The Carer Digital - Issue #20

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

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

The Carer Digital

THECARERUK

Issue 20

THECARERUK

Major New Survey of Care Home Leaders Confirms Severe Impact of Covid-19

Care homes were pressured to take Covid-19 patients at the height of crisis while residents were regularly refused treatment from hospitals and GPs, according to a major new report by Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI) of the Covid-19 pandemic on the UK’s nursing and residential homes.

In May and June of 2020, a survey of the QNI’s Care Home Nurses Network was carried out by the QNI International Community Nursing Observatory (ICNO) to understand more about the impact of Covid-19 on the Care Home Nurse workforce within the UK. This survey was launched in the early weeks of the pandemic in response to grave concerns about the safety of the workforce and the gaps in provision that it was facing. The survey responses confirm that for the majority of respondents, the pandemic has been a very challenging experience. They indicated that their work and wellbeing has been worse or much worse than at normal times, during the survey period.

Having to accept patients from hospitals with unknown Covid-19 status, being told about plans not to resuscitate residents without consulting families, residents or care home staff, lack of guidance on issues like personal protection and issues of poor access to pay if they became ill were some of the major issues the care home workforce faced during March and April 2020.

While two thirds of respondents said they ‘always’ had access to appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and most others said that it was usually available, a small minority were not provided with PPE and had to improvise, by obtaining it themselves or by making it. The need for appropriate PPE in care homes is of critical importance in staff and resident safety: 21% of respondents said that their home accepted people discharged from hospital who had tested positive for Covid-19.

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 3...)

Happy Happy D Days ays D Dementia ementia W Workshop orkshop & D Design esign Workshopp Scripts i t

O One ne Stop Stop Shop Shop for for All All Care Care Homes Homes & Services Services Interactive Displays

Enrich Social Care

Order Order Line: Line:

0 01253-899163 1253-899163

Shop: www.dementiaworkshop.co.uk www.dementiaworkshop.co.uk We W e accept accept NHS NHS Pu Purchase rchase o orders rders a and nd C Care are H Home ome a accounts ccounts

PAGE 2 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 20

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

“There are only four kinds of people in the world. Those who have been caregivers. Those who are currently caregivers. Those who will be caregivers, and those who will need a caregiver.”

ROSALYN CARTER Our front-page story makes quite concerning reading. The story relates to a report by the Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI), which reveals that nursing homes were put under “constant” pressure to accept patients with coronavirus, while being frequently refused treatment by hospitals and GPs for residents who became ill at the height of the pandemic.

The QNI said homes were told hospitals had blanket “no admissions” policies during April and May, while GPs and local managers imposed do not resuscitate orders on residents without consultation.

The report also reveals that 70 nursing homes, (43%), received patients discharged from hospitals whose Covid-19 status was unknown during March and April, and a fifth of care homes said they received a patient from hospital who was positive for coronavirus.

Editor One nurse surveyed said they were under “constant pressure to admit people who were Covid positive” with another saying: “The acute sector pushed us to take untested admissions. The two weeks of daily deaths during an outbreak were possibly the two worst weeks of my 35-year nursing career.”

Readers will recall a new story reported in June (wwwhttps://thecareruk.com/health-chiefs-deny-care-home-discharge-policy-was-recklessness/) regarding a highly-critical report from the Public Accounts Committee, which described the policy to release untested people into care homes as “reckless”, accusing ministers of “belatedly” changing track in April and being too slow to support social care during the crisis.

The cross-party committee said in its report that around 25,000 patients were discharged into care homes in England between mid-March and mid-April to free up hospital beds.

A negative test for Covid-19 was originally not required prior discharging patients, before the government finally said on 15 April that all patients moving to care homes would be tested.

Committee chair Meg Hillier admitted that data about the virus had been initially limited, but also hit out at the health department for a long-standing lack of understanding about how the care workers said.

She said: “The fact that there are people on low pay not taking sick leave, moving from home to home were things that were risk elements – if you had better understanding of any impact of any disease on a care home you would have understood the implications.”

This latest report by QNI piles on even more pressure for a public inquiry. The crisis as we well know highlighted long-standing and underlying shortcomings within social care.

The Prime Minister said in June that he supported the call for an inquiry but now was not the time.

However, concerns are being raised that there appears to be no movement whatsoever, there is not to my knowledge a search underway at present for someone to “chair” the inquiry.

The pain and heartache the pandemic will forever be etched into the nations memory, and the government really does need to let the public know that the wheels are in motion for a full public inquiry and that includes setting out terms of reference in the near future.

I am confident that the Queen’s Nursing Institute will play a significant role in accelerating the call for a public enquiry.

I always finish with a thank you to the many homes and their PR agencies providing us with some wonderful stories of anniversaries, fundraising, in-house care home initiatives keeping the spirits high, so once again well done and please keep them coming! I can always be contacted at editor@thecareruk.com

Peter Adams

PUBLISHED BY RBC Publishing Ltd Roddis House, Old Christchurch Rd, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH1 1LG

TELEPHONE:

01202 552333 (6 lines)

Fax: 01202 552666 Email: sales@thecareruk.com

WEBSITE: www.thecareruk.com EDITOR Peter Adams SALES EXECUTIVES Sylvia Mawson David Bartlett Guy Stephenson TYPESETTING & DESIGN Matthew Noades PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Shelly Roche Published by

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 20 | PAGE 3

Major New Survey of Care Home Leaders Confirms Severe Impact of Covid-19 (....CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER) The majority of survey respondents found it easy to access hospital care for their residents when this was required; however, a substantial minority found this difficult or very difficult. Additionally, a substantial number found it difficult to access District Nursing and GP services, which are universal parts of the National Health Service. In addition, many indicated that they were not able to access essential training from other health professionals at this time.

Some respondents refocused work to consider how they could improve on their approach to end of life care. Worryingly, some who responded raised serious ethical and professional concerns, for example GPs, Clinical Commissioning Groups and hospital trusts making resuscitation decisions without first speaking to residents, families and care home staff or trying to enact ‘blanket’ ‘do not resuscitate’ decisions for whole groups of people.

Dr Crystal Oldman CBE, the QNI’s Chief Executive commented: “The care being delivered in a home can at times be as intensive as in a hospital – in particular for end of life care – and it is hugely skilled work. As the majority of respondents to this survey indicate, the people living in their care homes need a combination of support for complex physical and cognitive needs.

“Overall, as would be expected, the picture presented is of an extremely stressful and anxious period for professionals working to care for and protect their residents. The positives represent a silver lining to this cloud and there are numerous testaments to the skill, dedication, professionalism and teamwork that Care Home Nurses have displayed in 2020. In addition, this brief insight into the experiences of the nurses provides an opportunity to consider and plan for the support systems that may be needed in the anticipated second wave of Covid-19.

“More needs to be done to understand the effect of Covid-19 on the workforce and residents in care homes. Urgent attention must be paid to the sector if the workforce is to withstand the additional demands of the pandemic, particularly in planning, guidance and employment practices.”

Professor Alison Leary MBE, Director of the ICNO and Professor of

Healthcare and Workforce Modelling at London South Bank University commented: “It is clear from this survey that the care home workforce has faced very challenging issues. Many have felt unsupported and their wellbeing has suffered. We need to support this workforce to face the challenges ahead.”

Key findings of the survey include: • 70% (114) of respondents were Registered Nurses (RN) and 28% (46) were managers. 78% of respondents were over the age of 45 (128).

• Most respondents reported caring for older people (97, 60%) with just under a third reporting caring for a mixture of residents of different ages and needs (48, 29%).

• 66% (107, 66%) of respondents reported always having appropriate PPE while 2 (2, 1%) of respondents reported never having access to the appropriate type and quantity of PPE during the first three months of the pandemic (March-May 2020). 75% (123, 75%) reported that their employer had provided all their PPE. • During March and April 2020, 34 (21%) reported receiving residents from the hospital sector who had tested positive for Covid-19 in hospital.

• 70 respondents (43%) reported receiving residents from the hospital with an unknown Covid-19 status during March and April 2020.

• 54% in total of respondents reported it was easy or somewhat easy to access hospital care with 25% in total reporting it somewhat difficult or very difficult during March-May 2020 • In terms of accessing GPs, 67% reported it was easy or somewhat easy to access GP services with 32% reporting it somewhat difficult or very difficult.

• 23% reported it was easy or somewhat easy to access District Nursing services with 33% reporting it somewhat difficult or very difficult during March to May 2020.

• 71% reported it was easy or somewhat easy to access end of life medication/services for residents who required it, with 12% reporting it difficult or very difficult.

• When asked if arrangements had changed in terms of decision making around do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (DNACPR), the majority responded “no” (95) that there had been no changes. Five respondents stated they had made no changes to practice as continuous

review was normal practice.

• 16 respondents reported negative changes which they found challenging such as “blanket DNACPR” decisions, or decisions taken about resuscitation status by others (GPs, hospital staff or clinical commissioning groups) without discussion with residents, families or care home staff or that they disagreed with some of the decisions on legal, professional or ethical grounds.

• 39 respondents reported Covid19 as a positive focus for change in talking about end of life care and a discussion of practice or ceiling of care, for example, moving to a recommended summary plan for emergency care and treatment (RESPECT) process or a reason to initiate conversations around dying and residents’ wishes.

• Around 20% of responses reported positive or mixed sentiment around the experience of working through Covid-19, for example pride in their colleagues or new workforce opportunities. 80% of responses reported very negative experiences.

• 56% felt worse or much worse in terms of their physical and mental wellbeing, while 36% reported no change.

• Only 62 respondents stated that they could take time off with full pay, while some felt pressure not to take time off at all.

Deborah Alsina, chief executive of older people’s charity Independent Age, called the findings, particularly those relating to do not resuscitate orders “very concerning”.

She said: “The pandemic has been an extremely challenging time for both patients and health and care professionals, but older people should not have their choice and control removed regarding how their life ends, simply because of their chronological age.

“Do not resuscitate orders should, wherever possible, be made in consultation with the person concerned and their family and be based on fitness to be treated, as well as personal preference. Care home staff have been under enormous pressure over the last five months and it is unfair on both staff and residents, to be instructed to change DNR plans without consultation.

“It’s critical that the decision-making process that allowed this to take place is properly investigated so that the same mistakes are not made again.”

Residents at Care Home Take Part in the Vogue Challenge Residents at Brunelcare’s Robinson House Care Home, have made their debut on the front cover of Vogue magazine and they’re looking more fabulous than ever. The care home decided to ‘strike a pose’ and get involved with the social media craze, where people superimpose themselves onto the cover of Vogue magazine to replicate other famous celebrity shoots, we even have Beyonce in the mix!

The carers at the Care Home couldn’t resist getting involved in the challenge and their images have been shared across social media!

Maria Jones, Activity Coordinator at Robinson House Care Home said: “Getting involved in the Vogue Challenge was lots of fun, I enjoyed being a

part of it and taking all the pictures of the residents, it was great to see them smiling - they enjoyed the challenge and I think some of them felt like real celebrities!”

Lisa Brain, Robinson House Deputy Centre Manager said: “When I found out about our residents getting involved in the Vogue Challenge I thought it was an excellent idea. They all had such fun and didn’t stop laughing throughout the photoshoot, our carers have been extraordinary! The pictures have turned out lovely and we’re keen to display some of these across our care home so the families and friends of residents can see what fun we get up to at Robinson House.”

PAGE 4 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 20

Putting the ‘Home’ Back into Care Homes: How Innovative Technologies Can Help Carers Give Residents a Better Quality of Life

By Phillip Moorcraft, UK Director, CLB (global.clb.nl) When a person moves into a residential care home, the quality of their medical and social care is hugely important to that individual and their loved ones. However, they also want a place that feels genuinely welcoming and homely, and which allows its residents to enjoy appropriate levels of privacy and independence.

Striking that delicate balance, between providing a ‘home from home’ and ensuring that residents’ medical and social care needs are met, can be hard for residents, families and care home staff alike. And it is a widespread problem – with about 21,556 care homes in the UK alone, there is lots of pressure on care staff to make residents feel ‘at home’, while also meeting each person’s (often complex) needs. This pressure has greatly intensified with the challenges of the pandemic.

Technologies can ease the pressure of regular and unnecessary adhoc welfare checks on top of providing personal quality care, while giving residents more privacy and independence.

For example, acoustic monitoring technology, which has been used in many countries worldwide for more than 25 years, can monitor for adverse events and reduce their potential to cause life-changing effects. What is more, residents with acoustic monitoring can establish better sleep patterns because they are less frequently disturbed by staff visits, and better sleep conveys multiple health and wellbeing benefits. Meanwhile, the technology alerts staff as soon as an event occurs, which also improves quality of life and can make a crucial – even life-saving – difference to medical outcomes in the case of health emergencies.

Furthermore, acoustic monitoring gives greater privacy and autonomy for each resident. For example, those who prefer to go to bed later/earlier than their peers are no longer restricted by the facility’s monitoring schedule and can enjoy more flexibility, and those with particular concerns about privacy can be left in peace without having to

compromise their safety.

WHAT DO GOOD CARE HOMES PROVIDE? The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has told service users and those who care for them what they should expect of a good care home. The expectation that residents will be treated with respect and able to exercise their rights (to privacy, to self-determination, to care of high quality, to dignity) is woven like a golden thread through that document.

No reasonable care professional would argue with those values, but they can be tough to achieve simultaneously.

The need to monitor residents is a prime example. Many homes carry out periodic checks on residents – often, every two hours or so – and this is a critical element of providing good social/clinical care.

However, it is also highly disruptive for patients, who may be disturbed several times during the night, and it takes carers away from other duties.

Residents who are disturbed during the night (even for the best of reasons) may suffer chronic or recurrent sleep deprivation, which has a serious impact on their quality of life. Sleep deprivation causes grogginess, mood changes (in some cases, aggression, anxiety or depression) and increases vulnerability to illness. So, an action that is intended to protect a resident can also make them ill.

Meanwhile, carers may become frustrated with the constant need to interrupt whatever they are doing to carry out welfare checks, particularly if this takes them away from providing personalised care for individuals, and their morale, along with the broader functionality and productivity of the care home, can suffer as a result.

