loved ones by reminiscing with such delightful moments. Sharing memories from the past across the family, as well as being a joyous experience, often helps us to understand our loved ones better.

For caregiving is as much about enhancing our knowledge about the person we care for, as it is performing care tasks. The goal is to help them feel valued, connected and peaceful by bringing happy moments back to life. Alternatively, knowing and understanding disturbing memories and events is also valuable in the care process. For they empower the caregiver to learn about the facts that have caused pain to their loved ones and help them to sidestep these painful moments.

There’s an abundance of research that evidences that positive feelings gained from sharing pleasurable moments from the past can decrease stress, boost well-being, reduce agitation and, in some cases, even help reduce medication.

Reminiscence is something we all do regularly, whether when alone or as a social interaction. But in the care setting it bears particular significance. There are studies that illustrate the positive benefits of reminiscence. There are standard cognitive function measures such as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) method and the Geriatric Depression Scale short form (GDS-SF) method to define the perception of the person cared for on their own well-being, and the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) to quantify a carers appraisal of the person cared for’s emotional condition. The study by IRISS in 2011 puts it succinctly: • Reminiscence therapy and life story work are valuable psychotherapeutic approaches.

• Reminiscence therapy and life story work can improve the mood, cognitive ability and well-being of those with mild to moderate dementia.

• Research suggests that the effects of biographical interventions are weaker for people with severe dementia.

• There is evidence to support the view that life story work can improve the relationship, whether family or professional, between the person with

dementia and their carer(s).

• Reminiscence therapy and in particular life story work provide a context for the provision of person-centred care, whether in the home, nursing home or hospital context.

• Life story work can be especially valuable when the person with dementia is transferred from a home to an institutional setting, or between institutions.

However, it should be noted that the studies conducted did not use digital technology in the manner of some of days cutting edge person centred care and reminiscence innovations, such as deployed by RemindMecare (aka ReMe), and that optimise reminiscence delivery and the capturing of outcomes.

Technological innovations in the last decade have progressed substantially and now provide some remarkable innovations in Elderly care, such that caregiving is today less stressful courtesy of the ability to discover commonality of interest, such that stronger relationships and bonds can be achieved between the person cared for and their carers.

In this article we discuss three ways to use reminiscence therapy to help boost the well-being of the elderly and reduce the burden for their caregivers, both at home and at the care facility.

MUSIC Research clearly shows the emotional and behavioural benefits of listening to music and how it can help stimulate joyful memories and reset a positive attitude towards life. We’ve all experienced the remarkable phenomena of being able to recall the lyrics to songs heard when we were young. Even those songs that were not even particularly important to us remain embedded in our memories. Music and its pattern structure appear to facilitate easy memory retention and seems to be more easily recalled than various other memorised data.

Music therapy has long been used in dementia and cognitive impairment care and is increasingly deployed in other care sectors, such as brain injury and stroke.

One particular therapy , music conversation therapy in which the conversation with the person cared for can be enhanced by playing the music discussed and by capturing any stories that accompany the conversation, often proves particularly effective in enhancing engagement.

One of the powers of music is its ability to socially engage groups through their common love of a genre or a specific piece of music.

There are now cutting-edge digital technologies that can find and record these common interests and then deliver created playlists of popular music.

The research on the efficacy of music therapy is extensive but our personal experiences are often the best validation of the power of music to achieve engagement. And this is particularly apparent in end of life care, where stimulatory engagement such as smell and touch, are easily combined with music that is known to engage with the person.

GAMES Most people love games, of one type or another. Whether its bingo or quizzes, jigsaw puzzles or Sudoku. Some games for elderly are not only interesting and entertaining, but can also improve memory, daily life skills, and overall mental health. With the further ability to create our own games or those that are fondly cherished by our loved ones, the possibilities for improved engagement are greatly increased. With such games now specifically modelled on the underlying principles of work undertaken in the field of cognitive stimulation therapy (CST), their potential for impact is further enhanced. A number of activities based companies are working to evolve these established techniques in a digital manner, such as ReMelife and its companion app ReMe. In-chair activities such as yoga, physical exercises such as stretching, meditation and so on can now be easily presented on TV or tablet, thanks to the emerging innovations in digital care. The positive impact of such games on the physical and mental wellbeing of the elderly are clearly apparent and their delivery through a digital medium enables outcomes data capture that improves the ability to plan bespoke activities.

VOICE INTEGRATION SELF-CARE The data relating to preferences for food and drinks, daily routines, pain and well-being, favourite movies, music, radio shows, places etc, define a data set that is increasingly becoming knows as ELR or Electronic Life Records, a term first coined by ReMelife. ELR is a unique data set that can be used both by the person needing care to look after themselves and by the carer to deliver patient centric care. This data can be used to enhance the performance of other care systems, such that its integration today is supporting social care robots, wearables and IoT. ReMe captures the data through activities and makes it available through an open API to care planning software, so that they can evidence activity delivery, is at the heart of sensory touch tables such as Sharp’s MeetUP table that offers managed access to unlimited games (The ReMe App Library).

Recently, voice integrated care is being increasing used to support seniors to manage care whilst living on their own and Alexa care skills are being developed that support both formal and informal care and provide multiple tools for both the person cared for and the carer. Some digital care platforms even integrate directly with Alexa and provide specific Alexa skills that enable carers to better understand the person whilst also being support basic requirements such as keeping contact with the family, care support, checks on calendar scheduled activities and activating entertainment. Voice is simply easier to use and more natural a way to communicate and so is the ideal interaction for care support..

Of course, there are problems. Exciting innovation comes at a price, and lack of broadband capacity is often the elephant in the room, especially for formal care. But with fee payers increasingly expecting that their loved one should have broadband in their room, times are changing fast. And those care facilities that do not enable their clients broadband access and thereby deny them the richness of the activities that are today available, will inevitably see the negative outcomes of a lack of progressive thinking and preparedness to invest in the improving the quality of life of their clients, in their balance sheets. For the consumer and payer will be the ultimate driver of change.

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 1 | PAGE 9

Working Through the Coronavirus Outbreak

Tina Chander is a partner and head of the Employment team at leading Midlands law firm, Wright Hassall and deals with contentious and noncontentious employment law issues.

The coronavirus outbreak (officially Covid-19) has raised serious health concerns, with many countries imposing travel restrictions and nationwide quarantines to help slow the spread of the virus.

In the UK, the Government has confirmed that statutory sick pay will apply from the first day off work, not the fourth, arguing that workers who are self-isolating should not be penalised for doing so. Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has also encouraged people to work from home where possible, as another effective social distancing measure.

For this reason, employers should be taking steps to protect their workforce, ensuring the official advice and guidance is made available during a period of uncertainty.

Reducing the risk to employees From a business perspective, team meetings and informative emails are an effective way to keep workers updated as the situation develops.

If working from home is not a viable option, then it may be wise to designate an ‘isolation room’ where sick employees can retire to before calling NHS 111 for further medical advice.

Other steps to take include: • Update the contact numbers and emergency contact details of employees • Ensure that managers are aware of the symptoms of the virus • Disseminate information across management on issues such as sick leave and sick pay • Ensure that facilities for regular and thorough washing of hands are in place • Dispense hand sanitisers and tissues to employees

• Weigh up the pros and cons of supplying protective face masks to employees who may be working in particularly high-risk scenarios Given the advice around hand-washing in particular and the length of time suggested to do it properly (two happy birthdays), organisations should advise all their employees to wash their hands thoroughly and let them know they will not be penalised for the extra time taken.

What to do if an employee becomes unwell If you suspect an employee may have the virus, then they should be removed from the proximity of other colleagues and placed in the ‘isolation room’, ensuring they follow all the necessary precautions.

The employee when calling NHS 111 should be advised to give the operator the following details: • Their symptoms • The name of any country they’ve returned from in the past fortnight Uncertainty over the seriousness of the virus, the exact nature of the symptoms and concern about the situation regarding issues such as sick pay may lead to some employees coming to work despite having contracted the virus.

If this does happen, then an employer should contact the local Public Health England (PHE) health protection team and they will discuss and outline any precautions which should be taken.

THE POSITION ON SICK PAY If an employee is off sick with the virus then the legal situation regarding sick pay is the same as it is with any other illness however the employee is now entitled to statutory sick pay from the first day of work, not the fourth. The complicating factor surrounding this virus, however, is the government advice for people returning from high risk areas is self-isolation for 14 days.

The government has stated that if NHS 111 or a doctor advises an employee or worker to self-isolate then they should receive any statutory sick pay due to them or contractual sick pay if this is offered by the employer. An employer also needs to demonstrate flexibility on issues such as the fact that an employee who is self-isolating may not be able to get a ‘fit-note’.

In some cases, employees may be able to work from home while in self-isolation. However, in many cases, if an employee cannot attend their place of work, they will be unable to work.

Currently, there is no bespoke advice for specific industries, but as the impact of Coronavirus spreads, we may see more advice and contingency plans develop to ensure essential and core services continue to operate.

In some cases, an employer might prefer an employee not to come into work, if they’ve returned from a high-risk area for example and in these circumstances the employee should receive their usual pay.

Therefore, you should offer flexible solutions such as working from home if possible. Alternatively, although there is no legal obligation to do so, you could offer the time away from work as a holiday or unpaid leave.

Ultimately, there is no obligation on an employer to allow an employee to stay away from work and, if the non-attendance causes issues or extends beyond an emergency precaution, then an employer is entitled to take disciplinary action.

Corby Care Home Launches an Appeal to Find Kind Stranger

NO TIME TO BE DIVISIVE Employers must also take steps to ensure that no members of staff, customers or suppliers are treated differently because of their race or ethnicity.

It may be appropriate to remind staff that jokes and banter, even if light-hearted, may easily slip over the line to become unlawful harassment and/or discrimination, for which an employer may be liable.

Employers can avoid liability if they can show they took ‘all reasonable steps’ to prevent employees behaving in such a manner.

Taking reasonable steps can include having well publicised diversity and harassment policies and training all staff on the issue. Managers must also be trained about their responsibility to identify and prevent discriminatory behaviour.

CARE OPERATOR HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS OFFERS SUPPORT TO OVER STRETCHED NHS Healthcare Management Solutions (HCMS) is inviting hospitals and local authorities to make use of the spare capacity that exists in some of its homes in order to protect elderly people and to free up much needed capacity in NHS hospitals.

Chief executive, Tony Stein said, “In these unprecedented times, it is incumbent upon everyone to do whatever can be done to protect the most vulnerable in our society.

“It seems likely that hospital capacity will be sorely challenged over the coming months and it is essential that the maximum number of acute care beds is available for the treatment of those most in need.

“Whilst we have spare beds then we will be happy to offer these to public health authorities, hospitals and local authorities to free up much needed capacity, and to provide a safe and comfortable place for those forced to self-isolate or who may be struggling to remain independent at home.

Willow Brook House care home in Corby has launched an appeal to find the kindhearted stranger who paid for an ice cream van to drop off frozen treats to the staff and residents.

The home on South Road was visited by the ice cream van on 22 March which took staff and residents by surprise, especially when they discovered the bill had been paid already.

Staff and residents at the care home are now launching an appeal to track down the person who arranged for the delivery so they can express their gratitude.

Elizabeth Little, 82, resident at Willow Brook House care home, said: “I can’t believe someone was so kind as to do this for us, it really made us all smile.

“We would love to know who you are so we can say a big thank you!”

Julie Britten, peripatetic manager at Willow Brook House care home, said: “Everyone at the home was speechless when we found out someone had arranged for an ice cream van to deliver ice creams to us all, free of charge.

“During difficult times, people’s kindness can mean so much, particularly to vulnerable groups. We would like to find out who this kind soul is, so we can say a proper thank you”.

PAGE 10 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 1

The Real Impact Hearing Loss Has On Mental Health Research shows there is a direct correlation between hearing and mental health with hearing loss doubling the chance of developing mental health issues such as depression, loneliness and anxiety, as well as increasing the risk of dementia. However, with the recent government warnings around selfisolation and staying away from the most vulnerable in light of Covid-19, there is a heightened worry about how this will affect those who are already lonely.

