The Carer Digital - Issue #14

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The Carer Digital

THECARERUK

Issue 14

THECARERUK

Anger as Migrant Care Staff Excluded from Health & Care Visa

Campaigners say a Government decision to deny overseas care workers a visa to work in Britain has robbed the social care sector of vital staff to look after older and vulnerable people.

The backlash follows the announcement by Home Secretary Priti Patel and Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock outlining the new Health and Care Visa to be launched this Summer, which they say a new fasttrack visa route for eligible health and care professionals and delivering on a key manifesto commitment.

However, the fast-track visa route for healthcare workers will not include social care staff.

The new Health and Care Visa will come with a reduced visa application fee compared to that paid by other skilled workers, including exemption from the Immigration Health Surcharge. Health and care professionals applying on this route can also expect a decision on whether they can work in the UK within just three weeks, following biometric enrolment. Those working in health and social care who do not qualify for the Health and Care Visa will still be able to claim a reimbursement from the Immigration Health Surcharge if they have paid this on or after 31 March.

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PAGE 2 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14

EDITOR'S VIEWPOINT Welcome to the latest edition of The Carer Digital!

“To care for those who once cared for us is one of the highest honours.”

TIA WALKER, THE INSPIRED CAREGIVER

Editor

Peter Adams

Wonderful news for care home residents that the visitor ban is soon to be lifted.

I suspect the Health Secretary will make an announcement within the next couple of days and this will be welcomed by care home residents and their families.

As we know, visits to care homes have been prohibited since the national lockdown came into effect in 23 March, and charities have said the restriction on family visits has had 'damaging consequences' on the health of residents with dementia.

In a letter to the Health Secretary calling for the ban to be lifted, they wrote that the care given by family members is "essential" to residents' mental and physical health, and are calling for visits to resume safely, with relatives given the same access to care homes and

coronavirus testing as staff.

Signed by the bosses of leading charities, including Dementia UK and the Alzheimer's Society, the letter calls on the government to "urgently" address what it calls the "hidden catastrophe" happening in care homes.

The letter highlights that people with dementia have been hardest hit by the recent COVID 19 pandemic. From the number of people in care homes who have died from coronavirus to the people with dementia living at home, lacking guidance and isolated from social contact and for many, that has affected essential health and care support.

The evidence they say is stark – revealing a 52% surge in deaths among people with dementia since lockdown, beyond those caused by the virus.

This is of course not without its risks. We are still living through the uncertainty of coronavirus, and as I write this there are at least 20 towns who may possibly re-enter lockdown, following Leicester which has already had new lockdown measures introduced.

Readers will know I have been very critical of mainstream media in its reporting of the coronavirus crisis in the care sector and I don’t want to turn into a TV presenter bashing the government at every opportunity, but the sector’s criticism once again over government lack of guidance for allowing family members to visit care homes is justified.

Martin Green of Care England said: “We are at a loss to know why the Department of Health and Social Care is incapable of making swift decisions at a time of crisis. As the country unlocks, care providers are in the dark as to what is permissible in terms of visitors to their residents, or indeed residents leaving their homes on visits. This should have been a priority for the DHSC given that care homes are central to fighting this

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dreadful pandemic”.

He is absolutely right, and in the absence of guidance we here at The Carer have been receiving wonderfully uplifting stories of care homes seizing the initiative - with many homes in England allowing visits from relatives, but operating within strict safety parameters. Checking visitors' temperatures, installing social distancing safety visors, checking and recording visitor history, conducting meetings outside, with at least a 2m distance between residents and visitors.

That said, the current guidelines regarding the general public wearing masks in all public spaces is in danger of descending into a farce. At the time of writing this masks, according to government guidelines, must be worn to get takeaway coffee, but NOT in pubs. However, the government are saying they will not be compulsory in offices, and according to one newspaper anyone who finds coverings 'distressing' doesn't have to bother!

So will be very interesting to see what the guidance for allowing visits into care will be!

Once again, please do continue to send us stories of how you are coping with the current crisis, and “paddling a canoe through the storm” as they say. We are delighted to share your initiatives, awards, ideas and events.

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14 | PAGE 3

Anger as Migrant Care Staff Excluded from Health & Care Visa (...CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER) The Home Secretary and Health Secretary also announced further details on how the exemption to the Immigration Health Surcharge will work for health and care staff, who will now be permanently exempt from this charge.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said: “We are indebted to overseas health and care professionals for their tremendous contributions, not just in saving thousands of lives throughout this crisis, but for the vital role they play year-round. This new visa is part of our new immigration system making it quicker, cheaper and easier for the best and brightest health and care professionals from around the globe to work in our brilliant NHS.” “Health and care professionals from all over the world have played a vital role in hospitals and care homes across the country fighting coronavirus. The introduction of the Health and Care Visa follows a number of unprecedented measures to show the UK’s gratitude to health workers from overseas.

Critics of the new system and voiced their concern, The Independent Care Group (ICG) Chair Mike Padgham said: “In the last few months social care has demonstrated the vital role it plays in caring for people in this country. But that has been ignored in today’s announcement.

“In granting this visa to NHS workers but not to social care workers the Government has again demonstrated how it treats social care as the poor relation. We hoped that might have changed but clearly it hasn’t.

“For the Government to say that people already here can remain and provide “really important care to the elderly and the vulnerable” but

then say no more can come, beggars belief.

“This hastens the need to merge the two together so that both can be treated equally.”

Around 1.6m people work in social care, but estimates suggest that the country will need an extra 650,000 by 2035, to cope with demand.

The ICG says there are currently more than 100,000 care vacancies on any one day. It warns that demand will outstrip supply very soon.

According to Skills for Care, some 115,000 EU nationals work in care and 134,000 people from outside the EU. “If we cannot recruit from within and outside the EU, then where are the people to fill the vacancies and meet future demand going to come from,” Mr Padgham added.

“This has not been thought through and is another kick in the teeth for social care.”

GMB, the union for NHS staff and care workers, has described the Government’s new immigration rules as an ‘embarrassing shambles’.

Ministers appear to have excluded care workers and NHS contractors from their ‘health and care visa’ while draconian salary thresholds mean many NHS cleaners, porters and support staff won’t qualify.

Office for National Statistics (ONS) analysis published in March, requested by GMB, revealed 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 237,000 workers were born outside the EU. In addition, according to the most recent ONS figures, 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.

Rehana Azam, GMB National Secretary, said: “The Government’s new immigration rules are descending into an embarrassing shambles and makes no consideration or acknowledgement of the vital job care workers have been doing these past few months.

“The proposed ‘Health and Care Visa’ apparently fails to include care workers and NHS contractors within its scope – and imposes salary thresholds that would prevent most underpaid care workers and many NHS porters, cleaners, and other support staff from qualifying for in any event.

“Who will keep our hospitals running and our care home going when ministers pull up the drawbridge?

“At a time when care is facing its greatest ever crisis, and with care homes reliant on hundreds of thousands of workers from outside Europe and facing staffing shortfalls, ministers are cutting off their noses to spite their faces.

“It's those who rely on care and their families who now face being punished by this ministerial incompetence.

“Demand on health and social care is increasing every day and the pandemic has shown just how vital these workers are, yet the Government seems intent on keep branding them as low skilled and exacerbating the crisis by creating new barriers.

“The Government is piling on stress and anxiety to the high-skilled, underpaid workers who do an outstanding job keeping our country going and without whom we could not simply do without.”

Care Home Visitor Ban Set to be Lifted Care home residents will be allowed to see relatives and friends again as the Government prepares to lift the ban on visits after threeand-a-half months.

Matt Hancock said on Thursday that “Covid-secure visiting” will resume in England shortly in a bid to relieve the isolation felt by many elderly and vulnerable people living in care homes.

With fatalities attributed to the coronavirus falling significantly the Health Secretary said the ban on visits is ‘coming to an end very soon’.

The details on how care homes in England can operate safe Covidsecure visits are expected to be released in coming days.

Speaking in a TV interview Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: ‘People are yearning to see their loved ones and the residents of care homes get so much from visitors.

‘It’s been a very, very long period and that period where there hasn’t been any visiting to care homes, that’s coming to an end very soon.

‘I very much hope that in the next few days we’ll be able to make this change. We’ve been very careful about it and we’ve got to get it

right. ‘We’ve got to make sure it works for each local area but I hope we can make that change very soon.’

Responding to the Health Secretary’s announcement, Prof Martin Green chief executive of Care England, speaking on radio 4 said: ‘Families are a really important part of care delivery but at the same time you have to be really, really cautious because, as people know, care homes have been really badly affected during this pandemic.

‘People living in care homes are probably at the highest risk, so if there is an outbreak of Covid-19, it has serious and very tragic consequences so I think we have to balance the need for people to engage with their relatives and families but also we have a responsibility for the protection and safety of the people in care homes.

‘I think treating people as key workers, making sure there is regular testing available – also with some new tests that might be available shortly which are going to be much quicker to get results, that may also help.’

PAGE 4 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14

Keeping In Touch With Relatives In Care Homes When There’s A Family Dispute – What Do You Need To Know?

Lewis Hastie, senior associate at leading East Midlands law firm Nelsons, explains the current state of affairs when it comes to keeping in contact with relatives – focusing particularly on how this is impacted by the added difficulty of an existing family dispute.

Care homes across the country have closed their doors to visitors to try and keep their vulnerable residents safe from coronavirus since lockdown measures were introduced in March.

Many of the 400,000 people in care homes depend on frequent visits from relatives and friends and the sudden loss of these visits will be taking its toll on everyone involved.

This is particularly hard on people with Alzhiemer’s disease and dementia, or people who by reason of illness or injury lack capacity to make decisions for themselves (known as ‘protected parties’).

What is a ‘family dispute’?

Families these days are more complicated than ever before. It’s not unusual for people to marry more than once and have children from different relationships. This can, however, create tensions, which come to the fore when things go wrong for the protected party at the centre of it all,

particularly if there are differences in approach among their loved ones.

This is often where the Court of Protection gets involved and many cases involve passionate arguments between relatives.

I am in a family dispute that centres around a relative who lacks mental capacity and the people I am in dispute with say I cannot see my relative. Does this mean I can’t make contact?

It depends on the circumstances. If you are a relative and there is no concern that you present a risk to the health or welfare of the protected party, then generally there is nothing legally stopping you from making contact with the protected party. However, local authorities can impose restrictions and safeguards on relatives of a protected party deemed to be at “risk”. If, however, someone within the family is obstructing that, you can apply to the Court of Protection for an order that stops them – although the route to getting such an order can involve various twists and turns and it must be shown that it is in the protected party’s best interests to have contact with you.

At the moment, however, given that many people who lack capacity are in care homes, whose residents are particularly at risk, face to face contact has not been happening. It is hard on many families and, of course, on the vulnerable residents themselves who depend on visits from family. Care homes are having to be very adept and organised with video conferencing software such as Skype and Zoom to enable some degree of contact to be maintained. This is not always easy, particularly for people with advanced Alzhiemer’s or dementia, who may not understand or engage with this type of technology

What can I do if, due to a family dispute, I have issues contacting a relative who’s a care home resident?

Sometimes a solicitors’ letter to the care home, or those representing the protected party, can change things. However, if this is unsuccessful, taking action in the Court of Protection can be a viable option.

If you are in the unfortunate situation of having no means of contacting a protected party, while the Court of Protection cannot override the provisions of theCoronavirus Act 2020, it can nonetheless direct those responsible for the protected party’s welfare to undertake all reasonable steps to ensure that the protected party has contact with you. This can include actively setting up video conferencing calls, enabling WhatsApp messages or making contact via portals and other innovative technology.

It is open to all estranged relatives to argue that under theHuman Rights Act 1998,denial of contact with their loved one can be a breach of their right torespect for private and family lifeand this is a powerful factor in favour of keeping up contact.

What are the possible outcomes of getting the Court of Protection involved?

In all Court of Protection cases, the protected party will have their own representative who will often be a panel solicitors’ firm with no prior knowledge of the family. This means that the protected party will have a voice and the warring relatives won’t be able to dominate matters as much.

Coming to decide what is best for a protected party is not an easy question to answer and it is possible for Court of Protection cases to go to three or four hearings before reaching a ‘final’ decision, depending on the complexity of the issues.

Alzheimer’s Society’s Singing For The Brain Groups Helping People With Dementia Stay Connected Alzheimer’s Society has collaborated with the Utley Foundation, through its campaign Music for Dementia, to enable 80 more Singing for the Brain groups to be set up across the UK. Music for Dementia, a national campaign backed by The Utley Foundation, aims to make music freely available for everyone living with dementia.

The funding from the Utley Foundation will allow 2,400** more people with dementia and their carers to take part in groups, offering important brain activity, a sense of routine and much-needed social contact, as they face the impact of being isolated and alone during lockdown.

The pandemic has hit people with dementia the hardest, with over a quarter of all deaths due to coronavirus accounted for by people with dementia, and an additional unexplained 52% increase in deaths above normal, unrelated to the virus, likely due to combination of social isolation and the interruption of normal health services.

Singing for the Brain groups keep people with dementia connected, engaged with others, and are a way for people with dementia and carers to interact remotely in virtual singing groups. Sessions bring people affected by dementia together to sing a variety of songs they know and love, with fun vocal exercises that help improve brain activity and increase wellbeing.

Evidence shows that music can help improve and support mood,

alertness and engagement of people with dementia, with research* showing that musical memory is often retained when other memories are lost; music can help people to recall memories due to the nature of preserved memory for song and music in the brain.

Since lockdown, Alzheimer’s Society has moved the Singing for the Brain sessions online, developing over a hundred singing groups that improve the lives of thousands of people with dementia across the UK on a weekly basis. Singing for the Brain Live, held at the end of April, streamed a session live on Facebook, joined by Alzheimer’s Society Ambassador Vicky McClure and hundreds of people affected.

The lockdown has forced Alzheimer’s Society to develop innovative ways to deliver all training, support and contact for the groups virtually, working with a number of care homes and other organisations throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland to deliver Singing for the Brain to their communities. The support of £28,000 from Utley Foundation will help Alzheimer’s Society enable individuals and organisations to deliver their own Singing for the Brain sessions.

Alzheimer’s Society offers a range of services to help people affected by dementia in desperate need of support. The charity has also made over 96,600 welfare calls and is taking thousands of calls to its Dementia Connect support line each month, which people say are a lifeline to them. That’s why Alzheimer’s Society has launched an

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Helen Foster, Director of Operations for Alzheimer’s Society said: “We are delighted and excited that this donation from the Utley Foundation allows us to bring Singing for the Brain to so many more people affected by dementia. They have been hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic, and it is vital that we can adapt our usual face-toface services to ensure people with dementia know they aren’t alone during the crisis, and that support is available.

Like all charities, Alzheimer’s Society has been badly hit financially at this time, which is why we’re so grateful for every penny donated to fund our vital services and Emergency Appeal to support the 850,000 people in the UK living with dementia.”

Neil Utley, Founder and Trustee of the Utley Foundation added: “Music is so crucial to the wellbeing of people living with dementia, which is why we set up our Music for Dementia campaign and why we are so pleased to be able to fund this work by Alzheimer’s Society and their Singing for the Brain initiative. “It is shocking to see the impact that COVID-19 has had on people with dementia and giving more than 2000 people access to this successful service will enable them to regularly experience that connection and mood lift that comes with musical interaction.”

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14 | PAGE 5

Cautious Welcome for Plan To Re-Open Care Homes Care providers have given a cautious welcome to plans to allow relatives to visit care and nursing homes in the coming days.

The Independent Care Group (ICG) says enabling relatives to visit their loved ones is vital to both sides’ mental and physical health after the Covid-19 lockdown.

But it has urged caution and warned that a resumption of visits must be carefully planned and staged to avoid contributing to a second wave of coronavirus.

Secretary of State Matt Hancock told a television interview that he thought visits to residents in care and nursing homes could resume in a matter of days.

ICG Chair Mike Padgham said: “The announcement is a positive one and will be welcomed by thousands of care and nursing home residents and their loved ones who have endured separation now for many, many weeks. It is really important that we can reunite our residents with their families, as it has been distressing for both sides to be physically apart for so long. The sector has been very innovative with quickly introducing remote ways of staying in touch.

However, this has not worked well for everyone and is not ideal.

“However, we have to urge caution too, as all relaxation of lockdown restrictions carries with it a risk of reigniting the virus and contributing to a second wave of Covid-19.

“Any resumption of visiting will have to be limited at first and carefully-managed, with full personal protective equipment (PPE) in use, social distancing and hand washing a priority and numbers kept under control.

“We will probably need to do it on an appointment basis at first as homes will not be able to cope with a sudden rush and it will ultimately be up to individual homes and individual local authority areas to decide whether they feel it is safe

to allow relatives in.

“We will also need to be mindful of the enormous extra demand this will create for PPE and systems will have to be in place for homes to get supplies to cope with visitors.

“Bodies like Care England and ourselves have been waiting for visiting guidance from the Government for several weeks and we look forward to receiving that information as soon as possible so that we know how to proceed.”

Mr Hancock also hinted that the Government would be looking to improve the pay of care workers in the future “This was encouraging, as we urgently need to better recognise and reward our care staff for the amazing work they do. Such a move, as part of a complete reform of social care, is long overdue,” Mr Padgham added.

“We look forward to hearing more about the Government’s plans, hopefully very soon.”

The ICG has also supported calls from leading charities including Dementia UK and the Alzheimer’s Society, for relatives of those with dementia to be treated as key workers, enabling them to visit.

“This is important for those with dementia who have undoubtedly been suffering greatly during lockdown,” Mr Padgham added. “Again, it would need to be properly managed with those relatives getting full access to PPE and Covid-19 testing. We look forward to getting more information on how this might work” Mr Padgham was disappointed that the Secretary of State was only wearing an NHS badge and not the Care badge as well, when he made the announcement about visiting care homes.

“You can’t have everything,” Mr Padgham added.

LGA Responds to Public Accounts Committee Report On Future PPE Supply Responding to a Commons Public Accounts Committee report on NHS capital expenditure and financial management, including about securing the future supply of PPE for health and social care services in the event of a second wave of coronavirus, Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said: “We have been calling for a clear long-term strategy for the sustainable supply of PPE to be published. Councils and social care providers need concrete assurances about ongoing supplies of quality PPE should the country experience a second wave of coronavirus.

“Staff working in care homes and working in people’s homes have been doing an incredible job in extremely challenging circumstances. They deserve

to know that they will have the equipment, resources and support they need to continue doing so to ensure their safety and those they are caring for, at all times.

“Social care services are still operating under the guidance for sustained transmission of COVID-19 in the community, with staff continuing to use PPE at the same level and rate as early on in the pandemic.

“As the report states, we need urgent clarity over the governance and distribution of PPE, so that this vital protective equipment reaches where it is needed as soon as possible.

“We must be as prepared as possible if we are to continue supporting those who use and work in social care, while reducing the impact of this devastating disease.”

Deddington Care Home Bids Farewell To LongServing Staff

Featherton House care home in Deddington is saying a fond farewell to two dedicated and hardworking members of its team after more than 25 years of service.

Sue King is retiring after an impressive sixteen years as housekeeper, while Jennifer Ward, activities coordinator, is also preparing to hang up her uniform after nine years of providing entertainment and happiness to residents at the home.

Agi Rygala, interim manager of Featherton House, was keen to thank Sue and Jennifer for their hard work and loyalty over the years, before wishing them both well on their retirements. She said: “I would like to say a huge thank you to both Sue and Jennifer for the loyalty and passion they have shown during their time at Featherton House.”

“They have both given years of service, are dedicated to the home and would happily go above and beyond the call of duty to help ensure the comfort and safety of our residents. Everyone at the home will miss them and wishes them the very best for the future.”

Ilze Careless, regional manager for Healthcare Management Solutions, which manages Wren Retirement Living homes, added her tribute to the staff members ahead of their upcoming retirements.

She said: “Sue and Jennifer are shining examples of the dedication and commitment shown at Featherton House day in, day out. On behalf of everyone here at Healthcare Management Solutions, I would like to wish them a very happy retirement.”

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14 | PAGE 7

Newly Launched Service For People Living With Dementia Hailed As ‘Invaluable Support’ by Care Industry ‘A listening ear and invaluable support at the time of greatest need’.

Care home professionals have welcomed a new service for people living with dementia in care homes as enquiries to Dementia Support UK: Connect, Consult demonstrate that lockdown measures are having a detrimental effect on the health and wellbeing of people living with dementia, their carers and loved ones. Urgent support is needed.

Funded by Innovate UK, and provided by HammondCare, this free service provides immediate support with a 24/7 online enquiry and referral system for relatives, carers and health professionals. It offers an opportunity to access extra support and expert guidance to help carers cope with behaviours and symptoms which worsened during the pandemic.

Ed Russell, Deputy Chief Executive, WCS Care, a specialist care provider, said: “At a time of increased pressure for care homes, carers and residents have felt the impact of a pause on family visits to the homes. And while we have alternative ways to ensure loved ones stay in touch, such as pre-arranged window visits, video calls and compassionate garden visits, for people with dementia the change in routine can cause anxiety and stress.

“Having additional guidance and support available at the end of the phone through Dementia Support UK - which complements the tools we already provide carers to support residents - gives our teams valuable acknowledgement of the work they're already doing, while providing useful insight and new approaches to try.

“Our teams have warmly welcomed this virtual pair of helping hands and feedback so far has been unanimously positive.”

The service works in partnership with care home staff. Many care homes have specialist staff and they are taking the opportunity to have a detailed peer-to-peer discussion and examine new approaches to support their residents. The feedback so far is that care home professionals appreciate the speed of response and quality of the advice provided.

The consultants on the end of the phone from Dementia Support UK are collaborating with care home teams to provide personal, non-pharmacological support telephone consultations and follow up video con-

ferencing. The service is tailored to each care home provider and level of behaviour. Enquiries are encouraged and nothing is considered too trivial.

Executive Director of the National Care Forum, Vic Rayner, said: While many care homes have specialist staff, they are taking the opportunity to have a detailed peer-to-peer discussion and examine new approaches to support their residents. The consultants on the end of the phone from Dementia Support UK are working with care home teams to provide personal and tailored, non-pharmacological support telephone consultations and follow up video conferencing.

David Moore, Dementia Lead for Methodist Homes Association commented: “COVID-19 has made it an extremely difficult time for health and social care and in particular for those living with dementia, their families and the care staff who support them. Because of this the need for Dementia Support UK has never been more important. Their valuable knowledge, guidance and person-centred approach will enhance the

Care England Welcome Call for Free PPE For All Care England, the largest representative body for independent providers of adult social care, has welcomed calls from the Relatives and Residents Association for free PPE for the adult social care sector as a raison d’etre of public health.

Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, says: “Public health protection for care services must come out of the public purse, in the same way as other communicable disease preven-

tion measures. Procuring and delivering sufficient PPE to the front line is critical to future management of this pandemic”.