ACOUSTIC TECHNOLOGY MEETS THE NEEDS OF CARE HOME STAFF AND RESIDENTS Unsurprisingly, some care homes have tried to solve this problem with technology. And the CQC agrees that care homes’ use of innovative technology is key to maximising their performance. The challenge lies in knowing which type of technology to use.

For example, some care homes have used voice and video baby monitors, or alarmed mats that detect movement. However, these are primarily for domestic use and often cannot cope with the demands of a care home. They can be hard to maintain and may not have an appropriate radio frequency; all are intrusive but video monitors in particular compromise residents’ privacy. And they can lead to a delayed response by care staff, which has significant implications in time-critical

Unleash the power of your imagination Calibre Audio is a national charity lending free audiobooks to anyone who struggles reading or holding print.

01296 432 339 calibreaudio.org.uk enquiries@calibre.org.uk @calibreaudio

Registered charity no. 286614 | VAT registration no. 138840202

events like a heart attack or stroke.

Acoustic technology, in contrast, is not intrusive and has been designed for care home settings.

Acoustic technology allows individual sensitivity settings for each resident and will alert staff when the thresholds are exceeded. It is highly accurate, so will sound if a resident falls, for example, or if a resident (e.g. with mobility problems) tries to get out of bed.

When acoustic technology is used in an intelligent nurse alert system, it monitors resident welfare with a high level of accuracy. When triggered, an alert is sent to a professional operator who can assess the situation and forward the alarm directly to a carer’s device if applicable.

That allows an immediate response, giving the resident the best outcome, including in cases of medical emergency.

Acoustic technology also reduces adverse events, thanks to the quality and consistency of its monitoring that allows swift and preventive action. For example, it reduced resident falls by 35% in one facility.

Meanwhile, carers can reduce the number of in-person visits and can maintain their focus on other work, such as meeting the needs of individual residents, which increases morale and productivity.

For the residents, acoustic monitoring delivers the privacy, dignity, self-determination and appropriate independence that good care homes provide for their residents. It gives them a more relaxing and homely environment and allows healthy sleep cycles that enhance their quality of life. Above all, it keeps them safe.

IT IS TIME FOR CARE HOMES TO MAKE TECHNOLOGIES WORK FOR THEM The pandemic has caused much anxiety for care home providers, residents and their families. It has also focused national attention, perhaps more than ever before, on the most vulnerable members of our society and the people who dedicate their lives to caring for them. It has been an incredibly hard and draining time.

Innovative technologies in care homes, such as acoustic monitoring, provide an exciting opportunity to move the emphasis from intrusive and unnecessary checks to discreet, yet continuous, monitoring that gives both residents and carers the comfort and security that a home should have. By putting the right technology to work in care homes, we can relieve that burden and grow a care sector that genuinely provides the relaxing and homely environment that all residents, families and staff desire, along with the top-quality care and working conditions they deserve.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 20 | PAGE 5

More Than Half A Billion Pounds To Help People Return Home From Hospital £588 million will provide up to 6 weeks of funded care and support for people being discharged from hospital Funding could pay for additional support including domiciliary care, community nursing services or care home costs Assessments for those needing funded long-term care or support to resume from September People needing additional follow-on care after being discharged from hospital – including older people and those with disabilities – will be supported by a £588 million fund to cover adult social care or the immediate costs of care in their own home.

From 1 September, the NHS will be able to access the funding in order to provide up to 6 weeks of additional support so people can receive ongoing help with their recovery and rehabilitation after they leave hospital. This could include support in their home or access to services such as physiotherapy.

NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) assessments will also restart from September ensuring those with complex health needs can continue to access the care they need for free.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Matt Hancock, said: “We know for the majority of people the road to recovery can be quicker when they receive care and support in the comfort of their own home.

“This funding will help ensure people can be safely discharged from

hospital knowing they will get the vital follow-on care they need to recover fully from treatment.

“We’re also making sure those with complex health needs continue to receive the best support possible in the community.”

Most people will be discharged back to their homes, however it is anticipated that a very small proportion will need, and benefit from, short or long term residential, nursing home or hospice care.

It remains the case that no-one should be discharged from hospital directly to a care home without the involvement of the local authority, and that all patients are required to be tested prior to discharge to a care home. No care home should be forced to admit an existing or new resident who has tested positive for coronavirus if the home would be unable to cope with the impact of their illness.

Cllr Paulette Hamilton, Vice Chair of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said: “We are pleased to see this further injection of funding to ensure that people can leave hospital as soon as is safe and return home wherever possible. We are also reassured by the commitment that no one will go into a care home without having been tested for the virus. Local government has asked for these commitments and will continue to play a key role in making them happen.”

New guidance has been published to help hospitals safely discharge patients into the appropriate setting to maximise their independence

and ensure they can remain in their own homes as much as possible.

A comprehensive care and health assessment for any ongoing care needs, including determining funding eligibility, will take place within the first 6 weeks following discharge to make sure individuals have the support they need.

The funding can also be used for urgent community response support to prevent someone being admitted to hospital. This can include providing urgent domiciliary care or nursing support, like basic wound care, in someone’s own home, rather than in hospital.

Case managers will ensure people are discharged safely, on time and that they have full information and advice about what is happening. This includes how individuals’ needs will be assessed and any follow up support that may be required. This approach applies to anyone discharged from NHS community and acute beds.

The funding is part of the £3 billion provided to protect and prepare health and social care in the event of a second peak of Covid-19 during winter and follows £1.3 billion funding made available via the NHS to support the discharge process in March.

The government has expanded the ONS infection survey to provide extensive, weekly data on the spread of infection, supporting rapid testing and diagnosis of COVID-19 both nationally and in areas of concern.

Covid Related Care Home Deaths Fall To Five-Month Low The number COVID-19 related deaths in care homes has fallen to a five-month low in August, according to the latest office of National statistics (ONS) figures.

The number of COVID-19 related deaths in care homes in England and Wales fell to 35 in the week ending 7 August, the lowest rate since the onset of the pandemic at the end of March.

The number of deaths registered in England and Wales in the week ending 7 August 2020 (Week 32) was 8,945; this was 1 death fewer than in Week 31.

In Week 32, the number of deaths registered was 1.7% below the five-year average (157 deaths fewer); this is the eighth consecutive week that deaths have been below the five-year average.

The number of deaths in care homes, hospitals and other communal establishments remained below the five-year average in Week 32, while the number of deaths in private homes continued to be higher than the five-year average (702 more deaths).

Of the deaths registered in Week 32, 152 mentioned “novel coron-

avirus (COVID-19)”, the lowest number of deaths involving COVID-19 in the last 20 weeks and a 21.2% decrease compared with Week 31 (193 deaths), accounting for 1.7% of all deaths in England and Wales.

The number of deaths involving COVID-19 decreased or remained the same across the majority of the English regions, with six of the nine regions having fewer overall deaths than the five-year average.

In Wales, the total number of deaths remained below the five-year average (8 deaths fewer) for Week 32, while the number of deaths involving COVID-19 increased to 24 deaths (from 10 deaths in Week 31).

Of all deaths involving COVID-19 registered up to Week 32, 63.4% occurred in hospital with the remainder mainly occurring in care homes (29.6%), private homes (4.7%) and hospices (1.4%).

The number of deaths registered in the UK in the week ending 7 August 2020 (Week 32) was 10,210, which was 142 deaths fewer than the five-year average; of the deaths registered in the UK in Week 32, 162 deaths involved COVID-19.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 20 | PAGE 7

Charities Call for Social Care Bosses to Drive Uptake of the Flu Vaccine Leading respiratory charities have written to social care bosses in England urging them to pull out all the stops to drive staff uptake of the flu vaccine to avoid a potential deadly tidal wave of respiratory conditions this winter that could overwhelm the NHS. Asthma UK and the British Lung Foundation have written to 29 of the biggest social care organisations raising fears about the impact of flu in the social care setting this year if it is coupled with a second wave of COVID. Social care staff have already felt the huge strain of the pandemic as they look after many of the most vulnerable people and the charities want to prevent a rise in respiratory conditions which could overwhelm hospitals and make sure staff and those they look after are protected The potential threat for both flu and COVID-19 to co-circulate this year is significant. Dual outbreaks would place extreme pressure on the health and social care system, not least because the symptoms of both viruses are virtually indistinguishable.

Around 70% of acute respiratory illness outbreaks take place in care homes. Every year, there is a seasonal winter surge in respiratory hospital admissions – 80% more than in the summer months, and which this year could be much worse than usual.

Alison Cook, director of external affairs at Asthma UK and the British Lung Foundation, and chair of the Taskforce for Lung Health, said: “The social care sector have already been devastated by the pandemic and we know how hard staff are working up and down the country.

“This winter could see the biggest test of our time. As many eligible people as possible need to get the flu jab to avoid a potential deadly tidal wave of respiratory conditions over the coming months which could overwhelm the NHS. Prevention is vital in protecting the most vulnerable in our society, so we urge all social care employers to do everything they can to make the flu jab a priority. ”The good news is that more people than ever before are eligible to get the flu jab this year. What we need to see now is the government getting the message out far and wide about how important it is to get the jab and to ensure everyone who needs it can easily and safely access it.”

The Taskforce for Lung Health, of which Asthma UK and British Lung Foundation are members, has been calling for all social care workers to be vaccinated since 2018.

According to the Taskforce for Lung Health data tracker, the most up to date estimates put the vaccination rates for social care workers as low as 25%. When you compare this to the 74.3% vaccination rates amongst health care workers, social care staff are far behind.

This year, the Government have set out an ambition for 100% vaccination coverage among frontline health and social care staff. Social care staff with direct patient contact are eligible to get the free flu vaccine although it is the employers’ responsibility to provide the jab and encourage staff to get vaccinated. The charities are asking that they make it as easy as possible for staff to get it this year.

They are calling for easy and flexible access to the vaccination which accommodates for different working patterns. This could involve arranging for staff to be vaccinated on site or giving staff time to visit a community pharmacy or their GP. The organisations are also calling for national data to be collected on how many social care workers get the flu jab as data on this is currently not available. This would help improve understanding of uptake and where improvements need to be made.

The charities also say uptake of the flu jab amongst people with lung conditions must be increased. Flu can have a serious impact on those living with lung disease, potentially making them so ill they need to be treated in hospital, and in some cases can even be fatal.

The number of people with lung conditions getting the flu vaccine is very low. Last year, less than half of those with lung conditions who were eligible to get the jab did so.

However, it seems uptake may increase this year, as the charity recently surveyed over 7,000 supporters and found that 89% are planning to get the flu jab and over half said they were more likely to get it because of COVID. The survey also suggested there is work to be done in communicating to people the different ways they can get the jab with 54% saying they would still choose to go to their GP and only 10% at the pharmacy and 9% at drive throughs.

Resident Celebrates 104th Birthday at Brighton Care Home day, Len said that he was delighted that he got to share his special day with his daughter, from a safe distance.

Len, who is a former history teacher, was born in Weston-Super-Mare in August 1916, and moved to Brighton as a child. In addition to his keen interest in poetry, he has published a number of books about his life growing up in Brighton and his experiences in India during the war.

Len said: “I had an amazing birthday; the staff members at the home really went above and beyond to make my day special. My favourite part of the celebrations was definitely seeing my daughter, Fleur. The period of restricted visits has been tough, but it felt very special being able to see her again to celebrate this milestone together.”

Pat Hurst, manager at Patcham Nursing Home, said: “Len is a fantastic resident and is always delighting us with stories about his life or poems that he has written. Len is an important member of the Patcham family and it was very enjoyable to be able to celebrate this milestone with him.”

A resident at Patcham Nursing Home has enjoyed celebrating his 104th birthday alongside fellow residents, a relative and staff members at the home in Brighton.

The Sussex-based care home was filled with cards and balloons as Len Goldman marked his special day with a full English breakfast and a birthday cake featuring his favourite photo printed on the icing on the top.

Throughout the day, Len received lots of presents and birthday wishes, including a digital photo frame gifted to him by the home so he can display his favourite family memories from throughout his life. Len, who is a keen poet, was also surprised with special bunting, made by activities coordinator Paula Grout, which included the verses from some of the poems that Len has written on the front.

As part of the birthday celebrations at the home, Len was also joined by his daughter, Fleur, in the home’s garden for a special socially-distanced afternoon tea. Although Len’s wife was unable to attend the garden party on the

INNOV VAT AT I O N - S U P P O R T - Q U A L I T Y - C H O I C E - V VA ALUE Protecting Protecting Elderly People Elderly and and Disabled Disabled People ffrom rom Fall Fall Related Related Hip Hip Injuries Injuries Tested, validated, proven effective, user friendly and affordable protection for vulnerable people at risk of fall related injuries.

Helping H elping you you ttoo care care

Win Ltd Win Health Health Medical Medical Ltd Unit Unit 1, 1, Oxnam Oxnam Road Road Ind TD8 6LS 6LS Ind Est, Est, Jedburgh, Jedburgh, Roxburghshire.

Roxburghshire. TD8 TTel: el: 01835 01835 864866 864866 Fax: Fax: 01835 01835 268136 268136

IS IISO SO 14001 11400 14 140 4001

Certificate Certificat Certifica Certific Certifi Certif Certi Cert Cer C ertificate No. No. EM2000999 No EM2 EM20 EM200 EM2000 EM20009 EM200099 EM EM2000999

EEmail: mail: iinfo@win-health.com nfo@win-health.com Website: Website: www.win-health.com www.win-health.com

PAGE 8 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 20

Put Technology at the Very Heart of Care

By Annabel James, Founder, Age Space

Technology has of course come to the fore during the pandemic, for families to keep in touch with elderly parents in care homes and shielding at home; for GPs and health professionals to provide care through virtual consultations and diagnosis. And for the care sector to continue to deliver its services despite the crisis of funding and enormous staff shortages that existed long before Covid-19.

Technology is not the silver bullet to solving the care crisis or in fighting a pandemic, but it has a vital role to play in properly integrating pastoral, health and social care for our elderly population. From facilitating more efficient supply chains, to managing staff rotas; from patient monitoring, care, and vitally, to keeping families connected to and informed about their loved ones and their care.