To make matters worse, those who suffer from hearing loss are more likely to already feel isolated, making it more challenging for them to communicate with social-distancing measures in place.

In a bid to remove the stigma surrounding ear health, research collated by The Hearing Care Partnership (THCP) highlights the impact hearing and hearing loss, can have on mental health and wellbeing.

Starting the conversation around ear health There has been an increased focus on mental health in recent years.

High profile campaigns and initiatives, such as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Heads Together initiative, highlight that anyone, regardless of age or background, can be affected by mental health issues.

It’s estimated that 11 million people in the UK are affected by some level of hearing loss, yet less than a fifth are hearing aid users.

Despite awareness days, such as World Hearing Day and Mental Health Awareness Month, helping to highlight issues there is still a lot of stigma surrounding both mental health and ear health. 1 in 6 adults have some kind of hearing loss, a figure that increases by almost 5,000% by the time they are 70.

The link between hearing health and mental health Studies show there is a well-established link between cognitive

decline and social isolation. Left undiagnosed or untreated hearing loss can cause individuals to withdraw from social events because of frustration or isolation, in turn resulting in depression and loneliness. Older people suffering from hearing loss are four times more likely to develop depression than those with better hearing.

Following a study first established in 2011, there has been continuous research on the link between cognitive decline and hearing loss. Further studies from John Hopkins Medicine and The Alzheimers Society both confirm the impact that hearing loss has on a person’s psychological state – untreated hearing loss can cause changes to the brain.

Studies show that a fifth of Brits typically don’t feel connected with those around them, while 25% of people admit to listening to a ‘familiar’ radio when they feel lonely, those who suffer from hearing loss or partial hearing loss will find this largely inaccessible.

Recognising early signs of hearing loss and impairments The stress and fatigue from having to concentrate while listening can become very draining, however knowing the early signs and taking action will allow preparation and hopefully prevent a decline in mental health and protect wellbeing.

Melanie Gregory, Group Head of Audiology at THCP discusses the early signs of hearing loss and what steps to take to look after mental health and wellbeing: Earache, tinnitus and vertigo are all uncomfortable symptoms of temporary hearing loss, while the following can be signs early signs of hearing loss: • Regularly asking someone to repeat themselves • Having a hard time hearing or identifying where sounds are coming from • Constantly misunderstanding someone • Listening to the TV or radio at a higher volume • Struggling to keep up with a conversation • Finding it difficult to hear someone on the phone • cognitive decline.

HOW TECH CAN ALLEVIATE LONELINESS: Advances in technology has led to a number of ways to help those

LGSCO Suspends Complaints Enquiries The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has suspended all casework activity that demands information from, or action by, local authorities and care providers, in light of the current Coronavirus outbreak.

The Ombudsman has taken this step in the wider public interest, to protect the capacity of local authorities and care providers to deliver vital frontline services during the current outbreak.

In a move unprecedented in its 45-year history, the Ombudsman will not be asking councils or care providers to answer enquiries on new or existing cases for the time being, and cases still in progress will be frozen, until normal operations can be resumed.

The Ombudsman’s phoneline and online complaints submission form will similarly remain closed until further notice. This will reduce the creation of work that neither the Ombudsman nor councils and care providers can progress at present, as well as ensuring complainants are not given false expectation their cases can be progressed during this time.

When normal services do resume, the Ombudsman will take into account any delays when considering whether or not complaints have been brought to it within the normal 12-month time period specified in the service’s legislation.

Michael King, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, said:

suffer with hearing loss not feel isolated, including: Phone signalers - these can be plugged directly into the phone line work by either making a very loud sound or by flashing a light. Remote receivers can transmit a phone signal to other rooms, so it's not restricted to one area Hearing Loops - allow you to hear the TV directly through hearing aids anywhere in the room, also helping to amplify close-range conversations.

Live Transcribe (for Android) - with over 2.3 million Android users worldwide, and this app helps to make the world more accessible by live-translating over 70 languages making communication much easier Personal amplifier - a device that can amplify conversations, and make speech clearer by reducing background, and transfer it to your ears or hearing aids.

Rogervoice - an app that produces a live transcription during a phone call, in more than 100 languages It’s never too late to make changes to the way you live. In addition to having regular hearing tests every year, here are three tips to help improve mental health and wellbeing: • Stay active: Just 30 minutes of activity a day can help promote mobility and health in later life, whether that’s through moderate exercise or gardening.

• Eat healthily: Choose a healthy Mediterranean diet packed with fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables, complex carbohydrates, low salt and sugar content, and not too much meat.

• Stay connected: Do things that give you joy and meaning, whether it’s playing games indoors, video conversation with loved ones or even doing crafts at home.

The best way to deal with hearing loss is to catch it as early as possible and schedule regular hearing tests. If suffering from any of the above symptoms or to find out more on treatments and methods to reduce symptoms visit https://www.thcp.co.uk.

“We need to do all we can to support the vital work local authorities and care providers are doing for the communities they serve in coordinating the response to the Covid-19 threat. By temporarily suspending our enquiries until government advice changes, we will allow care homes and councils the breathing space they need to deliver those frontline activities without distraction.

“Councils and care providers are far better placed than we are to respond to any local complaints, particularly those that are the most serious and high risk. We still expect local authorities and care providers to respond appropriately to any complaints they receive during this time, but we understand this may look different to their normal arrangements. We will be picking this up with them once we are told normal service can resume.”

People who have already registered a complaint with the Ombudsman will be contacted about their case in due course.

For further updates, please visit www.lgo.org.uk/coronavirus

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 1 | PAGE 11

NHS Takes Action Against Coronavirus Fake News Online The NHS has unveiled a package of measures in the battle against coronavirus fake news – working with Google, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook – to help the public get easy access to accurate NHS information and avoid myths and misinformation.

The measures include Google providing easy access to verified NHS guidance when someone searches for coronavirus.

As well as helping to promote good advice, the NHS has been fighting bad advice and misinformation about the virus in the media and online, working with Twitter to suspend a false account posing as a hospital and putting out inaccurate information about the number of coronavirus cases; and publicly condemning homeopaths promoting false treatments.

The NHS is also working with Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to verify or ‘blue tick’ over 800 accounts belonging to NHS organisations including hospital trusts and local commissioning groups.

And following months of work, the NHS and Google will this week introduce new Knowledge Panels – prominent pop out boxes of information – as part of Google search on mobile, to ensure it provides the public in the UK with easy access to NHS information about more than 250 health conditions, including coronavirus.

Both Twitter and Facebook are directing users to the NHS website if they search for coronavirus.

The announcement comes alongside the government’s action to crack down on fake news, including a cross-government team to engage with social media firms to monitor the internet for scams.

Sir Simon Stevens, NHS chief executive said: “Ensuring the public has easy access to accurate NHS advice however they search for it, not only will support people to take the right action but will also help the country’s response to coronavirus.

“The NHS has already been battling coronavirus fake news, from working to take down false Twitter accounts to speaking out against misleading treatments being promoted by homeopaths online.

“It’s right that social media platforms and search engines take any action so they can help ensure the public are directed to NHS advice first.

“I would also like to personally thank all those NHS staff who are doing an incredible job caring for patients, testing thousands of worried people and taking calls from thousands more.”

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “Today’s

actions are another important step so members of the public can access reliable, accurate health information, which is more crucial than ever as we continue our response to coronavirus.

“These changes will ensure the latest trusted NHS guidance sits at the very top of Google search lists, so people can be reassured they are reading official, up-to-date Government advice.

“Public safety is our top priority and we are harnessing digital tools to reach millions of people on more than 250 conditions they are searching for – including coronavirus – helping tackle misinformation and ensuring the public is well informed to take control of their health.”

Last week the Advertising Standards Authority also took action to ban two face mask adverts which were “likely to cause fear” and made “misleading” claims about their ability to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Whilst the NHS website contains the most accurate information for the public about coronavirus, for people worried they might have the virus the health service has started directing them to the NHS 111 online service to help support the national phoneline after calls surged.

The NHS 111 online service has dealt with more than a million enquiries relating to coronavirus since it was updated for coronavirus last month.

Tara Donnelly, chief digital officer at NHSX, said: “One of NHSX’s key missions is to ensure that the public are provided with accurate health information so they can be confident they are following official NHS advice.

“By making NHS website content free to use for third party organisations, we are ensuring that more people get NHS advice when they search online rather than from one of the many other sources; some with guidance that isn’t right for the UK, and some that just aren’t right.”

Professor Jonathan Benger, Chief Medical Officer at NHS Digital, which runs the NHS website says: “Getting the right health information to the public is essential, particularly during outbreaks of disease.

Syndication from the NHS website means that people can be confident that the information they see meets the highest clinical standards. The more we can share accurate information, the less likelihood there is of inaccuracy and rumour, which could put people at risk.”

CHD Living Digitises ‘Adopt A Grandparent’ Campaign Amidst Coronavirus Crisis An award-winning, Surrey based care home group, CHD Living, has digitised it’s “Adopt a Grandparent” campaign and is calling for additional ‘virtual volunteers’ amidst the ongoing Coronavirus crisis, in efforts to continue providing their elderly residents with companionship during this difficult time.

The group, who announced their ‘Adopt a Grandparent’ campaign last year to combat any potential feelings of loneliness across their homes, is looking to re-invigorate and ‘go digital’ with the initiative in a bid to reduce the impact of falling visitation in light of Government advice for the public to self-isolate where possible.

The campaign, which originally saw CHD Living pair elderly residents from across their 13 Surrey and South London based care homes with local children and adults who don’t have or see grandparents of their own, is now welcoming new applicants from across the UK as ‘virtual volunteers’.

As ‘virtual volunteers’, participants in the scheme will be encouraged to use technology to provide mental stimulation and remote companionship to those in their care via regular video calls with the residents, with each CHD Living home receiving a Facebook Portal TV to facilitate communica-

tion and interaction. Drawings, letters and poetry from the public are also being welcomed as part of the initiative to brighten residents’ days, with the group looking to get as many children involved as possible during current school closures.

Shaleeza Hasham, Head of Hospitality, Communications & Commissioning at CHD Living, said: “The nature of care means that we’re looking after some of the most vulnerable members of society at the moment. It’s a worrying time and we’re taking the threat of coronavirus incredibly seriously, putting stringent processes and protocols in place to protect our residents as much as possible.

We are however keen to keep spirits in the homes high and so have been thinking of ways that we can continue to enrich the lives of our residents whilst providing them with stimulation and companionship.

It made sense at this time to digitise the Adopt a Grandparent campaign and to recruit further volunteers who might like to help keep our residents company over the coming weeks.

It will be a wonderful distraction for everyone involved.

If you, or someone you know, would be interested in enrolling in the scheme, then we would encourage you to reach out via our website – chdliving.co.uk/ adopt-grandparent”

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 1 | PAGE 13

Care System Risks 460,000 BBC Radio 5 Live Helps Keeps Older Immigration Black Hole Says Union Audiences Fit With Short Daily Workouts The UK faces a 460,000 care worker vacancy crisis thanks to the Government’s ‘slapdash’ immigration policy, GMB has said.

New ONS analysis, which requested by the GMB Union which represents care workers, reveals that are were more than 350,000 adult care workers, who were born in EU and non-EU countries, in the year to September 2019 – a figure that has increased by 43 per cent since 2009/10. [ Approximately 115,000 care workers are originally from the EU and 237,000 workers were born outside the EU. Almost a fifth of the workforce was born outside the UK – a figure that has increased significantly since 2009/10.

In addition, according to the ONS, there are an estimated 110,000 vacancies in adult social care. The sector has an exceptionally high rate of 8 per cent, compared to a vacancy rate of 2.8 per cent across all sectors.

Under the Government’s new immigration system, care work will not receive a special dispensation, unlike graduates, scientists, NHS staff, and agricultural workers.

The average earnings of care workers employed by private providers was £16,200 last year, according to Skills for Care which collects data on behalf of local authorities and the Government.

The Migration Advisory Committee admitted earlier this year that the Government’s new £25,600 earnings threshold will ‘increase pressure on social care [and] raise the dependency ratio.’

The Committee went on to say that ‘the very real problems in this sector are caused by a failure to offer competitive terms and conditions, something that is itself caused by a failure to have a sustainable funding model.’