Public Protection – Who Pays? is available via the Relatives and Residents Association https://www.relres.org/ The report makes it clear that we need a renewed, better organised and effective public health response in preparation for a second wave, with centralised purchasing of PPE managed by local public health agencies to ensure

lives of many people with dementia living in care homes across the country.”

Louise Spann, home manager of WCS Care’s Four Ways care home, said “One of our resident’s lives with dementia and also has cancer. The combination of this experience of pain and dementia means that she can become upset with staff and other residents without warning which has become worse during the pandemic. We spoke to Dementia Support UK and explored the resident’s current care arrangements and we agreed that these were responsive to her needs but we also discussed new approaches to try around personal care and pain relief.

There has already been an improvement. I’d definitely use the service again. It was really efficient and it’s always beneficial to get a new perspective and fresh input.”

Associate Professor Colm Cunningham, Director of Dementia Centre, HammondCare said: “The global pandemic has really challenged care homes supporting people living with dementia because of the limitations on activities and engagement opportunities. Enquiries to the service, in its first weeks of launch, indicate that residents have been affected by the lack of family visits and the change of routine in their care setting. Social distancing has changed their lives and caused an increase in stress, confusion and behaviour issues. Family members have found it difficult to cope too, especially as they see the changes on video calls but feel powerless to help..

“As we move into an era of social distancing the extra support will help staff, solve problems and give them confidence. Our consultants are there to offer advice and support and share their extensive knowledge of dementia-related behaviours. We are a listening ear and additional support to help them offer the best care.”

Staff from care homes, relatives, GPs and other social and health care professionals who are working with a resident living with dementia and would like to access further help and support can access Dementia Support UK: Connect, Consult by making an enquiry online 24/7 at https://dementiasupportuk.org/ effective distribution.

Care England will be publishing a report this morning on care homes; second wave and beyond. Rt Hon Stephen Dorrell will be guest of honour at a webinar to launch the report.

Judy Downey, Chair of Relatives and Residents, says:“The care sector cannot continue to be treated as collateral damage or its staff and services as second class citizens. Government agencies still appear unaware both of the role and scale of the care sector with at least three times the number of beds, a workforce larger than the NHS and an intrinsically at risk population. We have paid and are paying a high price for this ignorance”.

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PAGE 8 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14

Co-Production and the Role of Technology in a Changing World With last week marking Co-production Week, QCS’s Philippa Shirtcliffe talks to Dr Ossie Stuart about several new challenges facing providers.

Co-production is one of the central tenets of the Care Quality Commission’s five key questions, yet it is not easy to define.

For many in the care sector, including many of Quality Compliance System’s 86,000 customers, there is still an element of mystery surrounding Co-production. The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE), for instance, says it’s “a slippery concept” and worries that if is not clearly explained “there is a danger that its meaning is diluted and its potential to transform services is reduced”.

Take the definition outlined in The Care Act 2014, which states that ‘"Co-production" is when an individual… or groups of people get together to influence the way that services are designed, commissioned and delivered.'

ADAPTING TO A CHANGING WORLD It is not that the explanation of Co-Production laid out in the Care Act is vague. It is actually very clear, but it doesn't really take into account the fact that the uncertain world that we live in and that it is constantly changing. Right now, for instance, the Coronavirus Pandemic has brought about seismic changes to the way we think, act and live our lives.

It is also affecting the way we think about co-production, a consequence not lost on the SCIE, which decided to address the issue in a webinar last week. The webinar, entitled ‘Challenges and Opportunities for Co-production in a Changing World’ was fascinating and extremely well balanced in the way it explored the relationship between Co-production and technology in a COVID and post-COVID world.

CO-PRODUCTION AND TECHNOLOGY One major way Co-production has come to the fore recently is in the revolutionary way that providers have been using technology during the lockdown. As Head of Care Quality at QCS, I can say that it has had a profound impact on many services. It has been positively transformative in helping people and loved ones communicate. Furthermore, with many local clubs, organisations and networks not being able to operate

in the lockdown, video conferencing technology has also extended the boundaries of communication. The window of opportunity has suddenly widened. Local has become national and national, international allowing providers to collaborate and co-produce in a way that they never would have imagined possible just a few months ago.

GUIDANCE YET TO BE FORMALISED But while the combination of Co-production and technology has been a positive boon for care homes, domiciliary agencies and supported living services, from speaking to our customers, many have concerns. QCS acted on their feedback and enhanced its existing ‘Communication Policy’ to inform, educate and define best practice in this area.

The policies that we have created are yet to find their way into CQC best practice and guidance protocols. However, many of the issues around technology and Co-production, which our subscribers raised, were discussed in the SCIE webinar.

In agreeance with many of our customers, Dr Ossie Stuart, an academic who sits on the SCIE board of trustees, says that there are several challenges that need to be addressed by the CQC. He says, “Accessibility to technology, fear of it and a lack of training are issues that need to be tackled right now. With many care homes facing budget cuts, not every provider will be able to afford tablets and laptops and digital exclusion will be an issue for some.”

TACKLING THE KEY CHALLENGES Dr Stuart says that co-production could play a key role in ensuring that people have access to the right resources at the right time. One challenge that I would flag is that some providers don’t have the basic IT infrastructure. They may only have one computer shared by everyone or suffer from poor internet connections.

It is a view shared by Dr Stuart, who says, “Where resources are in short supply, rotas will need to be drawn up that ensures that everyone, who wants to use the technology, has fair and equal access to it. Where digital equipment is very scarce staff, for example, could be communication enablers – residents using their phones to link in with family and friends.”

Secondly, Dr Stuart says that there are a large number of people across a number of age cohorts who “are frightened of technology”.

While this cannot be addressed by the care sector alone, Dr Stuart thinks that “in the first instance care staff or admin workers, who don’t possess the requisite digital skills, to be trained - not just in terms of know how to operate the technology – but to pass their skills on to others”.

VIRTUAL CONTACT IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR DIRECT HUMAN CONTACT But Dr Stuart says “one of the greatest risks to Co-producing using technology in a time of COVID lies not in the technology itself but how it is used in care homes”.

Dr Stuart explains, “Post-COVID, there is a danger that a provider will think that if it facilitates a conversation for a resident with their family on Zoom, Skype or Teams, it somehow equates to personal contact. It doesn't. There is no substitute the personal relationships that people build through personal contact. Virtual communication does not meet a person’s emotional and psychological needs. Providers must realise this and adopt the mind-set that virtual contact is an addition and not a substitute for direct contact.”

THE ROLE OF THE CQC The CQC, which is not currently not carrying out face-to-face inspections, is yet to issue any comprehensive guidance around the use of technology in care homes and also how it relates to Co-Production. But Dr Stuart thinks that the CQC has a clear compliance role to play.

“The CQC should primarily focus on enabling care homes and agencies to do their jobs more effectively to support people. The guidance around co-producing with technology should be light-touch and be centred on empowering organisations to make the best decisions for people. Before inspections resume, the CQC should be showcasing positive examples of co-production and feeding them back to the social care community in the form of case studies.”

The CQC’s 2020-21 Strategy, which is due to be published in the spring next year, will also help. One of its central pillars “is seeing care through the eyes of the people using the services”.

“In doing so and in the spirit of Co-production”, says Dr Stuart, “perhaps the CQC needs to rethink its use of the term ‘service user’.”

He explains, “The word “service user” implies that there are a group of people who are unique and therefore should be treated differently from the rest of the population. It defines a group of people in a certain way that it is demoing and patronising to people accessing services. As one of my colleagues said, ‘it is those the social care system, who provide the services, that are the service users, not the people receiving them’.”

Over to you, CQC. Philippa Shirtcliffe is Head of Care Quality at QCS

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14 | PAGE 9

Largest Testing Programme for Coronavirus Publishes its Initial Findings The Health Secretary has welcomed the findings of the largest study to date into coronavirus rates of infection by Imperial College London.

The research, which examined levels of infection in the general population in England, has been posted by Imperial College London. The report will undergo peer review before a final report is published.

Imperial’s research shows the rates of infection fell during May, the last month of lockdown, halving every 8 to 9 days. There were on average 13 positive cases for every 10,000 people, with an overall reproduction number of 0.57 – lower than previously reported.

These findings show the virus was circulating with relatively low prevalence and was declining in May, ahead of the decision being made to begin to lift lockdown restrictions.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “This ambitious testing programme will help us better understand the spread of the virus to date, predict how it may spread in the future and inform our response to the pandemic.

“It shows the impact our national lockdown efforts have had and demonstrates that we have taken the right actions at the right time.

“As a country we have made great strides towards beating this virus but we mustn’t take our foot off the pedal, and such studies will be vital as we continue to fight this virus."

The report provides an insight into who was infected with the virus between 1 May and 1 June over lockdown, comparing geography, age, sex, ethnicity, key worker status and symptoms.

The key findings include: • Young adults, aged 18 to 24, were more likely to test positive than other age groups, reinforcing the need for this age group to adhere to social distancing measures to protect vulnerable friends and family • Those of Asian ethnicity were more likely to test positive than those of white ethnicity. It is possible that higher infection rates have contributed towards the higher death rates observed in this ethnic group.

• Care home staff and healthcare workers were more likely to be infected with COVID-19 during lockdown than the general population, at a time when the public was following government advice to stay at home, therefore limiting their exposure to the virus. Those who had patient facing roles were more likely to be in contact with known cases as part of their work.

The report also shows anyone who had recent contact with a known COVID-19 case was 24 times more likely to test positive than those with no such contacts.

The NHS Test and Trace service is therefore playing an integral role in stopping the virus from spreading further having already contacted 130,000 people at risk of unwittingly transmitting the virus and advising them to self-isolate.

The Real-time Assessment of Community Transmission (REACT-1) programme is the largest, most significant piece of research looking at how the virus is spreading across the country.

It was commissioned by DHSC and carried out by a world-class team of scientists, clinicians and researchers at Imperial College London, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Ipsos MORI.

Professor Paul Elliott, FMedSci, Director of the programme at Imperial College London, said: “Community testing is a vital step in ongoing efforts to mitigate the pandemic, but to be successful this must be based on robust scientific evidence and sound statistics. Through this surveillance programme with DHSC and Ipsos MORI we’re gathering the critical knowledge base necessary to underpin community testing and facilitate a greater understanding of the prevalence of Covid-19 in every corner of England.”

Kelly Beaver, Managing Director- Public Affairs at Ipsos MORI said: “At home community testing at this scale has not been delivered before across England. As a partnership between DHSC, Imperial College London, and Ipsos MORI it has taken significant innovation, perseverance and skill to ensure it has been a success, with lessons learned feeding into future phases of this study and shared with the wider academic community through a transparent publication process. We want to thank all the study participants for their time, and contribution, it has been fantastic to be engaging with the public at this scale on an issue of such national importance.”

This first report provides a baseline for further research and the information will provide local authorities with a clearer picture of the spread of the virus to help inform measures tailored to limit its spread and save lives.

The study has also been upscaled and repeated for the month of June, with a report expected within weeks.

In the second part of the programme (REACT-2), a number of different antibody tests have been assessed for their accuracy and ease of use at home. These tests look for evidence that someone has been infected in the past. Plans are underway to roll this out to 100,000 people to identify the levels of antibodies against the virus that causes Covid-19 in the general public.

MP Led Committee Demands PPE Plan Within 2 Months, Ahead of Potential Second Covid Wave MPs have issued a two-month ultimatum to the government to guarantee sufficient PPE stocks are in place in health and social care in the event of a second coronavirus wave.

The Public Accounts Committee said it expects the Department for Health and Social Care to clarify its governance arrangements and outline when its expects to have a predictable supply of stock and ready access to PPE supply within two months of a report published this week.

In the report, the Public Accounts Committee warns that Government does not have either a clear understanding of the equipment needed for clinical and care workers, or how to distribute it – particularly in the more fragmented care sector.

The Committee said it is extremely concerned by widely reported shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) for clinical and care workers during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and says Government is still not treating this with sufficient urgency. It is “absolutely vital” that the same problems do not happen again in the event of a second wave, but uncertainty still prevails around future provision of local

PPE across the health and social care sectors.

The Committee also said that it expects the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) to clarify its governance arrangements and outline when it expects to have a predictable supply of stock and ready access to PPE supply within the NHS and care sectors. This should include detail on the roles and responsibilities for the procurement and distribution of personal protective equipment across NHS and social care settings.

The report further said that the NHS is now attempting to clear the extensive backlog of screening and treatment that developed during the first wave, and return to more routine and planned services again, against the backdrop of a range of pre-crisis performance measures it was struggling to meet, adding that the NHS now needs a coherent plan for how it will function after the peak of the COVID-19 crisis. The crisis cannot be used as an excuse not to address long-standing issues, highlighted in previous PAC reports, such as workforce shortages, coherent and aligned capital investment strategies, and tackling trust deficits.

Funding for specific staffing and other support, do not address the

underlying issues of the NHS financial sustainability the PAC has been highlighting for years – alongside reports on the increasingly poor performance against waiting times standards for A&E and cancer, and on the growing waiting lists for elective treatments.

Meg Hillier MP, Chair of the Committee, said: “The Government conducted a large pandemic practice exercise in 2016 but failed to prepare.

The previous Committee warned on the lack of plans to ensure access to medicines and equipment in the social care sector in the event of a no deal Brexit, but, again, the Government failed to prepare. There must be total focus now on where the problems were in procurement and supply in the first wave, and on eradicating them.

“The pandemic has thrown the deep, long-term underlying problems in NHS capital and financial management into stark relief. There is no room and must be zero tolerance for allowing the underlying funding problems to continue.”

PAGE 10 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14

The Response to Covid-19: Is Mental Health on the Agenda?

Natalie Puce, partner in BLM’s health and safety team explains why businesses should be prioritising mental health as the pandemic continues.

The physical effects of COVID19 are well known and well documented, as are the key measures to minimise the risks namely social distancing and hand washing. But what about the impact on psychological or mental health which are perhaps less easy to identify and manage? Each of us has experienced the pandemic differently, but for those working on the front line and specifically in the care sector and care homes, the mental health of staff must be prioritised.

Employers have a responsibility for the wellbeing of their employees in any sector at any time, but in the care sector, especially in light of the pandemic it is more important than ever to protect the mental health of employees. This does not just equate to ensuring that work does not directly cause a mental health issue, but also that it does not aggravate one, and employers have a legal responsibility to help their employees in this regard.

Long before COVID-19, mental health in the workplace was recognised as an area requiring improvement and as a result, the Government commissioned the Stevenson Farmer “Thriving at Work” Review in 2017.

Further, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) had identified workrelated stress and related mental health issues as one of its three health

priorities. Therefore, we can expect this to be an area of focus for the HSE in any future inspections/investigations it carries out.

Against the backdrop of COVID-19, with everyone operating in unprecedented environments, now is not the time for employers to shy away from their responsibilities in terms of mental health. Employers must ask what they can do to support their employees’ mental wellbeing.

non-working hours and encouraging staff to discuss their concerns and wellbeing.

The appropriate measures are likely to vary from business to business, and from employee to employee. However, employers should be able to demonstrate the measures they have considered and why particular steps have been chosen in any given case.

WORK-RELATED MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES MUST TO BE ASSESSED TO MEASURE THE LEVELS OF RISK TO EMPLOYEES.

Employers should identify an emergency point of contact and share this will all employees, so they know exactly where and how to get help if they need it.

Although those in the care industry are being put under huge strain to keep residents and services users safe, and with many spending less time with loved ones, regular contact with employees is essential to be able to assess and measure the risk levels.

Where employees are working alone or remotely, for example undertaking home visits, regular meetings and procedures should be put in place to keep direct contact with them so that signs of stress can be recognised as early as possible.

Coincidentally, the HSE had issued guidance on how employers can protect lone workers and control the risks of working alone at the end of March this year. This specifically addresses stress, mental health and wellbeing. All employers should have regard to this where they have employees working alone.

WHERE A RISK IS IDENTIFIED, STEPS MUST BE TAKEN TO REMOVE IT OR REDUCE IT AS FAR AS REASONABLY PRACTICABLE. Employers are having to think more dynamically about what they can do to assist employees, many of whom are currently trying to work alongside other commitments, such as childcare. Steps may include flexible working, providing resources and/or equipment to assist alternative working arrangements, setting boundaries between working and

EMERGENCY POINT OF CONTACT

KEEP EVIDENCE OF ASSESSMENTS MADE AND ACTIONS TAKEN With virtual communication over Zoom, Skype and other sources becoming more and more common, it is as important as ever to keep records of discussions to evidence assessments carried out and actions taken so that these can be justified at a later date if need be.

FINAL THOUGHTS Statistics indicate that one in four of us will have a mental health issue in our lives. COVID-19 will have far reaching consequence and, one thing which can be said with confidence is that it will have an impact on the stress and anxiety levels for the vast majority of us. With this in mind, if employers are not already alive to this issue, it should be added to the agenda at the highest level. In summary, employers should: • Form a mental health at work plan • Promote communications to identify potential risks to employees • Implement actions and provide a mechanism to monitor these, together with the outcomes • Raise awareness and reduce stigma of mental health issues • Keep documented records

Sonnet’s Got Talent To Entertain Care Home Residents Staff at two Braintree care homes have unveiled an array of musical talent to entertain residents during the coronavirus lockdown.

From an Elvis tribute to belting out summer sounds, team members from The New Deanery and St Mary’s Court in Bocking have kept residents in high spirits with their in-house entertainment.

With safety paramount during the pandemic, all external entertainment and visitors had to be cancelled.

The award-winning Sonnet Care Homes’ activities team responded quickly, taking advantage of the sunshine to arrange garden parties in the homes’ spacious grounds.

Step forward ‘The singing director’ – Finance Director Jo Moore has been singing in bands ranging from rock and roll to function bands since she left school and was soon persuaded to provide live music.

During the recent heatwave, the team arranged a Hawaiian cocktail and mocktail party, with staff dressing up in grass skirts and floral print shirts and Jo entertaining residents with numbers including Sunny

Afternoon, Summer Holiday and Surfin’ USA. Jo explained: “I’ve really loved it, it’s been such a privilege and a nice change from looking after the finances!

“It’s been a difficult time and our residents have really missed going out and seeing family as well as our usual entertainments programme. It is lovely to see everyone singing along and tapping their feet, it has really brightened their spirits.”

Jo loves singing Elvis numbers and was in for a surprise when activities team member Russell England made an entrance in full Elvis costume to belt out three favourites.

The talented team also features care worker Clair Tomalin, who demonstrated her skills playing wartime classics on the flugelhorn at the residents’ VE Day party.

Sonnet Care Homes CEO Julia Clinton said: “Our whole team has been focused on keeping residents safe during the lockdown and I’m proud that they’ve gone way beyond the call of duty to bring fun and happiness to our community.”

Last year the care homes’ activities team won a national Activity Organisers of the Year award at the Great British Care Awards.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14 | PAGE 11

Lords to Quiz Top UK Science and Medical Advisors on COVID-19 Advice to Government This Friday (July 17) , the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee will take evidence from senior advisors and officials about the science of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Government’s response.

The Committee will question Chris Whitty, Patrick Vallance and Nick Phin on strategies for managing the pandemic, the role of test and trace (alongside the lifting of restrictions), and strategies for mitigating a possible second wave. They will then look at how scientific advice is obtained and used in making policy decisions, levels of public trust in this process, and what lessons have been learned for future pandemics.

The questioning will draw on points made by experts in previous evidence sessions in the inquiry.

Summaries of their evidence, including the latest sessions on contact tracing strategies, are available here.

The evidence session will take place at 3pm Friday 17 July.

Giving evidence will be: • Sir Patrick Vallance, Government Chief Scientific Adviser, Government Office for Science • Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England; UK Government’s Chief Medical Adviser; and Chief Scientific Adviser, Department of Health and Social Care

• Professor Nick Phin, Deputy Director of National Infections Service, Public Health England; and Incident co-director for COVID-19, Public Health England Questions will include: • What is the process by which the Government (and agencies such as PHE) asks for and receives scientific advice during emergencies, including from SAGE? • How is uncertainty in scientific evidence communicated to Government?

• In what ways has evidence been interpreted differently in England compared to other UK nations and other countries during the pandemic, and why?

• How is scientific evidence balanced with other types of evidence (e.g. social, economic) to make policy decisions?

• What pieces, or types, of scientific evidence have had the most influence on the way the pandemic has been managed in England?

• To what extent are efforts being made to balance the easing of restrictions with interventions that suppress transmission, to keep overall transmission low?

• To what extent is the scientific evidence pointing towards a "second wave"?

• What assumptions are being made about the transmission of COVID-19 in the winter months?

• What assessment has been made of the potential impact of a contact tracing app on transmission rates?

• What lessons have been learnt about the importance of transparency in public trust?

• What have been the main lessons learnt about managing a future pandemic, including from other countries?

The session can be followed live at www.parliamentlive.tv

Sir Jackie’s Dementia Charity Back on The Grid to Fund More Research Sir Jackie Stewart’s Race Against Dementia charity, in partnership with Alzheimer’s Research UK, has announced a second call for pioneering dementia research projects worth £1m. Early career researchers are now being invited to apply for the prestigious Race Against Dementia Research Fellowship.

Designed to power outstanding early career scientists in their pursuit of innovative solutions to the big questions in dementia research, the second round of the successful scheme will give researchers unique access to development opportunities, including a mentorship from figures in the world of Formula One racing.

Almost one million people in the UK are living with dementia, and over half of us know someone affected by the condition. Three-time Formula 1 World Champion, Sir Jackie, founded Race Against Dementia after his wife of 57 years, Lady Helen Stewart, was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia – a rarer form of the condition.

People with dementia experience symptoms such as memory loss, confusion, personality changes and gradually lose the ability to manage daily life. Sadly, it has also become clear that people with demen-

tia are more at risk of experiencing severe effects of COVID-19.

Sir Jackie’s charity applies the principles and expertise that have spurred incredible innovation in the fast-paced world of Formula 1. In 2018, Sir Jackie partnered with the UK’s leading dementia research charity, Alzheimer’s Research UK, to identify early-career scientists with the most transformational research ideas.

Three projects were funded and now, Race Against Dementia is back, investing £1m in further projects.

Sir Jackie And Helen founder of Race Against Dementia said: “Living with my wife, Helen, during the COVID-19 pandemic has been a blessing in disguise as we have spent some time together away from the busyness of life. But it has also been hard seeing how she has been affected by her condition. Dementia strips so much away – there was a time when Helen was razor sharp, and I know first-hand just how heart-breaking dementia is for so many.

“It’s becoming increasingly apparent that the toll on people living with dementia during the COVID-19 pandemic is profound. Dementia

was already one of the great medical challenges we have to overcome, and with the virus exacerbating an already dire situation, the need for breakthroughs has never been greater”.

