The Carer Digital - Issue #5

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

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

The Carer Digital

THECARERUK

THECARERUK

Issue 5

Only One in Five Social Care Workers Have Been Able to Access Testing

Only one in five social care workers have been able to access testing for COVID-19, a survey has revealed.

The National Care Forum (NCF) surveyed its members about the new testing arrangements. The survey represents the perspectives of a wide range of organisations who between them employ 31,262 staff. Of these 6,469 were identified as being a priority for testing (due to having symptoms) and attempts were made to get them tested. Less than a quarter (1,436) were actually tested (22%).

In April the Social Care Action Plan made an absolute commitment to testing for care workers, saying: “We are rolling out testing of social care workers. There is now capacity available for every social care worker who needs a test to have

one, just as there is for NHS staff and their families.�

This promise says the NCF is not being met, with the survey showing that the employer portal is not working for social care employers. Using this route, only 2% (138 out of 6469) of staff were able to receive a test at drive-through centres, with no home testing being available on the system via this route. There is a significant manual backlog in the system, which means that large numbers of providers seeking to access testing via this route are not yet even entered onto the system, and there is no prioritisation for social care employers.

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PAGE 2 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 5

EDITOR'S VIEWPOINT Welcome to the fifth edition of The Carer Digital “We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.”

JF KENNEDY Cometh the crisis cometh the “Expert”. As I write this today, on May 6th at 1:50 p.m., I am listening to two (and I use the term loosely) “experts” having a heated debate on radio.

One of the “experts” is what I would term a “talking head”.

A well-known politically public figure who his wheeled out to air his opinion no matter what the subject is. And, like all “experts”, he is using his airtime to say a lot – no, let me take that back, not say a lot, but “blame a lot”!

It would appear to him that the Government did not stock Editor up enough in hindsight, when it became apparent that hindsight is the only way to respond to this crisis.

I am being facetious I know, but I am having yet another dig at mainstream media and their reporting. Not an element of even constructive criticism simply sniping from the sidelines.

Which is why we are delighted to highlight Dr Chai Patel’s five-point social care workforce reform plan. Dr Patel is a person of considerable experience within the residential and nursing care sector, yet I have seen the most bland and ill informed people wheeled before TV cameras on a daily basis, and not seen once an interview or comment from Dr Patel, which I feel tells its own story.

His article says it all, the five-point plan is clear and unambiguous, the crisis has indeed “shone a spotlight” in the many challenges the industry has faced and will need to be addressed. I am of the opinion that any government failing to address the challenges the care sector has faced, and continues to face, will find themselves out of office very quickly. The public has seen first-hand how unprepared, underfunded and undervalued the sector was until the COVID-19 crisis hit.

I was extremely disappointed to see the front-page story that only one in five social care workers have had access to testing. Particularly when, again at the time of writing this, Boris Johnson has just announced a testing target of 200,000 people a day.

I could not agree more with the National Care Forum in their call for the prioritisation of social care employers through the Getting Tested Portal to ensure they have a strategic and targeted prioritization of all their employees. This is a topic we hope to highlight as much as possible.

Peter Adams

disappointing to see major events cancelled.

So, over to you! Captain Tom Moore, a former tank commander who set his fundraising target for the NHS at £1,000, captured the hearts of the nation prompting an overwhelming stream of donations in only a few weeks. And Captain Tom is just one of many many brave people who sacrificed and contributed during World War II. So please PLEASE send us stories, photographs and we will do the rest

Once again I would draw your attention to our Unsung Hero award this issue please see page 23. No frills, no gimmicks, no fancy award ceremony - a straightforward no-nonsense recognition award for somebody in the sector from any department who deserves to be recognised for what they have done.

It isn’t much, I know, given the current circumstances, and how we wish we could award everybody!

So please get nominating! This lockdown is not going to last forever and the hotels will be open for business soon - a luxury two night break for two people in a choice of over 300 hotels awaits! nominate@thecareruk.com Say hello to some of our previous winners:

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

Care Home rst of Cloverfield Marion Brocklehu

Debbie Day of Cedars Care Home

VE day on Friday! We are putting out an appeal on social media we very much hope you will send us photographs stories and comments about any experiences residents may have. Let’s uncover the “hidden heroes”!

There were some wonderful celebrations planned the most notable was a procession of war veterans down the Mall.

Most, if not all, are sadly cancelled due to the COVID-19 crisis. However, this doesn’t mean that the significance of their sacrifice is in any way less recognised this year.

For many veterans on the front line, and on the home front, it may possibly have been their last chance to take part of a major celebratory occasion of this kind. It is so sadly

PUBLISHED BY

Sam Buckley of

The Boynes Care

Centre

Tina Higginson of Sam brook care home

Published by

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 5 | PAGE 3

Only One in Five Social Care Workers Have Been Able to Access Testing (....CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER.) Two NCF members taking part in the survey said: ‘I sent an email on Monday 27th April to register onto the portal & sent it again on the 29th April. After not hearing from them I phoned on 1st May to be told there was a backlog with registration onto the portal and I had to wait. The contact couldn’t give me a timeframe & as of today (4.5.20), we have still not been contacted.’

‘We have not had any success with the employer portal. Despite several e-mails being sent to register we have not heard anything back at all. Therefore, none of our staff have been able to be tested through this process.’

The self-referral portal appeared to prove more successful with 583 staff managing to get a test via this route. Out of this number, 546

attended drive-through appointments but only 37 received home testing kits. This route, whilst proving more successful, only enabled 9% of the staff who needed testing to obtain a test.

There are a number of significant issues with the self-referral route.

Again, there is no prioritisation for care staff and therefore to obtain a test you have to compete against all other eligible keyworkers and members of the public. This means that employers are not able to plan a strategic approach to testing to align with the homes they most need testing in and employees are under no obligation to report their test results with their employer.

Local testing systems seem to be the most successful, where they are in place. 715 members of staff have managed to access testing through local systems. However, this is only 11% of the total number of staff who need testing (715 out of 6469). Local testing systems remain

hugely variable and inconsistent across localities – where they work well, testing is effective and efficient and responsive. However, it is a postcode lottery.