Rachel Harrison, GMB National Officer, said: “Care in the UK is facing almost a 500,000 person black hole thanks to the Government’s insulting immigration policy and failure to properly fund the sector.

“For the likes of Home Secretary to brand the care workers our whole society relies on as ‘lowskilled’ is a bit rich and has caused stress and anxiety for people who do an outstanding job day in, day out.

“For too long care workers have faced inadequate rates of pay, lack of recognition for their skills, and denial of opportunities for progression. We are determined to defend our members of all nationalities when their jobs are under threat.

“The demand on social care services is increasing every day, workloads are already unmanageable, and the Government has no plan for filling the black hole of almost half a million workers that could result from their policy.

“At a time when our care system is facing its greatest ever crisis, this Government seems determined to hack away at its greatest asset – our carers.”

The BBC has teamed up with Sport England and the thinktank Demos to broadcast a series of 10 x 10 minute daily workouts for older audiences.

The short exercise sessions are called 10 Today and can be heard on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra every weekday morning between 0500 hours and 1000 hours.

They will be repeated every 15 minutes, with a new session added each day over two weeks. They are also available to download as podcasts from BBC Sounds.

The 10 Today exercise classes are aimed at older listeners (70 and over) to boost wellbeing, mobility and balance during what may be a difficult and lonely time for people who are in self-isolation.

Among the presenters is Terry Keen, aged 73, who created the series and is a qualified fitness instructor.

Says Terry: “During self-isolation, I’m embracing the chance to stay active. As an older person myself I know that it's so important to keep moving, with the mobility and strength to take part in things, as opposed to just looking on. I hope we can inspire others to move more and simply feel better during this time!”

The radio keep fit session are Inspired by Japan’s Radio Taiso which broadcasts popular national daily exercise programmes specially tailored to older listeners.

There are 7.4m people aged over 70 in England. With people mostly confined to their own home following the latest government advice and the challenge of loneliness while self-isolating, there has never been a more important time to encourage older people to remain active and boost their mood, mobility and wellbeing at home.

Heidi Dawson, Controller of BBC Radio 5 Live and Sports Extra says: “It is great that at BBC Radio 5 Live we can help bring these bite size exercise sessions to people everywhere. They can be accessed really easily, whether people want to tune in live each morning or listen back when it suits them on BBC Sounds. I hope it gives lots of people a boost to their days.”

Tim Hollingsworth, Chief Executive, Sport England says: “As we all commit to stay home, save lives and protect the NHS - being active, and the mental and physical boost it can bring has never been more important. This is especially true for older people, many who will also be managing the loneliness of being separated from children and grandchildren at this time.10 Today is a convenient, accessible and fun way for older people to move and stretch while at home.”

Hear the 10 Today exercise sessions on BBC 5 Live Sports Extra between 5am and 10am every weekday morning or listen on BBC Sounds https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p087wddm

Alzheimer’s Society’s Cupcake Day Is Coming!

It’s time to tie up your apron, dust off your baking bowls and whip out your whisks, because Alzheimer’s Society’s Cupcake Day is back on 18 June.

Whether you’re a baking rookie or a seasoned pro, all that matters is raking in the dough to help transform the lives of the 850,000 people currently living with dementia in the UK. If you need some extra inspiration to make your Cupcake Day a recipe for success, Alzheimer’s Society’s online shop has plenty of items available to buy at shop.alzheimers.org.uk

It’s never been more important to unite against dementia. Dementia is the UK’s biggest killer, with someone developing it every three minutes. If you do the maths, that’s six people in the average time it takes to bake a batch of cakes.

Research into cure, care and prevention is the only way we can beat dementia. Alzheimer’s Society needs your help to raise funds to bake new ground that will have a life-changing impact for those living with dementia now and will help create a world without dementia in the future.

As well as raising vital dough-nations for research,

Cupcake Day will also help provide and improve support and help to oust stigmatised attitudes about dementia once and for all.

Have you got what it bakes? Sign up and join us this June for Cupcake Day. We here at the carer would also like to do our bit to put a bit of fun amid this current crisis. Please send photographs of cupcakes made by any homes or residents to nominate@thecareruk.com our sales manager Sylvia will pick a winner and £50 in Marks & Spencer’s gift vouchers will “wing their way to you”!

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 1 | PAGE 15

New Guidance for Adult Social Care to Better Protect the Most Vulnerable Against COVID-19 Vulnerable adults receiving social care will be better protected by new guidance issued today to councils and care providers as the Government works to delay the spread of COVID-19.

The guidance covers a variety of scenarios relating to care homes, staff and providers who care for people in their own homes to ensure older people and those with pre-existing conditions and care needs who receive support are best protected.

Elderly people and those with underlying health conditions are much more likely to develop serious complications. Anyone who is suspected of having COVID-19, with a new continuous cough or high temperature, should not visit care homes or people receiving home care and should self-isolate at home.

People receiving care will be isolated in their rooms if they have symptoms of coronavirus. To ensure they can continue to receive the care they require, care staff will use protective equipment to minimise the risk of transmission.

Building on existing strong local relationships, the NHS will work with care providers where necessary to make sure people have the best possible care and remain in the community.

GPs have been asked to look at the possibilities of offering digital appointments to provide advice and guidance to patients and potentially their families.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “I understand how worried people most in need of care will be about coronavirus, and how concerned families around the country will be for their loved ones. And I want everyone to know we are working around the clock to ensure we do everything possible to reduce the risk vulnerable and elderly people face.

“Public safety is my top priority and we are clear people in care should follow the same tried and tested protocols everyone else is following. These include good hand hygiene and self-isolating where necessary, allowing our fantastic care workforce to keep them well.

“We are working closely with partners from across the social care

sector to ensure local authorities, care providers and our health and social workforce are prepared to take action to protect our most vulnerable.

“Local authorities will work with the NHS and care providers to bring together their pre-existing contingency preparations and make sure each decision is made with the best public health and clinical advice at its heart.”

Councils have been told to map out all care and support plans to prioritise people who are at the highest risk and contact all registered providers in their local area to facilitate plans for mutual aid.

Minister for Care, Helen Whately said: “We recognise that we are entering an incredibly challenging time for people living and working in care and we are working closely with industry experts to do everything we can to limit the impact that COVID-19 has on the most vulnerable.

“This guidance is an important part of that work. Its aim is to help the NHS, local government and care providers to work together to take the best steps to protect those most at risk.

“The social care workforce works tremendously hard to care for people of all ages with complex health needs. I am sincerely grateful for their commitment to the people they care for, now more than ever.”

As part of the Government’s emergency legislation measures, Statutory Sick Pay will be paid from day one of sickness to support those affected by COVID-19. Those on zero-hour contracts will also receive Statutory Sick Pay or will be able to claim Universal Credit dependent on their circumstances.

Dr Yvonne Doyle, Medical Director at PHE said: “All of us have a vital role in helping protect older people and vulnerable groups who are most at risk. That’s why it’s so important that as soon as you develop a new and continuous cough or a fever you stay at home for 7 days helping to limit the spread of the infection.

“Everyone still out and about in the community should wash their hands frequently and thoroughly, for 20 seconds or more.”

Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said: “Councils’ adult social care teams are a vital part of how, as a nation, we can best respond to the challenges posed by COVID-19. They are already doing a fantastic job in challenging circumstances.

“In such a fast-moving environment, timely guidance and advice is essential and this latest publication will help answer and clarify some of the questions councils and their provider partners have.

“The right guidance, allied to an appropriate share of the £5 billion emergency funding announced in the Budget, will go some way to helping adult social care and public health teams to continue to play their part at this important time.”

Skills for Care CEO Oonagh Smyth said; “In these unprecedented times it is vital that social employers have all the latest information and guidance they need to protect everyone who receives care and support.

This information will mean the 1.49 million social care workers can safely carry out their tasks in our communities.”

Julie Ogley, President of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) “The ongoing coverage of the Coronavirus outbreak can be distressing, particularly for those of us who are older or disabled or provide care and support.

“However, we want to reassure anybody concerned that we are working closely with partner agencies and organisations to ensure that our members are properly prepared to deal with the outbreak.”

Skills for Care CEO Oonagh Smyth said; “In these unprecedented times it is vital that social employers have all the latest information and guidance they need to protect everyone who receives care and support.

This information will mean the 1.49 million social care workers can safely carry out their tasks in our communities.”

The new guidance is based on the latest evidence and advice from the NHS, PHE and some of the world’s top clinicians on pandemics, to make sure every effort is being made across local authorities and health systems to protect local people in the event of an outbreak.

This guidance will be continually reviewed in line with public health guidance as the Government’s action plan develops. We are ensuring we are doing the right things at the right time to protect those most at risk and as the Chief Scientific Adviser set out on Thursday we will be issuing further guidance to help protect elderly and vulnerable groups.

Alpaca Fun for Oakdale Care Home Residents RESIDENTS at the Oakdale care home in Poole enjoyed a visit from two special guests – Guinness and Greyfriars Rufus the alpacas. As part of a wellbeing session, Wendy Williams of Alpaca Adventure visited Oakdale care home in Kingsmill Road, Poole, where her alpacas spent time with residents, many of whom live with dementia.

The alpacas enjoy being around people and animal therapy is believed to have significant health benefits like lowering blood pressure and stress levels.

This animal contact is also beneficial for those living with dementia, such as establishing eye contact and stretching to stroke them.

During their visit, Wendy and the alpacas spent time in the communal areas as well as individual bedrooms so that all residents, regardless of mobility, could enjoy meeting and stroking them.

Lauren Tompkins, Wellbeing Manager at Oakdale care home, said: “This was a unique opportunity for residents and staff to meet these beautiful animals and find out more about them. It proved to be a real success and fits very well with our regular activities and wellbeing-based approach to care at Oakdale.”

Rachel Dryden, Chief Executive, said: “It was wonderful to welcome Guinness and Jimmy into our home. It’s not every day you get to meet an alpaca and they are so gentle and sociable. The residents enjoy it and the staff do too.

“We encourage bringing animals into our care homes and love seeing the residents faces light up. It brings a whole new, fun and interesting dynamic to the home and is a very social activity.”

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 1 | PAGE 17

Retired Care Workers Asked To Return To Work

Retired care workers being asked to return to work could help support those most at risk of the coronavirus outbreak and provide a much-needed boost to an already over-stretched social care workforce, say council leaders.

The Local Government Association, which repre-

sents councils, says the Government should consider how it could help retired care workers who may want to or be able to return to work.

Care workers do a hugely important job supporting older and vulnerable people, such as by helping them to get washed and dressed, or preparing food.

In some cases they are the only contact people have. The LGA says these workers are needed more than ever.

While the Government has introduced measures for doctors and nurses to come back to the NHS and social workers to social care, the LGA says the Government should extend its thinking to care workers to help boost the social care effort.

Bringing back experienced care workers to the profession would help to support people discharged from hospital to free up beds for those being treated for coronavirus.

It would also enable councils to better support the 1.5 million vulnerable people identified by the Government as most at risk from coronavirus and needing to stay at home for 12 weeks.

Even if some of these were to return to work, it would significantly strengthen the ability of the social care workforce to provide the much-needed support vulnerable people will require in the coming weeks and months ahead.

Those recently retired would also be experienced care workers, and would not need much in terms of refresher training to be able to return to work.

Retired workers looking to return could, for example, be asked to contact the employer they retired from. The sector could also set up regional contact groups so that returners could join other employers if the original employer didn’t need them.

Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the LGA’s

Lockdown Lifeline to Keep Relatives Connected Offered to All UK Care Homes Care homes across the UK are being offered a vital line of communication that will enable families to stay updated about the care of elderly residents during coronavirus lockdown.

Leading care technology provider Person Centred Software is opening up its Relatives Gateway platform to all UK care homes free of charge to help them maintain communication with families during these unprecedented times.

Allowing secure social media style messages and photos to be shared between care home residents and their families, it will also give carers an efficient way to provide wellbeing updates to concerned loved ones.

In the last month, 2,700 people have used the Relatives Gateway to keep in touch with family members living in care homes.