Whilst there are efficiencies and savings in time, resources and money to be realised, the real prize is in the better co-ordination between the trinity of care – families, health experts, care providers and carers. Working more effectively together by using technology has the potential to erode the impact of decades of a lack of coordination.

From an individual carer and employer’s perspective, the introduction of apps that record care as it is delivered have been shown to save each carer up to an hour a day in paperwork. In a sector that employs more workers than the entire NHS with an estimated workforce of 1.49 million, such additional care capacity could be truly transformational, for the businesses and for the individual carers.

For care providers, the benefits of tech extend beyond the ability to save money and time; the insights

generated by digital systems will highlight where provision needs to be focussed and developed, and identify trends across areas of wellbeing from sleep, diet and medication to exercise and mental stimulation. Tech will also enable better consultation and contact with family members, reducing the administrative burden on care staff further.

The integration of technology between care providers with GP and health professionals, through for example, more individual regular assessment, would enable earlier intervention should it be required. This has the potential to keep more people out of hospital with implications for patients as well as health and care professionals in terms of care and capacity.

We need to harness the technology that works to combine the best of pastoral and professional care.

There is a real opportunity to plan and develop tech and app solutions that work across disciplines, sectors and providers, keeping our elderly population and their care and well-being at the heart of the process.

There is a danger without developing integrated solutions we will just perpetuate the siloed delivery of health and social care, which we know can not continue.

The focus must be about creating more time and money to care to enable the sector to recruit and retain motivated and well trained and paid staff; for our elderly population to receive the best care in the most appropriate setting and timely fashion; for families to be full participants in the care and support of their loved ones.

Apps that combine health and care management with regular and real-time updates for families should become standard in every care setting. Knowing what a loved one ate for lunch and whether or not she enjoyed a sit in the garden are as important for families as how the new meds are working and what the rota is for the weekend care staff.

Combining the pastoral with the professional health and care through technology has the potential to transform many elements of the sector. It does not and should not replace care itself or the professionals and families involved. But it can facilitate more time and resource to deliver the best possible care and support for our elderly population.

Annabel James is founder of AgeSpace.org, the national, one-stop online resource for anyone caring for elderly parents and relatives.

Friends of the Elderly’s Surrey Care Home Recognises it’s the Little Things That Matter In Haslemere, the Redcot Care Home which specialises in residential care has been going above and beyond to support the wellbeing, mental and physical health of its residents, their families and staff during the unprecedented lockdown period.

The Team at Redcot has ensured the residents have had enjoyable, fun-filled days with lots of safe activities and ongoing communications taking place. Highlights include; the regular sing-along sessions, outside afternoons on the terrace with a socially distanced local entertainer, Bill Clayton, and gardening time in the beautiful grounds which are surrounded by scenic countryside.

Residents have also been enjoying arts and craft sessions, quizzes and a wide range of other activities, plus the staff have been helping residents to make calls and FaceTime chats to their families and loved ones.

One resident Grace’s daughter Christine said: “When the restrictions on non-essential visits came in I was very concerned that I would not be with Mum. I was delighted when the team introduced Facebook Portal calls early in the lockdown period. I have been able to spend so much time with my Mum and she thinks I am in her room rather than just virtually on a screen.”

“I feel they have done so much to keep things the same for residents. Like the recent socially distanced garden party for residents when my Mum was helped by staff to put on her best summer dress. I was delighted to be sent a picture of her having a great time and thoroughly enjoying a Magnum!! Ice cream that is!!!

The Redcot team also engaged with a local school, St Bartholomew’s, and pupils have been writing to the Redcot residents throughout the lockdown. The letters have really cheered the residents up; so much so, they have been replying to the children with letters of their own. In addition, local church members have also been writing to the residents and have sent Chocolates to the staff.

Head of Marketing and Communications at Friends of the Elderly, Jessica Stone said: “‘It’s the little things …’ is giving our residents, their families, our care home staff and volunteers a way to share positive messages to keep them connected during these difficult times.

“We believe ‘It’s the little things…’ is a lovely way for everyone to express the little things that matter the most to them about each other; their happy moments, love, appreciation and gratitude to show how much we all value each other and are looking forward to spending time together again.”

The Care Show Postpones Until 13th-14th October 2021 Due to The COVID-19 Pandemic CloserStill Media, the organiser of The Care Show, have taken the decision to postpone the event due to the COVID-19 pandemic The Care Show 2020 will now take place on 13th and 14th October 2021 at the Birmingham NEC. Michael Corbett, Event Director said: “The Care Show team feel incredibly privileged to be working with the care profession as they continuously adapt to the enormous pressures and uncertainty COVID-19 has brought to all of our lives.

The care profession, truly are national heroes and we have been humbled by the dedication, bravery and humanity demonstrated by the community we proudly serve.

Although the government made their decisions to re-ignite mass gathering events from the 1st October, The Care Show team have made what they feel is the most ethical and moral decision based on the individuals our delegates look after and to run the event as a commercial gain is not in the company’s interest.

The last few months has had a huge impact on both the mental physical wellbeing of care teams across the country and we are dedicated to protecting the safety of our delegates, sponsors and speakers as our top priority.”

THE FUTURE The Care Show team have been busy building an online community serving the profession 365 days a year. Online communities include: • The Virtual Care Festival– 25th & 26th November – With face to face events being too high risk in 2020, we still wanted to bring the great and the good from the care sector together…digitally. This 2 day event will host a huge number of debates and presentations, in addition to virtual stands which allow video calls to keep those discussions alive.

• The Care Show monthly bulletin– Our team are always speaking with

the sector and will bring together exciting, educating or heart felt stories to keep you up to date with everything happening around you.

• Fortnightly webinars– education, personal development, best practice, CPD points and conversations, we will deliver fortnightly updates on the latest topics from the care sector.

• Care Show Education Hub– The Care Show Education Hub is your portal to find the latest updates from CQC, all video interviews and webinars from our partners, podcasts with exciting conversations, white papers and downloads to help improve any care business.

• Digital Events– In addition to our exciting face to face events, like The Care Show and The Residential & Home Care Show (April 2021) we will host virtual events to bring our community together and celebrate our sector no matter where you are.

• Future Hero’s Campaign– The Care Sector is in need of an influx of youth and be treated as a skilled and prosperous industry. We are hosting a campaign to find current nurses and managers under 30, who are going above and beyond and hailed as the inspiration for those looking to be part of care.

• Carer of the month– postponed due to all our carers being amazing during Covid-19 and it being impossible to choose a carer of the month. We look to celebrate those battling day in and day out.

• The Residential & Home Care Show, part of Health Plus Care– CloserStill Media’s event aimed at owners and directors within all care settings to help them improve their business, increase levels of care and improve integration within their local authority and NHS Trust will return to London ExCel on the 27th and 28th April. Tickets are free to all care providers and there are opportunities for suppliers to be part of the largest health and social care event in the UK. Care Show will be back in October 2021 and will be a real celebration of the care sector, with the aim to make the event an experience for everyone to unite and drive social care as a united force.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 20 | PAGE 9

The Care Workers’ Charity Launches Professional Care Workers Week On the 1st - 4th September 2020, virtually or in person, all parts of the social care sector will come together to celebrate care workers and make them feel special and appreciated during Professional Care Worker’s Week 2020 (#PCWWeek20).

On the 1st - 4th September 2020, virtually or in person, all parts of the social care sector will come together to celebrate care workers and make them feel special and appreciated during Professional Care Worker’s Week 2020 (#PCWWeek20).

The social care workforce is one of the largest in the UK; those 2 million people deserve to be recognised, respected and appreciated. Professional Care Worker’s Week dedicates one week to doing exactly that. Designed to boost the perception of social care in the public consciousness, bring acknowledgement to care workers, and show that they are appreciated.

The importance of this event has never been more apparent. The way care workers have embraced and overcome the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic is testament to the integrity they possess when caring for people. Which is why this year the theme will focus on ‘Respect and Recognition’.

Karolina Gerlich, Executive Director at The Care Workers’ Charity says:

“Professional Care Worker’s Week is an opportunity to demonstrate the best that social care has to offer. Join us during Professional Care Workers Week during the 1-4th September 20 and recognise the dedication, hard work and resilience care workers bring to their important and essential role as caregivers by using tweeting about your appreciation of care workers using the hashtags #PCWWeek20 and #R&R” Joining The Care Workers’ Charity in this special event will be industry leaders and influencers speaking about topics concerning the future of social care during a series of webinars1 We would like to thank our event sponsors: Bevan Brittan, Towergate Insurance, Care Shop, Delivered Health Solutions, Slater and Gordon, Sekoia and Avery Healthcare. Everyone at the CWC would like to thank our sponsors for their continued support.

Help the Care Workers Charity keep the UK caring and donate here #care4carers at the Just Giving page Coronaviruscareworkersfund. https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/coronaviruscareworkersfund

Whitecraigs Care Home Takes Elderly Residents on A Four-Week Round the World Trip Elderly residents at Renaissance Care’s Whitecraigs Care Home are enjoying an around the world trip of around 13,000 miles to various holiday locations from the comfort of their care home.

Organised by staff at the home for the entire month of August, the residents have already visited Spain and the Bahamas and the Caribbean, and are now enjoying reminiscing around Blackpool holidays before they head off to Italy next week, keeping spirits high while care homes remain in lockdown.

A host of Spanish themed events were enjoyed last week including flamenco dancing, a tapas and sangria night, chocolate churros and a memory session reflecting on holidays to Spain.

The residents then jetted off to the Bahamas and Caribbean, with activities including music therapy, a Caribbean carnival, hula dancing, rum cake and a screening of Pirates of the Caribbean.

This week, the residents have returned to the UK with fish and chips, amusements, bingo and another reminiscing session, this time chatting about great memories in Blackpool.

They will then head back overseas as they enjoy a virtual tour through Venice, pizza making, a Dean Martin sing-along and a screening of The Italian Job. The aim of the vacations is to allow staff and residents at Whitecraigs to share holiday memories and have fun together as they think up new and creative ways to entertain the residents throughout the pandemic.

Amanda Randou, activities coordinator at Renaissance Care’s Whitecraigs Care Home, said: “The resident’s regular day trips have had to be postponed due to lockdown, so we decided to arrange something to cheer everyone up and keep the residents active and engaged. Reminiscing and talking about these holiday destinations with residents is beneficial for their memory and general wellbeing.

“After being apart from loved ones for so long, we wanted to boost morale and inject some excitement back into our home. Being able to bring them fully interactive experiences again is something we are all really looking forward to.

“We can’t wait to hear about their memories of going on holiday, and share pictures and videos with their loved ones, keeping them connected throughout this time.”

PAGE 10 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 20

The Importance of Allotments and Gardens in the Pandemic

By Damaris Daniels, QCS’s Content Director (www.qcs.co.uk)

To mark National Allotments Week, Quality Compliance Systems (QCS) has teamed up with the National Care Forum to ask its members why green spaces are so important to them.

During the Second World War, 1.4 million allotments* helped to feed the nation. Seventy-five years on, as the world battles to contain the Covid-19 Pandemic, the 330,000 allotments in the UK**, are again proving their worth - albeit in a very different way. While they may no longer be Britain’s breadbasket, allotments provide a spiritual oasis where people can reconnect with nature, and they’re also the glue that moulds, shapes and strengthens communities.

At Quality Compliance Systems (QCS), a major provider of content and compliance tools for the care sector, we have found that gardens and allotments have served to enrich our flexible working strategy.

Many of our staff enjoy working in their gardens or allotments in their spare time. They say that they are therapeutic environments that have sparked creativity, and improved their mental and physical wellbeing during the lockdown.

EVERYONE CAN HAVE ACCESS TO ALLOTMENT AND GARDENS In residential care settings too, green spaces play an extremely important role in the lives of the residents. But for those living with dementia, visiting an allotment or gardening in a home can be challenging. It requires ingenuity and innovation, which Haviland House Dementia Care Home maintenance team employed to great effect when it created an indoor allotment for its residents, called the Ashmount Garden Room.

Andrew Whitman, a spokesman for Guild Care, which operates Haviland House, paints a picture of the allotment, “The ceiling has been painted to look like the sky with clouds dotted around, the walls wrapped like a garden scene, the cupboards look like sheds and the window sills are covered head-to-toe in butterflies, plants, binoculars and other little outdoor themed trinkets which bring the room to life.”

THE IMPORTANCE OF RAISED BEDS Some 70 miles away in High Wycombe, at the Royal Star & Garter care home, 87-year old David, who’s also living with dementia, is still able to enjoy daily visits to the garden thanks to helpful staff and several raised planting beds, which were installed last year.

David’s daughter, Kate, explains the benefits that her father receives from gardening.

She says, “…It gives Dad focus. He’s planted runner beans and now he’s having them for tea, which is lovely. It’s linked him back to something he’s always loved. He’s in a different place here, but the routine can continue. That helps lessen anxiety and confusion, and that’s a big thing. It gets him outside and exercising too which is hugely important for wellbeing.”

and were keen to see if they could convert it into an allotment. With Soneni’s help, they applied to Leeds City Council. A few months later, to their delight, they found out that their application had been successful.

With the support of the Real Life Options team, and lots of hard toil, they have transformed the space into a fully functioning vegetable garden, which provides them with home-grown organic fruit and vegetables, not to mention a refuge from Covid.

Soneni says, “The allotment has been a great haven during the Covid 19 pandemic. It has provided a safe place for Kelvin, Alan and Michael to remain physically active whilst social distancing, which has been fantastic for their mental health and wellbeing.”

Liz Jones of the National Care Forum, adds, “The experience of the COVID lockdown has highlighted to us all how important it is to be able to get outside and enjoy fresh air and the power of nature. This is just as important for our more vulnerable people including those receiving care and support, as we know how much being in the open air, be that gardens, allotments or beautiful outdoor spaces, can help to improve people’s overall health and wellbeing.”

Ambient’s staff to re-evaluate and re-assess their approach to activities.

The charity, which provides care and support services for older people, people with a learning disability and those with a mental health need has operated a gardening and horticulture project in South London for over a decade. Last year it opened a horticulture hub for service users at one of its projects in Bromley. It includes raised beds, greenhouse and even a training room, which provides courses to any budding green fingered volunteers.