Sir Jackie added:“Supporting early career dementia scientists is vital to energise the dementia research field. Race Against Dementia has already funded three projects with Alzheimer’s Research UK, and a further project with The Mayo Clinic. They are all progressing marvellously, but we are not done yet, which is why we are putting even more money into this and calling for more researchers to come to us with ideas.”

Dr Cara Croft, from University College London who is one of the three Race Against Dementia Fellows said: “I am less than a year into my five-year research project and I have already seen the advantages of having the backing of Sir Jackie and Race Against Dementia.

Dementia research is severely underfunded and my Race Against Dementia Fellowship gives me the opportunity to really investigate dementia risk in tremendous detail.”

The Race Against Dementia Fellowships will harness the ambition and innovation of a new generation of scientists and provide them with funding, support, and inspiration to radically accelerate dementia research. The call for researchers is open and potential applicants should visit alzres.uk/RAD-fellowships

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14 | PAGE 13

Government Has “No Clue About Carers”, Says Lib Dem Leader Ed Davey

Research conducted by Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey MP has revealed that almost half of the Government’s Departments do not know how many of their staff have caring responsibilities.

In answers to a series of Parliamentary Questions, Ed Davey MP has revealed: • 8 out of the 18 Government Departments that employ staff do not know how many carers there are among their workforce.

• The Department and Health and Social Care has seen a fall in the numbers of carers working for the Department of 44% since 2016.

• Major Government Departments such as the Treasury, the Department for Education and the Ministry of Defence have no data on the number of carers working for them.

The research comes just a few weeks after Conservative Ministers flocked to social media during Carers Week 2020, with Health Minister Helen Whately MP, writing in The Times Red Box: “Carers are the unsung heroes of this pandemic…But all too often their kindness and devotion goes unseen and unacknowledged by wider society.”

Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Ed Davey MP said: “Just a few weeks ago Conservative Ministers flocked to social media during Carers Week to shower praise on the work of carers, yet it turns out almost half of the Government’s Departments can’t even be bothered to count how many carers they have working for them.

“As someone who was a young carer, I know just how tough being a carer can be, it’s why I recently proposed a Bill that would give carers better rights in the workplace for flexible working. Millions of carers up and down the country are struggling to hold down a job and maintain their caring commitments.

We need to encourage employers to reach out and support the nation’s army of carers and that starts with the Government taking a lead and reaching out within its own workforce.”

In Ed Davey’s recently published plan for carers he proposed that being a carer is made a protected characteristic. This would ensure that all employers were made to record how many carers they employed and would improve the rights of carers from discrimination.

Novellini launch BeSafe walls to help the UK return to work safely

Care Workers Unite for National #Gladtocare Awareness Week Care workers across the UK have been sharing stories from their careers as part of an awareness week designed to shine a light on all of the wonderful work that’s been done, and continues to be done, within social care, following an incredibly trying period for the industry. #GladtoCare Awareness Week, which ran from 6th-12th July 2020, saw over 250 care homes across the country register their involvement. Focusing on various initiatives, the week is dedicated to showcasing and celebrating the many ways that care workers go above and beyond to ensure residents are kept safe and stimulated everyday – and particularly during the coronavirus pandemic.

By posting stories, photos and videos on their social channels, participants were asked to share milestone moments that have made them feel particularly proud to be caregivers, helping to highlight some of the amazing work that often goes unnoticed by the wider public.

Following the Prime Minister’s recent criticisms of how the industry has handled the coronavirus pandemic, social media was awash with care workers sharing examples of exceptional care, which saw over 25,000 people using the official campaign hashtag to highlight why they are #GladtoCare.

Those that were shared included socially distanced parties and fun activities, such as a Hawaiian luau and resident Olympics, as well as digital befriending initiatives encouraging companionship during isolation, and heart-warming reunions with loved ones post-lockdown.

Standout examples included one care home – Hartford Care’s Woodlands House in the New Forest – showing outstanding levels of appreciation for two of its staff by staging a surprise wedding for a Manager and Senior Carer following the forced cancellation of their big day due to the coronavirus outbreak. Residents played a huge part in the ceremony, taking on the roles of the vicar, best man, mother and father of the bride and bridesmaids and making it an incredibly special occasion for all.

Another care home – Rusthall Lodge in Kent – described specially adapting a resident’s wheelchair with rear-view mirrors, enabling him to better see his surroundings and aiding in the manoeuvrability of his chair, showing just how much thought and dedication carers put into improving the lives of their residents.

On top of sharing stories across social media,

Workplaces around the nation are preparing for when the UK can return to a kind of normality. The Novellini Group presents a solution that will help to create safe working environments that are hygienic and adaptable. The BeSafe wall is a protective device that companies with any office, desk space, trade counters, and food service areas can incorporate going forward.

some care workers went even further to show their support for #GladtoCare Awareness Week by writing songs, creating videos, posting poems, essays and memoirs online, and bringing back the Thursday evening ‘Clap for Carers’ in celebration of the event.

Heidi Thomas, Head of Marketing at Person Centred Software which is spearheading the #GladtoCare campaign, said “It’s been wonderful to see so many care workers getting involved in #GladtoCare Awareness Week. Whilst the current climate has gone some way in making us more aware of key workers on the frontline delivering care to the vulnerable, the timing of the week has been particularly fitting, with the Prime Minister’s recent comments affirming that the efforts of the caring community are still undervalued.

We hope that the stories shared paint a more accurate picture of the extraordinary lengths that carers are going to in order to keep residents safe and happy at this difficult time. And we look forward to bringing #GladtoCare Awareness Week back next year, even bigger and better!”

As well as encouraging conversation around care, #GladtoCare Awareness Week organised a 30-minute Zoom fitness session with digital influencer Alice Liveing, which saw nearly 2,000 residents between the ages of 60 and 109 in virtual attendance. Alice, who as well as being a qualified personal trainer, is a best-selling author and Women’s Health columnist, shared her expertise with participants, talking them through a variety of gentle seated exercises and stretches, as well as strength, balance and breathing exercises.

The annual #GladtoCare Awareness Week, devised by Person Centred Software and Autumna, will return next year – taking place from Monday 5th July to Sunday 11th July 2021.

For more information on #GladtoCare Awareness Week and to read some of the fantastic stories shared by carers, please visit www.gladtocare.com and the #GladtoCare social channels.

The primary benefit? Hygiene. Employees will feel protected with the BeSafe wall as it provides a barrier. Constructed from 6mm tempered glass, it’s easy to clean with any alcoholic disinfectant. In smaller spaces where it’s difficult to sit two meters away, the wall is a particularly helpful solution.

Office teams aren’t the only ones who will be happy to see these walls put in place. BeSafe is a smart answer for all industries where contact with the public is required, such as pharmacies, retail counters, restaurants and public offices.

Novellini can customise each barrier to suit the space with three versions (floor mounted, trade counter, and desks) and five different sizes.

UK Sales Manager at Novellini, Stuart West says ‘We are looking to help the UK workforce where we can and these are a positive answer to those concerns about health and hygiene.’

As specialists in showers and design, Novellini are putting their skills to good use and many businesses across the UK will be pleased to find a safe and stylish solution. They are even available in several colours and glass finishes to suit the surroundings.

For more information contact Novellini UK on 01727 229922 or visit the website at www.novellini.co.uk For brochure and advice please email info-uk@novellini.com For large projects or orders, customized solutions can be evaluated. We are available to evaluate and propose BeSafe Wall solutions specific for your protection needs.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14 | PAGE 15

Social Work System Faces Collapse As A Third Look For New Jobs

The UK’s social work system faces collapse as a third of social workers look to leave the profession, according to data collated by the Social Workers Union.

The Union says the UK faces an avalanche of referrals as lockdown eases but that government and employers have neglected social workers’ concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic and failed to safeguard their physical and mental health.

It is calling on government and social work employers to take immediate short-term steps such as more availability of mental health support, guaranteed PPE, a social work recruitment drive and a pledge not to re-introduce austerity measures.

This should be coupled with a long-term approach to introduce measures set out in a “working conditions toolkit”, developed by the Union, Bath Spa University and the British Association of Social Workers.

Findings from the survey show that half of social workers have put their own health at risk as a result of working during the pandemic. And while 21 social workers have died after testing positive for COVID-19, one in ten (11%) have felt threatened with disciplinary measures for raising safety concerns.

A third of those surveyed are now considering alternative careers.

Further analysis shows: • Half (51%) say risk assessments have been poor, including a quarter (23%) who believe measures have been wholly insufficient

The majority (54%) have been provided with inadequate PPE • resulting in social workers either having to spend their own money on PPE or providing home-made masks.

Almost a third (29%) say they have been unable to reach the • most vulnerable during the pandemic Over 60% of social workers say their mental health has been affected negatively by working through COVID-19, with 1 in 20 suffering a total collapse. Hundreds of the respondents chose to provide the Social Workers Union with written accounts of their situation: “We had no team meetings, all direction was by email. We were left alone by our manager completely for 10 weeks. I felt isolated and I was told not to email with concerns as managers were too busy”.

“Stress from being overwhelmed has been dismissed by senior management”.

“I’m agency worker and feel that I’m a disposable asset during lockdown used to shield full time social workers who are working from home. Not had supervision since starting job in beginning of March PreCOVID-19” “I Feel completely overwhelmed at times… my mental health is on alert at all times” “I am stuck. Don’t know which way to turn”.

John McGowan, General Secretary of the Social Workers Union commented:

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This core activity will continue, however due partly to the changed circumstances brought about by Covid-19, the company has made the decision to significantly expand and restructure the business. ESL has built and established trusted relationships within the UK chemical industry over the last 25 years, therefore it is a natural progression for the business to move

into the development, manufacture, and distribution of hygiene products. These will include hand sanitisers, sprays, medicated soaps, surface and floor wipes and disinfectants.

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“The situation is dire and the social work system is on the precipice of collapse.

“Our members are considering leaving the profession en-masse if their concerns aren’t addressed. We have long argued that working conditions for social workers need to be drastically improved and sadly COVID-19 has acerbated the problems.

“Social workers have put their health on the line safeguarding the public, but little has been done to safeguard them.”

Carol Reid, National Organiser for the Union added: “Some of the stories we’ve heard from our Members are truly shocking and very concerning. We want urgent action now from the Government and employers to provide better working conditions for social workers.

“It’s clear from our research that the social work system is not ready for the avalanche of social work referrals which our members expect to happen as lockdown eases.

Doug Nicholls, General Secretary from the General Federation of Trade Unions, which represents specialist trade unions, commented: “The study from the Social Workers Union tells a tragic tale which government and employers such as local authorities must listen to.

“As we move onto the recovery phase of the pandemic, protecting and improving the working conditions of key workers across the country is vital work being undertaken by trade unions across all sectors.”

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PAGE 16 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14

Rebuilding Trust as an Exceptional Leader Reinbek Residents Give Loved Ones Keepsake Hearts

By Sally Prescott, Leadership Coach & Founder of Zest for Life (www.zflltd.com)

INTRODUCTION

Staff at Borough Care’s Reinbek home in Davenport have been using novel ways to help keep residents in touch with their loved ones during lockdown due to coronavirus (Covid 19).

Residents have recently been writing their own personal messages to their families in a ‘Just a note to say’ card. Each resident included a special knitted keepsake heart with their card, which family members have to remind them of their loved ones when they can’t see them.

Michelle Spencer, Activity Lifestyle Facilitator at Reinbek, says: “During lockdown, we have devised lots of different, creative ways for our residents to keep in touch with their loved ones.

Keeping in regular contact has been really important, both for the wellbeing of our residents and for their family and friends to know how they are.

We’ve received some lovely messages from families, who are appreciative of all we’ve been doing to keep everyone connected during this difficult time.”

Trust is at the core of all relationships.

Without it relationships are much more likely to fail.

When considering the impact of COVID19, the trust we have with our residents, their families and friends is crucial. Trust is how you build customer loyalty. Many people during the pandemic have entered the residential and nursing care sector with the best of intentions but potentially without any formal training or background.

New staff, untrained staff, maybe even volunteers with big hearts but may lack in skills, knowledge and behaviours. This means they may require additional support and guidance from their leaders and colleagues.

Building trust with your team is equally important. Without it how can they perform at their best?

As we emerge from lockdown, large sections of the general public will likely be anxious due to fear of a second peak of the virus.

It’s therefore critical that all care homes take careful steps to rebuild trust with everyone, including the UK government.

It’s important to restore faith and rebuild trust in your business from a resident and colleague perspective in a post COVID-19 world.

WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO BUILD TRUST In order to build trust, we as leaders must consider our behaviours and our track record of delivering what we say we will. This includes adhering to legislation.

CREATING A VALUES-LED CULTURE Our behaviours are born from our personal values, house rules or ‘how we do things around here’. Everyone has their own perspective on what right and wrong behaviour looks like. This can sometimes cause conflict and disagreement.

To avoid this create an outline of ‘how we do things in our business’, what we value. There are huge benefits to doing this, such as encouraging people that share your business values to become an employee, a customer, or associate with you on social media.

A values-led culture is a culture where people live and breathe the values and change their behaviours to align with these. Creating this kind of culture requires commitment and discipline.

Defining ‘how we do things around here’ helps to build confidence and reassures people that they’re likely to be treated with respect. When employees feel this way, they can relax and focus on what they need to do to make a difference within your business. It creates a feeling of safety and reassurance.

BUILDING A FRESH TRACK RECORD OF TRUST When people demonstrate the right behaviours and deliver results, leaders and teams build a mutual trust. This passes on to residents, family, friends and suppliers.

It’s crucial that the care sector restores trust in society. The general public want

and need to see that all healthcare is provided at exceptional levels. Doing the right thing to ensure they are safe and cared for as human beings. It requires time and patience to strike the right balance between behaviours and delivery.

Ensure that everything you do as a leader is about setting your team up for success. Make sure they have understood what great performance looks and feels like. Notice them doing great things, be specific when you share what you have seen, so they continue with this fabulous performance.

THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR

Be very mindful of other’s thoughts and feelings. It’s like we are starting out in a new life, where things are different to how things used to be. This can cause anxiety, confusion, concern and loss of confidence amongst residents and employees. As care professionals, we can prepare and be considerate of these emotions, always keeping in mind our focus on rebuilding trust.

With regards to watching behaviour, the first step is self-awareness; recognising in yourself if you feel uncomfortable, anxious, concerned, worried or frustrated. Stop and think about what’s causing this and consider where you want to get to emotionally. Explore what help you may want or need to assist you, then take steps to access this. You are important. If you’re not calm, your team and residents will pick up on it. Residents and their families don’t want to step into a home that’s oozing anxiety.

DOES YOUR BUSINESS DELIVER TRUST IN THESE FOUR KEY AREAS? • Resident and family satisfaction • Colleague or team satisfaction • Revenue or profit • Legislation If you are doing something that’s not related to these four areas, ask yourself why are you doing it?

THE REALITY People will enter your home with caution. Trust will only start to be rebuilt when they are received by a confident, supportive and reassuring team. When residents and families see the signs that you have adhered to all legislation, faith in your care home will be restored.

Be aware that people who are anxious or concerned may not be as polite as usual. In these circumstances, you and your team should remain calm, behave aligned to the values-led culture you have created, and respect the other person’s wants and needs.

Be open and honest with them about what you can deliver and how you plan to do this.

No matter what your personal or organisational track record may be, your challenge now is to take steps every day to make changes that begin to rebuild trust.

Be patient and true to yourself and the culture of your home. Over time the results will show.

If every individual and team is calm and considerate, together we will deliver the results required for our residents, our teams, our homes and the whole of the care sector.

Create an environment where people feel valued in their role, they are recognised for the value they add to the overall success and great feeling within your home. This is born from Exceptional Leadership.

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14 | PAGE 17

Don’t Just Clap For Carers; Change Policy To Ensure Fair Employment For Care Workers Researchers from King’s Business School have published a paper which urgently calls for a new deal for health and care employees which acknowledges and reflects their worth to our individual and communal well-being following the Covid-19 pandemic. The paper calls for a new model of employment relations (ER), characterised as fair care work to tackle the challenges exposed by the crisis.

The paper Fair Care Work: A post Covid-19 agenda for integrated employment relations in health and social care, highlights that the contribution of frontline care workers has been reflected in the Thursday night round of applause. However, this sits uneasily with the treatment of over two million health and social care employees, mostly women, often from black and minority ethnic backgrounds, typically in undervalued, relatively low paid and insecure employment.

The researchers urge policy makers and practitioners to consider how these sentiments can be captured in the fair treatment at work of these health and social care employees and explores four key dimensions: pay, outsourcing, training and migrant workers, who have long played a key part of the care workforce, but, given their labour market insecurities and managerial cost minimisation strategies, particularly in outsourced care services, often treated as ‘outsiders’.

Professor Ian Kessler, who lead the research said: “These features of

employment relations have cruelly hampered the capacity of health and social care providers to deal with the Covid-19 crisis. They have led to difficulties in recruiting and retaining frontline care staff, reflected in the shortfall of around 40,000 registered nurses, and arguably contributed to a lack preparation, not least apparent in the initial shortages of personal protective equipment for staff, especially in under-resourced care homes.

“As the terror of this pandemic begins to subside, it feels like the right moment to start talking about how to rebuild and re-regulate our health and social care system. It not enough to just clap for our carers, it’s time to make meaningful changes to the working practices that have seen them undervalued and dismissed for far too long”.

The researchers proposed new model of employee relations are based on 4 key principles: Integration – The fragmentation of service delivery has been mirrored in the fractured nature of employment relations both within and between the health and social care sectors. This fracturing has led to the uneven treatment of employees, with consequences for the capacity of the workforce to deliver services in a connected way, in turn, with implications for care quality.

In response the researchers call for the greater integration of employ-

ment relations. In part, this integration centres on the alignment of employment practices between public, private and Parity of esteem and treatment – The researchers call for a re-evaluation of job worth, with implications for pay rates and increases; seeking a more even distribution of training resources and opportunities across occupational groups, and addressing the egregious systemic behaviours casting migrants care workers as ‘the other’ rather than as ‘one of us’.

Compliance - Fair care work cannot be an optional extra. Throughout the paper the researchers argue that the right to fair care work reflects the enduring debt the community owes to the health and social care workforce for its bravery and sacrifice in dealing with Covid-19.

The papers suggests that compliance of such standards might be given effect by broadening the remit of the Care Quality Commission, and other arms-length-bodies like Health Education England, and by the regular government commissioning of monitoring exercises.

Collective employee voice – This seeks to re-affirm the longstanding public policy commitment to worker representation by trade unions and professional associations as the basis for industrial citizenship and the vehicle for workers to effectively articulate and pursue their legitimate interests.

UK Among Highest COVID-19 Health Worker Deaths The UK has recorded the among the highest number of COVID-19 health worker deaths in the world, according to a new report by Amnesty International.

The 61-page report – Exposed, Silenced, Attacked: Failures to protect health and essential workers during the pandemic – shows that, with at least 540 health and social workers having died from COVID-19 in England and Wales alone, the UK is second only to Russia, which has recorded 545 health worker deaths.

Amnesty has collated and analysed a wide range of available data showing that more than 3,000 health workers have died after contracting COVID-19 in 79 countries, though the figure is likely to be a significant underestimate due to under-reporting. According to Amnesty’s monitoring, the countries with the highest numbers of health worker deaths thus far, are: Russia (545), UK (England and Wales: 540, including 262 social care workers), USA (507), Brazil (351), Mexico (248), Italy (188), Egypt (111), Iran

(91), Ecuador (82) and Spain (63).

In the UK, early studies indicate that Black, Asian and minority ethnic health workers appear to be significantly over-represented in the total number of COVID-19 related health worker deaths, with some reports showing that more than 60% of health workers who died identified as BAME. Health workers have reported serious shortages of personal protective equipment in nearly all of the 63 countries and territories surveyed

by Amnesty. In the UK, a survey of more than 16,000 doctors by the British Medical Association found that 48% of the respondents reported buying PPE for their own use or using donated PPE due to a lack of supplies at their workplaces. The survey also found that 65% of doctors said they felt either “partly or not at all protected”.

Healthcare professionals across the UK were also warned not to talk about shortages in protective equipment. Almost half of healthcare workers questioned as part of a major survey by the Doctors

RMBI Care Co. Residents Reunite with Families In Homes’ New Visitor Pods Residents at RMBI Care Co. Homes across the UK have been overjoyed to be reunited with their loved ones after four months without visitors.

The provider is among the first in the country to install COVID-secure visitor pods, to enable residents to meet safely with their families again.

The charity’s 18 care homes closed their doors to all but essential visitors before lockdown to protect residents. Staff have worked tirelessly to ensure residents have had regular contact with their families by phone or video call, but close up, face to face conversations have not been possible.

The newly created partitioned spaces have an airtight glass screen, to ensure the safety of residents, their families, and the Homes’ staff. Visitors enter and exit from outside of the Home to minimise the risk of infection. Residents access the pods from a different door inside the Homes.

The pods have an intercom system to allow residents and their visitors to speak with each other easily. Both sides of the pods are deep cleaned between each visit and most have been installed by the Homes’ facilities teams.

Among the residents thrilled to be able to have visitors again was Connie Jones at Albert Edward

Prince of Wales Court in Porthcawl. Connie was reunited with her sister, Grace, on her 82nd birthday.

Connie said: “It was wonderful to be able to see my sister again after such a long time. It was the best birthday present I could have wished for!”

Connie’s sister, Grace Amroth, said: “It was fantastic being able to see Connie at last, just in time for her birthday. The visiting room is great, the whole experience was really positive. The Home has done a brilliant job looking after Connie through the pandemic, I can’t have asked for more.”

Mark LLoyd, Managing Director, RMBI Care Co., said: “Our teams have been working around the clock to find innovative ways to bring our residents safely back in contact with their loved ones. In normal times, our residents are able to have visitors whenever they like, so not being able to do that has been difficult for everyone “We hope that our new secure visiting rooms will make it a bit easier for our residents and their families during these challenging times. We’re also continuing to look at other ways to welcome visitors safely to our Homes again, including making use of the outdoor spaces at many of our Homes.”

Association UK said they had effectively been gagged and prevented from raising concerns.

Kate Allen, Amnesty International UK’s Director, said: “It is tragic that we’ve seen so many of our dedicated health and social care workers in England and Wales die from COVID-19.

“We have to understand whether these deaths were avoidable, and what led to this terrible outcome.

“There appears to have been a catastrophic failure to provide proper PPE and a failure to grapple with the alarmingly high death rates among BAME health workers.

“This crisis is far from over and an independent inquiry into the Government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic is urgently needed.

“We must learn lessons from this current crisis if we want to prevent future unnecessary deaths.”

PAGE 18 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14

Businesses at Risk Without a Lasting Power of Attorney

By Sarah Nash, Associate Director and the head of Ansons’ Wills, Probate and Trusts team Most people understand the benefits of a lasting power of attorney (LPA), which allows an individual to nominate someone to take decisions on their behalf, if they become incapacitated in some way.