Vic Rayner, Executive Director of the National Care Forum says: “The government’s promise to provide tests for all staff is exposed as pure words. Social care needs to be systematically prioritised in each and every testing system, in order for government to live up to its commitment.

The National care Forum are calling for the prioritisation of social care employers through the Getting Tested Portal to ensure they have a strategic and targeted prioritization of all their employees – regardless of symptoms as previously promised by the government and for social care workers to be given priority status on the self-referral portal.”

Sector Leader Sets Out Five-Point Plan To Reform and Reward Social Care Workforce Dr Chai Patel CBE FRCP, founder of HC-One and previous owner of Care Management Group, Priory Group and Westminster Care, has set out a clear five-point plan for the Government and sector to reform and reward social carers, in comments published today in The Times.

Despite the heroic efforts of everyone working in social care, the coronavirus pandemic has shone a spotlight on some of the existing challenges facing the sector, particularly the widespread public misunderstanding of care work.

For 35 years, Dr Patel has been an advocate for the vital contribution of the social care workforce, culminating in the launch of his Careforce initiative in 2017. Dr Patel’s new five-point plan is clear on the action that must be taken, and includes: 1. The Government must publish a detailed and actionable social care workforce plan.

2. An independent representative body for social carers, run by social carers must be created. This should follow the model of the various nursing and medical Royal Colleges in being an apolitical, evidence-led champion for social carers.

3. The skills and qualification needed for the sector now, and

in the future, must be defined, with clear, mandatory requirements at every career stage.

4. A clearly structured cross-sector career pathway must be created, that breaks down the barriers between the caring professions, interlinking social carers with nursing and social work.

5. The Government must provide the long-term funding settlement needed to ensure social carers can have their pay and benefits improved to reflect the professionalisation of the role.

Through the delivery of this plan it is hoped that those working within the care sector will have higher levels of job security, satisfaction, and remuneration, as well as a clearer purpose and vision within their careers. This will improve the experience of those receiving care and help evoke greater respect for care workers in our society more generally.

Dr Chai Patel CBE FRCP, commented: “I have always been passionate about rewarding the vital contribution of the social care workforce, and this has been the motivation behind creating the ‘Careforce’ initia-

tive several years ago.

“The coronavirus pandemic has shown how important social carers are to not just the people they support, but to our NHS and our society. It is therefore high time this contribution is recognised, and the institutional and structural changes needed to professionalise the workforce are undertaken.

“This includes clearer training, qualification and career pathways, as well as interlinking care work with nursing, social work, and broader NHS roles. Social carers should then benefit from higher salaries, improved terms and conditions, clearer career progression opportunities, and the knowledge that their peers are held to account through a transparent code of conduct and ethics.

“Our national Careforce has been left behind for too long. It is critically important that Government urgently revises its approach to social care in the months and years ahead once this crisis is over. Social care has been a politically inconvenient topic for too long, and now must be the time to grasp the nettle and deliver the meaningful reform that has long been promised.”

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How to Provide Dementia Person Centred Care in a Coronavirus Lockdown living with the condition are able to live full lives in care homes, or in their own homes.

But that’s far from easy. How do you explain to a person with Dementia, for example, that social distancing and hand washing are pre-requisites, while regular trips to the park are suddenly off-limits?

COMMON QUESTIONS

Philippa Shirtcliffe, Head of Care Quality at QCS, on the challenges of caring for those living with Dementia in the lockdown.

With the Coronavirus lockdown entering its seventh week, I wanted to use this column to focus on Dementia, which is a condition that touches the vast majority of care homes across the UK. Anyone one reading this piece will of course already be familiar with the statistics. But in case you're not, around 70 to 80 percent of service users are currently living with some form of Dementia or present with severe memory problems. That’s around 850,000 people according to the Alzheimer’s Society, and it forecasts that the figure is set to double in the next 20 years.* In these unprecedented times, the challenge for carers is to continue to ensure that people who are

These are some of the questions that we’re being asked at Quality Compliance Systems (QCS) by providers who use our compliance management systems. We’ve responded by creating a Coronavirus hub, which is free to access. We’re constantly adding to it and updating it to ensure that care providers up and down the UK have access to easily digestible policies and procedures - as and when they need them.

In regard to Dementia, we’ve gathered fresh insight from experts, who work on the frontlines to provide best practice advice. Katie Farrar, for example, is a Dementia specialist, who provides regular insights about her experience working on the frontlines in Yorkshire and Humberside, where she works.

You can find them here: www.qcs.co.uk/dementiaand-traumatic-experiences-do-these-memoriesremain/ We also gather best practice from experts working in the wider sector. Take Jennifer Bute, for example. Jennifer was a senior doctor in a large practice.

In 2009, she was diagnosed with Young Onset Dementia. She has not let Dementia beat her, however. Instead she has written a critically acclaimed book, “Dementia from the Inside” and regularly speaks to the care sector about this highly complex and nuanced condition.

In an illuminating presentation at a National Care Association Summit**, Dr Bute shone a light on what it is like to live with Dementia. In doing so, she gave her audience a unique window into her world.

While none of Dr Bute’s observations directly addressed the lockdown, (it had not begun), much of what she said could be applied to the current time where movements have been severely restricted and frontline workers as a result find themselves

under even greater stress.

Indeed, in these difficult times, Dr Bute’s advice which stresses the importance of recognising that “feelings remain” and “patterns continue” has never been more relevant.

‘ROUTINE’ VITAL IN A LOCKDOWN Most of all, she says, those with Dementia crave routine. But with care homes having to impose a strict lockdown, the patterns of life they knew have dramatically changed. As a result, those with Dementia are more likely to be confused and agitated. In this very fluid environment, carers need to spend more time explaining, comforting and reassuring service users. It’s also important that carers radiate a sense of calm as Dr Bute says that those living with Dementia will often mimic the behaviour of those caring for them. If their care worker is anxious, it is likely they will be too. The difficulty is that when the carer moves on to the next service user, the feeling of angst remains with them.

So how can care workers make a difference in the lockdown? Dr Bute says that helping service users “unblock” memories is vitally important. Too often, she says, we assume that those with Dementia have lost their memories but it’s the “access to them” that is blocked. Dr Bute says memories can be found if carers “provide the rungs for the ladder” to help them retrieve them.