He explains, “Gardens and allotments can teach us so much. In the Coronavirus lockdown, they have illustrated that “being” is the “new doing” in learning disability and mental health services. Going green really helps improve wellbeing. We have discovered that while a full and varied programme of activities is very important, many of those that use our services have been happier and less anxious whilst their choice of social activities have been restricted. We’ve noticed too that relationships in the lockdown have flourished. What’s more, often the bonding process begins in tranquil outdoor spaces like gardens and allotments. That, I think, is their greatest strength.”

As well as producing a bountiful supply of healthy organic vegetables for service users to enjoy, the questions of how we, as a society, make use of green spaces in the future provides much food for thought.

GARDEN AND ALLOTMENTS HELPING TO SHAPE THE FUTURE OF INHOUSE ACTIVITIES For Tom Harrison, Director of Operations and his colleagues, who work for Ambient Support, the gardens and green spaces at the projects and schemes in which they operate, have not only been “a sanctuary for service users and staff” during the pandemic, but are helping QCS would like to thank the NCF and its members for sharing their experiences and stories.

REFERENCES: * How Britain utilised allotments during two world wars: The era of ‘growing’ your own Sky History https://www.history.co.uk/article/how-brits-utilised-allotments-during-two-world-warsthe-era-of-‘growing-your-own’ **Figure confirmed by the National Society of Allotments and Leisure Gardeners

ACCESSIBLE SPACES Perhaps though the real power of allotments and gardens lies in their widespread appeal. Indeed, they are the cement that helps to bridge different generations inspiring them to collaborate.

Take Kelvin, Alan and Michael, for example. They live together and receive support from Real Life Options, a charity which specialises in helping people with learning disabilities and autism.

Eighteen months ago, the trio approached their Service Manager, Soneni Pearson. They had seen a piece of land adjacent to their home

10% OFdeFring

When or 0" quote "CR1

Adapted Clothing for Independent & Assisted Dressing

• Ladies & Men’s Daywear and Nightwear • Open Back & Front Fastening Clothing • Ideal for Arthritis, Stroke, Parkinson, Incontinence and Dementia Patients

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 20 | PAGE 11

NHS Staff Coronavirus Compensation Leaving Bereaved Families Without Benefits New research from Labour shows families who have lost loved ones to COVID-19 while they worked on the frontline will be stripped of their social security payments.

Under the NHS and Social Care Coronavirus Life Assurance Scheme, the £60,000 lump sum given to the families of NHS and social care workers who die after contracting coronavirus is being treated as capital in means-tested benefits.

This means that, under current rules, a family entitled to Universal Credit, Housing Benefit or Pension Credit would lose their entitlement.

Despite the UK recording among the highest number of COVID-19 health worker deaths in the world, with at least 540 health and social workers having died from COVID-19, only 19 families have benefited from the scheme. There is confusion over how to claim compensation for the loss of a loved one as a result of Coronavirus, with many such as the Royal College of Nursing and British Medical Association calling for it to be better advertised.

Labour is calling for payments made to people to be dis-

regarded in the same way as other compensation schemes such as the Windrush Compensation Scheme or those who hold a Victoria or George Cross.

Labour have previously called for the £16,000 upper capital limit to be removed during coronavirus, as claims for Universal Credit soar to 5.5 million amidst the crisis.

Jonathan Reynolds MP, Labour’s Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, said: “Health and social care workers are putting their lives on the line to care for coronavirus patients, often without the proper equipment, and many have sadly lost their lives as a result.

“The Government was right to say we must honour those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. So it is shocking that families are being forced to choose between accessing social security they are entitled to or the compensation they need.

“This must change so that families can grieve in peace with the full support they have every right to expect.”

Royal Star & Garter Residents Enjoy Tropical Caribbean Party The taste of rum, the smell of delicious seafood and the sound of steelpans were among the exotic treats enjoyed by residents at Royal Star & Garter in Surbiton during a Caribbean party at the veterans’ care home.

Royal Star & Garter provides loving, compassionate care to veterans and their partners living with disability or dementia.

The charity’s care home in Langley Avenue was given a makeover for the celebration, with exotic backdrops, decorations and props used to help veterans get in the Caribbean spirit.

Staff also dressed up for the event, wearing leis, dressing as pirates and donning shell tops!

The party took place over three days from Tuesday 18 August to Thursday 20 August, allowing all residents in the Home’s three floors to take part and enjoy while observing social distancing.

The Caribbean party was organised by Activities Manager Raquel Pena Aristizabal. She said: “We had a good time dressing up and being silly, having fun, listening to fabulous music and eating delicious food. It was great!”

And a resident added: “I’m amazed at how much effort staff put into organising these fabulous events. There’s always something to look forward to. This was good fun. We really enjoyed ourselves and so did the staff.”

The Sky is the Limit for Relative of Taunton Care Home Resident A relative of a Taunton care home resident has managed to raise over £2,340 for a UK dementia and Alzheimer’s charity after performing a skydive in dedication to her father.

Cheryl Clavey, who is the daughter of Oake Meadows care home resident Cedric Lewis, was inspired to raise the money by her dad, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s seven years ago.

Cedric currently lives at Oake Meadows, which is based on Wyvern Road, where he receives specialist support and personalised care programmes to suit his needs. The home is registered to care for 105 people and provides invaluable day and respite care for a variety of residents, including those living with dementia and learning disabilities.

Despite being terrified of heights, Cheryl took the decision to plunge 10,000ft from a plane to help raise money for Alzheimer’s Society, a care and research charity for people with dementia.

Initially, Cheryl set a target of raising £500, however thanks to her bravery, as well as the generosity of the local community, her jump managed to raise over £2,340 – almost five times her original target.

Cheryl said: “I wanted to do something special for a cause which is very close to my heart. I decided to do this skydive, as it’s something which is definitely out of my comfort zone. I am scared of flying and I am also scared of heights so I had a few sleepless nights thinking about it!

“Dealing with dementia and Alzheimer’s is one of the hardest things people will ever have to deal with. My dad was diagnosed with this awful disease seven years ago and it has been a pain that I can’t describe. I wanted to raise as much money as possible so that we can help prevent people from going through experiences similar to mine.

Louis du Toit, activities coordinator at Oake Meadows, said: “The work that Cheryl has done is truly astonishing. We were humbled and amazed at the lengths she went to for this worthy cause and her contribution will make a massive difference to the research and work done in the fight against Alzheimer's and Dementia. Cheryl is a special woman and has always been very supportive and grateful for the care received by her dad at Oake Meadows.”

PAGE 12 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 20

Lessons from Covid-19: The Default Model of Care Must Change

By Peter Seldon, CEO, Consultus Care and Nursing

Despite herculean efforts of front line carers, the Covid-19 crisis has shone a spotlight on the nation’s care system and shown how urgently reform is required to bring the sector up to standard. Nobody was prepared for the pandemic, and as a result the entire healthcare system was put under immense pressure almost overnight. Hospitals focused on ways to free up capacity and in turn many older and vulnerable patients were discharged into care homes as the default solution – arguably in many cases, too soon and without proper testing.

This had a profound effect as hospitals reported having nearly four times the normal amount of free acute beds in preparation for the pandemic’s peak. But this came at a price – care homes became overrun, short staffed and faced a serious lack of PPE and testing. Cross infection was near impossible to prevent, and with a stretched workforce the level of care was compromised, with 30,000 more care home resident deaths during the Coronavirus outbreak compared to the same period in 2019. Sadly, many of these deaths could have been prevented with live-in care as the default option – having one nurse or carer to return safely home to and live in isolation with, after being discharged, has proved to be the safest option with very few Covid cross infections.

Peter Seldon, CEO, Consultus Care and Nursing argues that the current care model needs to change if we are to protect and prevent our loved ones from experiencing the same failures that we have witnessed during this pandemic.

OPENING UP OPTIONS

At the peak of the Coronavirus pandemic, statistics released by ONS revealed that there was a care home resident death almost every minute.

The tragic number of cases and deaths has meant that trust in these facilities has fallen, and care homes will continue to need support in managing the consequences of the pandemic. As such, more information on live-in care should be available as an alternative option so families facing the decision on how to manage a loved one’s care don’t feel cornered into making a decision that isn’t necessarily right for their situation.

Many families are unaware of the possibility of live-in care, or assume that 24x7 bespoke support would be significantly more expensive.

However, families can access live-in care for the same price as a standard care home and reap the benefits. And with lifetime mortgages and equity release products now far more competitive and flexible, the family home doesn’t need to be sold to put a loved one into care. The debt can be serviced on a simple interest model, year by year. So, essentially the estate is rolling up the overall debt borrowed against the house – but it is not being compounded. Furthermore, the debt being built up offsets Inheritance Tax above the nil rate bands that apply to potentially both parents. Critically, in the meantime, unlike cash in a low interest savings account, the house is almost certainly appreciating in value.

Moreover, in many cases, familiar home environments, one's happiness and even pets are taken away from the older person when the family home is sold. This can lead to significantly decreased independence and wellbeing, and a myriad of issues for the family. The option of staying in one’s own home means that stability of surroundings can be maintained contributing to overall improved health and quality of life.

A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO CARE

There are many positives of live-in care, not only does the individual receive care on a one-to-one or one-to-two basis 24x7, they retain their familiar surroundings and comforts, and importantly, their memories. In typical situations (without pandemic restrictions), families and friends are able to visit at all hours and without limitations, with an extra layer of privacy compared to group home visits.

This approach also helps to reduce financial and resource pressure on the NHS too, preventing bed blocking, allowing for earlier discharge and ensuring better patient safety and wellbeing at home. Live-in care has been shown to reduce the rate of the person’s decline in health; for

The Benefits of Personalised Care

By Jade McGowan, activities coordinator for Renaissance Care’s Jesmond Aberdeen home.

Of my 18 years in care, I’ve worked at Renaissance Care’s Jesmond Care Home for the last 12. Starting as a senior care assistant set me up well for becoming activities coordinator in 2013 and gave me a solid foundation for understanding individual care needs, a skill which is crucial in my current role.

As activities co-ordinator I’m focused on delivering personalised, individual care, and I’ve never seen it have such a profound and obvious benefit to the residents as it has during the Covid-19 crisis.

One of the key values we share at Renaissance Care is that we really ‘see’ our residents for who they are. True care is about respect and understanding, so all year round the team and I work hard to provide fun activities based on the range of hobbies, likes and dislikes of the individuals we

care for.

However as lockdown measures came into place, our residents were no longer able to socialise together which for many is not only hard because they enjoy the company of the friends they have in the home, but a lack of stimulus can have a very negative effect on elderly people’s mood, memory and general wellbeing.

We have a number of residents who live with dementia and we knew they would be particularly vulnerable as they can often find it difficult to understand or remember why they have to isolate, which can be very distressing for them.

Overnight, we went from group activities and regular visits from friends and family, to separating all residents into their own room with physical visits only from the staff in the home.

Spending that amount of one-to-one time with residents meant I got to know them even better than I did before which helped me come up with fun and exciting activities I knew would spark an interest in each resident.

Activities in their rooms ranged from games of dominoes to pamper days

instance, compared to care homes, live-in care has a third fewer falls and a quarter of the hip fractures.

Live-in care ultimately provides an environment where the person can enjoy their regular routine with that dedicated, personable support they need – whilst importantly being protected from any potential contamination. With this bespoke approach, carers have more time to develop meaningful companionships, learning which activities and tasks their client enjoys most. Take the case of live-in carer Julie who went to great lengths during lockdown with her client Rosemary by creating wonderful dishes decorated with flowers and herbs from Rosemary’s beloved garden. These small touches can mean so much to those who are experiencing later life care.

Independence is incredibly important for everyone, so why should this be taken away from the older generation? Making sensible use of the family home, which typically grows in value over time, means the person can maintain their independence in the way they want, whilst supporting their family’s future too.

THE REVOLUTION

Coronavirus has shone a light on how important the role of the carer is, the nation came together to #ClapForCarers to show widespread recognition for their tremendous efforts. No longer being labelled as ‘unskilled’, perceptions have changed for the better and deservedly too. However, the pandemic has also shone a light on the catastrophic failings of the current social care model – there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach that should be taken with care, and there is now a rare opportunity to embark on a social care delivery revolution, to combat the negative headlines of social care and care homes.

It’s clear that the national care landscape needs to change to better suit the needs of the older population, with one survey showing that 60% of Britons would be happy to pay more taxes in order to fund the NHS. Furthermore, more than one million people will no longer consider living in a care home after Covid-19, and therefore pay to be cared for in their own home. It’s time to listen to the people and make live-in care the default option. The benefits from all standpoints – financial, health and wellbeing are too great to ignore. We must not return to a model we know has failed.

– whatever tickled their fancy really.

We were lucky enough to also have some socially distanced activities, including performers who came to give us a show from the window. These types of activities really raised the spirits of the residents as it gave them a feeling of togetherness with their friends in the home, even though they weren’t physically close.

Keeping residents and their families in good contact was one of my most important tasks during lockdown, not just for the benefit of the residents, but also their families. Thankfully, our management had supplied iPads to each home at the beginning of lockdown to ensure the essential communication between residents and their loved ones was not ceased completely during what was an extremely worrying time for many.

Being able to “meet” each other on FaceTime meant a lot to the residents and their families and also to the staff as it was fantastic seeing our residents’ reactions to seeing their family - something we are looking forward to more of now socially distanced outdoor visits are permitted.

As you would imagine, delivering one-to-one activity sessions to 65 residents was quite the undertaking and I couldn’t have done it without the support from the incredibly dedicated team here at Jesmond Care Home.

From the kitchen team who have personalised diets for residents needing to get their strength up after falling ill, to the management and staff who have been a source of support to us all and of course to the residents whose smiles and words of encouragement have meant more than they could ever know.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 20 | PAGE 13

COVID-19 Inspections: What Do You Need to Know?

By Peter James, partner and head of health & safety, BLM, London (www.blmlaw.com)

The UK continues to grapple with COVID-19 in the workplace, which has never been more apparent than in a care home or care environment.

With guidance and regulation dictated by central government, part of the responsibility for ensuring businesses are COVID-secure lies with the Health & Safety Executive (HSE). Following the Government’s announcement on its return to work strategy in May, the HSE stated it had begun proactive inspections, and in July, reiterated that “all sectors and businesses of all sizes are in scope for inspections” to ensure workplaces were COVID-secure.