Less well known is the ability to put an LPA in place for a business, which makes a lot of sense in the current health crisis, when the sudden illness of a business owner could have serious ramifications for the business and its workforce, to say nothing of the owner’s livelihood too.

Lack of awareness is typically why business owners do not adopt a business LPA, without one the business will have to rely on the Court of Protection to appoint a deputy, which is often a lengthy process.

Being unable to access business bank accounts or make decisions for months could precipitate a quick demise for many businesses, adding to the owner’s problems.

It is often best to have an LPA in place, even if never used, so that it is there should something serious befall the business leader. The person trusted to step up and run the business can oversee the business bank accounts, and immediately deal with issues such as invoices, wages and tax matters, as well as assessing and signing contracts.

A SENSIBLE PRECAUTION As a business owner, if you become unable to make decisions for any reason, it could severely impact on a vast number of people and ulti-

mately the fate of your business.

The benefits of having an LPA in place for your business are therefore apparent; every person your business comes into contact with, from suppliers and creditors to clients and employees, could benefit from you having a trusted individual nominated to keep things running should you become incapacitated for any reason.

The people closest to you can also take peace of mind from knowing that there are measures in place to ensure the continuity of income from the business (from its continued operation) should something happen.

So why are LPAs for businesses so uncommon? Lack of awareness seems to be a key reason, with many business owners simply unaware this is an option.

Some people fear that even a temporary period of mental incapacity may lead to them permanently losing control of their business interests.

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 deals with this concern, requiring the attorney you appoint to ‘so far as reasonably practicable, permit and encourage the person to participate, or to improve their ability to participate, as fully as possible in any act done for them and any decision affecting them.’

Others are content that in circumstances where capacity is lost, the Court of Protection will appoint a deputy. Whilst this is true, it can also present some serious issues.

Appointing a deputy can take several months, during which time, the decision-making processes and daily operations of a business, without leadership or direction from the top, can fall apart.

The appointment of a deputy is also an expensive process – the combination of the long timescale and costs can significantly impact a business.

On the other hand, putting a business LPA in place ensures that a person you know and trust will take the reins immediately, and can

Hilary’s 100th Prompts Huge Community Response A Winchester care home resident had an unexpected deluge of good wishes as she celebrated her 100th birthday.

Team members at Colten Care’s St Catherines View took an imaginative approach to resident Hilary Schoenman’s big day knowing that lockdown would prevent a face-to-face party with family and friends.

Instead, they put out an early appeal on social media inviting people in the community to send in birthday cards.

Altogether, a remarkable 182 cards were received not just from Winchester, or even England, but as far afield as Australia and the United States.

Companionship Team Member Laura Sheldrake said: “It was incredible. We gathered all the cards as they came into our letter box and kept them together until Hilary’s birthday.

There were so many we had to deliver them to her in batches. It wasn’t only cards, there were gifts too. We even had offers to help her celebrate with ballet performances, saxophone playing and choir singing to name but a few. Unfortunately, due to lockdown, we couldn’t take those up but we were all overwhelmed by people taking the time to be so generous. The whole idea was to make it an occasion to remember and judging by the response I think we succeeded.”

Hilary, who also enjoyed a family tea party via Zoom and a homemade cake, said: “It was just marvellous.”

Gifts on the day included miniature bottles of gin from Surrey-based Wessex Distillery and a gin and tonic-making ‘kit’ from local couple Matthew and Meredith Parris.

MAKE THE ARRANGEMENTS NOW A business LPA can be straightforward to organise. A Form LPF1 must be completed and signed by a witness, the chosen attorney and a ‘certificate provider’. The form is then registered with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG).

At time of writing the fee for registering a business LPA is £82. If you arrange a personal LPA alongside a business LPA, then your personal LPA should stipulate that it does not cover your business affairs. Your business LPA must state that your nominated attorney has power only over your business affairs.

The choice of attorney to be appointed requires a lot of careful consideration. It is therefore important to consult an experienced team of legal advisors, who will offer support in making this decision, and the factors to consider.

Ultimately, the long-term security of your business and employees is at stake. Without an LPA, you risk jeopardising everything you have worked hard to build over the years.

About the author: Sarah Nash is an Associate Director and the head of Ansons’ Wills, Probate and Trusts team. She is a full member of STEP, with more than 19 years’ experience advising on a wide range of private client matters including, Lasting Powers of Attorney and Deputyship. Sarah has presented seminars, written blogs and undertaken radio interviews on the topics of wills, probate and trusts.

About the firm: Ansons is a leading firm of solicitors with offices in Cannock, Lichfield, Halesowen and Sutton Coldfield, providing a complete range of legal services to businesses and individuals. Services range from advising on commercial property and corporate matters to family law and wills, probate & tax planning.

Bingley Care Home Ends Pride Month in Style with a Fabulous Drag Performance Duchess Gardens Care Centre in Bingley had a fabulous finale to its Pride month celebrations with a party and musical entertainment from very a special drag performer.

Miss Bonnie, who is the alter ego of the home’s activities co-ordinator Paul Wilson, sang classic songs from Shirley Bassey, Dolly Parton, Sister Act and Cher, bringing laughs, smiles and joy to the residents.

The celebration was part of the home’s events to acknowledge staff and residents who are part of the LGBTQ+ community.

Staff and residents dressed up in support of the pride event and residents participated in making a brightly decorated cake.

Helen Lord, manager at Duchess Gardens Care Centre, said: “At Duchess Gardens, we pride ourselves in being a vibrant part of the community, so we were delighted to celebrate Pride month in style.

“Paul’s Miss Bonnie performance was amazing. He has such a great range of songs, and everyone was engaged and singing along.

I hope we’ll have some more visits from Miss Bonnie during the rest of the year.

“We have a few members of the staff who are LGBTQ+ and we want to make sure they know they are loved and are part of our family.”

Stanley Wood, 77, a resident at Duchess Gardens Care Centre, said: “When I was young, being gay was taboo, and I think that must have made a lot of people feel sad and devalued. I think we’re all better off now we can talk about it openly and celebrate with each other .“I also think any occasion where we can sing and eat cake is brilliant. I can’t wait for the next one!”

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14 | PAGE 19

PAGE 20 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14

COVID-19 & RIDDOR for Care Providers: When and When Not To Report

By Peter James, partner in safety, health and environment team, BLM and Edward Sainsbury, partner in disease team, BLM

The Health & Safety Executive’s (HSE) guidance on COVID-19 related incidents in respect of RIDDOR (The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013) presents a significant challenge to those responsible for reporting within a care setting. Care providers are understandably concerned that notifying the HSE of a non-reportable incident could result in an unnecessary HSE investigation. Some care providers are also concerned that a notification under RIDDOR may be misinterpreted as an admission of responsibility should a criminal and/or civil action be subsequently pursued, Perhaps in part as a consequence of ambiguity within the HSE’s guidance, recent data suggests that care providers may not be complying with reporting obligations under RIDDOR. After all, the HSE accepts there are difficulties in applying the reporting criteria in the unusual circumstances presented by the COVID-19 outbreak. Consequently the HSE has supplemented its initial guidance with a number of examples setting out when and when not to report. It is debatable whether the necessary clarification was achieved.

Care providers should be aware that a failure to report deaths, diseases and dangerous occurrences in accordance with RIDDOR is a criminal offence that can attract a significant fine and/or imprisonment. It is essential that you fully consider the applicability of RIDDOR when assessing a COVID-19 related death or occurrence.

THE HSE’S GUIDANCE The HSE’s guidance regarding reporting under RIDDOR and COVID-19 indicates the following: There is no requirement under RIDDOR to report incidents of disease or deaths of members of the public, patients,care home residentsor service users from COVID-19.

The reporting requirements relating to cases of / deaths from COVID19 under RIDDOR apply only to occupational exposure, that is, as a result of a person’s work.

The guidance further states an employer must report under RIDDOR when: • an accident or incident at work has, or could have, led to the release or

escape of coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). This must be reported asa dangerous occurrence.

• a person at work (a worker) has been diagnosed as having COVID-19 attributed to an occupational exposure to coronavirus. This must be reported asa case of disease.

• a worker dies as a result of occupational exposure to coronavirus. This must be reported asa work-related death due to exposure to a biological agent.

The HSE subsequently has providedfurther guidancewhich details a number of examples of reportable and non-reportable occurrences:

disease, it should be more likely than not that the person’s work was the source of exposure to coronavirus, as opposed to general societal exposure. Responsible persons do not need to conduct extensive enquiries in seeking to determine whether a COVID-19 infection is work-related.

The judgement should be made on the basis of the information available.

There is no requirement for RIDDOR reports to be submitted on a precautionary basis if there is no evidence to suggest that occupational exposure was the likely cause of an infection.

REPORTABLE

There are number of likely scenarios which are not covered by the HSE’s guidance and could potentially fall within either the reportable or non-reportable bracket. These are scenarios which some care providers will undoubtedly find themselves in.

A situation may arise where a person at work has not been diagnosed as having COVID-19, but there has been a failure to provide staff with suitable PPE. Exposure or potential exposure to COVID-19 could be construed as “an accident or incident at work” which “has or could have led to the release or escape of coronavirus” and as such, reportable as a dangerous occurrence. This does not however fall within one of the examples of a reportable incident.

A specific example is given of a health or social care worker providing treatment or care to a patient or service user who is not known to be COVID-19 positive, but the patient or service user subsequently tests positive. According to the guidance, this would not be reportable as a dangerous occurrence.

• A laboratory worker accidentally smashes a vial containing coronavirus on the floor, leading to people being exposed • A sample from a COVID-19 patient breaks in transit leading to spillage

NOT REPORTABLE • A worker, for example a police officer or prison officer, is deliberately coughed on or spat at by a person of unknown COVID-19 status • A health or social care worker is providing treatment or care to a patient or service user who is not known to be COVID-19 positive, but the patient or service user subsequently tests positive

THE CHALLENGE – REPORT OR NOT REPORT? Whilst a COVID-19 associated death of a resident in a care home is not reportable under RIDDOR, theremayhave been occupational exposure to employees working within the care home from residents.

If a care worker is diagnosed with COVID-19, would this be reportable under RIDDOR as an occupational disease? The care provider must make a judgement on whether the care worker contracted the disease at the care home. If the worker had cared for a resident who died of COVID-19, there would appear to be a reasonable prospect that the infection of the care worker was attributable to exposure to an infected resident, particularly if staff were not provided with suitable personal protective equipment (PPE),either through shortages or a failure to follow government guidance.

The guidance says as follows: There must bereasonable evidencelinking the nature of the person’s work with an increased risk of becoming exposed to coronavirus.

Factors to take into account when making this decision could include: • Whether or not the nature of the person’s work activities increased the risk of them becoming exposed to coronavirus?

• Whether or not there was any specific, identifiable incident that led to an increased risk of exposure?

• Whether or not the person’s work directly brought them into contact with a known coronavirus hazard without effective control measures, as set out in the relevant PHE guidance, in place such as personal protective equipment (PPE) or social distancing For an occupational exposure to be judged as thelikelycause of the

SITUATIONS THAT REMAIN UNCLEAR

POTENTIAL FOR UNDER-REPORTING According to the Office for National Statistics, to date there have been circa 14,000 reported COVID-19 associated deaths within care homes.Those deaths are a potential marker of COVID-19 exposure within the working environment. So, whilst these deaths are not reportable, the circumstances surrounding those deaths may well be, especially considering the challenges that care homes are facing (i.e. lack of PPE and resources).

It has been reported that to date the HSE has only received 91 RIDDOR reports relating to the death of health and care workers. This appears low compared to the number of reported deaths of care workers (131 as of 20 April 2020) and suggests that some care providers may not be fully satisfying their reporting requirements under RIDDOR

ADVICE TO CARE PROVIDERS GOING FORWARD Each incident & occurrence will need to be assessed on its own facts when considering if reportable under RIDDOR. The consequences of a duty holder failing to comply with its obligations under RIDDOR can be very significant including large fines for care providers and individuals responsible for reporting incidents. We advise care providers to seek legal advice if uncertain whether a COVID-19 related occurrence or incident is reportable – your duty under RIDDOR should not be ignored.

One Million Bereaved - Marie Curie Announces Plans for A Day To Reflect On 23 March 2021 With the news that there have been more than 204,209 UK deaths, equating to one million people bereaved since lockdown started, end of life charity Marie Curie has announced a day to reflect to be held on 23 March 2021.

Every death during lockdown has been devastating for friends and family. Coronavirus has particularly had a disproportionality severe impact on BAME people and the care home community. Feelings of guilt, confusion and regret have been amplified as the normal grief processes of a bereavement have been disrupted during the crisis. Many people have been unable to be with their loved ones or hold their hand as they are dying. They have not had proper goodbyes or been able to comfort or even hug each other. They have been unable to mourn or attend funerals as they would in ‘normal’ times and will be more likely to struggle with the long-term effects of grief because they might not feel they have had any ‘closure’.

The day to reflect in 2021 will mark the one-year anniversary of lockdown and is being backed by Marie Curie supporters, Alison Steadman, Paul Chuckle, Chris Kamara and Greg Wise, along with Becky Gompertz, whose family founded the Yellow Hearts movement. The day to reflect will be a dedicated occasion for communities to come together and remember, grieve and celebrate everyone who has died, from coronavirus or another cause.

Marie Curie has been on the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic providing care and support to dying people and those living with a terminal illness. The charity hopes other organisations, including faith groups, will join together to back the day and sign the petition to support all of those who have been bereaved.

Marie Curie Ambassador Alison Steadman, whose mother Marjorie was cared for by Marie Curie before her death, said: “This has been an incredibly hard period for everyone, and the indescribable pain of losing a loved one has been heightened during this time. For those who have attended a funeral, it has not been easy; with not all your family there and trying to remember not to hug each other. It must be difficult and painful. Many have not even been able to attend a funeral because of lockdown. I think a dedicated day in the future, for everyone to come together as a community to remember and reflect, is much needed. On 23 March we can remember together – and celebrate the lives of those who died”.

Becky Gompertz and her family founded the yellow hearts movement in memory of her grandmother Sheila who died from Coronavirus in April. She shares: “My grandma was more than a statistic. When you see your loved one recorded in that way it’s very cold but there’s an individual behind each person that’s died and also a family who has been left behind. So I think it’s really important to remember that these numbers aren’t just numbers, they are people who had their lives, families and many memories. I think it’s important that people are made aware of that so these lives lost can be celebrated and not forgotten.

“I just think it’s a really nice idea that everyone can have a collective day where we can remember those who’ve died during lockdown whether that be from Covid-19 or something else. After lockdown, I think a lot

of people will be wanting another funeral or service with extended family and friends so a day of reflection would enable everyone to celebrate the lives lost together. This day would allow everyone to come together to remember those lost for who they were and not just being a number.”

To recognise the one million people bereaved, Marie Curie has released a film today featuring spoken word artist and UK Poetry Slam champion, Tyrone Lewis (age 28), and his powerful reflection on grief during this time.

Tyrone, whose friend Dean McKee (age 28) is believed to be the youngest care home worker to die from coronavirus and was also a poet, said: “Dean’s death brought the disease closer to home for me, it was a blow to the chest hearing the news and I had to take the day off just to take it in. I am devastated that we’ve lost such a nice guy and talent. Posting about it online and seeing the tributes is a weird thing, and we were all robbed of getting together down the pub to remember him and the good times.

“I wanted to convey in the poem that grief sucks, it hurts and it’s painful, but also grief is good because it shows how much we care for people. Reflecting my own grief in the poem was important to me, trying not to take on any form of grief that I haven’t experienced and show that it takes different forms and people deal with it differently.

“For me the 23 March will be reflective, similar to Remembrance Day. I don’t think we’re going to forget our experiences, and I don’t see that this will turn into anything close to a normal anytime soon, but we need a good time to remember.”

Greg Wise, whose sister Clare died of cancer in 2017, supports the day. He shared: “Grief is hard, difficult and painful, and when someone dies you feel overwhelmed. Grief never truly leaves us but it is a comfort to me that I cared for Clare and held her hand at the end.

“I imagine it is excruciating to be in the position many families are in now, feeling very raw grief in such extraordinary times. Not getting to say their goodbye, having to stay away from a funeral. It’s devastating that Coronavirus has put a lightning bolt through rituals around death and bereavement.

“Its vital people get all the support they need and I believe a collective acknowledgment of their grief and trauma would help. I believe a national day where we can reflect and celebrate people who have died will help all of us heal.”

Matthew Reed, Marie Curie Chief Executive said: “We have seen many people die before their time and grief has had that extra layer of pain when we’ve not been able to share it and console with friends and family. Deaths from coronavirus have particularly affected people who identify as BAME and their bereaved loved ones and as society we need to do more to protect and support vulnerable communities.

“This day is an important reminder of our responsibility to communities and will give the nation a muchneeded time to reflect on and celebrate the lives of the people who’ve died and support for their loved ones in their grief.”

Share on social media using #UniteInMemory and sign the petition at www.mariecurie.org.uk/nationalday

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14 | PAGE 21

Dismay Over Lack of Budget Help For Care Campaigners say the Chancellor has missed a vital opportunity to throw a lifeline to crisis-hit care providers amidst fears that the country could be heading into a second wave of coronavirus.

The Independent Care Group (ICG) had called on the Government to announce more financial aid for care providers in today’s mini budget.

But despite announcing vital aid for jobs, housing, tourism and the hospitality sector, there was no major new support for those caring for older and vulnerable people during coronavirus.

Today the ICG said the lack of budget support intensified the need for a target date to be set for long-delayed reform of the sector to safeguard its future.

ICG Chair Mike Padgham said: “Today’s measures announced by the Chancellor are very welcome for many sectors, in particular for creating and protecting jobs.

“But the fight against coronavirus continues in social care settings and there is a very real danger of a second wave for the country to face.

“Sadly today, aside from extending the cut in VAT on personal protective equipment (PPE), there was very little extra support for providers who are being pushed close to the edge of survival at this critical moment.

“It further intensifies our call for urgent reform of the social care sector to take place straight away. We need a firm target

date and a timetable for reform and we need it now.”

Rocketing costs from buying personal protective equipment (PPE) and extra staffing costs have hit care and nursing homes hard at a time when admissions are falling. Age UK has warned that as many as 20,000 care homes could go out of business without urgent extra support.

Local authorities have been given £3.2bn by the government to support all of their extra work during the pandemic but little of that has found its way to the frontline. And there is a £600m infection-control fund for care, nursing homes and other social care provision. But estimates suggest that care providers will face additional costs of £6.6bn between April and September.

“The pandemic has left many providers in financial crisis and we have already seen some fail and close,” Mr Padgham added.

“We need to see some urgent action and we need to see it now, before the loss of care providers means we can no longer meet demand.”

The ICG had called on the Chancellor to help by making social care providers zero-rated for VAT, providing an instant financial saving. Care providers pay VAT for goods and services but cannot charge VAT themselves, to offset some of those costs. Making social care providers zero-rated for VAT would provide a much-needed boost to providers.

Half Marathon for Alzheimer’s Research UK – Because its a Great Charity!

My name is Nicolas Kee Mew. Thank you so much for all your support.

I have been an active supporter for Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Research for the last 7 years as a volunteer, fundraiser and advocate.

This was going to be my 5th half marathon for Alzheimer’s Research.

Unfortunately it has been postponed to April 2021 due to covid19.

I decided to still run the Half Marathon on my own as the charities has deeply been affected with fundraising in the last 3 months.

I have pledged £700 and I want to raise the exact amount of money that will help Alzheimer’s research in their fantastic work and research in this field.

Please help me to support Alzheimer’s Research Share donate and lets fight dementia https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/nicolask

Memorial for Much Loved Wartime Singer Held By Cottingham Care Home Residents On the eve of her funeral, staff and residents at Magnolia House care home, Cottingham, took part in a remembrance afternoon in memory of wartime singer, Dame Vera Lynn, who sadly passed away in June 2020.

Songs by Dame Vera have sparked memories of times gone by for residents at the home for many years, so a memorial day was suggested as part of the home’s activities.

Throughout the afternoon, the residents and staff sang along to classics by Dame Vera, before finishing the day of remembrance with tea and cupcakes.

Marlene, 88, said: “I liked all of Dame Vera Lynn’s songs, she was a very good singer. She was a very interesting lady. I really enjoyed our afternoon.”

Vera, 93, added: “It brought back lots of memories of the war. It keeps the morale up of people when they are singing. We’ll meet again is my favourite.”

Lindsay Altoft, home manager at Magnolia House care home, said: “I was saddened to hear of Dame Vera Lynn’s passing; she was a household name, and our residents spent a lot of their lives listening to her wonderful music.

“The memorial afternoon gave the residents a chance to remember a great lady, but also time to reminisce about the past and the memories that Dame Vera’s songs brought back to them.

“The afternoon tea was enjoyed by us all but listening to the residents singing their favourite songs was definitely the best part of the day!”

WISHING YOU DIDN’T KEEP PAPER RECORDS? S STAFF TAFF AF MANAGEMENT MANAGEMENT R otas, Timesheets & Payroll Payroll Rotas, RESIDENTS & SER VICE USERS SERVICE In voicing, Enquiries & Occupancy Invoicing, C ARE PL ANS CARE PLANS As sses s sments, Dail es, Assessments, Dailyy Not Notes, Task T askk Management Manag M ag g gement &C are Planning Care FUSION CAN CAN A INS INSTALL TALL AL LL AND TR TRAIN T AIN YOU AND YOUR YOUR S TAFF REMO TEL LY YOU STAFF REMOTELY WITH C ONTINUOUS AND REASSURING WITH CONTINUOUS R OUND THE CL OCK SUPPOR T. ROUND CLOCK SUPPORT.

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PAGE 22 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14

Redundancies: What Businesses Need To Be Aware Of

By Tabytha Cunningham, Associate Solicitor, Paris Smith (www.parissmith.co.uk)

PART ONE: INDIVIDUAL CONSULTATION

Making redundancies will, unfortunately, be the harsh reality for many employers due to the impact of Covid19. For those employers who, over the coming weeks and months, find themselves in the difficult position of having to making compulsory redundancies, it is crucial that they follow a fair process.

KEY STEPS TOWARDS FAIR DISMISSALS An employee who has two years continuous service with an employer will be able to bring a claim for unfair dismissal at the employment tribunal if they believe that they have been dismissed unfairly. There are certain key steps that employers must follow to make a redundancy dismissal fair:

STEP 1 The employer must identify the genuine redundancy situation. In law, there are three types of genuine redundancy, which are: 1. Business closure (closure of the business altogether) 2.Workplace closure (closure of one of several sites, or relocation to a new site) 3.Diminished requirements of the business for employees to do work of a particular kind First of all, the employer must be satisfied that there is a genuine redundancy situation in line with one or more of the above. Employers should be careful not to mix redundancy with other reasons for dismissal, such as an employee’s performance, absence or disciplinary record. Employers will need to explain to those employees affected why there is a redundancy situation and why this means their role is at risk of redundancy.