The technology is currently used by 1,600 UK care homes who use Person Centred Software’s Mobile Care Monitoring system, but in response to the escalating COVID19 situation in the UK, the company is rolling out a free version for any care home to implement.

Jonathan Papworth, founder and director of Person Centred Software says this could be a vital lifeline: “Following calls from the government to stop non-urgent contact

and protect those most vulnerable, the care sector is facing unprecedented social and operational challenges of lockdown conditions.

“Putting people and personal interaction at the heart of care is vital and it’s important that care home residents who miss out on visits from loved ones stay connected – while families and friends remain updated about the day-to-day wellbeing of their loved ones.”

Jonathan continues: “Care homes face significant uplifts in phone calls from concerned family members over the coming months. Our technology provides a window to provision and enables carers to share pictures and messages from the outside world. It’s a way to help free up care time, but importantly can help boost morale during what could be a lengthy and lonely lockdown.

“We’ve developed a free version of our Relatives Gateway that can be rapidly deployed to any care homes that wish to use it – our aim is to support the sector to help families stay connected throughout this challenging time.”

The Relatives Gateway enables relatives to communicate with loved ones via a web application. For further information, please visit personcentredsoftware.com/ covid19response or call 01483 357657.

Community Wellbeing Board, said: “Across the country, councils, as a fourth emergency service, are stepping up to support the unprecedented challenge of the coronavirus outbreak.

“Making sure older and vulnerable people get the care and protection they need to stay safe and well is priority number one for councils.

“The recently announced funding for councils to support the most vulnerable will help councils do everything they can to ensure people are able to access vital care and support.

“The coronavirus outbreak will severely test and stretch our social care workforce, who already do a tremendous job in the face of extreme pressures.

“But supporting retired care workers to return to work could be a significant booster measure for the sector, to get through the highly challenging weeks and months ahead.”

A Poem of Positivity From Residents at Oldbury Grange Nursing Home As care residents now find themselves isolated from their families, residents at Morris Care's Oldbury Grange nursing home rallied together to keep spirits up with a Mothering Sunday poem!

“To protect our home from covid-19 We can only see loved ones on a computer screen We are not isolated we are surrounded by staff Who care for our needs with a smile and a laugh Mothering Sunday is at the weekend So this message to loved ones we wish to send Although we are isolating from covid-19 We have access to FaceTime so we can be seen We are being looked after by wonderful staff Who care for our needs with a smile and a laugh They all pull together whatever their roles There is plenty of food and toilet rolls!

So we just want to send you a hug and a kiss To all of our families who we dearly miss”

PAGE 18 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 1

Care Home Launches Campaign to Combat Social Isolation Chaplin Lodge care home, Wickford, has launched a campaign to help to combat social isolation amongst residents during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Following a temporary closure to all visitors, the home decided to launch the campaign and has asked the public to send in postcards, letters or even drawings to its residents to help them keep in touch with the local community.

Since the launch of the campaign on 25 March, the post on the home’s Facebook page has received 25 shares and has reached 4,626 people.

The home, on Nevedon Road, regularly engages with the community through a variety of activities including intergenerational music groups which has been a huge hit with the resident and young children alike.

Doreen Aylwird, 86, resident at Chaplin Lodge care home, said: “I’ve always enjoyed the activities with local youngsters, and it’s a shame that we have had to put them on hold for now but we understand the impact visits could have on our health.

“The postcard campaign is a wonderful idea and I’m looking forward to reading the lovely messages we receive from our local community.”

Paul Buckle, peripatetic home manager at Chaplin Lodge care home, said: “Because our residents are amongst the most vulnerable in society and we want to ensure their safety and wellbeing during this difficult time, our home is closed to visitors at this time.

“Postcards have always been a wonderful way to keep in touch with people so we would like to encourage our local community to send postcards, letters and even drawings to keep our residents engaged.”

If you would like to send something to the residents at Chaplin Lodge you can do so by posting to Chaplin Lodge, Nevedon Road, Wickford Essex SS12 0QH.

CQC Calls For A Culture of Openness To Support People’s Sexual Needs The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is calling for leaders across adult social care to work together to create a culture of openness where people using services feel empowered and supported to be open about sexuality and relationships – while ensuring they are protected from sexual harm.

Promoting Sexual Safety Through Empowerment draws the connection between an environment which allows people the basic human right to express their sexuality, and an open culture where people feel able to raise concerns around safety where necessary.

Through engagement with numerous stakeholders including families, staff and providers the report looks at what can be done to support people in adult social care to have safe sexual relationships. This review includes findings from extensive conversations with people who use services, their families, as well as care providers and other stakeholders, such as advocacy groups and members of the public. CQC also reviewed over 650 notifications of sexual incidents or alleged sexual abuse that took place in adult social care services and were reported by providers to CQC. The 661 statutory notifications of sexual incidents that were reported to CQC between 1 March and 31 May 2018 detail 899 sexual incidents or incidents of alleged sexual abuse that took place in adult social care services such as residential and nursing homes. This reflects 3% of all the abuse notifications received by CQC during this period. Almost half of the incidents (48%) have been categorised as allegations of sexual assault. The second most common type of incident (11%) was that of indecent exposure and nudity. 16% of all notifications made allegations against employed staff or visiting workers and 5% of reported instances were detailing cases of consensual sex.

The report also highlights examples of care providers developing ways of working to initiate an open conversation where people are supported to express sexuality. This support was found to not only help people express their sexual needs, but potentially prevent incidents before they happen or ensure they are reported when they do.

Following engagement with people who use adult social care – including those who have been involved in sexual safety incidents – CQC has outlined recommendations to improve the sexual safety of people using adult social care and empower them to have fulfilling relationships.

These recommendations include: • Providers and leaders across adult social care should develop a culture that encourages people and staff to talk about sexuality and raise concerns around safety. Staff should be empowered to have the confidence to discuss issues around people’s relationships and their sexuality, which will also keep them safe from sexual harm • Co-produced guidance for care managers and staff that focuses on how to protect people using adult social care from sexual abuse and how to support them to develop and maintain relationships and express their sexuality should be developed.

• CQC should continue to improve the system of provider notifications and how they deal with reported incidents ensuring staff are enabled to deal with these difficult and sensitive issues in a timely way. Through regulation Inspectors should consider how open cultures are to discuss sex and sexuality and ensure that care plans give appropriate consideration to people’s needs around sexuality and relationships.

Kate Terroni, Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care at the Care Quality Commission, said: “Supporting people as individuals means considering all aspects of a person’s needs, including sexuality and relationships.

“We know that an open culture, where staff feel they can share concerns without fear of reprisal, where people and families are empowered to speak about their wants and needs in a sensitive way, and where managers and providers proactively enable conversations about sexuality to take place are the conditions that lead to people being empowered to stay safe and supported.

“However, our report also shows all too starkly the other side of this – the times when people are harmed in the very place they should be

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kept safe. This is utterly devastating, both for the people directly affected and their loved ones. While we are aware that sexual incidents in services are not common, we know from speaking to those affected that the impact and consequences can be life-changing. Their message to us is that more needs to be done to prevent sexual abuse happening.

“It is not good enough to put this issue in a ‘too difficult to discuss’ box. It is particularly because these topics are sensitive and complex that they should not be ignored. We are clear that abuse in any form can never be accepted and we must act on the findings of this report to help providers and care staff protect people from sexual harm, while enabling people to continue or develop intimate relationships. We are confident that with the right commitments across the sector we can achieve both.”

This report, which aims to initiate an open conversation across adult social care and the wider system, follows on from our Relationship and Sexuality in Social Care guidance – published in 2019. This guidance, developed alongside providers and key stakeholders helps care services and staff recognise and offer support to the sexual and relationship needs of those they work with, as well as to enable conversations that can help develop trust and improve care planning in this area.

Veronica Gray, Deputy CEO of Action on Elder Abuse, said: “We at Action on Elder Abuse very much welcome the CQC even looking at the issue of sexual safety, and we wholeheartedly support their call to initiate an open culture in adult social services around sex and sexuality. It is critical that this issue – so often hidden from view – is brought out into the open.

“However, while we endorse the CQC’s message of supporting people in expressing their sexuality whilst in care, more needs to be done to protect those most vulnerable to sexual abuse. The first priority of adult social services must be the safety and wellbeing of those in their care.”

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 1 | PAGE 15

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 1 | PAGE 21

Care Home Residents Are Being Treated Like “Collateral Damage”

A social care leader has warned that more elderly and vulnerable care home residents will die because they are being treated like “collateral damage” in the war against the corona virus.

Mario Kreft MBE, the chair of Care Forum Wales which represents nearly 500 independent social care providers, is calling for “vision and leadership” from the Westminster and Cardiff Bay governments because more could and should be done to shield the residents and the staff.

According to Mr Kreft, the authorities were “throwing the kitchen sink” at the NHS but the vital role of the social care sector in propping up the healthcare system was being largely forgotten and its vital importance misunderstood.

The value of care homes and nursing homes was underlined by the fact that they had 20,000 beds – 8,000 more than the total in Welsh hospitals.

Meanwhile across the UK there were 500,000 beds and including more nursing beds than were available in hospitals.

Among the acute problems was a shortage of nurses who were being “swallowed up” by the NHS, the sporadic availability of personal protective equipment and the absence of swabs to screen residents and staff for the virus.

Even before the pandemic took hold the sector was, he said, already chronically underfunded and struggling to cope.

Now, the financial burden was now intolerable because the fees were inadequate and badly structured.

As an example, care homes received a Funded Nursing Care allowance for 30-40 minutes of nursing care per resident every 24 hours.

That was insufficient at the best of time but in the current emergency where victims of the virus needed round-the-clock nursing care it was a disaster waiting to happen.

Mr Kreft said: “Care homes feel they have been abandoned because not enough has been done to shield the most vulnerable people in society, including older people and younger people with disabilities.

“Our brave and dedicated colleagues in the NHS are doing a fantastic job and I don’t think anybody is deliberately failing the social care sector but the

upshot is that care homes, the people who live in them and the wonderful staff who provide the care are effectively being treated as collateral damage.

“I think it’s an unintended consequence of prioritising NHS at all costs and forgetting the urgent needs of care homes during this unprecedented emergency.

“There has never been a proper understanding of how the sector works and its connectivity with the NHS, bearing in mind that the majority of residents are publicly funded while domiciliary care companies enable people to stay in their own homes.

“We had a recruitment crisis before the coronavirus crisis began so we were not in a good place to begin with.

“On top of that many care homes use bank nurses but now they’re mainly unavailable because they’re being drawn into hospitals.

“There has been a distinct and unnerving lack of leadership in London and Cardiff about giving social care, predominantly in the independent sector, the support and resources we need.

“Care homes are mainly small and medium sized companies who provide an invaluable service in communities across Wales and they cannot be expected to shoulder the increased financial costs alone.

“But we’re not just talking about Wales here because the same problems are being experienced across the UK. “Care Forum Wales is a founder and leading member of the Five Nations Group, which represents the social care sector in Wales, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Eire and sadly a worryingly similar picture is emerging elsewhere too.

“In total we are talking about 500,000 residents, who are among the most vulnerable in our society, being at risk on the corona virus frontline because we are unable to protect them properly.

“There is still time to do more and come up with a joined up strategy at national, regional and local level to ensure that the support and resources we need to combat this virus are put in place.

“It’s just not happening at the moment. I’m not criticising the lack of effort because everybody is working hard but it is legitimate to ask whether social care is uppermost in the minds of the people at the top.

“More has to be done to shield people and vulnerable people in care settings but particularly in care homes in the same way in that we are isolating and supporting people in their own homes. We’ve also got to do more those who are actually going to shield the people in care homes.

“Care homes are also desperate for volunteers to come and help because the sector is already losing staff because a number of them will also be affected by the virus.

“It will take leadership and a real understanding of the sector. In a civilised society, we can’t allow care homes to become collateral damage otherwise more people are going to die than would otherwise be the case.

“We have waited too long, lost too much time and we need to have an urgent call to action.

“This crisis will challenge us all and we must work as one in the deepest of partnerships to ensure that as many people as possible are saved."