It laid out five steps that businesses should be meeting to meet the latest guidance, including: • Carrying out a COVID-19 risk assessment in line with HSE guidance • Developing increased cleaning, hand washing and hygiene procedures • Taking all reasonable steps to help people work from home • Maintaining social distancing where possible • Managing transmission risk, where social distancing is not possible

INDUSTRY SPECIFIC CONCERNS Whilst these steps appear relatively simple, the ever-evolving Government guidance – whether it was a move of social distancing from 2m to 1m+, or enforcing the wearing of face coverings in enclosed spaces – means that some in the care home could understandably struggle to ensure the workplace is meeting the most up-to-date guidance. Further, for some it is proving costly to put new procedures in place, only for the guidance to then change once more.

There are also some concerns that the jurisdiction a business has over ensuring COVID guidance is followed has not been properly clarified.

Consider staff interactions – how can you ensure social distancing is being followed in off-site smoking areas, for example?

Care has been on the frontline of the pandemic response, and faced myriad clinical, political and professional challenges to say the least.

Whilst care homes have largely remained open for staff and residents throughout the pandemic, the way homes safely operate has changed beyond recognition in many situations.

Many carers and care home workers will now be well-versed in increased hygiene measures and use of PPE (if able to access this), and updated COVID-secure policies must be shared with employees and recirculated if updated. It’s particularly important ahead of a possible COVID-19 inspection that staff feel confident in these measures.

HOW CAN I PREPARE FOR A COVID INSPECTION? So far, the HSE appears to be carrying out the majority of its inspections as random ‘spot checks’, including phone calls and on-site visits.

Interestingly there have been cases where the HSE has attended on-site to investigate a reported incident and the inspector has extended their investigation to include a COVID assessment whilst present. Requests have also been made by Inspectors to provide COVID-19 procedures and a copy of the COVID-19 risk assessment prior to the visit taking place.

It’s therefore vital to ensure your business is following COVID-secure guidance and is mitigating necessary risks ahead of time, as you are unlikely to receive notice that an inspection is upcoming. Reasonably practicable measures must be taken – and clearly demonstrated – to minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

Having documentation to evidence the reasonably practicable measures that have been put into place to minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission is key. Equally, evidence of these measures being communicated to workers and any associated additional training provided is critical to support and protect an organisation’s position A business should therefore document the risk assessment process ( recording any changes made in response to further advice from the government and regulator) and associated actions such as safe systems of work, training and communications so that if questioned at a later date, the organisation can demonstrate the assessment carried out, justify the measures taken and satisfy the HSE that the guidance and developments had been kept under review.

A chronology of compliance set against government and industry wide advice and guidance is critical. Advice and information is continually evolving in respect of COVID-19 so it is important to be able to give clear evidence on what policies and procedures were in place at the time of an incident and be able to draw a comparison with the available information at that time, demonstrate how and when this has been updated since and why, particularly after any new cases of COVID-19 being reported.

As part of the inspection, be prepared to answer questions concerning risk assessments, systems of work and training, handling possible outbreaks within the workforce and measures in place to enforce and oversee the new measures. Documents to support this and demonstrate

what is in place should also be pulled together in preparation for this.

And remember that the HSE will not just look at what the organisation has implemented at management level; expect inspectors to speak to affected workers to gather evidence of their understanding of the measures and the level of compliance on the ground.

If your business operates within a location affected by local or partial lockdown, be aware that the chances of a spot check are possibly increased. Within recent months, the HSE has put out notices to places including Blackburn, Greater Manchester and Bradford to announce that it will be making sure businesses in the area COVID-secure. Multiple visits are increasingly common, to ensure changes are being implemented.

ARE PUNITIVE MEASURES BEING TAKEN? So far, there has been no documented case where a business has faced punitive action as a result of failing to comply with COVID guidance. However, down the line, it is reasonable to expect punitive measures if a business has not got things right.

A COVID inspection is primarily intended to provide affected businesses with guidance, but where breaches are identified, the HSE has stated it will take action, from providing specific advice to halting the unsafe practice or even issuing enforcement notices. A July statement clarified that failure to comply could lead to prosecution.

Currently, HSE fines and penalties in the case of a breach are decided on the basis of the culpability of the organisation, the risk of harm created and the size of the business based on turnover. This last aspect will be particularly pertinent in the case of future fines for businesses that may have faced a sharp drop in turnover as a result of the pandemic.

The ability to repay a fine is a factor in sentencing decisions, and judges do not hand down fines to financially ruin a company. However, the level of fine is intended to have a real economic impact and send a strong message to both management and shareholders of the need to comply with health and safety legislation. Whether reasonable leniency in punitive measures may be taken, on the basis of financial difficulties and the evolving guidance businesses must keep up with, remains to be seen.

In many ways, COVID inspections must be approached in the same manner as a standard HSE inspection: prepare, prepare, prepare. Whilst you may not be given notice of an impending visit, by following COVIDsecure guidance as early as possible, where reasonably practicable, and ensuring it is up-to-date with evolving advice, an organisation can take the first steps to meeting HSE and Government standards.

H.W. PICKRELL NEW & USED ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORT AT AFFORDABLE PRICES • We specialise in the sale and purchase of quality used wheelchair accessible vehicles and ambulances.

• They can be bought as seen or refurbished and sign-written to your own requirements.

• 12 months M.O.T/Class 5 and 12 months warranty.

• Engineers inspection supplied if required.

• Free delivery service available • All buses comply with new legislation • Lease hire and purchase available • Always large stock of accessible vehicles

Tel: 01268 521033 Mobile: 07860 894331 Email: sales@hwpickrell.co.uk Gardiners Lane North, Crays Hills, Billericay, Essex CM11 2XE All current stock available to view at www.hwpickrell.co.uk

EXTINGUISH THE RISK FIRE RATED DOOR PROTECTION

w w w . y e o m a n s h i e l d . c o m Keep your fire doors in optimum working condition with the help of Yeoman Shield Fire Rated Door Protection Products.

Manufactured by Harrison Thompson (a FIRAS company member), these fire rated products provide vital all round defence from impact damage.

Other fire door services available including door surveys, inspections, remedial work and product installation under Third-Party accreditation.

Fo r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n c a l l 0 1 1 3 2 7 9 5 8 5 4 o r e m a i l f r d p @ y e o m a n s h i e l d . c o m

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 20 | PAGE 15

Obesity Stigma Fuelling Severe Impact On Adult Social Care Weight-related stigmas need tackling to help prevent rising levels of obesity and severe obesity from having a significant impact on demand and cost pressures in adult social care, the Local Government Association urges today in a new report.

Up to a third of adults are predicted to be obese by 2024. The LGA says council care costs are rising as levels of obesity increase with more people living longer in ill-health with multiple and complex needs, requiring costly housing adaptations, specialised equipment and personal care.

Councils are concerned that a fear of offence and a lack of referral services for severely obese people sees some health practitioners only record a person’s condition, such as diabetes or stroke, in data and not obesity or Body Mass Index (BMI) even though that is often the underlying issue.

Practitioners also often compensate for the loss of mobility in obese clients with more equipment – which means they move about even less and their problems are compounded, increasing their likely long-term reliance on social care services.

In its new report, “Social Care and Obesity”, the LGA is urging doctors and health professionals to have an honest conversation about people’s weight when they consider it to be the underlying cause of a condition and for weight to be routinely recorded in data collection to help inform prevention work and ensure that services are tailored to population need.

It says this “frank approach” has become more urgent considering that severe obesity rates have soared seven-fold for men and almost trebled for women since the mid-90s, and in light of widening health inequalities, which have seen obesity rates increase most among those from more deprived backgrounds, and among different ethnic groups.

Obesity is linked to diseases including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, some cancers, heart disease, stroke, liver disease and musculoskeletal conditions.

This affects people’s ability to live independently, leading to increased benefit costs and demand for social care which is already under significant stress.

Research shows that the yearly cost of council funded community-based social care for a severely obese person is nearly double the cost of a person with a healthy BMI, which equates to an extra £423,000 in annual excess social care costs for a typical council. Further research shows that obese people are 25 per cent more likely to be using some

form of long-term care in two years’ time, than those with a healthy BMI. Increasing obesity levels have also led to a rise in demand for specialist bariatric equipment, for heavier patients, with some councils reporting a 47 per cent increase in spend on this equipment – which is considerably more expensive than standard care equipment.

The LGA says tackling obesity through prevention, early intervention and provision of appropriate social care will improve people’s health and wellbeing, preempt future health and social care issues, promote independence and reduce the pressures on social care and the NHS and narrow health inequalities.

The LGA is calling on government to restore a reduction of more than £700 million in the public health grant to councils between 2015/16 and 2019/20 to help prevention efforts and increase the grant to at least £3.9 billion a year by 2024/25 so it matches the growth in overall NHS funding, as part of the NHS Long-Term Plan.

It says that the impact of obesity has been focused on the NHS instead of adult social care and that the COVID-19 pandemic has renewed the urgency for long-term reform and sustainable funding for adult social care, which needs to be addressed in the Government’s forthcoming Spending Review and long-awaited plan for the future of care and support.

Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board, said: “Obesity is a ticking timebomb for the nation’s health and is one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century, but its impact on adult social care is largely overlooked.

“Unless we tackle the stigma and serious challenge of obesity, the costly and debilitating major health conditions it causes could bankrupt adult social care and NHS services.

“Health professionals need to start having frank conversations about their people’s weight if it could be an underlying cause of their condition and routinely record it; individuals need to take responsibility for their own decisions and government needs to support them to do so.

“Obesity needs to be tackled head-on, otherwise people’s health will continue to suffer, health inequalities associated with obesity will remain and the economic and social costs will increase to unsustainable levels.”

Brendoncare Froxfield Entertaining Residents with Mechanical Cats and Dogs Brendoncare Froxfield, run by the charity, Brendoncare Foundation, is delighted that during recent months the residents have been enjoying time with mechanical cats and dogs.

Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, Brendoncare Froxfield used to receive a weekly visit from Pets As Therapy (PAT) dogs into the home to spend time with the residents. This was hugely beneficial for some of the residents, in terms of their well-being.

The pets provided sensory stimulation, particularly for residents with dementia who would stroke and talk to the PAT dogs. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, these visits had to stop, so the staff decided to purchase mechanical cats and dogs as a substitute for the PAT dogs.

The mechanical pets have been a welcome alternative and some of the residents have become very attached to them. They cuddle and stroke them and also chat away to them. One resident, Robin Sherrard, is so attached to one of the cats that she keeps it in her room and is always talking to it. She calls it ‘The Cat’ and spends a lot of time holding and cuddling it. It has had a huge positive impact on her general well-being and she is very comforted by it. She is a collector of soft toys too.

Another resident is very attached to one of the dogs that he carries it around with him, with the dog’s head on his shoulder. He is often stroking and talking to it. When the resident has left the dog in

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

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.

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.’

his room, he regularly goes back to check the dog is OK! Kay Reid, Activities Coordinator at Brendoncare Froxfield, said, “It’s lovely seeing the residents that use the pets, they are always smiling and enjoy conversations with their particular pet. The mechanical cats and dogs have been an excellent alternative to PAT dogs.

“We have been keeping the residents busy over recent months; they have particularly enjoyed listening to music that we have downloaded from our music therapist. Entertainers have also been visiting our lovely gardens and singing or playing the Ukulele to the residents. There have been quizzes and games too. There’s never a dull moment!”

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 20 | PAGE 17

Cygnet Health Care Launches New Mental Health Service for Children And Adolescents in Coventry A new state-of-the-art mental health hospital dedicated to children and adolescents opens in Coventry next month.

Cygnet Health Care is launching Cygnet Joyce Parker Hospital, named after a former care worker, to offer support to young people aged between 12 and 18 with mental health issues.

Specialist health care teams will work in psychiatric intensive care and low secure environments with the aim of helping young people stabilise their condition and return home as soon as possible.

The opening of the new service in Lansdowne Street, Coventry extends Cygnet Health Care’s national network of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) into the West Midlands and responds to rising demand for mental health care services. Mental health problems affect about 1 in 10 children and young people, and include depression, anxiety and conduct disorder.

Mermaid Ward, which will open in October, will provide a 10-bed CAMHS psychiatric intensive care service with a two-bed emergency place of safety suite for young people experiencing severe mental illness.

Young people will be able to continue their education through an on-site Ofsted registered school, Summit school.

Another ward, Dragon Ward, which opens in early 2021, will provide a low secure service for young people who may need a longer stay. It offers a care and treatment pathway for individuals who may have complex mental health issues and whose needs and risk are such they need to be supported in this environment. Dragon Ward will also be able to treat young people with co-morbid disordered eating as part of their illness, and specialist eating disorder

clinicians will collaborate with other healthcare teams to support effective treatment and recovery of the young people.

Paul Bentham, Cygnet’s CAMHS Operations Director, who will lead the new service, said: “The approach we’ve taken is genuinely innovative and we’ve involved people with personal experience of mental health problems, as well as carers and young people from Cygnet’s other CAMHS services in its development. The names of the wards and the school setting came from these young people. It is our aim is to create a high-quality service that will be emulated for the way it is helping young people on the road to recovery.

“We are very proud to be doing this in the West Midlands.”

The hospital is named in honour of Cygnet Support Worker Joyce Parker who died earlier this year. Joyce, 61, was a mother of five and a grandmother, and worked at Cygnet Meadow Mews, a community residential service for men with neuropsychiatric or neurodegenerative conditions in Tipton, West Midlands.

Jacqueline Johnson, a former colleague of Joyce’s and a manager at the Tipton hospital, said: “Joyce worked in care most of her life and was absolutely brilliant with patients and residents. She was so caring, and her dedication and work ethic was amazing.”

“We will always remember her for how she helped new people coming to Cygnet. Because she was a bit older, she very supportive of new staff and was a brilliant member of the team.

She got on with everyone. Nothing was too much trouble.

“We were all thrilled when Cygnet suggested naming the new service in Coventry after Joyce. When we told her family what we wanted to do to remember her, they were amazed.

It was a very emotional conversation, and it brought tears to my eyes.”