A business closure will usually be fairly easy to identify. Many employers will be facing the harsh reality that their business will not survive the pandemic. A workplace closure can cover both relocation of a workplace and a simple site closure. The more common redundancy situation is ‘ diminished requirements of the business for employees to do work of a particular kind’, and this can arise where the employer restructures their workforce. Employers may decide over the coming weeks and months that, due to a downturn in work, they now require fewer employees to do the work. Alternatively, there may be a similar amount of work but the employer requires less staff to do that work on the premise that it is seeking to make better use of its resources.

An employment tribunal will generally not interfere with the business decision to make the role redundant (unless it is alleged by the employee that there was a discriminatory motive behind the redundancy).

Therefore, the first step for employers is to identify the genuine reason for redundancy.

STEP 2 The employer must act reasonably and follow a fair process. A tribunal will consider whether the decision to dismiss an employee was within what is known as the range of reasonable responses available to that employer. The key elements of a fair redundancy process include:

• Consultation Employers must warn and consult with their employees or their representative(s), about a proposed redundancy. Individual consultation with those at risk of redundancy is fundamental to a fair process. For consultation to be meaningful, it needs to happen at a formative stage with the employee’s comments and suggestions being taken on board and considered. This will mitigate the risk of an employee claiming the consultation process was a sham and the decision had already been made to dismiss them. The focus of this article is on individual consultation rather than collective consultation (which is necessary where the employer plans to dismiss 20 or more employees during a 90 day period).

A fair and balanced consultation process should allow the employee to comment, challenge, make suggestions and consider alternatives (if any) to redundancy. There are no prescribed timescales within which consultation should take place. However, a usual redundancy consultation process will involve two to three meetings with each employee as a minimum.

Employers should remember that the shorter the consultation, the more likely it is that its fairness may be called into question. It is good practice for employers to allow an employee to be accompanied to a consultation meeting by a colleague or trade union representative.

• Selection The employer must adopt a fair basis on which to select for redundancy. An employer must identify an appropriate pool from which to select potentially redundant employees and must select against fair criteria.

Where more than one job role is at risk of redundancy, the employer must consider the appropriate pool(s) of employees to be made redundant.

Employers have flexibility in this regard but will need to apply their mind to the makeup of the pool. This should be carefully documented.

Important things to consider with regards to the pool will be: o What type of work is ceasing or diminishing o The extent to which employees are doing similar work o The extent to which employees’ jobs are interchangeable Once the pool(s) have been established, the employer must then apply fair selection criteria to those in the pool(s). The criteria used should be objective and measurable. Employers need to be careful that the criteria

used are not discriminatory (on the grounds of a protected characteristic) or too subjective. This can lead to claims for discriminatory and unfair dismissal. In additional, the application of the selection criteria must also be done fairly. Employees should then be consulted with about their scores and given an opportunity to ask questions (which, if they have been scored the lowest, they will most likely have). This is an important part of the consultation process.

• Alternative employment and alternatives to redundancy Employers must consider suitable alternative employment. Alternatives to redundancy can include alternative vacancies in the company. An employer is under a duty to look for alternative employment within their organisation as part of a fair process. The search must be thorough but employers are not expected to create new roles. If an employee accepts an offer of alternative employment, it might be subject to a statutory trial period and any unreasonable refusal of an alternative role that has been offered to them could jeopardise an employee’s right to a statutory redundancy payment. This is a complex area and so I recommend specific advice is taken before employers make this argument.

• Appeal An employee who has been dismissed due to redundancy has a right to appeal their dismissal. An appeal hearing should be arranged and someone who is independent and ideally more senior to the dismissing officer should chair the hearing.

FAIL TO PREPARE… Planning is vital for employers when undertaking a fair redundancy process. A well-planned redundancy process can reduce stress for both the employer and employee, and is likely to achieve a better outcome for all concerned. A disgruntled employee is more likely to consider issuing an employment tribunal claim if the process has been handled badly or rushed. Rather, if the employer follows a fair, transparent, informative and balanced consultation process, this will go someway to mitigate the risk of an employee issuing tribunal claims.

PART TWO: COLLECTIVE CONSULTATION COLLECTIVE CONSULTATION – KEY STEPS The key steps employers must take to comply with the regulations set out in section 188 of Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (“TULRCA”). TURLCA imposes the duty to collectively consult on employers. This can be a tricky process for employers to follow and careful planning will be imperative to achieve a fair, open and thorough process. The key steps and considerations for employers include the following:

WHEN DOES THE DUTY TO COLLECTIVELY CONSULT ARISE? The duty to collectively consult arises where an employer is proposing to dismiss as redundant 20 or more employees at one establishment within a period of 90 days or less.

As previously mentioned, a key part of a fair process is consulting with affected employees with an open mind and before decisions have been made. Consultation must therefore begin while the proposals are still at a formative stage in order to avoid employees alleging the consultation was a sham.

It is also important to be aware that any voluntary redundancies should be taken into account by the employer when assessing if the duty to collectively consult has arisen, ie they cannot be discounted so as to avoid the obligation under TURLCA. Taking advice at an early stage in the process will enable employers to understand when the obligation arises and to put a clear plan in place.

WITH WHOM SHOULD AN EMPLOYER INFORM AND CONSULT? The duty on employers is to inform and consult appropriate representatives of the affected employees (those affected by the proposed dismissals or by measures proposed to be taken in connection with the dismissals). Employers must also consult individually with potentially redundant employees and cannot neglect to do so, even though they are collectively consulting.

The term ‘appropriate representatives’ covers three categories of representatives: • Representatives of a recognised trade union • Directly elected representatives, elected by employees affected by the redundancy proposal for the purpose of consultation on that proposal • A standing body of elected or appointed representatives not specifically elected for the purpose of redundancy consultation If a trade union is recognised by the employer then they must consult with the trade union representatives. If there is not a recognised trade union then the employer can decide whether to elect representatives specifically for the redundancy exercise, or whether to consult with an existing consultation body.

With regards to the election of employee representatives, statutory rules apply and employers will need to follow these carefully. In summary: • The employer must ensure that the election is fair • The employer must ensure there are sufficient representatives to represent the interests of all affected employees (taking into account the number of affected employees) • The employer should determine before the election the term of office of employee representatives • Only affected employees can be candidates for election as an employee representative and an employer cannot unreasonably exclude an employee from election • All affected employees on the date of the election can vote for employee

representatives and are entitled to vote for as many candidates as there are representatives • So far as possible, voting should be in secret The process of collective consultation Consultation must begin in good time and there are minimum time periods that apply depending on the number of the proposed redundancies: • Where 100 or more redundancies are proposed, consultation must begin at least 45 days before the first dismissal takes effect • For fewer than 100 redundancies, the minimum period is 30 days Consultation begins with the provision of information on the proposals to representatives. The statutory scheme envisages two key stages: • The provision of written information to the representatives • Consultation on the proposed redundancies “with a view to reaching agreement” about certain matters While it is not necessary for employers and representatives to reach an agreement, an employer should aim to seek agreement rather than confirm that all decisions have been already made or that they will not be reviewed during consultation. Consultation should also involve consideration of how to avoid the dismissals or reducing the number of dismissals (where possible).

NOTIFYING BUSINESS, ENERGY AND INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY (“BEIS”) – FORM HR1 Where the duty to collectively consult exists, the employer must also notify BEIS of the proposed redundancies and failure to do so is a criminal offence. This is, therefore, a key step for employers. Notification to the Secretary of State must be in writing on a form HR1, and must include the identity of any employee representatives to be consulted and the date on which such consultation began. The notification must be copied to all of the employee representatives who are to be consulted.

When there are proposed redundancies of between 20-99 employees within a 90-day period, notification must be provided and received by the Secretary of State at least 30 days before the first dismissal takes effect.

When there are proposed redundancies of 100 employees or more within a 90-day period, notification must be received by the Secretary of State at least 45 days before the first dismissal.

WHAT’S THE RISK OF GETTING IT WRONG? The risks are significant. Failure to comply with any of the rules on information or consultation, or on the election of representatives, can lead to a protective award being made by an employment tribunal. The maximum protective award is up to 90 days’ gross pay for each dismissed employee.

This is an expensive liability. In addition, employees could issue claims for unfair dismissal at the employment tribunal. Alongside this, employers could also face adverse press coverage that could damage their reputation.

SUMMARY If collective consultation is carried out properly by the employer, the risk of a successful unfair dismissal claim will be reduced (albeit not altogether). Therefore, although the duty does pose additional obligations on employers, if the process is planned carefully, a positive outcome can be achieved in difficult circumstances.

AVOIDING REDUNDANCIES: PART-TIME AND ZERO HOURS CONTRACTS One option to avoid redundancies is to consider changing employee’s contracts to either part-time or zero hours while the crisis pans out.

From a legal point of view changing hours in this way would be a change to the employee’s contract. Employers should not simply impose these changes on employees, as do to so would risk significant claims such as constructive dismissal or breach of contract.

However, in this situation employees may be receptive to the idea of agreeing a temporary variation in their employment terms, for example an employee may agree to temporarily reduce their hours from five to three days a week with a corresponding drop in pay for a six month period.

The key for employers is to consider how to reassure the employees that the changes are temporary. This would normally include a clear end date, at which point their full hours would be reinstated unless agreed otherwise, and perhaps a mid-way review, to demonstrate that, if possible, the company will return employees to their normal hours sooner. This agreement can be recorded in writing, meaning the change is implemented by consent and the risk to the employer of claims is reduced.

Employers will usually need to explain the context of the proposed changes to the employees, so they understand the need to cut costs and the benefits to them of staying in the business. This would include whether the changes are being proposed in the context of a potential redundancy situation and also the company’s plans for recovery; this helps the employee understand that there is a good chance it will be business as usual at some point, and therefore there is a value to them in staying with the business longer term. This will be particularly important if the employer wishes the employee to reduce to zero hours, as this is a more significant change for the employee, who would then have no guarantee of pay. If agreement cannot be reached, changes to contracts can ultimately be implemented via a consultation process ending in dismissal and reengagement, however, the employer would need to show a genuine business need and that they had followed a fair process to avoid claims connected to this - and should not proceed with contractual variations without taking legal advice.

Employers that have been utilising the furlough scheme for employees now have the option of using ‘flexible furlough’, meaning that from July employees that have furloughed can be asked to work part-time hours and remain on furlough for their remaining hours. This new option offers increased flexibility for employers and another option to reduce hours while still retaining employees.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14 | PAGE 23

New Research Reveals 76% of Adults Don’t Think It’s Safe to Put a Loved One in a Care Home · 53% worry their loved one’s health would deteriorate if they were placed in a home · 40% would be apprehensive about not being able to visit them · 46% are worried about the pressure of visiting family members within care homes as lockdown easy · 45% are keen to see better technology rolled out across residential care to enable families to stay connected virtually · 70% say they now value social care staff as much as NHS workers in light of COVID-19 · 37% agree that their overall impression of Care Homes is more negative than before COVID-19 A staggering 76% of UK adults don’t think it’s safe to put a loved one in a care home at the moment, according to new research from dementia care specialist Vida Healthcare.

The research highlights the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the population’s perception of social care. More than half (53%) of adults admit they would worry that their loved one’s health would deteriorate if they were to move into a care home, while 40 percent would be apprehensive about not being able to visit them.

However, 64 percent of adults are more aware of what is happening in the care industry with almost three quarters (70%) learning more about the sector from coverage in the news, and 29 percent from social media during the pandemic. In fact, 70% of Brits now value social care staff and the work done in the industry as much as NHS workers, highlighting that concerns over placing a loved one in care is no reflection of the social care workforce.

James Rycroft, Managing Director at Vida Healthcare, believes that it’s

crucial the public are aware of the different types of care available across the country and the steps being taken to ensure the safety of staff and residents.

“Although more people than ever are aware of social care thanks to coverage in the mainstream press and on social media platforms, for nearly two in five (37%) people this is more negative than before the pandemic and almost half don’t know what specialist dementia care is. There are many types of dementia and people’s symptoms change over time, but at specialist dementia care homes like Vida Healthcare all the residents and service users have a formal dementia diagnosis. People living with a range of conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia and dementia with Lewy bodies, are all supported.

“We need to work together to ensure that people seeking high quality care for their loved ones have confidence in the sector. The health and wellbeing of residents and staff is the first priority of care workers and providers, and here at Vida Healthcare we’ve introduced new initiatives during the pandemic in order to adapt and react to the virus and lockdown measures.

“Alongside weekly testing and adequate PPE, our homes use OZONE machines to sanitise each room in the building. This covers all surfaces with an OZONE mist and kills bacteria and viruses. Our laundry uses OZONE technology in all washes which assists with killing off any virus which has made its way onto clothing.

“In preparation of admissions picking back up, we’ve created a 10 bed

isolation suite which allows us to admit residents and make sure they are clear of COVID before they join the wider Vida community. We’ve also invested in hiring an Admissions Manager who is working exclusively with families throughout the enquiry and admissions process to answer any questions and concerns they might have.”

The research found that connectivity in social care is also a significant area of concern for many, with just under half (45%) keen to see better technology rolled out across residential care to enable families to stay connected virtually. 46 percent of people are also worried about the pressure of visiting family members within care homes as we ease out of lockdown, and two in five (40%) are worried about feeling guilty for not visiting.

James Rycroft added: “Alongside protecting staff and residents, one of the main priorities at Vida Healthcare is to continue creating a sense of community and keeping residents connected with their loved ones.

We’ve developed our very own app, Family Team Talk, which is updated frequently and allows families to see a daily snapshot inside our care homes. The app is user friendly and gives families instant access to catch up on the health and wellbeing of their loved one.

“The care sector is working together with vulnerable people, their families, the Clinical Commissioning Groups, Public Health England and GP surgeries to change public perceptions of social care, and ensure all aspects of care and comfort are met with dignity and meets the known preferences and wishes of everyone in social care and their loved ones.”

For more information, please visit www.vidahealthcare.co.uk

Mölnlycke Launches New Wound Care Patient Educational Resources to Support Patients and Carers During the Coronavirus Pandemic wound to heal.

Commenting on the resource, Alison Scofield, Tissue Viability Nurse Specialist said: “During this current climate supporting patient self-care with their wounds has never been so important. With step by step pictorial processes to follow for dressing changes, advice on lifestyle and any issues to look out for, this guide is suitable for patients at home and in care settings.”

All resources are available to view, download and print via patient educational resource centre on the Mölnlycke Advantage webpage https://www.molnlycke.co.uk/patientselfcare/ .

16 June 2020 at 9am. Milton Keynes. Mölnlycke launches a suite of new patient educational resources to support wound care practice during the coronavirus pandemic, when home visits from a healthcare professional are more limited.

The resources feature a range of easy to follow guides and videos for patients, or their carers, on how to look after their wound in their home, without a healthcare professional present. The resources include simple step-by-step guides on how to remove an old dressing, clean a wound and apply a new dressing. It also includes top tips on when to change a dressing, signs of possible infection and how best to help a

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PAGE 24 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14

HYGIENE & INFECTION CONTROL RCP Presents Practical Solutions During the Pandemic PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS

ENHANCED CLEANING

Rubbermaid Commercial Products (RCP) is a leading global provider of hygiene, cleaning, waste and safety equipment to multiple industries.

During the pandemic, healthcare facilities have been frontline environments battling COVID-19. The everyday heroics of medical staff have been acknowledged globally. Governments have reacted differently, but their advice has been consistent: ensure regular hand hygiene, enhance cleaning and waste procedures and maintain social distancing.

Surfaces are a primary contamination point. In a healthcare facility, cleaning products need to perform well, wherever they are used, under whatever conditions.

RCP’s cleaning products place adaptability at their core. Microfibre products embedded with zig-zag technology remove 99.9% of microbes with or without bleach and are available in multiple colours to prevent cross contamination. Reusable cloths can endure up to 500 wash cycles before they need to be replaced.

By using adaptable microfiber products, healthcare facilities improve their ability to clean alongside demonstrating visible cleaning to patients and visitors.

HAND HYGIENE

Healthcare facilities were considered the most forthright proponents of hand hygiene prior to 2020 and have still seen a dramatic increase in the need for hand

hygiene provisions.

RCP’s contribution to the various settings of healthcare hand hygiene has been through free-standing hand hygiene stations and wall mounted dispensing solutions.

Hand hygiene stations can be securely deployed wherever needed, providing instant hand hygiene via alcohol or alcohol-free hand rubs. These stations are touch operated, eliminating cross contamination risks while wall mounted units have antimicrobial touchpoints. Both use sealed soap refills that eliminate the contamination risks inherent in bulk refill systems.

WASTE MANAGEMENT

Throughout healthcare facilities, there are multiple points where waste is created and stored prior to transportation. In both cases, it’s advisable to isolate waste in closed lid containers to prevent germs spreading.

RCP waste management products provide closed-lid isolation of waste and further reduce risk with foot operation rather than manual handling. Smooth resin construction make them easy to clean between uses, eliminating lingering threats.

GUIDANCE

In addition to product solutions for healthcare, and to support all facilities through the pandemic towards

Mattress Maintenance Services Helping Hospitals and Care Homes Spring into Action

By Truan Remmington - Contracts Development Executive – Spearhead Healthcare In order to bring a mattress back into service after use, it needs to be completely cleaned and decontaminated to approved standards that guarantee bacterium and viruses such as C.Diff and MRSA are killed, and no cross contamination occurs.

A challenge with mattress cleaning is not only that it requires large commercial washing machines but that different mattress types also require different treatment. The construction of air pressure mattresses for example means they cannot be washed in high temperature machines, requiring cold-water disinfection instead. The only certified process available, OTEX, injects ozone into each wash, killing all the harmful microorganisms without using the heat

or chemicals of traditional laundering.

However, having the time, staff, and the facilities required to provide this level of deep clean for each of your mattresses can prove very costly.

In additional to it being potentially dangerous, there is also a high probability of reputational damage if standards slip and go unnoticed by your staff, because this is something patients and their families will always, quite rightly, notice and report.

The right rental and maintenance service will not only provide you with an appropriate mattress when you need it, but offer fast cleaning, repairs, and replacements, ensuring mattresses are up to the required standards. This undoubtedly saves you

reopening, RCP has created digital guidance documents: • Sector specific best practice guides • Cleaning and waste management guidance • Return-to-work preparation guide • Bulk refill soap systems health risk factsheet Constant dialogue helps RCP understand the needs and expectations of professionals across the healthcare sector. Taking this information, using it to develop products that solve multiple challenges, makes RCP the leading choice for performance and ROI. Find out more about Rubbermaid Commercial Products by visiting Rubbermaid.eu or emailing RCPEnquiries@newellco.com

money in the long term, provides the best possible levels of care to your patients and residents, and reassures all stakeholders that hygiene is a top priority; a must in the current climate.

WHAT SHOULD YOU LOOK FOR?

So what should you look for in a rental service – apart from a wide range of special purpose mattresses? Here are a few key pointers: • Rapid breakdown response • All work carried out by trained technicians • Mattresses returned in fully certified working order with free loans while repairs are carried out to allow you continuity of service • Servicing and/or repair offered in a hygiene controlled environment where mattresses are PAT tested, static pressure leak tested and cycle tested • Mattresses placed in an infection controlled 'Cold Storage' zone to control cross contamination • Mattresses completely cleaned and decontaminated using a specialist, certified decontamination system to approved standards • Transparent and clear results reporting for peace of mind In today’s ever-more pressurised care sector, on-demand mattress rental and maintenance services are playing a growing role in helping providers respond quickly to growing patient and resident intake. This allows you to maintain the highest possible standards of infection control practises in all areas.

Visit www.spearheadhealthcare.com

HYGIENE & INFECTION CONTROL

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14 | PAGE 25

Are You Using the Correct PPE?

Answering your questions on the type of mask to wear to reduce the risk of those you provide care for contracting Covid-19

THE CURRENT PROBLEM COVID 19 has led to a surge in demand for personal protective equipment throughout the UK, and in response, a multitude of UK businesses have established supply lines to try and fill this demand.

Unfortunately, although millions of masks are now being brought in, many provide little or no protection against COVID 19. The confusing amount of variations of masks combined with the lack of information in the market and masks being sold with invalid certification has led to many users, including even the NHS, ending up with inadequate masks at disproportionate prices.

WHO ARE WE? Our company is called HealthHealth (www.healthhealth.co.uk), due to the ongoing pandemic many businesses have had to purchase PPE for the first time, we have transformed our distribution model from wholesale to supply the end-user directly to prevent price gouging via intermediaries and ensure the user receives the correct masks for their intended use.

WHAT MASKS SHOULD I BE USING? The 2 main types of masks that provide protection against COVID 19 according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) are N95/KN95 masks and 3 Ply Surgical masks.

KN95 masks are 4/5 ply (layers) masks that come in two grades; FFP2 and FFP3. The WHO recommends these masks be used by those who are symptomatic and otherwise should be reserved for and used by those in the healthcare sector, particularly those in and around patients who are most susceptible to Covid-19.

These masks should be tested to EN:149 standards by a PPE compliant non-voluntary body.

There are four types of medical-grade 3 Ply surgical masks; Type I, Type IR, Type II and Type IIR. Type I and Type II masks are not fluid-resistant and hence are not

ideal for use during the ongoing pandemic. Fluid resistance is the ability of a mask to catch the respiratory droplets discharged when a user coughs or sneezes. The WHO recommends fluid-resistant medical masks be worn by over 60s and those who have underlying health problems, as well as those who are in contact with these groups. Both masks have high fluid resistance and high breathability. The difference between the two is type IR has a bacterial filtration efficiency (BFE) of >95% and type IIR has a BFE of >98%.

Type IIR is therefore preferable to type IR, although both provide protection against COVID 19. These masks should be tested to EN:14683 standard by a PPE compliant non-voluntary body.

WHICH MASKS SHOULD I BE WARY OF? A surgical 3 Ply mask that does not fit into the above two categories cannot be classified as medical.

Although they may provide some protection, they are not tested by the relevant standards to qualify them as either type IR or Type IIR, and are hence not appropriate for care workers.

Valve masks provide no protection for anyone but the user of the mask, they do not prevent respiratory droplets being emitted by the user, and are hence not appropriate for care workers.

Reusable cloth masks lose their integrity with every wash, a study by the WHO shows them as significantly less effective than medical masks, and are hence not appropriate for care workers.

HOW DO I AUTHENTICATE A MASK I’M BEING SOLD? 1. Ask for a test report and a CE certificate/conformity and make sure the mask is tested to the aforementioned standards (EN:14683 for surgical masks and EN:149 for KN95 masks) 2. Verify the test report and the CE certificate on the website of the testing body on the certificate, most testing bodies will allow you to do this online automatically.

ABOUT US We provide all the aforementioned masks via our website: www.healthhealth.co.uk . Our Type IR and Type IIR masks supersede the required standards and are made to fit comfortably on the face for elongated periods. Our KN95 masks are all individually sealed in sachets. Our focus is on high quality at wholesale prices. Our masks have been supplied to the UK Department of Health, the NHS, Care Homes, Dentists, to name but a few.