As a registered nurse with 20 years’ experience in the care sector, I can attest that not only does a simple act like this work, it can be positively life-changing because it enables and empowers that person to re-discover who they once were, as does music.

MUSIC CAN TRANSFORM LIVES Music, as Dr Bute notes, can be a wonderful tonic to re-discover memories. In her speech, she tells the story of a man she used to visit who lived in a secure unit. He rarely talked to anyone and when he did he only ever said a few words, she recalls. Then one day as she was attempting to talk to the man, one of the staff turned on the radio. She was suddenly struck by the miraculous effect that the song being played had on the man. Suddenly Dr Bute says he

was awake, animated and had a lovely conversation with her. Soon afterwards, however, Dr Bute notes that the radio was switched off and the man’s mood immediately changed.

This anecdote really demonstrates the power of music, which is stored in another part of the brain to speech. It brings people together and promotes well-being. Dr Bute notes that a specific piece of music related to a particular time from the past can help to unlock memories.

I agree. So in the lockdown, why not spend some time with service users finding out the different music they enjoyed throughout their lives? If you're looking for inspiration, Dr Bute and QCS recommend Music for Dementia 2020, a new website which is actively building free music playlists for those living Dementia.

Music aside, Dr Bute reminds us all that we shouldn't forget the power of words and ‘‘re’ words’ in particular. In this period of uncertainty, she remarks that people living with Dementia need their carers to regularly provide them with reassurance and to reinforce understanding. She also recommends that carers “rephrase” instructions when their clients have misunderstood, and never “insist” that they do something, but always “request” that they do so. Finally, Dr Bute says that the best carers are those who are able “to reconsider” and “reassess” their actions when they don't go as planned.

Sound advice, indeed.

Philippa Shirtcliffe is Head of Care Quality at QCS.

Useful resources QCS Coronavirus hub: https://www.qcs.co.uk/coronavirus-updates/ CQC coronavirus information: https://www.cqc.org.uk/guidance-providers/ all-services/coronavirus-covid-19-pandemicinformation-providers * Statistics taken from the Alzheimers Society ** All quotes and anecdotes taken from a presentation given by Dr Jennifer Bute at the NCA Summit in London 3rd, March, 2020)

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 5 | PAGE 5

Coronavirus Test, Track and Trace Plan Launched On Isle of Wight Isle of Wight residents will be the first to be offered access to a new contact tracing app, as part of Government action to test, track and trace to minimise the spread of covid-19 and move towards safely reducing lockdown measures, Everyone on the island will receive access to the official NHS COVID-19 contact tracing app from this Thursday, with NHS and council staff able to download from 4pm tomorrow, Tuesday 5 May. Part of a new test, track and trace programme, the app will work together with enhanced contact tracing services and swab testing for those with potential Covid19 symptoms to help minimise the spread of COVID-19.

Developed by NHSX, the technology arm of the health service, and a team of world-leading scientists and doctors, the app is designed to significantly speed up contact tracing, helping reduce the chance of the virus spreading by enabling us to rapidly identify people most at risk of infection so they can take action to protect themselves, the people they care about and the NHS. When someone reports symptoms through the app, it will detect any other app users that the person has been in significant contact with over the past few days, including unknown contacts such as someone they may have sat next to on public transport. The app will be able to anonymously alert these contacts and provide advice, including how to get a test to confirm whether or not they do have COVID19. Users will be able order tests through the app shortly.

For those who may not have access to the app, or the ability to use a smartphone, there will be an option to report symptoms and order tests in other ways.

As the integrated service develops, everyone who reports symptoms, including app users, will also be asked to record recent contacts using an online service (or through a telephone interview if they prefer), so that contact tracers can reach all contacts who may be at risk, whether or not those contacts are app users. Contacts will then be alerted either by the app or by email/telephone – advising them to self-isolate or offering public health advice.

As the test, track and trace programme rolls out nationally, expected in midMay, Public Health England will oversee the deployment of 18,000 additional contact tracers to support the programme.

This first phase is a major step forwards in government’s next phase of the coronavirus strategy and will improve understanding of how this new integrated approach to test, track and trace will work for the rest of the population.

NHS and council staff will be emailed a download link on Tuesday afternoon.

From Thursday the app will then open for all residents on the Isle of Wight. All households will receive a leaflet with clear instructions on how to download and use the app on Thursday, and a targeted marketing campaign will begin on Friday.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “The Isle of Wight is playing a vital role with this pioneering work to help keep Britain safe. This will pave the way for a nationwide roll-out when the time is right.

“Coronavirus is one of the greatest challenges our country has ever faced and this app will play a vital role in getting Britain back on her feet.

“The app will help control the spread of coronavirus by alerting people they may have come into contact with it and recommending appropriate action.

“This ground-breaking technology, combined with our heroic frontline health and social care staff, and both a nationwide contact tracing testing programme will

ensure that we remain in the best position to move toward easing the lockdown.

Matthew Gould, Chief Executive of NHSX, said: “Technology can help us get the country back on its feet.

“By launching the NHS Covid19 app we can reduce transmission of the virus by alerting people who may have been exposed, so they can take action to protect themselves, the people they care about and the NHS. “When combined with testing and enhanced web and phone contact tracing, this will help the country return to normality and beat coronavirus.”

Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Professor Jonathan Van Tam said: “By widespread testing those suspected to be infected with coronavirus, tracing their contacts and where appropriate advising them to self-isolate, we can slow the onward spread of the virus. This new app-based system, developed by technology experts in partnership with clinicians and scientists, will run alongside traditional contact tracing by PHE. If uptake and use is widespread it will give us the greatest room for manoeuvre to ease other social distancing measures.”

Dr Yvonne Doyle, Medical Director and Director of Health Protection at Public Health England said: “Alongside the NHS Covid-19 app, PHE’s phone and web-based contact tracing will be a critical part of the Government’s strategy to get the country back on its feet.

“Taking these first steps on the Isle of Wight will help us prepare for a scale up of our contact tracing capacity, with an 18,000 strong team ensuring the contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases are followed up and given the information they need.”

The government has collaborated internationally and learned from examples of best practice across the world, which has informed the development of a bespoke approach that is right for the unique needs of the UK. The app uses similar Bluetooth Low Energy technology to that employed by Australia, Norway, and Singapore among others.