Covid19: Accelerating the Use of Digital Technology in Healthcare As this crisis impacts every part of the health sector, significant vulnerabilities are being exposed. The NHS ‘digital revolution’ has long been touted as the key to futureproofing both Social Care and our health service in the face of increasing patient demand. That demand has now reached unprecedented levels and seems unlikely ever to revert to previous trends; against that background; there is an urgent requirement to move quickly to realise the opportunities which are available from digital technology. It is no longer an interesting speculation; it is an essential requirement to support staff and save lives. (Rt Hon Stephen Dorrell)

USING TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY Poor efficiencies in many areas of the sector are caused by the lack of investment in technology.

Technology will improve the way your staff carry out tasks by either speed up existing processes or allowing new, more flexible and accurate ways of carrying out a job or process which will in turn enables live real time management information.

Would you expect to check out of a hotel with an invoice and extras raised in Word or Excel so why do many operators still use this method when invoicing?

How many industries with shift workers rely on manual payroll processing out-

side the care sector?

Repeatable systems should harness the power of technology to cut back the massive waste of man hours spent processing and checking manual tasks.

In order to work out the best technology for your needs, you should assess your current systems against your requirements. Think about what inefficiencies exist in your homes and how you could: 1. Capture relevant information, such as resident/staff details, in a simple, time-efficient way.

2. Manage your documents to ensure that information is dealt with logically.

3. Avoid duplication at all costs; completing handwritten timesheets which then need to be manually inputted into payroll is a massive, unnecessary waste of time & manpower.

4. Address technological obstacles. The perception that your staffs are not IT literate is out of date; most people own a smart phone so yes they are!

See www.fusion4care.com for details or see the advert on page 23.

PAGE 18 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 20

Driving Transformation In Care Homes Through Digital and Technological Innovation Phil Barrington is the ICT Director and Specialist at HealthTrust Europe - one of the leading healthcare solutions procurement providers in the UK. Here, he explores how technology is revolutionising the Social Care sector, and asks: what else can be done to futureproof the sector?

The Coronavirus pandemic has highlighted a great number of things – one being that technology truly is everything.

Whilst social distancing and lockdown measures have prevented us from continuing our ‘normal’ everyday lives, technology has stepped in and replaced the majority of the functions that we have temporarily lost. Take video conferencing as an example: a platform underutilised by many before the outbreak, yet one that we are now absolutely dependent on for almost all our social and professional needs. We are undergoing a cultural shift toward a world far more receptive to innovation and technology than ever before.

This is no truer than in the Social Care sector, where organisations have rushed to maximise the benefits of tech. Since the start of the outbreak, our ICT specialist team has assisted care homes across the UK to access market leading tech from a variety of suppliers in order to address the ever-changing situation. We found that video call facilities were the first platforms to be put in place by most, offering a quick and effective solution to providing care whilst maintaining social distancing.

As we navigate through the crisis, video hosted platforms have also allowed organisations to recruit staff remotely, carry out vital medical examinations and run routine check-ups. The technology has been so successful that organisations are exploring the possibility of adopting tech permanently.

Looking beyond Coronavirus, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are the next big players in healthcare services. ML and AI are already being offered by suppliers on the market, for example, Machine Learning Medical Data (MLDM) is a system offered by one of our top 10 ICT suppliers. This revolutionary system uses ML to transform medical records by analysing data and turning it into actionable, interpretable patient predictions, whilst the AI element is able to support decision-making based on the raw data collected by the software. The MLMD system is able to predict patient outcomes, guide clinical decisions and create personalised treatment suggestions for patients – all from learning and analysing the existing digital records. The greatest feature of MLMD is that it is fully comprehensive (aside from a human inputting the initial digital data) and runs completely by itself; we are able to receive these impressive results with very little effort.

ML and AI technologies that are able to monitor and predict epidemics also exist – using data collected from satellites, historic information, real-time social media updates and other various sources to predict outbreaks. Scientists are currently looking at how ML and AI could support the fight against Coronavirus, with an experimental AI tool already being used in America to predict patient outcomes of those suffering with the disease. This is useful in developing appropriate care plans for patients, and also vital in understanding resource capacity. The ability to predict an outbreak of the virus would be ground-breaking in care home settings, where patients often live in close contact and viruses can spread easier, as staff would be able to put preventative measures in place before an outbreak occurs. Overall, this limits the transmission rate and would better allow ‘at risk’ patients to shield from the virus.

Data analysis technology is another rising star in the Social Care sector. At HealthTrust Europe, our specialist ICT Team has seen a significant increase in the number of care homes looking at investing in cloudbased platforms that are able to provide customised, flexible and inter-

active routine reporting on patients, uploaded to a real time online dashboard. The platforms are able to observe and analyse patient behaviour, from how many hours they have been in bed down to what time they need to take medication. This smart technology enables staff to access a full data report on a patient instantaneously from the touch of a button, and alerts can be set up to inform staff of any sudden changes in routine. The systems also include other interactive features, such as questionnaires that monitor the care provider’s interactions with patients regarding their physical and mental wellbeing. This helps to monitor changes in behaviour and allows issues to be picked up far quicker, all whilst being tracked in a secure database that can be referred back to.

The shift towards technological innovation is supported on a national scale, and for good reason. Government led initiatives such as the NHSX Unit are driving digital transformation across the health and social care sectors with impressive levels of funding. Just this year, the Government pledged a huge £2.7bn of additional funding for the Health Infrastructure Plan – an initiative specifically dedicated to stimulating transformational change throughout the health sector. In the coming months, I think it is fair for us to expect even more emphasis on technology. The Coronavirus pandemic has highlighted just how significant and profound technology can be, by quite literally enabling our lives to continue with little disruption despite the crisis we face. In healthcare, technology has enabled care providers to continue providing vital care to the nation’s elderly and vulnerable – the significance of this cannot be understated.

It is now possible to navigate not just the application of tech through the outbreak, but also look toward the future to improve patient outcomes, and I would encourage all business leaders in the sector to embrace this new wave of innovation.

Introducing smart technologies across the health and care sector is no longer just a clever investment – it is a necessary one.

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

Manufactured in the UK

Celebrating 40 years

Freephone: 0800 917 7943 www.euroservice-uk.com sales@euroservice-uk.com

Introducing the new HYGIEIA range In the past few weeks the design team at Euroservice have been focussing on the needs of the care sector taking into account the enormous pressures faced over the past few months.

Elegant and practical new designs have emerged from market research and the new HYGIEIA service trolleys have been created to combine hygiene and social distancing with style and elegance.

The new HYGIEIA trolleys are an attractive and practical alternative to clinical aluminium trolleys given that antibacterial spray can be used freely to sanitise them.

Moreover, when not in use the attractive trolleys can be used as a vending trolley, selling personal care products to residents or snacks/pastries to visitors.

Your lovely trolley could do so much for you and your residents!

Get in touch with our friendly sales team and we will be happy to help find a trolley to meet your needs.

www.euroservice-uk.com

Visit the website at euroservice-uk.com to see the full range.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 20 | PAGE 19

Relaunch of the Health and Wellbeing Alliance: Call for Refreshed Membership Charities are being urged to join the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Health and Wellbeing Alliance, following its relaunch on Saturday 15 August, to ensure the lived experiences of the people they represent are reflected in the development of health policy.

The Health and Wellbeing Alliance is a key element of the Health and Wellbeing Programme, the aim of which is to promote health equalities and reduce health inequalities across the UK. The Alliance is a partnership between the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England and Improvement and Public Health England and 20 voluntary sector partners and consortia, including Age UK, Carers UK, LGBT foundation and the Race Equality Foundation.

The Alliance ensures the voice of lived experience is incorporated early in policy development, and that important health and public health announcements and messages are shared through reach communities

who may be directly impacted via direct consultation.

Minister for Prevention, Public Health and Primary Care Jo Churchill said: ‘’The Health and Wellbeing Alliance is an excellent way to ensure a range of voices are heard and reflected in Government policy. Over the last three years members have made an enormous contribution to a number of important policy developments.

“This relaunch is a fantastic opportunity to ensure that we not only continue to hear from the most underrepresented voices, but also allows us a refresh, so that important health messages reach those they affect the most.’’

Alex Fox, former chair of the VCSE Review and CEO of Shared Lives Plus said “This year we’ve seen how Charities, social enterprises and community groups are vital to mobilising communities to keep people safe and well. The Government‘s renewed commitment to the Health and Wellbeing Alliance is very welcome at a time when, more than ever, the most vulnerable people and communities need government and community organisations to work effectively together. The Alliance ensures that the voice of communities facing the most challenging health inequalities are central to health and care policy making.”

The Alliance has already helped shape policy making. For example, when the Department of Health and Social Care needed insight and input on a new autism commissioning model, the Complex Needs Consortium held a consultation with health and social care commissioners, autistic people, families, friends and carers to develop draft guid-

ance to improve the way autistic people are supported.

The Alliance has been and continues to play a critical role in informing policy development and cascading messaging during this unprecedented period. Alliance members Homeless Link, for example, played a pivotal role in communication guidance and information to the homelessness sector around Covid-19. While central government guidance was being rapidly developed, Homeless Link hosted weekly webinars to share good practice and hear from the sector about the issues they were experiencing, providing a vital two-way communication stream.

The work of the Alliance will continue to be of the utmost importance as we look to the future to tackle these disparities and protect our most vulnerable communities. For example data shows Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities have been disproportionately affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Refreshing the membership now will ensure the Alliance has the greatest possible representation and that their voices are heard by Government.

Membership to the Alliance is awarded through a competitive tendering process. Members receive grant funding on an annual basis of up to £80,000 for their core work. Applications are invited from 15 August, and close at noon on 06 November. A Meet the Funder webinar series for interested parties to hear more about the series and ask questions will run from 1-3 September. More information on webinars and application support can be found on GOV.UK.

‘Morning People’ Linked With Higher Alzheimer’s Risk Researchers in the UK have linked sleeping patterns with an increased risk of dementia in people with a higher genetic risk of the condition. The scientific journal Neurology published the findings today (Wednesday 19 August).

The study was supported by the UK Dementia Research Institute, the country’s largest dementia research initiative, which is partly funded by Alzheimer’s Research UK. What did the researchers look at?

The scientists studied the relationship between different sleep patterns, depressive disorder and Alzheimer’s disease.

They used different genetic studies collected from databases that included over 20,000 people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers analysed the genetic information using a research technique that can find out if there is cause and effect.

What did the researchers find?

Researchers found no evidence that different sleep patterns caused Alzheimer’s disease. They also found no evidence of cause and effect between major depressive disorder and Alzheimer’s.

They did find a small link between people at increased genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease who were one percent more likely to call themselves “morning people” compared to people at lower genetic risk.

Dr Sara Imarisio, Head of Research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “Many of us have experienced a bad night’s sleep and probably know that it can have an impact on our memory and thinking in the

short term, but an intriguing question is whether sleep problems have a long-term effect on the brain.

“This research shows a small link between different sleep patterns and the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, but did not find any evidence for sleep disturbance causing the disease.

“A recent large-scale review of risk factors for dementia within our control to change found there have not been enough studies in this area for sleep to be included on the list.

“Dementia is not an inevitable part of ageing and more evidence on the complex topic of sleep is needed before we can make a judgement on its impact on dementia risk. We hope findings like this will act as a catalyst for further research.”

PAGE 20 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 20

Every Picture Tells a Story

By Mathew Faulkner and Jo Lloyd, www.care-theme.co.uk

It’s commonplace to hang pictures in residents’ rooms or common areas in care homes to help people feel more at home. But it goes deeper than that. Care homes seek to improve residents’ general wellbeing, which might be measured by how comfortable, happy, settled, engaged and relaxed they feel. No matter what our state of our cognitive decline, there’s a science behind our innate need to feel: • safe and secure, • oriented in our surroundings, • to be sociable • to have control over our environment.

Simple décor techniques help to achieve this.

You could take a favourite image and cover an entire wall with it. If it were a local landmark familiar to residents that could help turn blank walls into reminiscence areas, engaging residents in conversational memories. An image could be used to brighten up an unloved corridor, perhaps giving residents somewhere to aim for when lost or confused, a

point they can recognise and sit by to feel at home and safe. Garden rooms can be created in indoor spaces where imagery is combined with a living wall with vertical planting, engaging tall he senses for those residents un able to go outside safely and easily.

By thinking about spaces differently and utilising some clever design, printed material can transform a care home environment for the better, quickly, economically and creatively. The sheer range of materials available presents extraordinary opportunities.

There’s pasted wallpaper to redecorate with a core theme in mind.

Perhaps patterns from the 60s or 70s would recreate familiarity with an era that residents remember fondly. Combine décor with music from that time for even greater effect.

Or easily removable, self-adhesive, vinyls that are quick to put up, and easy to remove leaving no residue, the wall is ready for the next resident. Vinyls can also brighten the look and feel of doors and corridors and help with navigation.

If there’s no room for a potted plant on the corner of a corridor then print one to give dementia patients landmarks where they know to turn left or right.

Use magnetic materials to create memory trees where photos of loved ones can be affixed together with tactile kitchen magnets. Print maps of the world to engage them in stories of places they have visited, or highlight where children and grandchildren reside.

Imagery is invaluable when creating quiet spaces for reflection and relaxation. Ablecare Homes sought to do this with their entrance corridor in Crossley House Care Home in Winterbourne. Many residents hailed from the Weston-super-Mare area, where the beach and pier are familiar landmarks. An image of the pier was recreated on an entire wall, with blue skies continuing the theme around the top of the surrounding walls. By adding gull mobiles, they created an engaging and

different feel to the space. Sam Hawker of Ablecare commented: “The murals have transformed our entrance, which now has a lovely seaside feel and is somewhere residents like to sit and interact. Staff have really engaged with our project and it has been the catalyst for many other activities, like creating a seaside magnet wall and seaside artwork.”

Tudor Cottage Care Home in Axminster made more of its dining room, by printing a wallpaper for one wall with a picture of a quaint English tearoom. Residents can now imagine they’re sitting outside ‘Suzie’s Tea Room’ when dining. Manager Mandy Larcombe said: “The impact on the residents has been wonderful. We use the space to have afternoon tea with vintage cups and saucers.”