Please email us at sales@healthhealth.co.uk for any bulk enquires. GET 10% OFF when you use the code CARERDIGITAL

Sales@HealthHealth.co.uk

+44 (0)203 488 5653

www.HealthHealth.co.uk

Tel: 01495 772164 I 07967 402995 www.shophygiene.co.uk

PAGE 26 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14

HYGIENE & INFECTION CONTROL Haigh Engineering Resident and patient waste is a day to day practical matter that simply cannot become a problem for frontline carers and nursing staff. With the raised awareness of cross infection risks, the proven reliable waste disposal systems from Haigh are recognised more than ever as being a key part of the toolkit for ensuring that human waste is effectively and efficiently removed as a source of risk, day in day out, without the risks and complications of either washing pots or manual bagging waste for collection.

The team from Haigh have been working hard to support this beyond just the manufacture of the Incomaster and Quattro waste disposers here in the UK, but also developing innovative and safe methods to enhance the

servicing provisions that are available to customers. The recently launched all-inclusive rental proposition has proven particularly effective and popular with new and existing customers alike, not least as it reduces the operational, maintenance and financing headaches from sites which have more critical matters to address.

For more information about incontinence and bedpan waste disposal please feel free to contact the Haigh team on 01989 763131 or info@haigh.co.uk

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.

As a result, a wide range of infection control products and technologies are emerging on the market, including antimicrobial technology. Angloplas’ range of dispensers are produced in the world’s first proven Antimicrobial

PVC with silver ion technology and which is exclusive to Angloplas. This helps reduce the risk of cross infection by stopping the growth of bacteria and mould and works continuously for the lifetime of the product, reducing levels of bacteria such as MRSA, E Coli, Legionella, Salmonella and mould by up to 99.99%.

For non-clinical environments Angloplas has recently launched its new Budget Range of products which are made to the same exacting standards as the antimicrobial protected ones but with lower price tags.

You can order Angloplas products directly from its website by going to www.angloplas.co.uk and clicking Hospital, Health and Hygiene or by using the Quick Response code.

SANOZONE. The Easy Way To Sanotise Your Indoor Spaces SANOZONE, which delivers the most efficient sanitisation performance in indoor spaces, is now available from Barbel.

Manufactured by Vitaeco S.r.l., the world famous manufacturer of the highly regarded HotmixPro thermal blender range, SANOZONE sanitises rooms of many sizes in enclosed HRC sites, hotels, restaurants, bars, conference rooms and similar establishments where totally reliable and regular sanitisation is needed.

SANOZONE is particularly suitable for hospitals and care home areas, where absolute cleanliness is mandatory, and in areas where it is difficult or impossible to deliver effective sanitisation throughout.

The SANOZONE range of machines

use Ozone (O3) technology, a gaseous form of Ozone that fills the room, reaching every corner of the space, santising surfaces and critical hard-to-reach corners homogenously, consistently and safely.

The SANOZONE range of sanitisation machines are all equipped with the latest technology and customised disinfection programmes to suit your specific requirements.

The running costs are considerably lower than any traditional disinfecting programmes and most importantly, there is no manual labour involved.

For further information about the SANOZONE range, please contact Barbel on 01629 705110, email info@barbel.net, or visit the website at www.barbel.net

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14 | PAGE 27

HYGIENE & INFECTION CONTROL

The Care Home That Remained Covid-19 Free Thanks To Ground-Breaking Protein

“There isn’t a doubt in my mind that it saved the lives of our residents and staff.”

The owner of a care home has hailed a £20 face covering, coated in a ground-breaking protein called Viruferrin™ that is now scientifically proven to stop the spread of Covid-19, as ‘life-saving’, after it helped to prevent a coronavirus outbreak within her home.

The news comes as ONS released statistics showing that just over 28% of all coronavirus deaths in Wales occurred in care homes.

Former nurse Elen Hughes and husband Trevor Hughes, are owners/directors of the Plasgarnedd Care Home on Anglesey; they purchased the Virustatic Sheild face coverings for all their staff very early on in the pandemic when the World Health Organisation confirmed the COVID19 pandemic threat. This decision, they believe, is the main reason the care home was able to control the disease, despite one resident becoming ill with the virus and given a positive diagnosis.

“The face covering, in my opinion, definitely stopped any type of transmission to my staff,” said Elen. “This meant none of them passed it on to the other residents. The protective face coverings have been life-saving. I stand by that! There is not a doubt in my mind that it saved the lives of our residents.”

Elen, who oversees a team of 120 carers and support staff over two sites and in the community, made the decision to provide face coverings for all employees some time before guidance from Public Health Wales was changed to make them compulsory for the sector.

“I saw these face coverings on the news and decided right there and then to go ahead and purchase them for my team. At that time, we were under no obligation to do that, we were told by Public Health Wales that

we just needed aprons and gloves, but because of my nursing background and I guess, a gut feeling, I just knew that the situation was serious and that we needed to protect our residents (all of whom are in single rooms) and that to do so we needed to protect our staff – even though there were no confirmed cases here.” continued Elen, “However, subsequently, one of our ladies became ill. When her condition deteriorated, our resident was admitted to hospital where it was confirmed that she had the COVID-19 virus. I have no doubt that this lady will have been infectious while she was in our care before and that the Virsutatic face coverings worn by our staff alongside scrupulous hygiene prevented them from becoming infected and spreading the virus through our home.”

Some care homes in North Wales have unfortunately not been as fortunate. One with a similar number of residents, which received a positive diagnosis at the same time, has seen several staff members and residents test positive for Covid-19 and a number of fatalities.

“We’ve had a similar set of results across both of our sites, so it can’t be coincidence. Others sadly haven’t been so lucky, and I simply put that down to the fact we’ve worn Virustatic Shields and that our amazing staff have followed our own strict infection control guidelines.”

Virustatic Ltd, the leading biotech organisation behind the masks, donated 20 of its Shields to Plasgarnedd. Overall it donated 15,000 of its coverings to frontline workers, charities and those most at risk across the UK. Paul Stanton, a former national Director of NHS Board development, who works as an independent consultant with NHS organisations and with senior clinicians commented: “In any care home there is a significant risk that staff who have become infected in the course of their ordinary lives may, before their symptoms develop, unintentionally bring Covid-19 into their place of work and thus spread the virus to colleagues and to residents – unless they are suitably protected against airborne transmission of infected particles.

“Where residents, as was the case at Plasgarnedd, are isolated within single rooms, unprotected staff could all too easily have spread the virus from one infected resident to others – and indeed to their colleagues.

However, it seems that in this case the Virustatic protective face coverings helped to prevent any onward transmission. It will be important to establish, through properly conducted clinical trials, how important a contribution the protective face coverings can make in other private sector residential care settings”.

Initial discussions are already underway between Virustatic and Care England, the umbrella representative body for private sector residential care home providers, to initiate such trials.

“It will also be vital to the wider UK economy to establish, through properly conducted and evaluated trials, the contribution that these protective face coverings can make in other non-care workplaces. Potentially, the ability of this new form of face covering to prevent the spread of airborne particulate infections in workforce intensive employment settings could be

game changing” Paul Stanton said.

This week it was announced that the ground-breaking Viruferrin™ coating used on the Virustatic Shield has been independently tested and proven to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection at a cellular level. The discovery is being hailed as a significant breakthrough in the fight against the disease, paving the way to research that could deliver a cure. The next step is clinical trials on preventative and curative applications of the Viruferrin™ technology.

Paul Hope, Inventor of the Virustatic technology and products said: "The coating has been demonstrated to protect the cells. If that is replicated within the respiratory systems and lungs it will stop the virus spreading because it cannot infect other cells. We believe the tests demonstrate the effective preventative and curative ability of this coating against Covid-19.”

Paul made it his mission to find a way to prevent deaths caused in pandemics after his own grandfather died of the Spanish Flu in 1919. This latest discovery builds on 10 years of work by Paul, his family and a team of British scientists and virologists.

Paul ended: “I am delighted to hear that our face coverings have already proven life-saving for Plasgarnedd Care.”

Plasgarnedd Care is an award-winning Care Provider which has over 30 years’ experience of providing the highest level of care and support for service users in and around Anglesey and Gwynedd. More information: www.plasgarnedd.co.uk The Virustatic Shield is available to buy direct from the website virustaticshield.com

PAGE 28 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14

HYGIENE & INFECTION CONTROL Proven Technology Offers Greater Protection for Staff and Residents Against Covid-19

Care Homes are having to work around the clock to ensure their facilities are as clean and infection-free as possible, to try and prevent Covid-19 (and multiple other viruses and harmful bacteria) from entering their facility in the first place or containing it once it does.

However, routine cleaning and disinfection, even with the use of other hand sanitisers and antibacterial surface cleaners, only sanitises the individual or surface for that moment in time, i.e. as soon as contact is made with an infected surface or introduced from the outside, the area or the person is no longer safe.

In the tight confines of a Care Home, supporting one of the most vulnerable groups, cross infection via surface contamination is a major challenge. The transient nature of current cleaning regimes will always prove challenging, particularly as over 80% of germs are spread by hands.

Now a proven, independently accredited technology that offers a protective barrier wherever there is a risk of infection is at the forefront of preventing and protecting against the spread of Covid-19.

Once applied it stays active, providing up to 30 days

protection on surfaces and 24 hours on the skin. In a Care Home, this can dramatically reduce the chances of encountering a crisis by reducing the spread of dangerous pathogens either by hand or touch.

OneSpray’s Hand Sanitiser offers 24 hours protection with one application, contains no alcohol, is ultra-gentle on the skin and won’t wash off during normal daily washing.

This means it is very economical to use versus alcoholbased sanitisers, given that typically one person will apply those sanitisers up to 10 times per day.

OneSpray’s Surface Sanitiser offers protection on nearly all surfaces including door handles, desks, door entry systems and keypads, touchscreens, phones, kitchens and taps. A single application forms an invisible barrier over the surface that lasts up to 30 days and will not wash off so normal, daily cleaning can continue.

OneSpray products incorporate Zoono technology, world leaders in antimicrobial protection. Over 150 worldwide laboratory testing reports support the efficacy of their products.

In earlier trials for London Underground a treated train came back 99.9% clear after 28 days of uninterrupted service.

OneSpray is offering a Starter Outbreak-Prevention Package, specifically for Care Homes. It consists of a 5-litre Hand Sanitiser with two 1-litre dispensers, plus a 5-litre Surface Cleaner with two 500ml spray bottles.

For more information contact 07811113108 or email russell@onespray.com or see the advert on page 8.

New Health Check Station A new product has been released to help check individuals’ temperatures as they enter a public space. The Health Check Station by Contour Heating has been designed to help control the spread of infection in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Manufactured from mild steel with a BioCote® antimicrobial powder coating, The Health Check Station has been designed with safety and efficiency in mind. A durable Perspex screen with a small cut out provides the user with a safe means of checking employee and visitor temperature upon arrival.

With a letterbox-style slot for documentation (such as registers and time-sheets) and informative signage to help reinforce key messages in relation to government guidelines, The Health Check Station can be used in offices, factories, retail units, public buildings, schools and much more.

The Health Check Station is available directly from Contour Heating. Call +44 (0) 1952 290 498 to find out more or head over to www.contourheating.co.uk.

Staysafe Visor - CE-Certified PPE Manufactured in the UK Staysafe Visor is a subsidiary of 1st Packaging Ltd, a leading specialist UK plastics manufacturer founded in 2002. Used in a wide range of health and commercial settings, our high-quality recyclable CE-certified face shields offer protection against liquid droplets, sprays and splashes. Our visors are comfortable to wear for extended periods of time, are anti-fog and easy to assemble.

As a long-established UK company, we have been able to step up our manufacture of PPE to meet high demand during the current unprecedented circumstances. Our facilities enable us to produce well in excess of 200,000 items per week.

At Staysafe Visor our experienced team takes very seriously its role in support-

ing the health of the community by helping to maintain a safer environment.

Availability and affordability are the cornerstones of our operation. Because we sell directly to businesses, organisations and the general public, we are able to remove the need for intermediaries and keep costs low. We believe that we offer the most competitive rates on the market for this type of CE-certified PPE. Our high-quality products are helping to better protect employees in the NHS, care homes, education, transport, manufacturing and a host of other workplace settings. For further details about our range of visors please do not hesitate to contact our friendly expert team.

See page 4 for details or visit www.staysafevisor.co.uk

www.baltex.co.uk

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14 | PAGE 29

Meeting the hygiene challenge of COVID-19

By Zak Manhire, Chief Commercial Officer at Regency Design Protecting care home workers and their patients throughout the COVID-19 epidemic and beyond has been a constant challenge, and one that has attracted considerable media attention. It has also prompted the business community to look at its own capabilities, and whether manufacturing and production facilities can be turned over to fulfilling the ongoing demand for protective clothing and equipment.

Made out of premium quality products, Regency Design’s dispensers cut down on sanitiser costs by using sensory technology to dispense an adjustable amount (1.5ml, 1.2ml or 0.8ml) of sanitizer gel or liquid per use. As well as this, the units are constructed out of Mild Steel, which makes them lightweight, yet robust and sturdy. They are all powder coated in a SteriTouch antimicrobial covering to ensure no harbouring of germs on the units themselves. The units are customisable with bespoke under surface mark resistant graphics applied on the front of the unit.

Our company, Regency Design, is one such company that has answered the call, and now produces a suite of products ranging from face visors to automatic hand sanitising units to keep carers, patients and guests safe and avoid cross contamination issues in often challenging environments. All of which manufactured in the UK at their site in Surrey.

Our face visors prove useful for care-home staff as they are highly durable, re-useable and CE marked to demonstrate conformity with health, safety and environmental protection standards.

They comprise a clear, polycarbonate panel with a soft foam headband and a Velcro adjustable strap. With anti-mist properties, high-quality optics with no distortion and a space for branding / name.

Most recently we have gone one better and added an innovative body temperature reading camera with AI Face recognition, that can measure temperatures within 100 milliseconds and at a distance of 0.5 metres all while someone is sanitising their hands.

The infrared temperature sensor provides alerts when a person has a high temperature.

The system is calculated with an algorithm for object heat and fast detection temperature accuracy, with a temperature sensing range of 30 degrees Celsius to 45 degrees Celsius and an accuracy of plus or minus 0.3 degrees Celsius.

Along with the face visors, Regency Design has also launched various automatic hand sanitising units to increase hygiene levels. The automatic hand sanitising units help reduce cross contamination by making the hand cleaning process completely touchless. Our units are diverse as they come as both small and large floor standing units, wall mounted units and countertop units, which provide convenience to all parts of a care home. The small and large floor standing dispensers allow all patients to reach the units, whether they are in a wheelchair or standing, and the countertop units provide hygiene for staff, administration and visitors.

The temperature reading system gives care home staff a non-invasive and comfortable way of checking, staff and guests temperatures, with an aim of reducing contamination issues and increasing hygiene.

To go with the sanitising units, Regency Design also supplies a sanitiser gel or liquid, which can be put into the automatic dispensers so care home staff can keep their units topped up with ease and without worry of replenishment.

Regency has committed to offer a 15% discount on all its products if you use Carer20 when enquiring.

For more information please contact Zak Manhire on zak@regencydesign.co.uk or 07837391421.

www.regencydesign.co.uk

PAGE 30 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14

CONTINENCE CARE

CareZips Dignity Trousers ™

CareZips™ preserve dignity and privacy of people receiving care during diaper changes.

CareZips™ make diaper changes easier and faster, reducing workload, saving efforts, and saving time!

CareZips™ help to deliver better standards of care!

Fitted with unique 3-zip fastening system, the CareZips™ make changing of incontinence diapers more dignified and comfortable for the patients and easier and faster for the carers.

CareZips™ feature 3 strategically positioned zips, 2 of which run from the waist to the knees on both sides of the body. The 3rd zip goes from the inside of one knee up to the crotch and down to the second knee on the inside of the other leg. This zip facilitates total opening of the trousers at the crotch during diaper changes. The 3-zip system ensures fast and easy access to the abdomen and crotch without having to undress the patients or pull their trousers down.

CareZips™ are suitable for men and women. They are available in 7 sizes for perfect fit. CareZips™ are soft and wrinkle resistant with stretch and give for extra comfort.

Practical, durable, washable and non-iron, the CareZips™ trousers are the perfect choice for daily use.

Contact Win Health Medical Ltd - 01835 864866 www.win-health.com or see the advert on page 7.

New Skincare & Incontinence Leaflet A new ‘Skincare management in incontinence’ leaflet is available from Thornton & Ross Pharmaceuticals – manufacturers of Zerolon® Barrier Cream. Accredited by the Association for Continence Advice (ACA), the leaflet is designed as a quick guide for all health professionals involved with continence care. Including recommendations from NICE, the leaflet also outlines factors to consider when selecting a barrier cream and advice on helping prevent incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD).

Zerolon® Barrier Cream is the latest addition to the Zeroderma emollients and barrier creams range, specially formulated to prevent irritation from bodily fluids including urine, faeces and exudate.

To receive a free copy of the ‘Skincare management in incontinence’ leaflet, please email: zeroderma@thorntonross.com Thornton & Ross Ltd, Linthwaite, Huddersfield HD7 5QH 01484 842217 www.zeroderma.co.uk

iMEDicare Ltd Please Please mention mention THE THE CARER CARER when when responding responding to to advertising. advertising.

iMEDicare Ltd is a dynamic and rapidly growing Medical Device Distributor offering an exciting range of unique and market leading medical products for patient use in the fields of Urology and Continence Management Treatment throughout the UK. Our motto is “Pelvic Health Naturally” – premised on the ability of living tissues to react positively to clinically approved therapeutic measures in a pelvic health con-

text. Our logo features a very interesting version of the infinity symbol in blue – which also looks like the Pelvic Girdle bone structure. This symbol represents a sense of simplicity and balance – an important tenet in providing effective healthcare solutions and achieving optimal pelvic health.

We offer a unique blend of professional and patient product training in Clinical and Home environments which are designed to improve individual product customizability, user uptake and long-term patient compliance and satisfaction.

See the advert on this page for details.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14 | PAGE 31

LAUNDRY SOLUTIONS Cash’s Labels- “The Name Behind the Name” At Cash's, we aim to capture, reinforce and communicate our clients’ brand equity through quality and innovation, from design to distribution.

Our product range fully caters for the needs of both small and large retailers and brand owners alike comprising of woven and printed labels, woven badges, care labels, branded and promotional swing tags, garment accessories, packaging and barcoding. Our ground breaking labelling and security technologies are also able to provide an unrivalled level of protection to

our customers' brand by assisting to combat counterfeiting and grey market activity.

Our industry leading eCommerce system is designed to reduce cost, improve efficiency and streamline supply chain management and will fully protect the integrity and accuracy of critical business data. The order entry process is very simple meaning suppliers and vendors can spend their valuable time on tasks other than ordering apparel labelling and accessories.

See the advert this page for details.

Please go on our website to see the new range of Dishwasher proof ID labels which can also be stuck onto textiles.

5 Reasons Why You Should Choose LaundryTec Chester based LaundryTec since its foundation in early 2016 has become one of Alliance Internationals major UK distributers. Founded by Jeremy Hartigan, the team of industry professionals with the backing of the Alliance Lavamac brand and supported by its service partner PDS Laundry based in Nuneaton. They supply a significant number of the UK’s leading health care operators with equipment, installation and after sale support.

The LaundryTec designs offer not only washing, drying and ironing equipment but a full range of handling, distribution, folding and identification systems, to create a fully functioning laundry complete with all items necessary for efficient operation. Every LaundryTec machine includes full installation options, including the removal and disposal of an existing machine. A training program and a minimum of 24 months part and labour warranty.

The environment is at the forefront of every opera-

tor’s mind. Standard specification on a Lavamac machine includes functions that automatically weigh and control the energy input into the machine and store the data in the machines memory. Our LS range of electric heat pump dryers require no ventilation or gas services and operates at 3kw per hour.

5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD CHOOSE LAUNDRYTEC 1. Cost 2. Efficiency 3. Service 4. Design 5. Innovation Telephone 0151 317 3127 Web www..laundrytec.com

Please Please mention mention THE THE CARER CARER when when responding responding to to advertising. advertising.

0151 317 3127

www.laundrytec.com

info@laundrytec.com

5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD CHOOSE LAUNDRYTEC 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Washer Extractors

Tumble Dryers

Cost Quality Service Design Innovation

Flatwork Ironers

Other Equipment

PAGE 32 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14

FOOD AND NUTRITION

COVID-19 Has Taught us That the Care Industry Must Professionalise its Food Supply Chains

By Philip Mayling, Director of MKG Foods (www.mkgfoods.co.uk) through no fault of their own, threaten the lives of those they were trying to protect.

QUALITY CARE MUST GUARANTEE FOOD RESILIENCE

A ONCE-IN-A-CENTURY PANDEMIC ...

The care sector has always played a central role in delivering high quality nursing and care to people who are often vulnerable and have a wide range of complex needs. Unfortunately though, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has not only impacted the health and wellbeing of residents and their carers, but also severely tested the ability of care home owners to source essential food supplies.

As the Government’s lockdown went underway in March, the public were told they could only leave the house to buy “essential items”, such as bread, pasta, and canned goods. Instantly this started a wave of panic buying, which resulted in supermarkets limiting the amount of essential food items that shoppers could purchase. For care homes this was a disaster, as supermarkets are typically their main food provider, and they were used to buying everything they needed in bulk. This meant they had to quickly find a way to source the myriad of foods and other important items they needed to keep their care homes fully functioning.

The situation was only made worse when carers realised, they were not considered key workers, so were forced to queue outside supermarkets with members of the public for their shop. This was a farcical situation because it put them at further risk of being infected by COVID19, which in turn might then pass to their vulnerable or elderly charges.

This was a terrible position for carers to be placed into, as they could,

As the months have passed, clearly some lessons have been learnt with regards putting systems in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, but there is still a lot more to be done. The coronavirus pandemic is far from over despite the relaxation of social distancing rules, and the recent lockdown of Leicester City is a clear example of this. Yet there are other events in the future that will also impact food supply, such as a potential “no deal” Brexit, which would likely have a huge impact on daily living, given half of the food consumed in the UK is imported, mostly from the EU. Therefore it is important to remember that the risks to food supply chains are numerous, ongoing and often unforeseen.

However it is easy to get complacent once you feel a crisis is over and unlikely to happen again. This is a mistake and may leave you unprepared when circumstances change, and an actual emergency does arise. Therefore it is best to take a proactive approach now to mitigate any potential crisis down the line. With this in mind, care homeowners should consider using a professionalised food distribution service to alleviate any future strain. This will minimise contact with others as door to door delivery is guaranteed, but also ensure the items you need will be readily available, because distributors rarely sell to the public.