The privacy and security of users’ data is a priority and NHSX has involved experts from the National Cyber Security Centre to advise on best practice through the app’s development. Data will only ever be used for NHS care, management, evaluation and research and the NHS will comply fully with the law around its use, including the Data Protection Act. The Isle of Wight was chosen to trial the project because it has a single NHS Trust that covers all NHS services on the island.

Its geography as an island with a sizeable population makes it an ideal place to introduce the NHS COVID-19 app and wider testing service in its initial roll-out period.

Isle of Wight Council leader, Dave Stewart said: “On behalf of the Island I am very pleased we can be the first place to use this new digital technology in the country.

“I have always been keen to ensure we keep our special community safe from the virus but at the same time explore ways to enable us to get back up on our feet and move forward from it. This scheme offers the tightly controlled approach we need to help us do just that.

“Widespread tracing and testing holds the key to this ambition and if we are able to help the country move forward then the Island will also have done its part in helping government in tackling this virus and re building our lives through safe social distancing when the time is right.

“I am sure Islanders will rise to the challenge and help avoid post lockdown spread of the virus and keep people as safe as possible.”

The ambition of test and trace is to enable the UK to start to come out of some elements of lockdown. This will be a gradual process and our experts are considering how best to do this in a way that keeps citizens safe and protects our NHS.

Over Six Thousand Care Providers Sign Up To NHSmail In Just Six Weeks The number of care providers using NHSmail, the NHS’ centrally-funded email service, has more than doubled in the last six weeks from 4,141 providers to 10,186, to support staff during the COVID-19 pandemic1.

NHSmail gives staff in care homes and domiciliary care the ability to safely share residents’ data and queries with doctors, nurses and GPs involved in their resident’s direct care, and get timely responses. It also connects them to pharmacists, dentists and anyone else in health and care who also has secure email, such as NHSmail.

It can be accessed from mobile devices as well as desktops and includes a full directory of all NHSmail users, as well as collaboration tools such as Microsoft Teams.

NHS Digital’s Social Care Programme formed a partnership with the Care Provider Alliance to work nationally with all care providers to help them embrace the digital agenda.

The NHSmail system supplier Accenture has been working with NHS regional teams, encouraging engagement and providing support for staff in the care sector to access NHSmail.

Chris Parsons, NHSmail Product Owner at NHS Digital, said: “I am so pleased that more than one in three social care providers in England are now taking advantage of the benefits that NHSmail offers.

“These care providers are now able to discuss their residents’ prescriptions with pharmacists, communicate securely with doctors to get a quick medical opinion and much more.

“This ability to communicate quickly, securely and effectively with colleagues across the sector means real benefits to staff and better care for the people they support.

“The progress we have made on this journey has been fantastic so far and we look forward to welcoming even more care providers to NHSmail.”

PAGE 6 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 5

It’s Time to Start Combatting the Collateral Damage of Covid-19 Helen Dempster, Chief Visionary Officer, Karantis360 explains: These past few months have seen the whole nation coming together to adhere to social distancing rules thus having the desired effect on reducing NHS pressure, as the government reports A&E visits halving. But, these drastic changes also highlight a significant cause for concern; the public – particularly those identified as vulnerable – are too scared to seek medical attention in fear of contracting Coronavirus, or being a ‘burden’ on the overstretched NHS, with four in ten choosing not to seek help for this reason.

Although the government is urging people to continue to seek medical help when needed during the pandemic, without the correct safeguarding solutions in place – lives will be lost.

As Helen Dempster, Chief Visionary Officer, Karantis360 explains, even after social distancing restrictions begin to lift in the UK, many of the older generation and vulnerable individuals will be too frightened to seek medical advice in fear that they will be expected to leave the safety of their own home. Meaning even the most treatable of illnesses could escalate into an avoidable situation.

While we know staying at home is the recommended option for vulnerable individuals and older adults given the current crisis, and more

importantly the preferred long term choice of 97% of people aged 68+, how do we truly ensure that they are being kept safe at home?

PREVENTABLE ESCALATION Early detection of illness or infection among those identified as vulnerable can mean the difference between life and death. But often the VIP may not even be aware of their symptoms, or they are too frightened to ask for help in fear of being admitted to hospital, which in many cases results in the issue escalating and remaining unnoticed for too long.

Proven technology, such as IoT systems, provides a non-intrusive safeguarding solution. Deploying sensors throughout the home to monitor the habitual routine of the VIP, provides real-time information that may be of either reassurance or concern to families, carers, and doctors – enabling them to react accordingly and swiftly. Common problems such as Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) can be detected and treated rapidly – minimising the risk of the infection escalating to a critical point that requires a visit to A&E and possible hospital admission.

COMBATING SOCIAL ISOLATION With 3.6million of the elderly living by themselves and 1.9million saying they often feel alone or invisible, the current situation is only going to exacerbate this. Carers can play a key part in reducing feelings of loneliness; harnessing technology facilitates carers to confidently monitor how well their client is doing at home, and organise their visits more effectively. As a result of this carers can provide a more personalised care experience, as well as, asking more well-informed lifestyle ques-

tions and identify any problems faster. Furthermore, the system has also been proven to reduce carers’ administration time by 50% allowing them to spend quality time caring and interacting with their VIP. Visibility and feeling connected to their relatives has also become a concern for those whose loved ones are isolating and being cared for in their own homes, often creating unnecessary mental stress for all parties. While it may be difficult to reduce the distance between a family member and their loved one, technology has the opportunity to bridge that gap and create a visible, personalised service that will suit both the client and relative’s individual needs. Loneliness is a complex issue to solve but little changes can make a big difference.

REDUCING PRESSURE ON THE CARE ECOSYSTEM The current Coronavirus crisis has resulted in the NHS turning its attention to technology to help alleviate pressure. While it’s unfortunate that it's taken a global pandemic to start implementing digital solutions – it’s a lesson for the future.

By 2030 it is estimated that the world will need 80 million health workers to meet the demands of the global population, but the reality is that the world will actually be short of 15 million health workers. As the population continues to age, the strain on the health system increases still. The future of healthcare looks bleak if we do not start making changes and learning from these global catastrophes. Social care needs to start harnessing technology now if our loved ones are to receive the care they deserve, not just in the short term, but for the generations to come.