Advancements in printing technology have come thick and fast over the last decade. By paying attention to the space available and using images creatively, it’s possible for care homes to simply and quickly make something of any space. Combine the science of wellbeing, creative flair and the latest print technology ands it’s a recipe for contented and happy residents.

Care Home Caterers to Use British as Suppliers of Choice WHAT IS BRITISH FOOD FORTNIGHT & HOW DOES THE CARE SECTOR TAKE PART?

British Food Fortnight, (19th September – 4th October 2020) isnow in its 19th year is organised by Love British Food, the national food promotion which every Autumn invites communities and organisations across the country to celebrate the diverse and delicious, high quality food produced in this country. The care home catering sector has seen hundreds of care homes take part every year with HCOne, Carebase Care Homes, Sunrise Senior Living, RMBI, Anchor, Hallmark Health Care, Port Haven, Signature Care Homes, etc all involved. British Food Fortnight is now a proven commercial promotion delivering affordable quality menus that are a hit with the customer.

THE TOP 20 MOST INFLUENTIAL IN PUBLIC SECTOR CATERING

The Love British Food campaign was named for the second year running in the 2019 listing of Top 20 ‘most influential’ in Public Sector catering. This year’s campaign will continue to build on public sector catering with the aim for British to be the first-choice supplier when it comes to catering in care homes.

LEADING CHEFS ARE AMBASSADORS FOR LOVE BRITISH FOOD

The campaign is led by some of the most renowned and passionate chefs in the food world: Michelin-starred Chef Raymond Blanc, OBE, Michelin-starred Chef Phil Howard, Elystan Street plus Preston Walker and James Ball, chefs specialising in catering for health and social care, are working with us plus many more top names.

Love British Food Founder, Alexia Robinson, says: “In these uncertain times there is a real need for a robust supply of quality food at stable, affordable prices. We want to encourage the food service sector to make British food the first supplier of choice throughout the year. British Food Fortnight is a proven promotion in food service and we are encouraging caterers across the private and public sectors to take part.”

Sophie Murray, National Association Care Catering said: “We are looking forward to continuing our involvement with British Food Fortnight to showcase seasonal, local ingredients at a key time of year. We encourage all members to organise events for residents whether it is remem-

bering favourite dishes over the years, tasting new foods and meeting producers, or food quizzes, residents will always have a great time. We are looking at more care homes to make the commitment to buy British all year.”

David Mulcahy, Culinary Ambassador Sodexo UK&I said: “We are passionate advocates of using local produce as much as possible, so we are proud to support British Food Fortnight again this year. At Sodexo we reach a number of industries in the public and private sector, and being able to showcase key British ingredients and dishes during British Food Fortnight allows us to demonstrate to our customers the diversity and high quality of the food that’s produced in Great Britain.”

TOP TIPS BRITISH FOOD FORTNIGHT 2020

Everyone can get involved in British Food Fortnight – the biggest national promotion of British Food – here are some examples how others have celebrated:

Sunrise Senior Living ran a Great British pub day with British drinks matched up to pub classic dinners.

Other themed events included Downton Abbey, Afternoon tea at the Ritz, Cheese tastings and local chippy event Hallmark Healthcare held a Gala Luncheon with a Great British Carvery and recipes submitted for tasting by the residents.

RMBI celebrated with a fortnight full of food events, including local chef visits, harvest festivals, farmers markets, tea parties and ‘Bake Off’ style competitions British Food Fortnight is a good opportunity to source new suppliers, experiment with menus and add a number of British dishes. Here are some other tried and tested ideas: Send your suppliers a copy of the menu and ask them to if they can supply British ingredients.

Don’t be put off by prices that initially may seem higher. Buying large volumes can make the whole process affordable.

Promote your involvement in the fortnight by displaying menus with British Food Fortnight branding.

Offer tastings of specific British dishes and go a step further and look at foods from your region.

Use British Food Fortnight to see how popular dishes are or produce a special dish going forward that uses locally sourced ingredients.

Use Love British Food website for resources on how to make the most of British Food Fortnight, including the basic details, template menus and case studies.

British Food Fortnight ‘Share the love of British Food’ national competition is running. Ensure your establishment is taking part. With judges including Raymond Blanc, Liz Earle and Candice Brown, it is a guaranteed route to publicity and it will engage customers.

Resources available for download from www.lovebritishfood.co.uk.

There is advice not just for the Fortnight but on everything caterers need to make British food a success in their establishments: advice on sourcing, supplier contacts, case studies, tips for promoting your business in the media and sample and regionalised menus. Promotional materials including bunting, posters and shelf barkers can also be requested via the website.

Conflict Management - The Importance of Acting Early

By David Liddle, CEO of conflict management consultancy The TCM Group Carers have been at the front line during the COVID19 pandemic, so it’s hardly surprising that experts are suggesting the experience has taken its toll on their mental health.

The Health Foundation predicts that based on early evidence, we are likely to see an increase in problems such as depression, substance abuse and post traumatic stress disorder among those working in the profession.

The peak may (hopefully) have passed, but carers are still operating in pressurised, stressful environments – and when emotions are running high, the potential for conflict with colleagues and managers is greater than ever.

People who are fuelled on adrenaline and cortisol (the so-called stress hormones) often find it hard to think straight or react rationally to situations. They become irritated more easily and are quick to temper.

When people are anxious or depressed, they find it harder to concentrate and their decision-making ability can become impaired. When these factors are at play, it’s easy to see how minor niggles can soon escalate into major meltdowns.

At TCM, we are seeing a rise in both the amount and ferocity of cases coming to us for mediation – and our mediators are reporting that mental health is a factor in an increasing number of workplace conflicts.

It’s a vicious circle. Managers often don’t realise that someone whose behaviour has become combative, or whose performance has dipped, is suffering with a mental health issue. And of course employees who are suffering from anxiety or depression are often reluctant to talk about it, due to the stigma that still exists, and for fear that disclosure may affect their job security or career prospects.

There’s a tendency to think that if you brush workplace disputes under the carpet they will go away. The reality is that this rarely happens. Positions become entrenched and if left unchecked, interactions can get increasingly unpleasant. People become distressed, are often unable to sleep at night and start to suffer physical symptoms such as headaches or stomach upsets. Absence levels rise and there is a knock on effect on the team, not just in terms of resourcing, but also on motivation, engagement and productivity.

Managers need to act early, both to support employees who may be suffering with mental health issues, and to nip conflict in the bud. There are two key actions they can take: Be alert to the signs of mental ill health: There are a few red flags that may indicate an employee is suffering with a mental health issue. Someone who is normally very sociable and communicative may start to withdraw, or you may notice that a usually reliable and well turned out employee is looking tired, turning up late and paying less attention to their appearance than normal.

People may become tearful and over-sensitive, or more prone to making mistakes. Someone who is usually very organised and in control may start to struggle with the need to think on the spot or to deal calmly and efficiently with the day to day challenges that can arise in the caring profession. Normally easy-going people may be quick to lash out and appear to be falling out with colleagues over the smallest things.

If managers know how to recognise the signs of someone who is anxious or depressed and finding it difficult to cope, they will be able to act early to offer support, adjust working patterns or roles if needed and signpost the individual for professional support.

Deal with conflict informally first: The worst way to deal with any conflict – and particularly one where mental health may be involved – is to invoke a formal HR procedure. Putting someone who is already stressed or anxious through a formal disciplinary or grievance process is damaging, divisive and akin to tipping a bucket of cortisol over their head. It benefits no-one, and no-one wins.

An open, honest, face-to-face conversation is the best way to start. If managers deal with their people with compassion and empathy, they will often find it much easier to get to the root of the problem and to sort it out rapidly.

If this doesn’t work, it’s important that managers know that there are other highly effective, collaborative approaches such as mediation or facilitated conversations – where an impartial third party helps people have a constructive dialogue so they can sort their differences out. Research shows that this non-adversarial way of resolving difficult situations is successful in over 90 per cent of cases. Mediators at TCM have been able to continue achieving this high success rate throughout lockdown, by conducting mediations online.

At a time when people in the caring profession are facing unprecedented pressures, employers owe it to their staff to take a people-centred, values-driven approach which will help them shift from right/wrong win/lose mindsets and ultimately protect their health and wellbeing.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 20 | PAGE 19

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 20 | PAGE 23

Care Homes in Wales to Permit Indoor Visits from 29 August Families and friends will be able to visit loved ones indoors in care homes in Wales from August 29 providing conditions “remain favourable” the Welsh government has confirmed.

Since the beginning of the crisis visitors have been banned from entering care homes because of the risk of spreading the virus, however subject to strict controls families and friends will be able to resume visiting.

First Minister Mark Drakeford said: “While coronavirus remains effectively suppressed in Wales and cases continue to fall, the situation in the rest of the UK and further afield is still problematic. Coronavirus has not gone away and so, as we move out of lockdown and look to the future, it is important we do this in a careful and cautious way.”

“We appreciate how hard it has been for families not seeing their loved ones and the impact restrictions on visiting care homes is having on people’s emotional, mental

and even physical health.”

“In an effort to address this we have been working closely with partners and intend to allow indoor visits to care homes to recommence from Saturday 29 August, subject to the strict controls set out in the guidance and conditions remaining favourable.”

“In addition we will trial three small scale events, in partnership with the events organisers, local authorities and other stakeholders, to see if they can be carried out in a safe way, with a view to supporting the sector and making the most of the remaining summer months where we can spend time outdoors.”

“We will also learn from pilots being conducted across the UK, in reopening professional sport and indoor theatre to supporters and audiences, so we base our decisions on the best possible evidence available. We will continue to talk with event organisers about the possible resumption of some other activities later in the autumn.”

NHS Test and Trace Enters ‘Cycle of Disappointment’ Responding to the latest NHS test and trace figures for England, Nick Ville, director of policy at the NHS Confederation, which represents organisations across the healthcare sector, said: “These figures show we are still a long way from having a fully effective test and trace system with progress stalling. The proportion of people not reached has increased since mid-July, and we are seeing drops in the proportion of people successfully contacted.

“We have entered a cycle of disappointment where NHS Test and Trace is failing to meet performance measures set by the Government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) – we’re still slightly short of the target for 8 in 10 people to be reached and asked to provide their contact details.

“The NHS has been set stretching targets to restart the majority of its patient services that had to be paused during the height of the pandemic and ahead of what is expected to be a very challenging winter. We cannot allow the spread of the virus across communities to get out of control and disrupt this commitment due to an ineffective contact tracing system.

“The Secretary of State has made the risky move of reorganising a key national oversight body during the middle of the pandemic and these figures lay bare the important work that the new National Institute for Health Protection will need to carry out at pace to improve the effectiveness of our test and trace system.”

Microwave Specialist Launches Its Biggest Ever Giveaway qualifying for a FOC 7.2L Panasonic rice cooker. The ovens are the:Panasonic NE-C1275 13A plug-in combination microwave oven with • ‘five-way’ cooking methods.

Panasonic NE-1880 & NE-3280. The extra-large and very powerful • microwave ovens can take 2 x full size (1:1) Gastronorm pans.

Each of these ovens comes with a 7.2litre Panasonic (model SR• GA721) rice cooker, Free Of Charge. Each rice cooker comes with a complimentary 5kg of Tilda Basmati rice. Furthermore, Regale will deliver the equipment free to any UK mainland operator on the next working day.

Regale deputy MD Iain Phillips said: “Of course there are a few terms and conditions with this fantastic giveaway, the main one being that it is restricted to ‘whilst stocks last’, however we are hoping that we can run it from now to somewhere towards the end of August.”

See the advert on the facing page for details or call 01329 285518..

Regale Microwave Ovens is offering a free Panasonic rice cooker with every purchase of some of the brand’s microwave ovens.

Users can now benefit from a free Panasonic rice cooker when they certain Panasonic microwaves via specialist supplier, Regale Microwave Ovens.

Panasonic Rice Cookers are Ideal for cooking porridge at breakfast and keeps it hot for late risers when on standby without it drying out!

One of the models where the giveaway applies is the Panasonic NE-1878, a 1,800W inverter-powered microwave designed to feature the benefits of an all metal door. With each purchase, companies can receive a free model SRGA421 rice cooker, worth over £120, which will also come with 2kg of FOC Tilda rice inside.

All enquiries received by Regale will be passed to the nearest geographical dealer, and both units will be dispatched by Regale to the operators on the UK mainland with next day delivery, free of charge.

There are three other Panasonic ovens included in the promotion, but these

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.

As the pandemic crisis hits, with self-isolation and home working much greater, the digital revolution has, for most, future proofed “business as usual” But we know a large percentage of social care providers are not so lucky!

NOW MORE MOR RE THAN EVER THE USE OF DIGITAL DIGITAL TECHNOL NOLOGY IN SOCIAL CARE TECHNOLOGY CARE IS PRO PROVING VING IT ITS S WEIGHT IN GOLD GOLD..

The demands yyou Th ou are are no now w facing ar aree unprecedented; unprecedented; maintaining intaining levels l vels le ls of ccare are and a staff staff,, the safety and w d thosee yyou ou ccare are for is your yourr maximum priority rity. DIGITA AL wellbeing ellbeing of those who w work ork for yyou, ou, and priority.

DIGITAL TECHNOL OGY CAN CAN MAKE THIS SO MUCH EASIER. SIER R. TECHNOLOGY EASIER Vital information all in one plac e, in the cloud, rremotely em motely ac cessible to eevery very member of staff who needs place, accessible it. There There is an urgent urgent rrequirement equirement to move move quickly are available available from from uickly ly to realise r opportunities that are the opportunities digital technology technology..

t: 001133 1133 979 555 e:info@fusion4care.com e:info@fusion4care.com • www www.fusion4care.com .fusion4care.com

car care e solutions ltd

PAGE 24 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 20

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 20 | PAGE 25

Hygiene Does Not Stop At The Washroom says Kimberly-Clark Professional

Now more than ever we all want to know that we are doing everything we can to keep ourselves, our colleagues and visitors safe and well. To do this requires understanding the science behind surface wiping and cleaning, says Kimberly-Clark Professional.

We want to know that people have washed their hands properly and that places are as clean and as hygienic as possible. The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) recommends prioritising the daily cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces.