Food can also be ordered securely online and deliveries arranged

quickly and regularly. If there are any problems with your order, you will be automatically notified if an item is not in stock or if a delivery will be later than expected, allowing for suitable alternative arrangements to be made. A

MITIGATING RISK, MEANS TAKING CHARGE The work of care homes is critical to the wellbeing of so many people that it is vital that carers are able to do what they do best… Providing specialist care and assistance to those who need it. That means they should not have to be distracted with time consuming, menial shopping tasks, that not only distract from the good work they do, but in a pandemic or similar situation, put themselves, and others at risk. COVID-19 has clearly established the need for care homes to professionalise their food supply chains. That means partnering with a quality food distributor, in order to receive a prioritised accountable client service.

While supermarkets do an excellent job serving the general public, it is important to keep in mind that they are not designed to meet the specific needs of care homes, or for that matter people with special needs. They essentially offer an impersonal service that ends as soon as walk out of their sliding doors.

By working with a food distributor, you will have an allocated representative to support and advise you when times are tough, at an allinclusive cost that is typically less than what you pay for just your shopping at the supermarket. Therefore now is the time for care homes to realise benefits to partnering with food distribution specialists, of which food security is but one of many.

BEIC Chairman Has Appetite for Big Year for Lion Eggs The British Egg Industry Council has announced that Andrew Joret has been re-elected as Chairman of the BEIC, with the following office holders also re-elected: Elwyn Griffiths, BEIC Deputy Chairman; Duncan Priestner and James Baxter, joint BEIC Vice-Chairmen; Jeffrey Vergerson, BEIC Treasurer; with Mark Williams continuing his role as BEIC CEO and Secretary.

While confirming the reappointments, Andrew Joret also announced the manifesto for the British Egg Industry Council (BEIC) for the coming year: “It has been a turbulent few months, with the impact of COVID-19 putting an enormous strain on production with year on year sales up by as much as 30%. We’ve also launched and completed a successful lobbying campaign to protect the high standards of British egg producers by maintaining tariffs on imports ahead of Brexit.

“The unprecedented egg sales over the past few months show that the UK’s love affair with eggs is as strong as ever and this provides some huge opportunities for the industry to continue to grow the market – there are so many reasons to be optimistic.”

Joret sees three key areas for ongoing success:

THE LAUNCH OF THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE LION CODE EVER

As the Chairman of the Lion Technical Committee, which is responsible for the development of the Lion Code of Practice in line with the latest scientific and veterinary thinking, Joret will oversee the launch the Lion Code of Practice V8 later this year, consolidating the most comprehensive and stringent measures ever, to ensure the Lion continues to offer the highest standards of food safety in the world.

MAINTAIN TARIFFS ON IMPORTED EGGS At a time when imported egg has appeared on supermarket shelves for the first time in decades, and bilateral trade negotiations with the USA and other countries on the horizon, it is vital that the industry continues to lobby Government to ensure import tariffs are neither reduced nor removed. The BEIC will continue to work to hold the government to its pledge to support the egg industry by not lowering standards.

CLAIM THE LION’S SHARE Following an extended period where eggs have become even more of a family favourite, the industry must work together to continue to maintain sales as people return to work. Working with BEIS, plans are in place to highlight the food safety, nutritional benefits, and versatility of British Lion eggs.

The industry will also be working with the foodservice and food manufacturing industry to continue the steady increase in Lion specification that we’ve seen in recent years in these sectors.

Joret concluded: “It’s a great honour to continue as Chairman of the British Egg Industry Council and help to lead such a wonderful industry. With the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on egg demand to manage and Brexit trade deals looming, we have vital work to do this year, but we are prepared for any challenges and confident that we will be able to continue to grow the market for Lion eggs in the long term.

“I am very pleased that we have a hugely talented executive team in place, led by Mark Williams, that has the necessary skills to ensure that we can support the industry through what is likely to be a pivotal year in the development of the egg industry.”

PAGE 34 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14

FOOD AND NUTRITION

Tackling Malnutrition in Dementia Patients

By Gillian Farren, Registered Dietitian

NUTRITIONAL CHALLENGES Patients with dementia face numerous challenges, all of which can have a significant impact on their ability to eat and drink.

In the UK alone, it is estimated that 3 million older people are malnourished or at risk of malnutrition.1 Alongside weight loss, key micronutrient deficiencies are recognised, with an estimated 35% of older people showing deficiencies in vitamins A, B12, iron and zinc.2 Although weight loss is part of the natural ageing process, dementia is recognised as a key contributor.3 Moreover, the link between dementia and weight loss strengthens as dementia becomes more severe.4,5 It is important to support dementia patients in eating and drinking well, as inadequate nutritional intake can make a person with dementia more confused.6 Recent guidance from NICE recommends that carers “encourage and support people living with dementia to eat and drink, taking into account their nutritional needs” and “consider involving a speech and language therapist if there are concerns about a person’s safety when eating and drinking”.7 However, dementia carers face specific challenges in supporting patients to eat and drink enough.8

DYSPHAGIA: A BARRIER FOR DEMENTIA SUFFERERS Dysphagia is a term used to describe difficulty or discomfort in swallowing food, fluids and saliva. Dementia is a well-recognised cause.9 Signs of dysphagia in people with dementia include coughing or choking; difficulties chewing; spitting out food; wet gurgling voice after eating; and food/drink spilling from or residue in the patient’s mouth after eating.10 If dysphagia is not managed appropriately, patients can suffer severe health consequences such as chest infections, aspiration pneumonia and choking-related death 9.

PROMOTING A SAFE SWALLOW The International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) is a global standard that describes correct and appropriate thickening of liquids and food texture modification, to ensure that they are safe to offer to patients with differing degrees of dysphagia.11 IDDSI gives clear descriptors for all levels of consistency, from level 0 (thin/unthickened) up to 4 (extremely thick) for fluids, and from level 7 (regular) down to level 3 (liquidised) for foods.11 It is vital that patients with dementia are only offered foods and drinks that are a safe and appropriate texture for their current level of dysphagia. This should be assessed and regularly monitored by a registered speech and language therapist.

Many dementia patients dislike the taste and texture of thickening agents. Thus, products which do not require added thickener may be more acceptable, and can make it easier when patients with dementia are preparing their own drinks. Interestingly, research suggests that use

products which do not require added thickener can lead to increased food and fluid intake.12

PERCEPTION, DEXTERITY AND DISTRACTIONS Dementia often changes how patients recognise once-familiar foods, drinks and utensils.6 Additionally, preference for sweeter tastes and contrasting colours are commonly observed 3. Involving patients in preparing their own foods and drinks, alongside the use of adapted utensils and cutlery, and a reduction in distracting sounds, sights and objects at mealtimes, can encourage independence and focus, while preventing wandering off during mealtimes.13

USING THE “FOOD FIRST APPROACH” For patients with small appetites, foods and drinks can be enriched by adding foods rich in fats and sugars – such as butter, jam, cheese and cream – to increase energy and protein intake without increasing the amount of food eaten. This is referred to as a “food first” approach.14 While this is the preferred first-line strategy to tackle malnutrition, dementia patients can still struggle to meet their needs from food alone, and oral nutritional supplements or nutrition shakes such as NuVu Life are often recommended to fill the gap.15

HOW NUVU LIFE CAN HELP Made up with 200ml whole milk, one 50g sachet of NuVu Life delivers an impressive 362 kcal and 27.5g protein. When mixed with water or milk, it is IDDSI level 2 consistency. For patients requiring level 2 thickened fluids, NuVu Life removes the need for added thickening agents, thus saving time and reducing risk of error for carers and patients alike.

Moreover, NuVu Life is enriched with vitamins and minerals, including those identified earlier in the article (i.e. vitamins A, B12, iron and zinc), which are a specific concern for older people. Just one 50g sachet on NuVu Life provides 100% of the recommended daily intake for these key micronutrients.

NuVu Life is available to purchase online (www.nuvulife.com), RRP depends on the quantity purchased. Use voucher code TC30 to claim 30% off your order. For sales enquiries, or to request a sample of NuVu Life, please email sales@nuvulife.com or call: 07740 844 405.

Martin McKee’s Croque Madame

REFERENCES: 1. Stratton R, Smith T, Gabe S. Managing malnutrition to improve lives and save money.

BAPEN Report 2018. (available at http://www.bapen.org.uk/pdfs/reports/mag/managingmalnutrition.pdf ) [accessed 07 June 2020] 2. Maggini S, Pierre A, Calder P. Immune function and micronutrient requirements change over the life course. Nutrients. 2018; 10(10):1531. (Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6212925/ ) [accessed 07 June 2020] 3. Prince M, Albanese E, Guerchet M, Prina M. Nutrition and dementia: a review of available research. Alzheimer’s Disease International 2014. (available at https://www.alz.co.uk/sites/default/files/pdfs/nutrition-and-dementia.pdf) [accessed 07 June 2020] 4. White H, Pieper C, Schmader K. The association of weight change in Alzheimer's disease with severity of disease and mortality: a longitudinal analysis. J Amer Geriatrics Soc 1998; 46(10):1223-7. (available at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.15325415.1998.tb04537.x) [accessed 07 June 2020] 5. Albanese E, Taylor C, Siervo M, Stewart R, Prince MJ, Acosta D. Dementia severity and weight loss: A comparison across eight cohorts. The 10/66 study. Alzheimer’s & dementia: the journal of the Alzheimer’s Association. 2013; 9:649-656. (Avaiable at https://alzjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1016/j.jalz.2012.11.014) [accessed 07 June 2020] 6. Alzheimer’s Society. Caring for a person with dementia: a practical guide. 2019. (Available at: https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/sites/default/files/202003/caring_for_a_person_with_dementia_600.pdf ) [accessed 07 June 2020] 7. National Institute for Clinical Excellence. Dementia: assessment, management and support for people living with dementia and their carers (NG97). 2018. (Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng97 ) [accessed 07 June 2020] 8. NHS Education for Scotland. Supporting People with Dementia in Acute Care: Learning Resource. 2016. (available at: https://www.knowledge.scot.nhs.uk/media/11866144/supporting%20people%20with%20dementia%20in%20acute%20care%20final%202016%20web.pdf) [accessed 07 June 2020] 9. Holdoway A, Smith A. Meeting nutritional need and managing patients with dysphagia.

Journal of Community Nursing. 2020; 34(2):52-59. (Available at: https://www.jcn.co.uk/files/downloads/articles/12-nutritionalneed.pdf) [accessed 07 June 2020] 10. Hansjee D. 5 Fundamental Ms: cutting aspiration risk in dementia and dysphagia patients. Nursing Times. 2019; 115(4):38-41. (Available at: https://cdn.ps.emap.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2019/03/190327-5-Fundamental-Ms-cutting-aspiration-risk-in-dementia-and-dysphagia-patients.pdf) [accessed 07 June 2020] 11. International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative. Complete IDDSI Framework detailed definitions 2.0. 2019. (Available at: https://ftp.iddsi.org/Documents/Complete_IDDSI_Framework_Final_31July2019.pdf ) [accessed 07 June 2020] 12. McCormick S, Stafford K, Saqib G, Ni Chronin D, Power D. The efficacy of pre-thickened fluids on total fluid and nutrient consumption among extended care residents requiring thickened fluids due to risk of aspiration. Age and Ageing. 2008; 37(6):714–715. (Available at: https://academic.oup.com/ageing/article/37/6/714/40923 ) [accessed 07 June 2020] 13. Crawley H, Hocking E. Eating well: supporting older people and older people with dementia. Caroline Walker Trust. 2011. (Available at: http://www.cwt.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/EW-Old-Dementia-PracticalResource.pdf ) [accessed 07 June 2020] 14. Forbes C. The ‘food first’ approach to malnutrition. Nursing and Residential Care. 2014; 16(8): 442-445. (Available at: https://www.magonlinelibrary.com/doi/abs/10.12968/nrec.2014.16.8.442 ) [accessed 07 June 2020] 15. Robinson K. Nutrition and Dementia. Dietetics Today. Sept 2018; 42-43 (Available at: https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/nutrition-and-dementia.html ) [accessed 07 June 2020]

Are You in Need of * Dysphagia Training ?

Did you know that between 5075% of nursing home residents suffer from dysphagia1? Nutricia has a

INGREDIENTS Sandwich • • • • • • •

20 slices of thick white bread 20 British Lion eggs 20 honey roast ham 2 red onions 150 grated mature cheddar 150 grated Gruyère cheese 50g butter (soft)

Bechamel • • • • • •

90g butter (unsalted) 90g plain flour 1/4 tsp English mustard 100g milk powder 900ml milk (whole fat) 50g grated parmesan

Serves: 10 Allergens: Eggs, wheat, milk

Method: 1. To make the Béchamel, fortify the milk with milk powder in a pan. In a separate pan, combine the melted butter with flour. Slowly incorporate the butter on a medium heat until it’s smooth. Add the parmesan, mustard and salt and pepper.

2. To make the sandwich, spread each slice of bread with the Béchamel before adding some ham, red onion, Gruyère cheese, cheddar and pepper.

3. Spread the top slice of bread with butter. Heat a pan on a medium heat and place the sandwich butter side down with a little extra butter and fry on each side.

4. Remove from the heat, top with more Béchamel and cheese and place in the oven to finish cooking at 170°C for 3 – 4 minutes (fan oven).

5. Remove the fried sandwich and top with a sunny side up British Lion egg.

6. Serve with a fresh tossed mixed salad with red onion, mixed peppers, tomatoes, cucumber, radish and carrot.

Recipe courtesy of www.eggrecipes.co.uk For more information please call the British Egg Information Service on 020 7052 8899 or see the advert on page 19.

training solution for you, a FREE elearning covering the fundamentals of dysphagia management using Nutilis Clear.

The training is divided into 4 sections and has been specially designed for busy health and social care staff caring for people living with dysphagia. It takes 60 minutes in total to complete, however you can complete one section at a time.

HOW CAN THIS TRAINING HELP YOU? • Easy & convenient online solution to dysphagia training • Visibility to track progress in your care home • Raise the quality standard of dysphagia care in a consistent way

ing professional development.

There is a certificate that can be downloaded once the training has been successfully completed.

Use the camera on your phone to scan the QR code to access the elearning and get started!

For any questions contact your local Nutricia sales representative or our Resource Centre at resourcecentre@nutricia.com.

Nutilis Clear is a Food for Special Medical Purposes for the dietary management of dysphagia and must be used under medical supervision.

Reference: 1. O’Loughlin G, Shanley C. Swallowing problems in the nursing home: a novel training response. Dysphagia 1998; 13, 172-183.( https://www.rcslt.org/speech-and-languagetherapy/clinical-information/dysphagia)

The quality standards aim is for all new health and social care staff members caring for patients with Dysphagia to complete the modules as part of their induction programme. Existing health and social care staff members should also complete the learning to support their continu-

*This training is intended for healthcare professionals only.

NEW DYSPHAGIA E-LEARNING Between Between 50-75% of nursing nursing home residents from residents suffer suffer fr om dysphagia dysphagia1

ARE YOU IN NEED OF DYSPHAGIA TRAINING? NUTRICIA HAS A SOLUTION! A FREE e-learning covering the fundamentals of dysphagia using Nutilis Clear*

4 modules 60 min utes minutes

Point your camera at the code to access the registration link

PAGE 36 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Calibre Audio - Unleash the Power of Your Imagination Audiobooks offer a gateway to the world of independence when print is inaccessible. Reading books has many health benefits; from reducing anxiety and helping to combat memory loss, to boosting mental health. Books provide us with companionship, adventure, empathy and enjoyment, and listening to audiobooks extends all of this to people who cannot read printed books.

A restricting disability can bring with it the sting of isolation, and being locked out of activities that were once enjoyed can create frustration and loneliness.

However, research has shown that listening to audiobooks can boost mental health (ref. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov), helping to

counteract depression and other mental health issues.

Escaping to audiobooks provides comfort and companionship as well as being a coping strategy in hard times.

Calibre Audio is a charity, providing free audiobooks to anyone who struggles to read print, through sight loss, dyslexia or a physical disability.

Our collection of over 11,500 audiobooks includes books from all genres, both fiction and non-fiction, from the classics to the latest blockbusters; from crime to autobiographies.

Our books are available online for members or delivered to your door via a free postal service.

It is free and easy to join.

Visit calibreaudio.org.uk for more information or to join. See page 4 for details.

Adaptawear Clothing To Help Healthcare & Care Home Workers: Independent & Assisted Dressing If you are a healthcare or care home worker or Occupational Therapist and struggling to dress your patients during this Covid-19 pandemic; then take a look at our range of Adaptawear adapted clothing for both men and women. Adaptawear comfort clothing has been designed to help independent living and assisted dressing with the aim to make getting dressed easier and less painful for both the wearer and carer.

Adaptawear designs and manufacturers a range of ladies and men’s open back and drop front trousers, magnetic & open back shirts and blouses, dresses, skirts, open back nighties and front fastening bras. We also sell a selection of everyday essentials aimed at making people comfortable day and night.

Adaptawear clothes are ideal for

arthritis, stroke, Parkinson, incontinence and dementia sufferers as well as people of all ages who struggle with buttons and zips. The easy fit clothes are made from quality and natural fabrics to provide maximum comfort.

Adaptawear Offers: • Discreetly Adapted Clothes • Independent & Assisted Dressing • Ladies & Men's Daywear and Nightwear • UK Nationwide and Overseas Deliveries • No Quibble 14 Day Returns • VAT Exemption where relevant • FREE Delivery on orders over £100 For more information on Adaptawear’s Product Range please visit www.adaptawear.com. Carer readers please quote TC141 for 10% discount off your first order.

CARE VISION – Outstanding Care is at the Heart of Everything We Do At Carevision, outstanding care truly is at the heart of everything they do. They have combined over 40 years of hands on experience running care homes and working with some of the smartest mind in tech, they have created Care Vision - An all-in-one, cloud-based system that incorporates all your care and admin in to one easy to use system. Carers can compile resident notes, health observations and EMAR. Care home managers can manage rotas, accounts, HR and house-keeping tasks and log visitors using the digital visitor book.

Residents can use the system to make personal choices on meals and activities and use the app to keep in touch with family and friends.

Rishi Jawaheer, director at Care Vision says “The 100+ care homes that

use our system have seen its benefits – They are saving 2-4 hours of staff hours per resident, per week and they are achieving outstanding CQC results.

Carers love it, residents and relatives love it, and care home managers can’t remember how challenging managing a care home was before it.”

Of course, taking on a whole new system can seem daunting, that’s why Care Vision offer minimal investment, all round support and flexible hardware options.

They don’t feel the need for long-term contracts, Rishi says “We have total confidence, once you use Care Vision, you will love it as much as we do.”

The Care Vision team would love to talk to you about what the system can do for you. Contact at info@care-vision.co.uk or call 0208 768 9809.

See the advert on page 42 for details.

Workwear Experts For Over 100 Years Grahame Gardner has more than 100 years’ experience in clothing a broad spectrum of medical and healthcare professionals. Our knowledge and understanding of uniform demands ensure we remain one the UK’s most trusted and respected suppliers. We combine our extensive expertise with the latest innovations in technology and fabric and design, to offer you the highest quality garments to meet the demanding standards of healthcare professionals… all at exceptional prices!

We also provide one of the most flexible embroidery services available from any clothing manufacturer using state-of-theart technologies that enable us to copy virtually any design or

logo directly onto your chosen uniforms.

Whether you’re seeking a classic healthcare dress or tunic, or something from our bold and bright scrubwear range, you can find it with us. As one of the largest workwear providers in the UK, we are proud to be able to offer instant stock availability on 1,000s of workwear garments all in addition to our extensive range of ‘made to order’ items that can be manufactured on demand in a wide range of styles, fabrics and colours.

To find out more, or for a no obligation discussion as to how we can help with your workwear requirements, please get in touch on 0116 255 6326 or email Info@grahamegardner.co.uk www.grahamegardner.co.uk

In-House Practical Engagement Workshop Scripts New Pressure Relief Options from Airospring Medical Now Available for Care Homes & Services Airospring Medical manufactures a range of pressure relieving devices.

Our flagship products are a range of lightweight and breathable pressure relief cushions and mattress overlays made from high-tech 3D Knitted Spacer Fabrics. Airospring has been awarded a full patent in August 2014 approving this ground breaking technology. Our pressure relief cushions distribute weight and allow maximum airflow. The cushions have been tested for the dissipation of perspiration, a key factor in the fight against pressure ulcers. Welcome to a new standard in healthy seating.

Call: 0115 9322403 Email: sales@airospring.com Visit: www.airospring.com

Renray Healthcare Design and Manufacture New COVID19 Response Beds for Temporary Hospitals Renray Healthcare has developed a field response bed to supply to temporary hospitals, with our design expertise and manufacturing capability we have been able to put the COVID-19 Response bed and mattress into production quickly, with deliveries going out across the country to help in the fight against COVID-19.

Renray has been supplying beds, mattresses and furniture for over 50 years and due to the increasing spread of Coronavirus, we are proactively using Hydrogen Peroxide Vapour (HPV) decontamination system in all our Heavy Goods Vehicles prior to delivery of your goods to eliminate the virus or any potential contaminant, making deliveries safer for our staff, customers and users.

Let us know if you require beds for temporary or permanent hospitals, to ensure you have everything you need to continue caring for patients in this difficult time.

Download our brochure now for more information: The COVID-19 Response Bed Brochure at https://tinyurl.com/unofs42 Please contact customer service on 01606 593456 or info@renrayhealthcare.com who will be happy to assist you. See the advert on page 3.

C & S Seating Postural Management C & S Seating has been providing postural control equipment to hospitals, nursing homes, hospices and medical equipment services nationwide since 1991.

With 9 different sizes of T-Rolls and Log Rolls in a removable and machine washable, waterproof Titex or Soft Knit material. These rolls are used to control posture and position of the body in either supine or side lying. Our Knee & Leg support wedges are available in 2 sizes.

C & S Seating is the sole manufacturer of the Alternative Positioning Support (APS) system. Ideal when more control of the abducted lower limb is required (See photo) which has

removable side cushions and middle pommel; this is available in small or large.

Our popular range of Soft Knit covers in a choice of 5 vibrant colours provide a softer alternative that fit easily over our standard waterproof rolls.

It is recommended you seek professional advice to select the correct product depending on your needs.

Contact us on 01424 853331 or visit us at www.cands-seating.co.uk to request or download a brochure, pricelist or order form, request an individualised quotation, speak to an advisor or to place an order.

See the advert on page 10.

As training sessions and venues may be difficult to facilitate for some time, Happy Days Dementia Workshop has acted quickly, re-writing their ‘Practical Engagement Workshop’ into a series of easy to follow presentation and training guides.

Enriching social care is at the heart of Happy Days, ‘It’s amazing to see how care teams are heartened and invigorated once they see how easy it is to engage more meaningfully with residents on a daily basis’ says Gillian Hesketh, MD of Dementia Workshop.