Guidance on Statutory Inspections With the spread of Covid-19 through the care home sector, Aston Lark has received numerous enquires as to whether there has been a relaxation in the statutory inspections or thorough examinations required by the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 and the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998.

The HSE has recently released a statement which can be viewed at: https://www.hse.gov.uk/news/work-equipment-coronavirus.htm The main points are: • The law for Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) and Pressure Systems Safety Regulations (PSSR) remain in place.

• The overarching legal obligation remains, i.e. ensure that equipment is safe to use.

• If you experience problems in undertaking scheduled thorough examinations as you can’t access inspection services, you should adopt a risk-based process to determine whether there are steps you can take to safely continue to use equipment (that has not had its scheduled

TE&T) or decide to stop using the equipment.

• Equipment should only be used outside of its test regime if you can demonstrate that it is critical for essential work and that it can still be operated safely.

• You must be able to demonstrate that you have made all reasonable attempts to have the TE&T carried out, made a thorough assessment of the increased risk and taken appropriate action to manage it.

• Engineers have been instructed to focus their resource/expertise on equipment in premises where the most vulnerable are located such as hospitals, care homes and infrastructure which is essential to the running of the country.

• Companies and engineers must cooperate to ensure compliance with Public Health England advice regarding good hygiene practices and separation distances.

With this in mind, and due to the potential shortage of engineers during and after lockdown, care homes should make themselves fully aware of which inspections fall due in the next 3-4 months and start planning works with their engineering inspection companies.

It may be better to try and get equipment inspected prior to its renewal date rather than risk no inspection at all and the equipment being put out of operation.

By Eliot Clarke, Risk Management Executive, Aston Lark (astonlark.com)

CONTRACTOR SAFETY ON SITE To help protect engineers coming to the care home, and its staff and residents, consideration of the following guidance should be made: • Ensure arrival times have been agreed with the engineer. Do they know where to report to and who they are meeting?

• Ensure the engineer is aware of all new site rules before they attend the site. What segregation measures have been introduced? Do you have new PPE requirements? Are there now areas that the contractor will not be permitted to enter?

• Ensure the engineer has the PPE / cleaning materials with them before allowing them to start work.

• Ensure the site induction is recorded in some way.

• Ensure your staff are made aware of the presence of a contractor on site.

• Where possible, limit the area the contractor can work in, or segregate them from your staff and residents.

• Where possible, clean the work area / equipment before and after the engineer has undertaken work.

Remember, engineers will be instructed by their employers to carry out a dynamic risk assessment when they reach your premises. If they feel that you have not undertaken sufficient measures to protect their health, they may refuse to carry out the work.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 5 | PAGE 7

Neither NHS or British Public Are 'Out Of Danger' Yet Responding to the Downing Street briefing this week, Niall Dickson, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents organisations across the healthcare sector, said: “For all the talk about being past the peak neither the NHS nor the British public are out of danger yet.

“The NHS faces two immediate risks. First there could be a second peak and we must retain the capacity to manage that. Second health leaders will want to be very careful in switching services back on in a way that is manageable and does not overwhelm the system – what happens in hospitals has a major knockon effect on services on the community.

“And as we switch on services we will need to involve everyone.

“We also remain deeply concerned about what is happening in care homes and it is great to see NHS organisations supporting social care at this desperate time. In places there are now more Covid patients being treated in the community than in hospital and we need to recognise and do more to support all the

health and social care staff battling the virus in community hospitals, care homes and hospitals across the country.

“Social distancing cannot be relaxed until concerns with PPE supply and accessing tests are resolved and we know there is much still to do. If face masks are to be offered to the public when restrictions are eased, it must not be at the expense of NHS supply.

“Use of masks by healthy people in the community is not supported by the World Health Organisation. So mask distribution must be prioritised for health and care staff, as well as essential workers in community pharmacies and supermarkets who cannot avoid being within two metres of customers.

“Accessing tests is a particular concern for those working outside hospitals where they may have to drive for several hours to do so while unwell.

“The NHS started this pandemic with 100,000 vacancies and we must never forget the wellbeing needs of those who have given so much.”

Enhancing the Second Front Line Care England has welcomed the letter from Simon Stevens, Chief Executive of NHS England, to health bodies regarding the second phase of the NHS response to Corona virus with reference to the enhanced support for care homes.

Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, says: “The additional recognition and support for care homes is welcome and at last shows a better understanding from Government and its plethora of statutory bodies about the role of care homes”.

Simon Stevens’ letter states that a package of support for care homes will be brought forward drawing on the Enhanced Care in Care Homes service including a weekly virtual care home round of residents needing clinical support. In addition the letter notes next steps for the NHS in relation to

mental health and learning disability/autism services including that annual checks for people with a learning disability should still be completed.

Martin Green continues: “Bringing forward the package is sensible and recognises the central role that care homes and their staff play whilst working in partnership with GPs to ensure that they can access the best care and support possible for residents”.

We have already announced the extension of visas for NHS doctors, nurses and paramedics. Now we are going further by extending this offer to hundreds of other frontline health and care workers, both in the NHS and in the independent sector.

These extensions will be automatic, free and include exemption from the Immigration Health Surcharge.

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock said: "Frontline health and social care workers from overseas are doing extraordinary work in responding to this global outbreak.

"Around 3,000 vital health and care workers and

their families will benefit from the extension, and we are hugely grateful to them for protecting the vulnerable and saving lives.

"Those benefiting are providing essential services in response to the coronavirus pandemic. It is important we relieve the pressure from the whole of the NHS, so it can focus maximum effort on fighting the coronavirus and saving lives."

The extension comes into effect immediately and is for all visas expiring between 31 March and 1 October 2020. Those benefitting from this extension will be identified by health and care employers across the UK. Any NHS workers who have paid for an unresolved application will be offered the option of a refund.

The Home Secretary has also confirmed family members and dependants of healthcare workers who sadly pass away as result of contracting the virus will be offered immediate indefinite leave to remain.

The Home Office will work with the Department for Health and Social Care and NHS Trusts to put these arrangements in place.

Borough Care Staff Show Their Gratitude for Donations

Staff at Borough Care are extremely grateful to residents’ families and members of the wider community for their donations and kind words of support, as they continue to care for residents during the current coronavirus (Covid 19) pandemic.