Cleaning vs. Disinfecting Cleaning removes germs, dirt, and other impurities from surfaces or objects by using detergent (or soap

and water) to physically remove germs from surfaces.

This process does not necessarily kill germs, but by removing them, it lowers their numbers and the risk of spreading infection.

Disinfecting kills germs on surfaces or objects by using chemicals1. This process does not necessarily clean dirty surfaces or remove germs, but by killing germs on a surface after cleaning, it can further lower the risk of spreading infection.

The CDC recommends a two-step daily routine to clean frequently touched surfaces. For Step 1 clean surface with a detergent or soap and water. With Step 2 disinfect the surface using an EN-registered disinfectant. Surfaces considered hot spots for germs include computer keyboards, phones and light switches.

Science indicates why these surfaces need daily hygiene protocols in addition to hand hygiene standards in facilities For more information about how to make your facility truly exceptional – a place where everyone feels equipped and empowered to contribute to a more hygienic environment – visit our hand and surface cleaning page. https://youtu.be/WHNYNtVeymM https://home.kcprofessional.com/UK_Healthy_ Workplace_Cleaning_0520

Callero Shield for Care Homes and Clinics

For over 40 years, Gratnells Medical products have been widely used for hospital storage. From trolleys and frames, to trays and accessories, the wide range of products makes up the ideal storage solution for any medical environment. Designed with a multitude of settings in mind, the Gratnells Medical range would fit suitably into care homes, dental practices and other surgeries.

The Gratnells Callero Shield range is a complete collection of products designed to offer ample storage that is easily moveable and fits neatly into any environment. Treated with BioCote® antimicrobial additive, the trays and trolleys in the range protect against the spread of various viruses, bacteria and germs.

Callero Shield trolleys are available in double and treble column width and with multiple tray combinations. Suitable for the safe storage of PPE, medical files and equipment, uniform and beyond, the trolleys are easily movable between locations and can

be set in place with lockable castors. They’re also popularly used as sanitation and cleaning stations due to the ample storage space and the antimicrobial metal worksurface.

The antimicrobial Gratnells Rover allows the movement of heavier loads with ease. Robust, hygienic and practical, safely carry medical equipment over any terrain and up and down stairs. With a safety strap to secure antimicrobial trays in place and the option to add antimicrobial lids to trays, contents will be safe on their journey from place to place.

Recently added to the Gratnells antimicrobial range are the new SortED inserts. SortED is a new range of removable, modular inserts designed to fit and create separate sections in shallow and deep Gratnells trays. Also treated with BioCote® additive, the dishwasher safe inserts offer a safe and hygienic solution for the storage and distribution of smaller medical equipment or PPE. Browse the full Gratnells Medical range: www.gratnellsmedical.com/

Environmental Science Limited (ESL) Restructures its Business to Launch Unique and Effective Palm Tree Foaming Hand Environmental Science Ltd based in March, Cambridgeshire was originally set up in 1994 and has focused primarily on the authoring of Safety ata and Workplace Activity Safety Protection (WASP) Sheets, identifying chemical hazards and providing on-site COSHH monitoring, LEV testing and risk assessment services.

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.

To facilitate these new product lines, a new business entity is being created with the name “Environmental Science Hygiene Ltd”, and the existing company is renamed as “Environmental Science Group”. Their new website is: www.envsciencegroup.com One factor behind the change of direction for the business is that some products are being very hastily marketed during this pandemic; therefore they do not perform as efficiently as may be implied. By contrast,

the team at Environmental Science are committed to producing high quality products that are both safe and effective.

They also feel it is important to provide complete transparency by supplying the relevant GHS Safety Data Sheets, Product Labels, Product Information Sheets, etc.

Our Palm Tree Foaming Hand Sanitiser is unique and different from other current products for the following reasons: • The alcohol is naturally sourced and distilled from the sap of palm trees.

• The palm trees are not damaged in the extraction process, so the product is both sustainable and ecofriendly.

• Unlike most other sources of Ethanol, by tapping into an existing resource it means that valuable agricultural land can be used for food production instead.

• The foaming action is preferred by the healthcare sector over gel-based products.

• The alcohol content is in excess of 60% as recommended by the World Health Organisation.

• Conforms to the European Standard EN1276.

For further information, please contact: Tel: +44 (0) 1354 653 222 Email: sales@envsciencegroup.com Web: www.envsciencegroup.com

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

PAGE 26 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 20

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 20 | 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 20

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 20 | 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 20

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 20 | 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 20

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.

Why Specify a Yeoman Shield Fire Rated Door Edge Protector?

When specifying for a structure, it’s important to be aware of the level of wear and tear a door can be exposed to in a public building.

Door edges, in particular, can be easily damaged or worn down by regular use – which can then render them non-compliant for fire safety regulations. To ensure that a project remains compliant, an architect can specify durable door edge protectors to add durability and longevity to doors.

Not only will specifying edge protectors increase the longevity of doors, they will enhance the cost efficiency of a project by reducing maintenance demands and the possibility of having to replace unsafe fire doors.

Yeoman Shield fire rated Door Edge Protectors are unique with a 2.0 mm Vinylac outer and a specially formulated 9mm PVCu reinforced core. They are FD30 (1/2 hour) and FD60 (1 hour) rated

with intumescent seals that are in accordance to the fire door’s specification. Fire rated Door Edge Protectors are suitable for commercial applications such as residential blocks, schools and hospitals etc.

Door Edge Protectors can also be specified with different fire seals, from a plain intumescent fire seal to a brush, fire and smoke variant.

Of course, for doors that are non-fire rated in an architect’s project Yeoman Shield also provide quality edge protectors without seals to enhance durability and reduce wear.

Source a full range of door protection panels and kick plates from a single supplier by choosing Yeoman Shield.

Our door protection panels and kick plates offer the same lasting durability and quality as our door edge protectors.

See page 12 or visit www.yeomanshield.com 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

PAGE 34 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 20

FOOD AND NUTRITION

Catering with Care

By Rebecca Bridgement, managing director at Radish

Care homes and assisted living environments across the country have been on the frontline of this pandemic and they have survived the unimaginable. Covid-19 has changed life as we know it, particularly so for the vulnerable. In the darkest days of lockdown, residents weren’t always able to leave their rooms. Visits from loved ones have been and remain restricted and, for many, social activities have either been paused or moved online.

Across the sector, there has been a big change in behaviour and, five months on, in habits too. The experience of those in assisted living or care environments has changed dramatically, and leadership teams have been forced to find new ways to get through these troubled times – from entertaining residents and facilitating video calls with family members, to ensuring social distancing while promoting health and wellbeing.

Nutritional health remains as important as ever but catering for care homes and assisted living environments during a pandemic isn’t without its challenges. For Radish, the catering arm of Churchill Group, a typical day is a lot busier than pre-Covid19. In fact, it’s flat out. The team have had to think on their feet and adapt quickly. It has always been important to protect food from harmful bacteria, viruses and allergens that could be spread by other activities, but this understandably has had to step up a gear since the outbreak.

From taking extra care when preparing food and cleaning storage areas, to running

Are You in Need of Dysphagia Training*?

Did you know that between 50-75% of nursing home residents suffer from dysphagia1? Nutricia has a training solution for you, a FREE e-learning 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

training on everything from handwashing best practice to operational transformation to reduce human-tohuman contact, all while adhering to ever-changing government guidelines - it’s fair to say the new normal has taken some getting used to. As you can imagine, our business has had to transform since the outbreak first hit. The operations team at Radish are no longer allowed into the environments that are catered for; they are having to manage their teams remotely which is a completely different style of management. We have really upped our communications efforts to support our teams throughout this time.

Other changes are afoot, too. For example, the onsite teams at assisted living sites have had to pair up in bubbles in order to work safely and effectively. Food is prepared in the kitchen, then packaged in disposables and delivered to the doors of residents. We are really proud to have fully recyclable and compostable disposable products so having to react quickly has not had any additional impact on our sustainability efforts.

Instead of eating within a restaurant, residents are eating within their own apartments – and are therefore stripped of the social element that makes mealtimes so enjoyable. To make up for that, our teams are always thinking of the little things they can do to make people smile, to make these moments more memorable. On Victory in Europe Day, for example, we delivered a special afternoon tea. We’ve come up with other ideas to help boost morale on non-celebratory days, too, including the introduction of a cupcake competition across all developments, where the residents got to taste their delicious creations.

Needless to say there are ongoing challenges and risks, but let’s take some time to appreciate what the care sector has managed to achieve. Despite everything it has had to deal with, there are many examples of how working practices within the sector have transformed to keep everyone safe and well, staff and residents alike.

Coronavirus hasn’t gone away and we still need to do our bit to protect each other and the vulnerable, but I believe this pandemic is bringing out people’s caring sides.

And since catering is about tapping into the little things that give people joy, we believe this is our chance to shine and to truly make a positive difference to residents in care and assisted living environments. 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 continuing 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 e-learning 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.

*This training is intended for healthcare professionals only.

The quality standards aim is for all new health and social care staff members caring

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.

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]

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 20

TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE TumbleCare from Easylink Workforce Scheduling Solutions Medpage Limited T/A Easylink UK was established in 1984 after the invention of an alarm clock to wake deaf people. The “Shake Awake” set a new precedent in quality standards for products designed for sensory care, notoriously at the time – rubbish.

The company invented a new device for the detection of nocturnal epileptic seizures in 1994, which also set a new precedent for quality, especially after the company achieved certified medical accreditation. We could boast and say we have supplied more seizure detection monitors than any other company in UK. You could say we are innovators; we are and very proud of it. To constantly adapt to changes in demands for care technologies, remain competitive and continue to develop new care solutions it takes more than intelligence, it takes passion.

Despite the COVID-19 lockdown, failing economy, factories closing and international

shipping facing the worst crisis ever known, we have battled through. At the start of the lockdown we supplied the NHS and Local Authorities with over 2000 bed occupancy detection alarm systems, many of them used to enable long term patients to be discharged from hospital to free up beds for COVID victims. Independent living support was and is essential during this pandemic.

Now we launch our new brand. TumbleCare. The TumbleCare brand is a range of fall detection and prevention products focussing on affordable quality and product performance. The products are tough, easy to set, use and provide carers with reliable advance warning notification of potential falls. Visit our website. Firstly, you’ll be amazed at the variety of care solutions we offer, then blown away by our realistically fair pricing. www.easylinkuk.co.uk

WristPIT from Pinpoint

unaware that a patient had had a fall for quite some time.

Pressing the clearly labelled call button on the WristPIT notifies the personnel on duty that a patient is The WristPIT from Pinpoint,is a bespoke patient call requesting help and informs staff exactly where the transmitter designed to be worn on the wrist. patient is. The call button is recessed and surrounded This wrist-worn personal infrared transmitter by a bump guard to prevent false alarms.

(WristPIT) is easily accessible and allows patients to Pinpoint Alarm Systems are installed in thousands of activate a call for even if they are away from their bed or medical facilities throughout the UK and USA. The new a fixed call-point.

WristPIT is backward compatible and easily integrated Pinpoint’s renowned PIT technology into existing Pinpoint Systems. (usually worn by staff for personal A green LED indicates the WristPIT is ‘activated’ safety) has, for the first time, been with good battery level. When the battery requires designed around patient use. The changing, the LED flashes red until the battery is WristPIT can withstand showering and changed and the device has been retested. brief submersion in water and also In addition to being water-resistant, the incorporates antimicrobial product WristPIT has been designed to withstand protection, reducing the ability for bacharsh environments and user tampering, teria to grow. meaning suitability for facilities where According to figures published by the service users may be at risk of selfNational Reporting and Learning System, harm. around 250,000 incidents where patients For more information: required assistance in hospital were reported in www.pinpointlimited.com 2015/16. In many cases, nursing staff remained

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

Why should care homes move from paper to electronic time sheets

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

How is time and money saved by doing things electronically?

Collecting payroll information from

paper timesheets can be slow, prone to errors, and very labour intensive.

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

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

There are many systems on the market - Why facial recognition is important and how it works

Some systems use tokens, which can be lost or left at home, requiring management involvement in the booking on/off procedure.

Fingerprint systems can be beaten and Social media is awash with ways to copy fingerprints. Face recognition combined with a staff PIN is simple to use and manage using touch screen technology and web cams.

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

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

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

How is data protected?

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

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

PINPOINT WRISTPIT The WristPIT is a wrist worn Personal Infrared Transmitter designed exclusively for patient use.

The latest call button is recessed and surrounded by a bump guard to prevent false alarms. It is also backward compatible, allowing seamless integration into existing Pinpoint Systems.

DID YOU KNOW? Biomaster Technology is incorporated into all surface areas of the product during manufacture, inhibiting the growth of contaminating bacteria 24/7 for the lifetime of the product.

www.pinpointlimited.com

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.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 20 | 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 desk-

PATIENT PA ATIENT FEEDBA FEEDBACK CK

FOLLOW FOLL OW W UP UP

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 20 | 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 20

TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE Mainteno Facilities Maintenance and Management Software 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

www.mainteno.com

sales@redro.co.uk

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 20 | 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

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

SJJ 0IEVRMRK 1EREKIV

[MXL :MHIS 'PEWWVSSQ

) )EW] XS YWI PIEVRMRK WSJX[EVI EW] XS YWI PIEVRMRK WSJX[EVI : :MHIS 'PEWWVSSQ MHIS 'PEWWVSSQ 3ZIV LIEPXL GEVI GSYVWIW 3ZIV LIEPXL GEVI GSYVWIW 4SPMGMIW ERH (SGYQIRXW 4 SPMGMIW ERH (SGYQIRXW 'SQTPMERGI %YXSQEXMSR 'SQTPMERGI %YXSQEXMSR 7XEV 'YWXSQIV 7YTTSVX 7XEV 'YWXSQIV 7YTTSVX

*VII WIXYT ERH HEXE QMKVEXMSR * VII WIXYT ERH HEXE QMKVEXMSR 8 8V] JSV JVII XSHE] V] JSV JVII XSHE] 'EPP ' EPP )QEMP WEPIW$UMRXMP GSQ ) QEMP WEPIW$UMRXMP GSQ UMRXMP GSQ UMRXMP GSQ

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 20 | 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