Care Workers’ Charity Sets Up Emergency Fund

The Care Workers’ Charity has set up an emergency fund for care workers who are having to isolate during the coronavirus outbreak.

The Fund aims to support those working on the front lines of care, who are either in an at-risk group, or are showing symptoms of the virus and are unable to work.

The Care Workers’ Charity is calling for donations to the emergency fund, with the aim of raising £1m as soon as possible. Grants will be available for care workers and the Charity is hoping to have funds within the accounts of workers within one or two days of applications.

Care workers, support workers and personal assistants are vital in these trying times, and without them the country will struggle to keep up with the huge demands being placed on both social care and the NHS. Karolina Gerlich, Executive Director at The Care Workers’ Charity said, ‘COVID-19 is one of the biggest crises our generation will see in its lifetime.

‘Care workers are at the frontline of this, caring for the most vulnerable people in our society who are most susceptible to the virus. If a care worker needs to self-isolate they will fall into desperate need. For this reason, we need more funds for extra emergency grants.’

Donations can be made via the Care Workers’ Charity’s Just Giving page, and grants will be available to apply for from 30th March 2020 via the charity’s website. www.thecareworkerscharity.org.uk

PAGE 18 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 1

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 1 | PAGE 23

A Longer and Healthier Life Is A Goal to Be Pursued The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock addressed the All-Party Parliamentary Group to present its longer, healthier lives strategy. A positive approach to a subject that is often seen as a problem, instead of something to celebrate. Matt Hancock: “Longer life is not a problem to be tackled but a goal to be pursued. And not just for government, or even the NHS, but for each and every one of us.” A goal imminently linked to technology.

Growing older every year is an accomplishment we should be very proud of. Not only because it’s the outcome of a continuously improving care system, but also because it shows that we’re all taking our health seriously. It’s no longer a side dish: it’s the main dish.

Matt Hancock tapped into the momentum and presented the longer, healthier lives strategy: “There’s a huge prize ahead if we get this right: 5 more years of healthy life. More enjoyment out of life. More time for the things that matter most in life.” It’s an ambitious goal, but definitely one worth fighting for and, with the right knowledge, people and attention, a goal that can be achieved.

There are three things that are key to making this goal a reality: people and place, lifestyle and technology. Technology is an ongoing and upcoming important conversa-

tion that Adaptive IT Solutions is humbled and proud to be a part of. One of our most special clients WCS Care and our CLB Acoustic Monitoring were referenced in Matt Hancocks’ speech: “Adult social care is increasingly a site of healthtech innovation.

Internet-linked devices can help people live at home for longer and stay connected to family and friends. They can also help providers deliver smarter, more responsive care. For example, there’s a provider up in Warwickshire – WCS Care – doing great things with acoustic monitoring.”

Our CLB Acoustic Monitoring lets the care staff hear crying, moving around and breathing difficulty, just to name a few. When a sound like that is detected, it sends an alert to the night managers’ monitoring station. An important solution with big impact: it means care staff doesn’t have to knock on the residents’ doors regularly to check and see if they’re alright, ensuring the residents can have a good night sleep. This alone reduced the amount of night-time falls at WCS Care with 34%. It also provided WCS Care with another interesting insight, Matt Hancock: “…when they analyzed the data, they found that lots of people were staying awake late into the night. This led the care home to set up a ‘wide awake club’ to support night owls and get them back into a healthier rhythm.”

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Young and Old Share Love for Reading on World Book Day Proving that age is no object when it comes to a love for books, children from Paper Moon Day Nursery, Compton Acres, Nottingham joined the residents at Ruddington Manor in Wilford, near Nottingham, for an inter-generational afternoon of fun and storytelling.

The event coincided with World Book Day, which takes place annually on 5 March, and saw a group of six pre-school children aged three and four from the day nursery visit the care centre to share stories with the residents and enjoy an Alice in Wonderland-style afternoon tea party with mini sandwiches and cakes.

The afternoon was great fun for all; with residents from Ruddington Manor enthralling the children with readings from their favourite books and the children surprising and delighting the residents by dressing up as characters from their favourite stories and performing songs and dance routines.

Wellbeing coordinator at Ruddington Manor, Amy Simpson, commented: “You are never too old or too young to appreciate a well told story, and our residents continue to be avid readers, sharing and swapping books with each other on a regular basis. This special activity for World Book Day gave them the opportunity to delve back into some classic children’s favourites and take delight in reading to the youngsters who really loved their storytelling session.”

Nursery manager Kerry Sheppard commented: “We join the residents at Ruddington Manor on a regular basis and to be able to celebrate World Book Day was a great opportunity that we just couldn’t miss. Our pre-schoolers love books, listening to and telling stories is a daily occurrence at nursery. The children carefully chose their favourite books with staff to share with the residents who really enjoyed immersing themselves along with the children into the imaginative world created by the books. Seeing the children and residents together sharing their love of books was just magical. Sharing and reading of stories is such a beneficial inter-generational activity, imagination and a creative mind is all that’s needed. We know that visiting the residents in our community is having a positive impact on our children and gives us the opportunity to discuss respect and understanding for older people in our society”

PAGE 24 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 1

Glenda Jackson Pledges Support for Fix Dementia Care Oscar-winning actress, Glenda Jackson CBE, is supporting the Alzheimer’s Society Fix Dementia Care campaign. The campaign aims to address the issues in the social care system faced by people with dementia every day.

Glenda starred in the BBC Programme Elizabeth Is Missing just before Christmas, brilliantly portraying a woman with dementia searching for her missing friend. She is excited to lend her support to the campaign to ensure that social care gets the immediate investment it so urgently needs.

Poor social care is the biggest issue facing people affected by dementia today. It has a detrimental effect on their quality of life and social care reform would mean monumental change for years to come.

With a new Government in place, and with Glenda’s support, we are working to make sure all opportunities are used to ensure the social care system is made fit and fair for people affected by dementia.

Glenda said: ‘I am supporting Alzheimer’s Society’s Fix Dementia Care campaign, as I

believe it truly addresses and offers solutions to the issues in the social care system for people affected by dementia.

‘The newly elected Government are busy working on their plans for the next 5 years. So it is more important than ever to make sure they know how many of their constituents care about social care reform.’

Alzheimer’s Society is calling for an immediate investment of £8bn to stabilise the social care system, with £2.65bn spent directly on people affected by dementia. Unite with us and write to your MP ahead of the Budget on 11 March, asking them to contact the Treasury to outline the need for urgent investment in the social care system.

This first budget since the election will be key in showing what this Government are prioritising over the next parliament. Please help us to make sure that they give social care the attention and funding it so desperately needs in order to support the thousands of people affected by dementia who rely on it most.

A Dog Show of Affection Charms Nursing Home Residents Inspired by Crufts but on a smaller scale, a Bridgnorth nursing home hosted a spectacular dog show where several pooches won the hearts of residents.

Morris Care’s Oldbury Grange nursing home welcomed five dogs of different breeds and sizes, brought along by staff and friends of the home to compete in fun categories. There were prizes for the best in show, the waggiest tail, the cutest pooch, and for the dog with a unique personality as residents judged the furry friends.

Social Life Co-Ordinator Mandy Bullock said: “The dog show was a big hit with our residents who absolutely loved seeing the dogs strut their stuff around the home. We believe in holding a variety of engaging activities to bring people together to socialise and help them reminisce and promote wellbeing.

“Our animal visits always prove great therapy and are appreciated by residents and staff. We think this dog show could become an annual event.”

Home Manager Lisa Bradley entered into the fun by ‘showing’ Stella, her cockerpoo who won the ‘dog that looks like its owner’ category.

Joyful Return for Nurse Lydia A much-loved registered nurse who worked with a Shropshire care home provider for 19 years before retiring a few months ago, has returned to help her ex-colleagues in this time of need.

Sue Austin Chief Operating Officer at Morris Care which operates six nursing homes in Shropshire and Cheshire, was overjoyed to welcome Lydia Tyanase back to the fold as she started work at Radbrook Nursing Home in Shrewsbury this morning: “It’s a joy to see Lydia back here today. Lydia’s nursing experience, clinical expertise and empathetic nature all make her a fantastic nurse. She assisted with the guidance and training of some of our most proficient nurses and she is admired by

so many. I know everyone will join me in welcoming her back with open arms, especially some of our residents who built such lovely relationships with her.”

Lydia retired last year after nearly two decades of nursing with Morris Care. She started as a registered nurse and progressed to Team Leader, Deputy Nurse Manager, Home Manager and then finally Clinical Services Manager. Lydia led the company’s Oversees Nursing Programme and its Nursing Assistant programme.

She commented: “It just felt right to return to Morris Care at this concerning time. I owe so much to the business; I wouldn’t be who I am today without them and so I’m really glad to be back on the

floor, caring for residents and part of the workforce.”

The care home company has had visiting restrictions in place for some time now to protect its residents’ safety and wellbeing as much as possible.

Spirits remain high in its homes as the staff pull together to keep residents from feeling lonely.

FaceTime and Skype calls are regularly scheduled with family members.

Morris Care is calling on all kind and compassionate individuals to join them on the care frontline. For those who may be out of employment or for those who really want to help where it’s needed most, there are permanent and temporary opportunities in various roles – including Care Assistants, Kitchen Assistants and Stewards. No experience is needed, just a kind heart with a passion for caring for residents. Visit www.morriscare.co.uk/careers to see all of the current vacancies.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 1 | PAGE 25

Chancellor Gives 80% Average Profit Support to Self-Employed

Millions of self-employed individuals will receive direct cash grants though a ground-breaking UKwide scheme to help them during the coronavirus outbreak, the Chancellor announced today.

In the latest step to protect individuals and busi-

nesses, Rishi Sunak has set out plans that will see the self-employed receive up to £2,500 per month in grants for at least 3 months.

Millions of people across the UK could benefit from the new Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, with those eligible receiving a cash grant worth 80% of their average monthly trading profit over the last three years. This covers 95% of people who receive the majority of their income from selfemployment.

This brings parity with the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, announced by the Chancellor last week, where the Government committed to pay up to £2,500 each month in wages of employed workers who are furloughed during the outbreak.

Cleaners, plumbers, electricians, musicians, hairdressers and many other self-employed people who are eligible for the new scheme will be able to apply directly to HMRC for the taxable grant, using

a simple online form, with the cash being paid directly into people’s bank account.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: Self-employed people are a crucial part of the UK’s workforce who’ve understandably been looking for reassurance and support during this national emergency.

The package for the self-employed I’ve outlined today is one of the most generous in the world that has been announced so far. It targets support to those who need help most, offering the selfemployed the same level of support as those in work.

Together with support packages for businesses and for workers, I am confident we now have the measures in place to ensure we can get through this emergency together.

The scheme will be open to those with a trading profit of less than £50,000 in 2018-19 or an average

trading profit of less than £50,000 from 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19.

To qualify, more than half of their income in these periods must come from self-employment.

To minimise fraud, only those who are already in self-employment and meet the above conditions will be eligible to apply. HMRC will identify eligible taxpayers and contact them directly with guidance on how to apply.

The income support scheme, which is being designed by HMRC from scratch, will cover the three months to May. Grants will be paid in a single lump sum instalment covering all 3 months, and will start to be paid at the beginning of June.

Those who pay themselves a salary and dividends through their own company are not covered by the scheme but will be covered for their salary by the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme if they are operating PAYE schemes.

Access Group Launches Platforms to Track the Spread Of Covid-19 In Care Sector The UK’s leading supplier of technology in the care sector has launched a new online hub to help care providers to identify and monitor people showing symptoms of COVID-19 and reduce spread should a person delivering or receiving care become infected.

The Access Group, which works with more than 8,000 registered care providers has also introduced a number of new features to its existing software packages, as well as the free online advice hub, to help the sector to combat COVID-19.

The Access Care Planning platform can be used to create new, specialist COVID-19 observation forms and also add related checks and observations for all care workers to complete in their home care visits.

The data from these observations, captured via the Access Care Planning mobile app by carers, instantly feeds into existing data enabling managers to report on both individuals and all clients collectively, to help identify those showing signs of infection and also trace who that person has recently been in contact with.