Borough Care is the largest not-for-profit provider of care for older people in Stockport and has eleven homes across the borough.

Lindsay Hadfield, Activity Lifestyle Facilitator at Borough Care’s Silverdale home in Bredbury, says: “We have received lots of wonderful donations, including cotton laundry bags, hand creams, safety visors, fruit, cakes and other food items. One young person has sent us beautiful pictures she has drawn and coloured, which we have put in the windows at Silverdale. We couldn’t be prouder to know that people of all ages, and from all walks of life, are thinking of us and sending their thoughts and gratitude. It means the world to all of us.”

Staff at Bryn Haven in Brinnington have also received some lovely handmade laundry bags, along with cupcakes decorated with the message: ‘After every storm there is a rainbow of hope’.

Dr Mark Ward, CEO at Borough Care, says: “All our staff are continuing to work so hard in these challenging times and it’s heart-warming that people recognise their commitment. It means so much to our staff to feel appreciated and valued for the work they are doing supporting residents. On behalf of all Borough Care staff, I would like to express our thanks to everyone who has taken the time to make and donate things, send messages of support and show their gratitude.”

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PAGE 8 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 5

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 5 | PAGE 9

App ‘Test, Track And Trace Strategy’ Has To Be Properly Coordinated Using Local Expertise Responding to the ‘test, track, trace’ strategy outlined at the Government’s press conference, Niall Dickson, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents organisations across the healthcare sector, said: “We are beginning to see light at the end of this long, dark tunnel. If we are to escape from the current lock down, we do not just need the virus under control, we need an effective tracing regime as well as continued social distancing measures. It looks as if this is now being put in place.

“The tracing app looks exciting but as the Secretary of State has accepted it is not the answer in itself – we will also need that army of contact tracers to stop further spread. This is well-worn territory for local authorities and public health professionals and the sooner the system is up and ready to roll out the better.

“At the same time, staff in the NHS and social care must

remain a priority for testing – and this will become even more important as the NHS steps up to resume care and treatment that has been stopped or curtailed by the pandemic.”

Let no-one say anything other than ‘this was an amazing achievement…’

Responding to reports that the Nightingale London is to be placed on standby, Niall Dickson, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents organisations across the healthcare sector, said: “Let no-one say anything other than ‘this was an amazing achievement’. Creating one of the largest hospitals in the world in days was a staggering feat. The fact that so far the London Nightingale and its counterparts have not had to deal with thousands of very sick patents is a triumph not a failure.

“It was right to plan for the worst and the fact that this has not happened is a tribute to the NHS and to everyone who

has helped us avoid the huge surge in cases for which we were preparing.

“Today’s news reflects that we could be past the peak of the disease and that if we manage the next phase well, the Covid pressure on heath and social care should start to reduce.

“It make sense to keep the London Nightingale ready should we face another surge, and local leaders will be keen to explore whether and how it could be used to support the NHS as it resumes activity that has had to be paused or halted because of the virus.

“The same applies to the other Nightingale hospitals across the country. Health leaders should decide whether or not any of the extra capacity may or may not be useful as they restart a whole range of services.”

COVID-19 Study: Impact of Social Distancing on Older Adults The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on social contact, loneliness, wellbeing and physical activity in older adults will be the focus of a new University of Stirling study.

The project – funded under the Scottish Government’s Rapid Research in COVID-19 programme – will provide a crucial understanding of the negative impacts of social distancing in over 70s and explore strategies that could enhance social engagement and physical activity during the crisis.

Led by Professor Anna Whittaker, of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport, the research will also seek to identify any positive impacts

to emerge from the current situation – for example, considering whether the use of technology, such as video conferencing, has increased within this group.

Professor Whittaker, an expert in Behavioural Medicine, said: “We are really excited to start this project and believe our research will help inform the COVID-19 response – not only here in Scotland and across the UK, but worldwide too.

“We will investigate concerns that social distancing may cause – or exacerbate – feelings of loneliness in older people and adversely impact their wellbeing and physical activity levels. However, we’re also aware that many in this group have adopted new approaches to cope with the current situation – and will consider any positive impacts derived from this.”

As part of the lockdown measures, people across Scotland – and the wider UK – are asked to stay at home, except for very limited purposes; certain businesses and venues have closed; and public gatherings of more than two people have been restricted. In addition, people over 70 and those who have high risk and underlying health conditions are being strongly advised to stay at home as much as possible, and significantly reduce unnecessary social contact.

Previous cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have demonstrated that social isolation can have serious health implications – ranging from mental health issues to, in some cases, mortality.

“This is a key issue for older people in normal circumstances,”

explained Professor Whittaker. “The current social distancing rules will have greatest impact on the older population and other vulnerable groups, who already report high loneliness, and it could become a major problem.”

Professor Whittaker’s team will primarily focus on over 70s in Scotland – but are also keen to speak to other adults who are typically physically active and those who are at risk of social isolation generally, as well as at this time – for example, those with intellectual or cognitive disabilities, and carers.

Participants will be asked to complete an online survey (or via phone if online is not possible) – which will seek to understand how people are using new strategies to remain socially and physically active. It will ask whether social distancing has reduced social contact, increased loneliness, reduced wellbeing, and affected physical activity engagement, compared to before the pandemic. It will also request details of any novel social and physical activity strategies people are engaging with to overcome the effects of social distancing – and consider whether they are effective.

Professor Whittaker, Head of the Stirling Physical Activity Research, Knowledge and Learning Exchange (SPARKLE), said: “This study will make recommendations on policy and practice, and inform the creation of resources, that will help minimise the negative impact of social distancing and increase the potential for positive change.”

PAGE 10 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 5

Covid-19 and the Aftermath in the Care Home Head of Regulatory Law at Cartwright King, Alex Radley, looks to the end of the Covid-19 pandemic and what is likely to happen in the care sector.

Whilst communities are currently pulling together there is the potential for a reckoning in the future. With over 3,000 deaths recorded so far in care homes alone this sector must take measures to protect all concerned.

Care homes across the UK already adopt stringent measures to protect everyone in the care home setting whether employee, resident or visitor, but the outbreak of Covid-19 has been such that there will be many questions asked in its aftermath.