Training in-house can support the safety of your care teams, reduce travel, time and cut costs.

Demonstration and nostalgic materials can be included in packages with options to add an activity manual, reminiscence baskets and memory prompts. The workshops are ideal for building carer confidence, boosting morale and uplifting everyone’s mood.

Packages can be created to suit your care team requirements and resident interests. See The Carer front page or find starter practical workshop packs online at www.dementiaworkshop.co.uk / Phone direct on 07971953620 or see the advert on page 1.

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.

The true challenge lies inside the chair, a haven for contamination, but therein lies the problem. How do you clean the inside of a chair that has been soiled?

The simple answer is “you don’t”.

There is no way to truly clean a chair that has been soiled as liquids will find their way into every part of your furniture, absorbed by wood and languishing in foam and fabric. So, what is the solution to sanitising your furniture?

Simply, you stop anything from ever reaching the interior.

The truest way of maintaining hygeine is to prevent unsanitary situations from ever reaching the areas that cannot be easily cleaned. Investing in hygienic barriers today not only saves time and money, but ensures the protection demanded by those who need it most. This was our maxim here at SpillSafe when developing our patentpending cassette system – Why allow the uncleanable to become unsanitary in the first place?

Matthew Holmes, Director of SpillSafe Ltd. Contact Spillsafe Ltd on 0330 088 4851 or www.Spillsafe.co. See the advert on page 9.

New Guides To Supercharge Your Care Home Management Is continued customer satisfaction important to you?

Could your communications with residents and their loved ones be improved? Does your care home's website need to be brought into the 2020's? If you answered yes to any of those questions, then you will be pleased to learn about a series of free expert guides for care home managers and owners.

The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) in partnership with the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has launched a series of guides for the care home industry. These guides provide you with specialist advice on fair trading practices, complaints procedures, communications methods and website layouts for care homes written by and for those

working in the care homes sector.

UK consumer law is among the best in the world, but this also means that it can be complicated and in-depth.

Care home regulations are no exception, and you may be overwhelmed by it all. These guides make it simple and straightforward so that you can avoid the regulatory pitfalls and improve your business for the good of you and your residents.

The guides are hosted on Business Companion, a government-backed website containing a wealth of in-depth knowledge on every element of consumer protection written by industry experts in every sector.

Download your free guides at: www.businesscompanion.info

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14 | PAGE 37

TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE What Has COVID-19 Taught Us? During the last few months, the response to the COVID-19 pandemic by services and technology companies has been epic. Decision making processes which normally take months, even years took days. Massive co-ordinated efforts with care homes, hospital trusts, local authorities, manufacturers and suppliers all coming together on projects across the UK. We can certainly say, having been heavily involved in many projects in the UK and around the World, that Courtney Thorne are enormously proud and humbled to have played our part.

One of the largest temporary Field Hospitals is the Dragon’s Heart Hospital inside the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. This vast stadium initially housed 335 emergency beds, when an additional 1200 beds were required Courtney Thorne was approached to supply,

install and commission nurse call points throughout the pitch and seating areas. These call points (including shower and toilet alarms) were supplied, installed and commissioned by Courtney Thorne’s own engineering team. Designed into 55 separate “wards” and integrated with paging systems. Completed in two weeks, it was a herculean effort by everyone involved.

No one could have predicted what was going to happen when in January we heard of deaths in China spreading. The impact of the lock-down in March brought home the scale of the problem as business owners worried, not knowing what the consequences might be. This was true for those of us supplying the healthcare sectors, with hospitals focussing on the pandemic and care homes locking down to protect elderly residents.

As we reduce the lock down rules, for many people and businesses this means a degree of normality and returning to work, albeit with social distancing. Those in the care sectors however will be more cautious so not to risk the vulnerable and elderly. Where there are COVID-19 free hospitals some of the day to day maintenance, building work, refurbishment will re-start, and it is here that the health and care solution providers need to be ready to support these projects.

Care homes need to make sure the safety of those in their care is not compromised by aging or failing nurse call systems. Courtney Thorne continued to provide full engineering, sales and support functions throughout the lock down period. A serious consideration when deciding who will supply business and person critical technology in the future.

When we look back on this period, no doubt some of the practices learnt will stand the test of time, such as flexible working with more home working. Video conferencing has at last come of age, e-training, webinars, online meetings have been the savour of many busi-

nesses.

It therefore appears to have taken a pandemic to create a situation where communication technologies, readily available becomes normalised. Spending quality time with our closest family is favoured rather than spending hours sat in commuter traffic. Business leaders at last realise that they can trust colleagues to do the right thing. Maybe there is a compromise to be gained where work can be more flexible, coupled with face to face meetings, not for every individual nor every business, however it is a start.

For more information about solutions for care, see Courtney Thorne's advert on page 11 or visit www.c-t.co.uk

How Can Employers Help Improve the Work-Life Balance and Mental Health of Social Care Workers?

Hailed as heroes during the pandemic, social care workers dedicate their lives to help the old, the weak and the sick. Often forgotten and under-valued, their mental health is under strain and COVID-19 has understandably worsened the situation.

How can employers help their employees restore a healthier work-life balance?

THE STATE OF THE SOCIAL CARE WORKFORCE A new survey by Quinyx found that health and social care workers are amongst those most likely to have their mental health negatively impacted by their job. The pandemic has made it worse: 54% of those polled said that their work had negatively impacted their mental health over the past 12 months, versus 48% before the pandemic - a 12% increase.

LOW PAY, LONG HOURS AND HIGH EXPECTATIONS COVID-19 has seen them work longer hours and be in the spotlight, with high expectations from their employers, the nation, the government, and to an

extent, global scrutiny over which country will do “better” at handling the crisis. Added to the fear of getting sick or contaminating their loved ones, it is easy to imagine the mental burden on those who risk their lives to help others.

Prior to the outbreak, the main reasons invoked by those who suffered poor mental health as a result of their job were low pay (42%) and managers’ expectations being too high (37%).

Some concerns were alleviated during the pandemic though, with 72% of healthcare workers polled saying that they felt valued by their employer, versus 53% prior.

WHAT CAN EMPLOYERS DO TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION? While increasing wages may not always be possible, three areas can make a positive difference: - Two-ways communication channels, effective and open, to monitor and engage.

- Allowing greater flexibility and control over work hours to restore a healthy balance.

- Optimised schedules to improve efficiency, reduce the overall cost of labour and help both workers and managers plan ahead.

HOW TO SUCCEED? Using technology to improve your workers’ work-life balance and wellbeing is one way to stay ahead of the game. Technology can help keep your employees productive, connected and happy. A solution like Quinyx helps empower workers, while optimising communication, time management and resources. It can also ensure that employers comply with the new regulations around contact and tracing, all through a simple, user-friendly app. www.quinyx.com/survey * Research conducted by Censuswide in two stages: the first was conducted with 1,200 deskless workers who work an hourly schedule in the following sectors: healthcare and social assistance, retail, hospitality and tourism, shipping/distribution, transportation and warehousing. It took place between 11.03.2020-23.03.2020. The second was conducted with 1,205 deskless UK workers in these same sectors.

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FOLLOW FOLL OW W UP UP

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14 | PAGE 39

TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE The Tiny Tablet from Inspired Interaction be useful for staff training, presentations and transferring data.

"This new interactive experience has been of great benefit to our longterm residential residents with mid to late stage dementia, focusing on three primary outcomes of play: sensation, relaxation and reminiscence. Their interaction and engagement have increased considerably since using the table".

Stuart Davies - General Manager Plas Bryn Rhosyn, part of the Pobl Group Tel: 07950 513 176

Our touch tables are portable, adjustable and utilized the same way as a smart phone or iPad. They are ideal for improving the well being of residents through App Technology.

Every Tiny Tablet comes with a commercial grade screen and a chargeable built in power pack so there are no potential trip hazards. We offer both fixed and height adjustable tables, making it accessible for standing or seated use.

Wi-Fi capabilities allow the table to be used anywhere around the care home, enabling every resident to benefit both in a group activity environment and privately on a one to one basis.

Having the option of USB, HDMI, VGA and Bluetooth means various devices can be connected to the table, increasing options of use. This can

Sales & Enquiries: sales@inspired-interaction.com Web: www.inspired-interaction.com HRH Prince Charles discovering the Tiny Tablet at Plas Bryn Rhosyn Care Home

Using Technology to Manage the Prevention and Control of Infection in Care Homes For care home residents, infections can be serious, and in some cases, life-threatening. So, in the midst of a pandemic, the focus on good infection prevention and control practices has never been more important.

Over the last few months, we have supported Radar Healthcare customers in the management of Covid-19 related incidents, helping them to map resident outbreaks, identify pockets of self-isolating staff and anticipate consequential risks as a result.

The steps taken in care homes to protect residents and staff from infection represent an important element in the quality of care. So, knowledge and understanding of outbreak prevention, preparedness, detection and management is key.

PREVENT The dynamic management of emerging risks is a collective responsibility and one which ensures your workforce is fully involved in the process of preventing and controlling infection.

Risk registers should be actively maintained and monitored with a standardised risk scoring mechanism to facilitate prioritisation.

Risk stratification combined with regular audits and assessments to identify potential hazards can then support the creation of preventative action plans.

PREPARE Engaging with your workforce to co-create your strategic and

operational approach to infection prevention and control can support you to embed a culture of continuous improvement in this area.

Education plays a critical role in the prevention and control of infection so it’s critical that you manage and track workforce capability and competency – giving you peace of mind that they understand the importance of infection control and the specific role they have to play.

DETECT Clear communication of symptoms, guidelines and procedures ensures staff are equipped to recognise an outbreak and take appropriate action. With standardised procedures for reporting active cases and incidents, you can develop a clear picture of the pace and spread of the infection.

DIGITALISING YOUR OUTBREAK MANAGEMENT PLAN Prompt investigation and control of infection outbreaks is critical to protect the safety of residents and staff but mobilising an infection outbreak response can be difficult if information is siloed or managed manually.

Find out more about how Radar Healthcare can support your infection control processes at info.radarhealthcare.co.uk/infectioncontrol/

Tiny Tablet

Interactive Activity Touch Tables for care homes, education & hospitals.

Based in the West Midlands, all of our Tiny Tablets are designed and manufactured in the UK.

Utilising the latest touchscreen technology, we’ve created a range of products that are easy and intuitive to use, combining education & play through the use of interactive technology.

■ Wi-Fi Capabilities

■ Screenshot Function

■ Google Play Store Accessibility

■ Wheelchair Accessible

■ Bluetooth

■ Internet Browsing

■ Films and Catch Up TV

■ Brain Training / Collaborative Apps ■ Skype

■ 8 Hour Use Off One Charge

■ Data Saving Option ■ Multiple Users

■ Durable Screen

■ 3 Year Warranty

■ Full Onsite Training with every product

07950 513 176 sales@inspired-interaction.com www.inspired-interaction.com

PAGE 40 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14

TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE Mainteno Facilities Maintenance and Management Software Facilities Maintenance and Management Software Simple to use, easy to maintain and very affordable.

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Reporting tasks and faults Asset tracking and value reporting Invoice management Add multiple images and documents Detailed analytical reporting Dashboard reporting showing live status of all tasks Management of all planned maintenance schedules Compliance testing and inspections Traffic light detailed reporting for audit purpose Audit reporting Direct allocation of work to relevant parties Can be used for help desk Supplier performance management and reporting Warranty and insurance management Can be used on any web enabled device Link tasks to calendar Create check lists for compliance purposes Contractor Quotes and Invoice Management Contractor Login upload function

www.mainteno.com 020 8798 3713 sales@redro.co.uk

Whether it’s managing planned maintenance or dealing with fault repairs, Mainteno simplifies the day-to-day maintenance of almost any organisation.

Mainteno also seamlessly incorporates asset management and tracking.

Mainteno streamlines every aspect of the maintenance management process, saving your organisation time and money.

Usability made affordable Mainteno was designed with practicality in mind. The interface is so intuitive that basic operation can be learned in minutes, and you can be a power user in one afternoon.

Elegant usability usually means a hefty price tag.

However, our pricing structure means that for small

organisations, Mainteno can cost as little as two cups of coffee a month. No set-up fees, no lengthy contracts and a free trial, all mean that the system starts paying for itself straight away.

Dr Asif Raja, Bsc MBBS Summercare Managing Director says “Facing significant challenges of ever increasing quality and compliance demands upon time and resources as well considerable economic pressures, Summercare, an award winning provider of residential care and housing related support, sought to upgrade their systems for managing the property and environmental aspects of its service delivery. After an extensive period of investigation and research Mainteno was selected as the platform of choice for the entire organization based on its ease of use, very short-term contract, quick set up and ongoing support.”

Visit www.mainteno.com, Tel: 020 8798 3713 or email sales@redro.co.uk

Network Communication Systems Network Communication Systems Ltd ( NCS ) was established in 1992 and from the outset has provided Telecare and Security Products and Services, primarily to Local Government (Housing) and Housing Associations. Today we have many accreditations to our name including ISO 9001 Quality Management which ensures the company meets its quality commitments The company offers a full range of services encompassing Consultancy, Design, Project Management Installation and Maintenance The company supplies both 3rd party and own brand products for individual and grouped living.

Grouped Living encompassing Sheltered Housing, Extra Care and Nursing Homes The Company offers maintenance on any make and model of

Telecare and Security Products/Systems, including system upgrades, partial and full, for better operation with the new digital telephone system being phased in by 2025. Maintenance can be offered on an ad-hoc basis or contractually via various packaged service agreements, depending on customer requirements Recently the company has just completed a design and installation project for Central Bedfordshire Council comprising over 50 CCTV cameras, some of which offer auto-tracking to get the best possible close up high quality image, Recording Equipment, Security Doors including Door Entry and Access Control and Automatic Swing Door Operators. All delivered to the client’s satisfaction.

For further information, please visit www.nsgroup.co.uk

Please Please mention mentionTHE THE CARER CARER when when responding responding to to advertising. advertising.

NURSE CALL

IT’S NOT OBSOLETE UNTIL THE OPERA LADY SINGS Grouped Alarms - Fully Integrated Telecare and Security

• 2 System types available depending on requirements • Door Entry panels and standalone fob readers • Telecare room units with choice of peripherals • On-site / Local Offsite / Off-site operation • BS8521 protocol for remote Off-site monitoring

Door Entry and Access Control

• High quality robust stainless steel panel • Panels and readers can be inter-connected • Cloud based remote management option • Well specified - Will meet your requirements • High reliability and fault tolerant • DDA compliant • Parts availability - 15 years • Low cost

Carephones and Peripherals

• Tele-care for individual properties • High quality product • Available in various models (PSTN or GSM) • Allows connection of multiple peripherals • The only product in the marketplace that offers wireless remote speech stations and voice pendants • Compatible with most Alarm Receiving Centres • Low Cost

EDISON TELECOM LTD (IN BUSINESS SINCE 1984)

have spares, enhancements and expertise for wired and wireless systems abandoned by the original manufacturer, whoever they are.

Call us on 01252-330220 We can give most systems a new lease of life and maintain them into the future.

www.edisontelecom.co.uk

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14 | PAGE 41

TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE ETHEL, The Smart Care Hub The Covid19 pandemic has really ripped through our healthcare system and it has impacted the Care Home industry in a profound way too. However, what’s been quite evident, is the resilience of staff and their drive to better manage the residents in their care. In a way, the pandemic offers us an opportunity to explore if ‘technology enabled care’ can help us solve some of the issues we are facing. Can Tech help busy Carehome staff offer better support, connect the residents regularly with the family, help with clinical outcomes, without adding to their workload?

It is in this context that solutions such as ETHEL, the

smart care hub has attracted a lot of interest from the Care Home sector. ETHEL is a large (16 inch) touch screen personal device with a robust stand and tailormade for 85+ yr olds who have little or no computer skills. Its easy to use interface and robust security features helps a resident connect with their wider family network and clinical team in an easy way. Families can make video calls to the Large screen device, they can send photos and video clips and send simple messages. It also allows the clinical team to offer remote physiotherapy, remotely gather vital signs from the resident on a regular basis and do remote video consultations. ETHEL also comes with a built in Early Warning Scoring system for detecting deterioration.

A number of patients across the UK – from Shetland Islands to the devon coast have benefitted from using ETHEL. You can get more information at www.ethelcare.co.uk and/or call us on 07841977559.

C CONNECTING ONNECTING RESIDENT TS RESIDENTS with ffamily amily & clinical team. team.

Qintil Learning Manager Qintil was created for the care sector and we’re proud that so many incredible health and care professionals and their employers use Qintil everyday to learn and maintain skills and manage training and compliance.

Qintil is a lifelong learning platform that's built for the way the world works today. You'll almost certainly have more than one job in your lifetime, and quite possibly more than one career. You might even work more than one job at once, or for a staffing agency.

We built Qintil so that you can find, share and manage everything that's essential for work - your learning, certificates, achievements and right to work docs - in one place. You can share them, connect to more

Edison Telecom

We here at Edison Telecom Ltd have been providing specialist solutions to your call system requirements tailor-made to each customers needs for over 25 years, says director Bob Johnson.

Is your current Nurse Call “legacy�, obsolete, so full of software bugs or commercially not viable for your current supplier/maintainer to maintain?

We may have just the part and expertise that you are looking for to give your nurse call a further extension to

than one employer's learning at one time and when you move to a new job, contract or career you can take it all with you and continue to add to your lifelong record of learning.

This all helps employers too of course. Now there's an easy way to get a record of new hires' learning and documents and to deliver their own training from any source.

Our mission is to help everyone benefit from the thousands of ways there are to learn and to have one place to find, manage and share it all.

Try for free today.

Call 0300 577 1484 Email sales@qintil.com Web qintil.com life, adds Bob, “Edison will treat your nurse call with the same compassion that you give to those in your care.

There will come a time when your equipment is beyond repair but Edison are experts in extending the life of obsolete systems.� www.edisontelecom.co.uk

Family virtual Family visits Virtual Clinical Virtual C onsultation Consultation V ital Signs & Vital NEWS2 Scores NEW S2 Sc ores Electr Electronic onic Car Care e Not Notes es

ethelcare.co.uk ethelcar e.co.uk ETHELsmarthub

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 14 | PAGE 43

TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE

Arquella's AIDA Data Platform Lotus Care Technology Arquella is proud to release our first version of the AIDA data platform.

We are committed to improving the quality of nurse call reporting by integrating cloud-based technology with advanced hardware. This development means that all of your data is easily accessible from any internet device. Our technology is even compatible with some existing nurse call systems.

With the easy to read 'Dashboard', you see a brief overview of all your current calls on one simple screen. With a simple click you are able to access more detail easily. Choose rooms, zones, call types, dates and times, you can evidence the care that your residents receive with total ease.

All of the data available is easily saved as a report, perfect for your CQC requirements. You

don't need any Arquella equipment to access Dashboard and Reports, our web browser interface gives you instant access onsite or offsite, complete with login control. You control who sees zones, sites or groups of homes, bringing local and national reporting with just one click.

We recognise that your care teams deliver excellent care, and we are committed to supporting you in capturing those moments. This is why we strive to provide you with the best technology to gather detailed evidence of the care you deliver.

Arquella's future-proof solutions keeps you up to date with all future releases, giving you peace of mind and the ability to 'Capture Moments of Care'.

Please call or email us so we can show how AIDA can help you.

See the advert on this page for details.

Plexus Innovation Provides GUARDIAN® To Help Safeguard Care Homes Plexus Innovation has forged links with Careline Lifestyles to take one of the job’s pressures off the nursing team at a time that is intense in the industry.

Ian Murray and Steve Todd, directors of Plexus Innovation, are successfully rolling out its innovative GUARDIAN® technology. They were keen, during such unprecedented times, that a care company benefitted with no initial cost implications.

GUARDIAN® is a remote, automated measurement and alert system that focuses on environmental data including temperature. Ideal in reducing the risk of legionella and ensuring temperature in water or refrigeration units is at an optimum level to protect health, Plexus Innovation’s technology comprises of a combination of hardware, with remote monitoring software.

Plexus Innovation supplied training to Careline Lifestyle staff, enabling the user to simply plug in and activate the hardware in seconds, putting the data live onto the portal managed by the experienced team at Plexus Innovation.

Provided initially for free, the arrangement covers nine of Careline Lifestyle’s homes across the North East.

GUARDIAN® is now monitoring 37 measurement points, including medical fridges and ambient room temperatures, which must be kept at compliant levels.

Ian said: “GUARDIAN® is cost effective, reliable and reduces risk. We are delighted to be remotely monitoring for Careline, where lack of compliance can be of detriment to

medications, dispensed to the people they care for.

“Previously these critical assets would be checked manually, which leaves room for human error when people are busy or under pressure. Using GUARDIAN® the nurses can get on with looking after the people in their care and not worry about this detail. Our system identifies compliance issues, enabling us to keep clients informed, saving time, effort and often money!

“Plexus Innovation can really help and support much of the health, social housing, care and even the hospitality industry perfectly.”

Based in the North East, Careline Lifestyle is a leading independent provider of high quality nursing and residential care specialising in acquired brain injuries, neurological, mental health needs, learning and physical disabilities for persons over 18 years of age in addition to providing nursing, residential and social care for the elderly. Kirsty Nealis, Head of Care Delivery at Careline Lifestyles said: “With the extra pressures brought about by COVID-19 we couldn’t be more grateful for this GUARDIAN® helping hand to ensure our compliance measurements are done quickly, properly and even better, remotely.

“We are always looking at innovative new ways to improve our services which frees up staff, allowing them more time to support our residence. “ “Thank you to Ian and Steve of Plexus Innovation for the free installation and remote monitoring over these first few months of a new and trying challenge!”

More information on GUARDIAN® is available at www.plexus-innovation.com

The NurseAlert pressure mat has been one of the most successful floor pressure mats due to it being non slip and carpeted which makes it feel very natural under a residents foot.

Lotus Care Technology Ltd have many other fall saving devices that can give you peace of mind whilst caring for this at risk of falls.

Having many years of experience in

fitting and maintaining Nurse Call Systems helps the guys at Lotus Care Technology understand that every home is different and has different needs. They can specify not only the best system for the environmental factors in the home but also take into consideration the best products that will make your carers and nurses jobs that little bit easier.

Visit lctuk.com for details.

Without QCS we wouldn’t have been rated as an ‘outstanding service’ Rupert Stocks Registered Manager, Guyatt House

Join over 86,000 WEXMWƼIH YWIVW REXMSR[MHI 8LI UK’s leading bespoke TSPMGMIW TVSGIHYVIW ERH QEREKIQIRX XSSPOMXW JSV XLI care sector

'SQTP] [MXL VIKYPEXSV] WXERHEVHW +IX LIPT MR TVITEVMRK JSV inspections Ensure documents are compliant Daily updates, stay informed on GYVVIRX MWWYIW ERH RI[W

Start your free trial today at www.qcs.co.uk or call 0330 8087 606

@QualityComplianceSystems