By identifying who the original point of contact has also been in contact with, care providers can take any actions stipulated by NHS and Public Health England guidelines including asking people to self-isolate.

Similar functionality has also been rapidly added to Access Care and Clinical, Medication Management and Access People Planner, to help providers do all they can to control COVID-19 in all of their care services.

Among the other changes to functionality introduced to combat

COVID-19, The Access Group has also introduced: • A free support pack available to all care providers offering practical advice over the course of the crisis.

• Automated hand washing checklists to ensure care workers wash their hands properly at the start and end of every visit.

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• Free of charge set up for ‘next of kin’ access to Access Care Planning which gives families real-time updates via a smartphone app while loved ones are self-isolating or social distancing. The app will show when a visit has taken place, as well as any notes, and enables family members to raise a concern to a care worker.

• 4-months free subscription to Access EarlyPay for new customers, enabling care workers to instantly withdraw their earned income (up to a percentage of total available earned income, set by their employer).

Steve Sawyer, managing director of Access Health & Social Care, explained: “We know the importance of the care sector in reducing the impact of COVID-19 and supporting the most vulnerable in our society. As well as providing general advice on what care providers can do to reduce infection and spread of the virus, we are working with our customers to make small changes to our software to help identify and monitor people showing symptoms and reduce spread should a person delivering or receiving care become infected.

“We have published, and will continually publish, short video guides explaining how our customers can use existing functionality in Access software, allowing them to take full advantage of the additional protection and information that technology can provide.

“We are aware of how challenging a time this is for everyone working in the care sector, as well as the family and friends of care workers and those receiving care, but we hope that these changes and support will be helpful during these challenging times.”

PAGE 26 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 1

NCF Calls for More Support for Social Care The National Care Forum is calling for more support for social care providers during the coronavirus outbreak, highlighting the sector’s crucial role in ensuring people’s health.

Stringent new measures are now in place to manage the spread of the coronavirus. In the first of a series of daily briefings on the government’s response to managing the COVID-19 outbreak in the UK, the prime minister, Boris Johnson, requested that ‘non-essential’ travel and contact with others be restricted. Pregnant women, people over the age of 70 and those with certain health conditions have been asked to socially isolate to reduce the risk of transmission, while anyone who lives with someone with symptoms has been asked to isolate for 14 days.

The public were urged to comply with the restrictions as they were “doing it to protect the NHS from being overwhelmed” said Professor Chris Whitty, the UK government’s Chief Medical Adviser.

With the worst case scenario modelling suggesting that the coronavirus epidemic in the UK will last until next spring and potentially up to 8 million people needing some sort of treatment, these drastic measures make it even more important that the government supports the care sector to play its part in the efforts to manage the outbreak.

Poll Reveals Public “Unconvinced” Over Social Care Promises

Voters are unconvinced the government will fulfil its promise to produce and implement a social care policy.

A survey of over 45s by financial services experts Just Group has revealed less than a quarter (24%) are confident Prime Minister Boris Johnson will produce a policy during the current parliamentary term, while only 20% believe he will be able to implement it.

In January, The PM said the government would publish its plan before the end of the year and implement it before the end of the parliament within five years.

Stephen Lowe, group communications director at Just Group, said: ‘Years of political stagnation and broken promises on social care have clearly eroded the public’s trust in parliament’s ability to come up with a workable solution.

‘Despite voting him into 10 Downing Street, a minority of Conservative voters from the previous election believe the prime minister will be able to keep his promise to sort out social care within this parliamentary term.

‘This may reflect the views of newly-won voters who do not fully believe in the Conservative Party and its leader and it creates a feeling of déjà vu. Each occupant steps into Downing Street promising the Earth on social care but delivers nothing bar a succession of consultations and some can-kicking.’

Social care has long been a key part of the overall health and care system. Yet in Monday’s briefing, there was little mention of the important and vital role social care will play in supporting the NHS in the fight against COVID-19.

As the country adapts to these draconian measures, the social care sector will increasingly be expected to provide essential care and support to many of the vulnerable people who are predicted to be most affected by the virus. It is essential that the Government does all it can to make sure that social care is equipped and supported to work alongside the NHS in this fast moving, difficult situation.

Vic Rayner, Executive Director at the National Care Forum, which represents care and support providers in the not-for-profit sector, says, “The social care sector is broad and offers a diverse mix of services, including mental health, learning disabilities, older people services in a variety of settings – care at home, residential care, supported living and many more. Our members support both older people and working age people who need assistance with day-to-day living, even during the peak period of the pandemic.”

“Care providers are doing all they can to manage this pandemic, but often have very little to work with. Providers are taking their responsibil-

ities very seriously to make sure their staff and the people they support are safe and protected. However, the government must do more to support the sector.”

“The government must provide immediate access to personal protective equipment (PPE) for the social care workforce across the country. Care providers need access to PPE for their workforce to enable them to protect the most vulnerable from the risk of transmission.”

“In addition, we are asking the government to prioritise testing for social care workers and service users to contain and manage the virus.”

“We also ask that the government set out a clear plan for the management of hospital discharges into the community, where many people from hospital will require ongoing care and support either in the community in their own homes, or in residential care settings. It is essential that a clear pathway be determined so that the health and care system is joined up, and the care sector is given the priority help it needs to support the most vulnerable.”

Years of austerity and under-funding in the social sector have had its toll. For the health response to be effective, equal attention must be given to social care, so that the sector is not overwhelmed.

Plymouth Care Staff Preparing to Hunker Down at Work Staff at a care facility for young adults in Plymouth are preparing for the possibility they may have to “move in” to the service, in order to guarantee support for residents.

Care workers at Bull Point, which is a specialist provider of residential services for people with an autistic spectrum disorder, are preparing for potential lockdown or period of quarantine, by taking suitcases to work.

Caroline Heath, deputy manager of Bull Point, said: “The support we have received from staff is completely overwhelming and everyone has stepped up to the plate without a second thought. Everyone is so dedicated to their job and I’d like to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart.”

Bull Point has also been overwhelmed by the support it has received from local businesses following the outbreak of COVID-19.

Local businesses have also been lending a hand, including The Nearly Naked Veg Company which dropped off a huge delivery of potatoes, other fresh veg and even some dairy products to the facility.

Caroline Heath, continued: “At times like these, we have to pull together as a community. Simple things like the deliveries from The Nearly Naked Veg Company mean so much to us because it means that we have more

time to spend looking after our service users instead of having to rush to the shops! Their kindness won’t be forgotten!”

The Nearly Naked Veg Company has also offered its services to other facilities in the Salutem group, which operates Bull Point, to ensure staff can dedicate their time to caring for the service uses instead of queuing at local supermarkets for hours on end.

Caroline Heath has also been helping to ‘feed the 5000’ and has ensure that several of the Salutem facilities, not just her own, have enough food and supplies after supermarket panic buyers left some of the services struggling for fresh produce.

Caroline’s manager, Sharon Field, manager of Bull Point, said: “My Deputy Caroline took on the role of feeding the 5000, getting lists from other services and ordering food, even going out shopping for other services that cannot easily go to several shops.

“She ordered fruit, veg and meat from local farmers and butchers who she even managed to get them to deliver to outside their area to other services!

“She also managed to source some essential items that were out of stock everywhere for services that were really affected, everyone has been very grateful.”

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PAGE 28 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 1

Prime Minister Urged to Appoint A Minister for Older People Four charities have called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to appoint a Minister for Older People to end the “scandalous abuse and neglect” of hundreds of thousands of OAPs. Founder and president of The Silver Line Dame, Esther Rantzen, Age UK, Action on Elder Abuse and Independent Age said a Cabinet appointment was urgently required to represent Britain’s pensioners, according to a report in the newspaper the Express.

The charities said a dedicated ministry to address the numerous issues facing the elderly population would be a start.

In the summer of 2019 the Prime Minister created a new Office for Veterans’ Affairs overseen by two ministers to ensure government delivers lifelong support to those who had served the country.

Dr John Beer, chairman of Action on Elder Abuse, said: “We’ve seen little legislative change. A Minister for Older People would have oversight of all of these issues, and would hold the Government to account.

The time to act is now.”

A recent report revealed 2,000 calls for care from pensioners are denied by local councils every day.

Around 700,000 requests for formal care and support made by older people in the past year were not dealt with, however, it is believed that up to twice as many in England are not getting the help they need.

Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director of Age UK said: “Older people’s lives are affected by decisions made in almost every Government Department, but there is no one Minister or group of civil servants dedicated to ensuring their needs are understood and Government policy is framed with them in mind.

“From bank branch closures to the parlous state of social care, there’s plenty of evidence of Government being tone deaf to the reality of older people’s lives.

“It’s high time this changed and the Government took action to ensure older people’s needs and interests are better represented and understood within how Whitehall works.”

Veterans Appeal for Pupils to Send In Letters, Cards and Drawings

Residents at Royal Star & Garter in Solihull and Surbiton are asking children to send in letters now that schools have closed because of the coronavirus outbreak.

The Letters with Love appeal also includes requests for cards and drawings from young people, with veterans saying it “brightens up our days”.

It comes after Royal Star & Garter began limiting visitors to its three Homes, pausing visits from outside entertainers and family members as part of its infection management protocol.

The charity provides loving, compassionate care to veterans and their partners living with disability or dementia.

Letters with Love also coincides with National Intergenerational Week, running from 23-29 March, which is celebrating those moments and places

where different age groups come together for shared benefit. Royal Star & Garter will also be sharing letters and artwork on social media, using the hashtag #LetterswithLove Residents say they love receiving handwritten letters, cards and drawings. One said: “It means so much when we receive letters from children. And some of the drawings they send are so good. It’s lovely to know what they’re getting up to and that they’re thinking of us oldies! They really brighten up our days.”

One suggestion is for pupils to send in drawings of rainbows. This follows a national campaign which has seen creative and elaborate drawings of rainbows placed in windows up and down the country, to help spread hope amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

Dedicated staff members from Royal Star & Garter’s Homes are continuing to provide exceptional person-centred care despite the challenges faced with the coronavirus outbreak. This includes the continuation of entertainment activities within the Homes and keeping residents in contact with family via FaceTime and Skype.

Royal Star & Garter in High Wycombe has been receiving letters, cards and drawings from High Wycombe CofE School and Castlefield School.

Letters, cards and drawings can be uploaded directly to www.starandgarter.org/letterswithlove They can also be emailed to solihull.enquiries@starandgarter.org or surbiton.enquiries@starandgarter.org

PAGE 8 | THE CARER | SPRING 2019

PAGE 30 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 1

Communities Rally Round to Support Care Home Residents Kind-hearted communities served by Colten Care’s 21 homes in the south have been doing their bit to cheer up residents separated from loved ones because of coronavirus.

As movement restrictions from the government have tightened, the family-owned provider has moved from advising relatives to ‘think twice’ about coming in to halting non-essential visits altogether.

Friends, families and community contacts have immediately responded by sending in letters, postcards, emails, photos and drawings.

Team members at Colten’s Chichester home, Wellington Grange, say they have been inundated with goodwill wishes after a Facebook message by Healthcare Assistant Natalie Agate received more than 2,200 shares, 200 likes and around 150 comments.

Natalie wrote: “As our home is closed to the public, we have many vulnerable residents who are missing their families dearly.

“Please could I ask for children, whatever age, to reach out and send letters or pictures to them?

“This one act of kindness will bring such joy and support to us and our residents.”

The post prompted Chichester Festival Theatre to offer to send Wellington Grange pre-recorded video clips of its youth theatre performances to be screened in the residents’ lounge.

And Chichester’s Bishop Luffa School pledged to invite pupils to

write and send in 100 letters to the home.

Natalie’s colleague Emily Hudson, Senior Companionship Team

RMBI Care Co.’s Oldest Resident Celebrates 108th Birthday Pat Corbin, a resident at RMBI Home Zetland Court in Bournemouth, has celebrated her 108th birthday.

Pat’s milestone age makes her the oldest resident across RMBI Care Co.’s 18 care homes in England and Wales.

To mark her special day Pat enjoyed a wonderful high tea at the Home, where she has lived for two years, with her family and friends.

She was delighted to receive a birthday card from HM The Queen.