For care homes, as with other sectors, this could include reviews, investigations and even Public Inquiries. Care home

management teams must assure themselves that all of the proper procedures and protocols have been followed and that this was documented.

Evidence of the standards of care provided by care homes could be the best protection against any claims made when the pandemic ends. Alex Radley, Head of Regulatory Law at Cartwright King, recommends ensuring that there is comprehensive evidence of decisions and practices. The key forms are; documented evidence including emails, letters, phone notes, case notes, medication charts, staffing rota’s, arrival and departure logs. Another important type of evidence is digital evidence which includes; CCTV, video or timed photography. All of these things will ultimately protect staff and residents alike.

Adhering to all guidelines offered by the Government and Regulators is another way to make sure the care home is protected and at this time, following procedures will make a huge difference.

Alex said: ‘When Government announces the lockdown has eased, care homes need to make sure they manage the change. Whatever strategies are decided upon, it would be recommended to record all the decisions made, reasoning for the decisions and how this was applied to the home setting. This will help care homes to provide evidence in the event of any later enquiry.’

The impact of this dreadful virus will not be known for some time but the protection of everyone in this climate is paramount.

Advice to Care Workers Dealing with Grief

By Malcolm Simister, UKS Mobility (www.uksmobility.co.uk)

huge improvement in your overall mood and physical wellbeing.

IDENTIFYING SYMPTOMS OF GRIEF

Even if you haven’t experienced a direct loss in the Covid-19 pandemic, you shouldn’t assume that what you’re feeling isn’t grief. As a key worker in the pandemic, a lot of pressure is being put on you right now to be there for our more vulnerable citizens and the work you’re doing means you’re more likely to encounter loss. It’s really important that you take the time to properly look after your mental health during this time. If you feel as though you might be struggling with grief, identifying your symptoms and finding treatment is crucial to reaching a place of acceptance and healing. Remember that what you’re feeling is completely normal in these circumstances, and by taking the right steps, you will see a

As a care worker, you might find that you’re easily able to identify the symptoms of grief in your patients and their relatives, but less easily in yourself. Nobody experiences grief in the exact same way, however, there are some symptoms which are commonly experienced whilst grieving.

Physical Symptoms: Changes to sleep patterns Lack of energy Difficulty breathing Inability to focus Changes in appetite Emotional Symptoms: Deep sadness Shock or numbness Anger Guilt Isolation

HOW TO DEAL WITH GRIEF DURING THE PANDEMIC Speak to family and friends Try and resist any urges you might have to withdraw from other people. Reach out to family and friends and open up about how you’re feeling.

People will offer advice in different forms, and you never know which might resonate and help you through this time. There are many video calling applications which can make socialising during lockdown easier, so try to schedule regular calls with those close to you to talk through your feelings.

Try different forms of self care Self care is important for coping with grief as it can release endorphins and help you to feel more positive. There are many types of self care you can try including crafts, meditation, journalling, exercise and more. Try different forms of self care to find the one that best helps you to rest and unwind, restoring balance in your life.

Look after your physical health Your mental and physical health have a significant impact on one another, and eating a healthy, balanced diet and getting regular exercise can go a long way in improving your state of mind. Keeping healthy during this time will regulate your emotions and help you tackle the physical symptoms of your grief, such as giving you a better quality of sleep and more energy throughout the day.

Remember you’re not alone in your feelings Remember that whilst not everyone will be able to relate to your grief in exactly the same way, they might be experiencing something similar in light of the pandemic. The pandemic has made us power-

less to a lot of difficult changes such as losing social contact with loved ones, losing our daily routines and job security. More people will be able to empathise with your feelings than you realise.

We asked Malcolm Simister of UKS Mobility to provide some advice on how care workers can deal with grief during the pandemic: Even if you haven’t experienced a direct loss during the Covid-19 pandemic, you shouldn’t assume that what you’re experiencing isn’t grief. As a care worker, there are many factors that could trigger feelings of grief during this time. First of all, you need to understand that your feelings are entirely valid in this situation. You might be feeling as though your grief is less important than being there for your patients at this time however, remember your needs are as important as theirs.

Sometimes, the symptoms and feelings that come with grief can be overwhelming, and this can make it hard to complete everyday tasks. As a key worker, a lot of pressure is being put on you right now to perform at your best. Remember you’re entitled to breaks from your responsibilities if you need them. If necessary, try and schedule your shifts to ensure you’re getting as many breaks during the working week as you need.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 5 | PAGE 11

Carers Worried for Future During Covid-19 Battle Care providers fear for their own organisations’ future survival as they fight to help older and vulnerable people during the coronavirus pandemic, a survey has found.

The Independent Care Group (ICG) asked its members a series of questions on how they felt during Covid-19.

Just over 45% of those who responded said they envisaged their business being at financial risk because of the fight against coronavirus.

Some 66% said they had had challenges over personal protective equipment (PPE) and almost 53% had had challenges with testing.

ICG chair, Mike Padgham said: “This survey reveals social care providers struggling on the front line against Covid-19.

“They are struggling to get adequate PPE, struggling to get the right testing and not getting the right financial support to help them get through this critical period of the pandemic.”

Almost 70% of those who responded said they felt the financial support that commissioners have offered had not

been satisfactory and the ICG says more needs to be done by the Government to support them too.

“The bulk of social care commissioning is done by local authorities who are struggling too. The Government has provided extra support to local authorities but that has to help them to cope with all aspects of coronavirus, not just social care. The Government has to ensure that they are better funded so that they can, in turn, support care providers better.

“The survey also strengthens calls on the Government to ensure that PPE is more widely available, that testing gets carried out and that financial support for the sector gets to the front line.”

The ICG has previously warned that care providers are being hampered in their fight against Covid-19 through a lack of PPE and insufficient testing. It has also called on the Government to provide better financial support for care providers amidst concerns that the £3.2bn so far pledged for local authorities to help them support social care is not

getting to the front line.

Mr Padgham added: “Care providers have been suffering financial hardship for many years due to chronic underfunding. Now they are facing huge increases in costs, for instance the costs of bringing in agency staff to cover for staff who are unwell, sick pay costs and the increasing cost of protective equipment. Due to stopping admissions, some care homes are also seeing a dramatic reduction in income and homecare providers are suffering a reduction in contracts.