Pat was born in Jersey in the Channel Islands, on 17th March 1911 three years before the first World War had even begun and two days before the first ever International Women’s Day. King George V was on the throne, Herbert Asquith was Prime Minister and RMS Titanic was waiting to be launched.

She was christened Elsie, but

as she was born on St Patrick’s Day her father decided to call her Pat. Pat married her late husband John in the 1940s and together they travelled to South Africa and Canada among other places. Sadly, John passed away in 1970.

Pat’s family puts her longevity down to “good genes”, with many of her relatives living into their nineties. She has kept to a healthy lifestyle and has never smoked. But she has enjoyed the occasional glass of her favourite tipple, Guinness.

And the secret to her long life?

Pat says simply: “It’s just one of those things”.

Debra Curtis, Activities Co-ordinator at RMBI Home Zetland Court, said: “Pat is a truly inspiring woman and we felt really privileged to celebrate her 108th birthday at our Home. It was a really lovely celebration which was thoroughly enjoyed by Pat and her family.”

Leader, said: “The residents have been overwhelmed with the amount of kindness and love they have received.

“This is a lovely example of a local community coming together and supporting those more vulnerable and isolated during this time. It has all come from just one Facebook post which is incredible.”

At Colten Care’s Winchester home, Abbotts Barton, residents were overjoyed to receive a letter of encouragement from a 12-year-old boy.

He wrote: “I was sad to find out that I couldn’t visit due to Covid-19. I hope that each and every one of you remains well for the remainder of this crisis.

“I believe that all of you will remain well because I am sure that your carers will try their best to keep you safe.”

Deliveries of ‘good luck’ postcards and ‘positive posters’ to other Colten homes are also being organised by individuals and community groups.

At Abbey View in Sherborne, residents were already being cheered by a display of messages sent in from people around the world under the Postcards of Kindness initiative.

Home Manager Sarah Harper said: “Our residents love receiving good wishes and lovely messages, and many have been writing back to their pen pals and building up their friendships.”

Borough Care Supports Nutrition & Hydration Week Borough Care, the largest notfor-profit provider of care for older people in Stockport, marked Nutrition & Hydration Week (16-22 March 2020) with a programme of special food and drink related activities. Nutrition & Hydration Week is designed to highlight and educate people about the value of food and drink in maintaining health and wellbeing in health and social care settings.

Mark Dale, Catering & Hospitality Manager at Borough Care, says: “Borough Care supported Nutrition & Hydration Week to highlight this important issue and raise awareness of good nutrition and hydration. As people age, their nutritional needs change and so do their appetites but other aspects of diet, such as vitamin and mineral levels, are still vitally important to retain muscle mass, bone health and general wellbeing.

At Borough Care, we work hard with our catering partner, apetito, to ensure the food we provide is both nutritious and delicious. We have also installed hydration stations in each of our homes so residents d on’t need to ask someone for a drink but can help themselves whenever they like.”

Despite the current challenges of maintaining resident safety, and following all available advice around coronavirus (Covid 19), Borough Care is committed to ensuring the lives of its residents remain active and colourful. As part of this commitment, every day during Nutrition & Hydration Week, Borough Care’s catering teams at each of the company’s eleven homes put on tasty treats for residents, based around a different theme. Events included The Big Brunch, Mocktail Making, a Global Tea Party, Thirsty Thursday and Fruity Friday.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 1 | PAGE 33

Adult Social Care Cross-Party Talks Begin Members of Parliament and Peers have been urged to come forward to help secure a cross-party consensus on adult social care in a letter from the Health and Social Care Secretary, Matt Hancock.

All MPs have been asked to share their views on how to secure a long term, sustainable solution to ensure the reforms will last long into the future.

The Prime Minister and Health and Social Care Secretary have been clear too many people are hit by unpredictably large costs that are hard to plan for and left with little wealth despite a lifetime of hard work and saving. They have committed to the principal that nobody should be forced to sell their home to pay for care, and everybody accessing care has safety and security.

The letter sets out a two-step timeline for social care reform talks.

The first phase has begun today, calling for the views of MPs, followed by structured talks on reform options in May. The talks welcome all views, proposed solutions, and concerns about reforming the way people pay for adult social care. Any solution also needs to consider the financial impact on taxpayers as a whole, and the competing demands on taxpayers’ money from other public services.

Responding to the letter Niall Dickson, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents organisations across the healthcare sector, said: “This is welcome news. For too long social care has been a political football in which no-one seems capable of scoring a goal. Instead, for years some of the most vulnerable people have been left to suffer in

silence, badly let down by the political class.

“Now we need open minds and imagination and a genuine commitment from all sides to agree a way forward. That means tackling both the immediate crisis of poorly resourced services and workforce shortages, as well as the fundamental question of how we secure a set of long-term funding arrangements that will remove fear and address risk.

“For the NHS this is now mission critical – the health service cannot and will not deliver without social care reform – 92 per cent of health leaders identified this as a key priority for the new government.

“Of course, talks are just the start and they must not be an excuse for further prevarication. We will be looking for funding commitments in next week’s Budget and action in the forthcoming spending review.”

80-Year-Old Resident Returns to the Alps to Ski Support the Adult Care SectorJean Bayley, an 80-year-old resident at local care home Sunrise of Westbourne, was able to go skiing with her family for a second year running, despite major hip surgery and a diagnosis of dementia.

Last year, as part of Sunrise of Westbourne’s Anticipation Club that encourages residents to try a new hobby or skill, residents were invited to write their wish on a piece of paper.

Jean wrote that it was her wish to ski once again despite severely impaired mobility from a hip fracture and the subsequent surgery. Incredibly, with the support of her family and the help of care staff at Sunrise of Westbourne, Jean did manage to go skiing with her family last year.

Jean has always loved to ski, she used to regularly visit the resort of Chatel in the French Alps with her family, where she played a huge role in helping her grandchildren to learn to ski. This year, ‘Handi Ski’ was hired alongside an experienced ski guide to ensure Jean was safe and happy on the ski slopes. Jeans family skied beside her, and with a paramedic, orthopaedic surgeon and trained carers in her family, Jean could confidently ski knowing she was in good hands.

Jean’s family have thanked the dedicated support of the care team at Sunrise of Westbourne for helping to maintain her mobility through specialist daily exercises. Jean does live with dementia, but it certainly hasn’t stopped her from pursuing her favourite hobby.

Neil Bayley, Jean’s Eldest son, said:

“Family and skiing are two of the most important things for Mum. Being able to take her skiing yet again, despite her having falls earlier in the year is true testament to the amazing care at Sunrise of Westbourne. They truly are outstanding; Mum is even planning next year!”

Jean initially moved to Sunrise of Westbourne two years ago, as she needed some extra help following her hip surgery and she only ever intended to stay until she was mobile enough to take the stairs again. However, once she managed this, Jean was enjoying daily activities, mini bus outings and the dining team so much she decided to stay living at Sunrise of Westbourne as the home offered her everything she wanted.

Wendy Blow, Senior Director of Community Relations at Sunrise of Westbourne, added: “Jean is so determined and positive, and with her family’s support and help from the care staff at Sunrise of Westbourne, it is incredible she has been able to continue doing something she loves so much.

“Last year, we were delighted to help Jean in making her wish come true, and to see her now skiing for a second time despite all she has faced is truly inspiring.

“We love to encourage all residents to find ways to continue living life in the way they find the most fulfilling. Jean just proves that everyone can follow their dreams no matter how out of reach they may seem.”

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Social Care Needs You Too

In response to COVID19 pandemic Care England, the largest representative body for independent providers of adult social care, has called upon the public to support the adult social care sector. Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, will be giving evidence to the Health and Social Care Select Committee on Tuesday regarding COVID19 and the care home sector; he will be focusing on PPE supplies, the need for testing and the response from NHS England.

Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief

Executive of Care England says: “Adult Social care is open for business and it needs your help. It is adult social care that has the beds needed to ensure that hospitals can deal with the critically ill therefore we need to ensure that there are adequate staff in both sectors”.

On Friday the Government commenced a very successful campaign to encourage retired doctors and nurses back into the NHS. The adult social care sector also needs the support of the nation if it is to continue to support some of society’s most vulnerable during these unprecedented times.

Martin Green continues: “There are many jobs and volunteering roles in the adult social care sector and we encourage those who are able, or whose circumstances have changed, to consider working or volunteering in care. Social care needs you”.

Unfortunately care homes have been hit hard and in the absence of a quick COVID19 test there have been rising staff absences. Combined with the usual extremely high level of vacancy rates there is the potential to create a perfect storm; if care homes cannot cope the NHS will have an increasing load.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 1 | PAGE 35

Councils Call for Long-Term Funding As Analysis Reveals £19bn Funding Gap Local authorities face a funding shortfall of £19.1bn over the next five years, which equates to an annual funding gap of £3.8bn, a new report has revealed.

The County Councils Network (CCN) report, with analysis from Pixel Financial Management, said the funding gap is based on the assumption that all councils will raise their council tax each year until 2025.

The CCN says that this huge funding gap persists despite the government providing councils with the ‘largest real-terms funding increase in a decade’ – and have called on the new Chancellor Rishi Sunak to commit to long-term funding of councils.

Of the £19bn funding shortfall – an analysis which assumes councils will raise council tax each year until 2025 – the 36 authorities represented by the CCN account for £7.7bn of this funding gap, 41% of its total.

The analysis is an update of an independent study

by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) for CCN; which revealed that councils faced a deficit of £46bn over the next five years. CCN’s revised forecasts, released today, show that even if all the funding announced for councils continued to 2025 this figure would reduce 35% to £30.4bn. If all councils raised their

council tax by 3.99% next year, and 1.99% for following four years, the deficit would be a further 24% lower at £19bn.

Faced with this funding gap, councils will be setting out further rounds of reductions and savings as part of their February budgets, and will have to do so over the next four years to fill the £19bn funding black hole they face. Councils will likely outline further cuts to important but non-statutory services, as well as raising charges and fees for other services.

With councils currently finalising their budgets for the next financial year, a CCN analysis of all 133 councils who have so far published their draft budgets out of 151 social care authorities, which will be ratified next month, shows: • All councils plan on raising council tax in April – 133 local authorities, with 18 still yet to declare their intentions. All but two of these are proposing to levy a full 2% social care precept, ringfenced for care services.

• Of these councils, 116 plans to raise council tax by the full amount permitted – 3.99%. For residents, their council tax bills will vary across the country. Taxpayers in county areas will face an average rise of £69 compared to £45 for residents in Inner London.

• The average Band D will rise to £1,853 in shire coun-

ties, some 40% higher than Inner London (£1,332). CCN say higher council tax levels in their areas are due to historically lower funding.

Local authorities pass their budgets in February and introduce the new rates from April, with council leaders admitting they have ‘do not have a choice’ due to funding challenges.

As a result, it will be necessary for the vast bulk of councils to raise their council tax for the foreseeable future, with the demand for services and the cost of providing those services far outstripping government grant funding and current income from local taxation.

Cllr David Williams, chairman of the County Councils Network, said: “Council leaders have worked hard to convince ministers of the need to provide councils with additional resources and they have responded with the largest increase in funding for over a decade. This funding is welcome and a lifeline for local services.

However, despite this, today’s new financial forecasts for the next five years make tough reading for councils and taxpayers alike.

“This is why the government must use the March Budget to signal that councils will receive a further

cash injection in the Spending Review.

“No council leader wants to raise their council tax, especially after residents have faced rises over the last few years, but today’s figures show that we simply do not have a choice. Unfortunately – this pattern is set to continue, but even yearly council tax rises for residents over the next five years still leaves councils with a huge £19bn shortfall, meaning local politicians will need to continue to make really tough decisions to meet rising demand for services.

“At the same time, county residents shoulder an unfair burden compared to those who live in the cities and the capital, paying rates at double what some inner London councils are able to charge, due to more generous funding for the capital. The government’s Fair Funding Review could help correct these funding imbalances and we are committed to working with ministers to ensure that the review is implemented next year.

“More investment in local government, and fairer funding for counties, will allow councils to not just preserve but improve frontline services, whilst investing in local and national priorities.”

Michelin Star Chef Treats Residents at HC-One Care Home to Fish and Chips Friday Michelin Star Chef, Josh Eggleton, visited HC-One’s Amerind Grove in Bristol off the back of the inspiring Channel 4 project ‘The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes’ which brought together volunteers living with various forms of dementia to run a restaurant.

Bristol local, Josh Eggleton, created the show to encourage awareness and change public opinion about dementia and was invited to visit Amerind Grove care home to enjoy a meal with HC-One Residents living with the condition.

Josh’s visit provided a great opportunity for Residents to meet the TV star chef and share their experiences living at Amerind Grove.

One of Josh’s local restaurants, Salt and Malt, specialises in traditional fish and chips and other fresh seafood, meaning that the scheduled lunch for the day of fish and chips was perfect for the Chef to share some culinary wisdom.

The visit was also an opportunity for Josh to learn about how HC-One provides high-quality, kind and individually tailored care for people with late-stage dementia. This includes learning about HC-One’s Harmony Memory Care programme which is designed to improve the wellbeing and quality of life of Residents living with dementia. Harmony embraces dementia-friendly design, meaningful activity,

clinical excellence, learning and leadership with the clear aim of improving the quality of life of Residents living with dementia.

Kathryn Marshalsea, Home Manager at Amerind Grove said: “Our Residents and Colleagues had a wonderful time meeting Josh Eggleton.

They really enjoyed speaking to Josh and hearing about his passion for improving awareness of dementia and changing perceptions about the condition.

“Josh also spent time with our Chefs, chatting about how we create an exciting and nutritionally balanced menu for our Residents and sharing with us some top tips that he has learnt during his career so far running his Michelin Star rated restaurants.”

Grant Pullen, HC-One’s Hospitality Specialist said: “It has been fantastic to have the support of Unilever to bring Josh into the home for what was a great day.

“Amerind Grove’s Head Chef, Nick Grant, taught Josh a lot about how we cater for to Residents who have complex needs, especially when it comes to the food they can eat, and it was a lovely experience for all.”

PAGE 36 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 1

Businesses to Get Tax Break When Employing Veterans Businesses are set to receive a tax break when employing military veterans in a bid to get more ex-service members into work.

The Chancellor, who unveiled his Budget earlier this month, announced that businesses will pay no National Insurance contributions for the first year of a veterans’ employment.

The strategy come as part of efforts to boost employment rate within the veteran community.

Rishi Sunak said on Twitter that the country owes military veterans “a tremendous debt” and that he will confirm the tax break in the Budget announcement later today.

“In my budget on Wednesday I’ll announce that employers will no longer pay National Insurance Contributions for ex-forces personnel for the first year of their work,” the Chancellor tweeted.

“They do a job we help them get a job.”

The move – part of an ongoing government drive to better vets’ plight – will save employers £2,000 in the tax for a worker hired on a

£25,000 salary.

Around 15,000 sailors, soldiers and airmen leave the services every year. The tax break will begin April next year.

Neil Pattison, Director at the UK’s biggest hospitality jobs board, Caterer.com, said: “The hospitality sector welcomes the news that the Government will exempt businesses from paying National Insurance Contributions if they hire forces veterans. Hospitality is already very active in helping veterans back into work and with an anticipated 1.2 million hospitality vacancies by 2024, there is plenty of scope for restaurants, pubs and hotels across the country to help veterans re-enter civilian life while also tackling the labour shortage. The potential positive impact these individuals can have on hospitality businesses is significant. Our latest research shows that 1 in 2 customers would be more likely to visit a restaurant if it hired veterans.

“Our sector has proved that, with the right programmes in place and

support from charities like Only A Pavement Away, businesses have a lot to gain from employing veterans. We hope that the Chancellor’s announcement will encourage more employers to follow suit.“ National Chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), Mike Cherry OBE, said he welcomes the move.

“FSB has asked for this as a way to stimulate the employment of veterans in small firms,” he said.

“For veterans seeking employment, small businesses can often be better than bigger ones at spotting and nurturing talent, rather than discard a service leaver’s job application because some of their skills and qualifications aren’t necessarily from a traditional academic route.

“Helping to ease the costs will let small businesses benefit from the unique attributes that veterans can bring to enterprise, whilst giving the opportunity to those who have served to contribute to and thrive within the civilian economy.”

Winners Announced For This Year’s Lincolnshire Care Awards

The winners have been announced for the Lincolnshire Care Awards 2019. Hosted by the Lincolnshire Care Association (LinCA), the annual award ceremony is the chance to honour the county’s best in care and celebrate the contribution of this vital, but often-overlooked, workforce.

The awards were established in 2016 to highlight the hard work and dedication of care workers and managers in Lincolnshire, particularly those who always go above and beyond the call of duty. Finalists were nominated by their service users and their families or by a colleague, with this year’s awards receiving a record number of nominations – more than 100 across 12 categories! Both winners and those who came highly commended received an engraved award and certificate.

This year’s winners are: • Residential Care Award: Laura Armstrong, Fotherby House • Community Care Award: Elizabeth Felton, Walnut Care • Nursing and Nursing Associate in Social Care Award: Angela Cowley,

Drovers Call and Lynn Brown, Westfield Nursing Home • Healthy Nutrition Award: Lisa Herbert and Katie Greenslade, Red House Nursing Home • Residential Care Leadership Award: Wendy Britton, Nene Lodge Retirement Home • Community Care Leadership Award: Damian Taylor, EarlyBird Lifestyle and Support Ltd • Care Trainer Award: Sam Stockwell, Boultham Park House • Care Activity Organiser Award: Charli Siddons, The Old Hall • Behind the Scenes Award: Andrew Saunders, Gregory House • Caring Together Award: Gainsborough Not Alone, Macmillan Volunteers • Lifetime Achievement Award: Helen Reilly, Oakdene Care Home • Rising Star Award: Richard Skipper, Libertas, and Julia Pagett, Ashdene Care Home When asked how it feels to win the Community Care Award, Elizabeth Felton said: “I am very privileged and very happy. It’s lovely to be acknowledged for the work I do.”

While Damian Taylor, winner of Community Care Leadership Award, said: “I feel emotional. To see everybody together tonight and being recognised for the work they do has been incredible. Everybody in the room who works in this industry is a winner.”

It took 19 judges to interview the more than 100 nominees put forward for this year’s awards. To decide the winner, judges asked finalists to share a bit about themselves, along with questions relevant to their category.

Councillor Patricia Bradwell, Executive Councillor for Adult Care from Lincolnshire County Council, said: “Caring for someone or for groups of people is not an easy role to fulfil and requires a lot of perseverance and understanding. Our award winners are fine examples of so many caring staff in Lincolnshire who show real dedication and passion in their work, to ensure that people throughout the county are given the

care they need and deserve.”

This year, the Rising Star category received so many nominations, LinCA decided to turn the category into its own separate award.

Sponsored by Lincoln College, promising junior care workers were set a range of tasks to investigate their strengths and values, as opposed to an intimidating judging panel. This year’s winners were Julia Pagett from Ashdene Care Home and Richard Skipper from Libertas. The college and the Care Association have been working together to develop the Lincoln Care College, to ensure young people have the skills needed to excel in the health and social care sector.

Melanie Weatherley MBE, Chair of LinCA, said: “The care worker is often undervalued, not seen and definitely underpaid, and it’s good to give them a chance to shine.

“The Lincolnshire Care Awards celebrate excellence in care. It’s not about employers or care organisations, it’s about honouring dedicated care workers and the difference they make to others every single day.”

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PAGE 38 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 1

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES We Know What Clean Really Means Cleaning and hygiene is essential in the care sector.

Poor hygiene is not only a turn off for residents and their families alike, but bacterial contamination can also cause serious illness and result in a visit from the environmental health officer, possible prosecution and shut down of your business. It pays to make cleaning and hygiene your top priority.

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Adaptawear’s Richmond Wrap-Over & Back Opening Ladies Dress Looking for a pretty, easy to put on dress? Then take a look at our NEW stock of the best-selling Richmond Wrap-Over Ladies Dress in navy spot which has recently arrived into our warehouse.

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Maintaining Fire Safety with Safelincs As the average age increases so do the number of people who have some form of mobility impairment. It is estimated that 4 million people use mobility aids in the UK. Residents in care and nursing homes are often provided with equipment to aid their mobility but is that all you have to do? What about other barriers that can prevent a resident walking independently around the care home?

Self-closing fire doors are essential in maintaining fire safety, creating a barrier against the spread of fire and they are a legal requirement after all, but what is the day to day impact on residents in care settings?

Heavy self-closing fire doors can become an issue for frail residents and those using mobility aids, as they struggle to open the fire door. This can lead to feelings of isolation and loss of independence and self-worth, which can

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On ‘hearing’ your fire alarm the Dorgard and Freedor will automatically close the fire door, preventing the spread of fire. Fitting them to your existing fire doors could not be easier. Wireless and battery operated they can be fitted to existing fire doors in minutes. Contact Safelincs to find out more tel: 08006126537or visit www.safelincs.co.uk.

Leecare - We Deliver More Than Software

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The Up is a manual stand-aid and seated transfer device, designed to support safe and efficient patient transfers and rehabilitation. Suitable for clients who require some assistance when standing but are able to participate in the process, the Up can play a supportive role in patient rehabilitation and independence.

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The Benefits of Spillsafe Every year, thousands of working hours are lost to the sanitisation of furniture which ultimately can never be completely sanitised. This can feel like a losing battle to “beat the bugs” as any attempt to truly clean soiled furniture will inevitably only be scratching the surface.

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Medpage Limited Medpage Limited have manufactured quality affordable caring technologies for over 30 years. We specialise in providing bespoke design and development solutions for patient care.

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Angloplas Dispensers Help Reduce the Risk of Cross Infection Angloplas are a UK manufacturer who specialise in producing dispensers for the health and hygiene industry. Although these are designed to keep the workplace tidy and uncluttered they are, more importantly, built knowing the control of healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) are a priority for healthcare providers, and who are employing a combination of infection prevention and control strategies, including hand hygiene, cleaning, training and the adoption of new technologies, to tackle the problem.

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Workforce Scheduling Solutions

Gwin Masaka / Trend House, Dallow Rd, Luton Visit www.leecare.co.uk vention and ergonomic principles were fundamental considerations during the Up’s development. Perfect positioning of both the swing-away seat pads and knee support help ensure optimum patient positioning. Adjustable legs and a contoured base allow improved access for the patient and promote better posture and ease of use.

Contact Joerns Healthcare for more information on 0844 811 1156, send an email to info@joerns.co.uk or visit www.joerns.co.uk

Workforce Scheduling Solutions deliver Electronic Time & Attendance systems worldwide, using the latest Face Recognition technology.

Why should care homes move from paper to electronic time sheets

The industry is under considerable financial pressures. An efficient electronic booking on/off system that will schedule, provide budgets, calculate hours worked, overtime and absence such as sickness and holiday entitlement will save Time and Money.

How is time and money saved by doing things electronically?

Collecting payroll information from paper timesheets can be slow, prone

to errors, and very labour intensive.

Staff rosters can be produced as far in advance as practical and accurate within budgeted hours. Staff book on and off-duty electronically, thus eliminating any time errors.

Wage queries are virtually eliminated and immediate checks can be made without wading through reams of paper which invariably are inaccurate, misfiled or even 'lost".

There are many systems on the market - Why facial recognition is important and how it works Some systems use tokens, which can be lost or left at home, requiring management involvement in the booking on/off procedure.

Fingerprint systems can be beaten and Social media is awash with ways

to copy fingerprints. Face recognition combined with a staff PIN is simple to use and manage using touch screen technology and web cams.

Staff see their image displayed immediately when booking on or off and confirms their identity visually.

It provides the best deterrent available as it builds a greater 'image knowledge’ of each employee, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Eliminates 'buddy punching' where employees can book colleagues on/off duty using someone’s tokens, swipe card or even fingerprint.

How is data protected?

With the correct security setup computer systems provide more data protection than paper-based records which can be easily removed or stolen. GDPR covers all data including paper records and therefore the chances of infringing the rules and incurring fines is greater with paper.

Visit www.wfsoftware.co.uk

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