“The Government has repeatedly promised to do whatever was needed to get the country through the pandemic.

Social care now needs that action, otherwise providers will not be able to play their part in beating Covid-19 and many could cease to operate at all.”

Social care currently looks after 400,000 people in care and nursing homes – that is three times the number in NHS hospital beds. Social care looks after a further 640,000 people in their own homes.

Academy Trust Sending Hundreds of Books to Care Homes to Connect Old and Young Through Coronavirus Crisis An academy trust is extending its innovative reading campaign into care homes throughout the coronavirus crisis to keep its students motivated, support the elderly – and connect young and old.

The scheme will see Northern Education Trust (NET), which runs 21 academies in the north of England, send hundreds of books for care home residents that its students will also be reading, with the elderly and students then encouraged to send book reviews to one another.

Rob Tarn, the Chief Executive of the Trust, said that as well as providing books to care home residents for free at a time when they are having to stay indoors and are not allowed visitors, the move would reduce loneliness, support inter-generational socialising, and keep his students motivated while they were away from school.

NET has developed a secondary school reading programme called “Reading Routes” to help students foster a love of reading. Based on the London Underground map, there are three routes, with railway lines translated into genres of book and each station expressed as a book. The Trust and its schools buy students the books they want to read and each time pupils read a book they get a stamp. After three years they could have read all 90 books on the 18 routes, which connect the Trust’s schools from Bolton to Barnsley, Stockton to Sunderland, and Northumberland to Gateshead.

Now the Trust is going to buy hundreds of books to send to care homes in the areas where it has academies. Care home residents will be encouraged to write and send reviews of the books to the students, who will then use those recommendations to decide whether they will read them. The students will be encouraged to write back with their thoughts on the book, and make their own suggestions of other books the residents may want to read.

Rob Tarn, the Chief Executive of Northern Education Trust, said:

“Reading Routes has been incredibly successful within our schools and we recognise that over the next three months students will be away from school and motivation may sometimes be difficult. We are of course also aware that the elderly in care homes are having to isolate and may become lonely because of the lack of social interaction.

“So we have decided to send hundreds of our books to the elderly, and then they and our students can connect with each other about which books they have read and which they would recommend.”

A number of care homes have already signed up to take part including two in Hoyland, where NET runs Kirk Balk Academy, and two in Bolton, where NET runs Kearsley Academy, as well as in Gateshead, where students from Thorp Academy have been delivering books to Lindisfarne Care Home after disinfecting them.

Meanwhile, the Abbeyfield Society, the largest charity for older people in the UK, has of its homes involved, with over 100 elderly residents benefiting.

David McCullough, Chief Executive of The Abbeyfield Society, said: “The Abbeyfield Society was founded to help older people in our society live companionable and fulfilling lifestyles, and in these unprecedented times, with residents unable to have visits from their loved ones, combatting loneliness has never been more important. Schemes like this are a fantastic way to create new connections, keep the mind active and show the older people in our society that they have not been forgotten. We are hugely grateful to Northern Education Trust for allowing Abbeyfield and our residents to take part in this wonderful project!”

Vici Bennett, from Lindisfarne Care Home, said:“It’s been amazing. It’s brought some real smiles to residents’ faces and has made a real connection with the outside world that we are not able to get into at the moment. It’s made the residents feel very special.”

Any care homes that would like to take part should contact: Michael Robson at mrobson@northshoreacademy.org.uk and public.enquiries@northerneducationtrust.org.

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 5 | PAGE 13

Testing Offers “Silver Bullet” For Crisis In Care Homes Two care operators have described the government’s announcement on coronavirus testing for keyworkers as a “silver bullet” for the care sector.

In a joint interview, Chris Mitchell Chairman of Park Lane Healthcare and Tony Stein, CEO of Healthcare Management Solutions have hit back at the misconception that care homes are a “war zone” while praising the government’s new testing measures which they see as the solution to the sector’s problems.

The two care leaders, said that, while the global pandemic creates challenges, care homes are well equipped and practised in managing infectious diseases.

Chris Mitchell said: “It’s business as usual in our care homes. Of course we face challenges but every year we tackle infections like norovirus and winter flu, so we’re more than up to the job of meeting quarantine and barrier-nursing pro-

tocols where necessary.

“While normally our homes would be filled with residents’ family and visitors from outside, we now have staff and carers who are going the extra mile to keep everybody connected and ensure that the people we look after have fun and a great quality of life in our homes.

“After the government’s recent announcement extending coronavirus testing to care workers and their families, I had a new spring in my step! This is the means by which we can eventually return to some form of normality and ensure that our residents, staff and their families remain happy and healthy.”

On the issue of PPE, Tony added: “Certainly, more needs to be done by the government to get PPE supplies into the country but at the moment, we are managing to source PPE for our homes. In perspective, that means sourcing 100,000 facemasks for our homes across the UK but at the moment we are managing.”

On testing, he added: “Testing for staff and their families is a game changer.

We will now be able to test those staff who are self-isolating, perhaps because a family member might be showing symptoms, and potentially, get them back into the homes.”

Spirits Sky High at Amesbury Abbey Residents’ spirits are being given a much-needed lift by innovative care teams at nursing homes in Wiltshire and Hampshire.

During the lockdown Amesbury Abbey Group residents have been taking part in all sorts of socially distant lockdown activities in the gardens, including exercising, making plant pots, and even staging their own version of the TV show Ready Steady Cook.

The independent, family-run group has five decades of experience at their three stately homes Amesbury Abbey, Sutton Manor and Winton House, and they understand the impact that social distancing can have on people.

The activities teams have been going in at weekends and in the evenings to put on special events so that the residents have things to look forward to and don’t feel quite so isolated.

As well as coming up with fun and engaging activities, co-ordinators Nona Hoyle and Lauren De-WildeClark have also created a timetable of Face Time slots and take iPads around to residents so they can keep in touch with family and friends.

Nona said: “Our residents understand they are vulnerable, and that social distancing is vital. But it’s hard for them not having much contact with each other and their families and this can be extremely damaging to their health and wellbeing.

“Many people feel isolated and lonely and this can lead to depression. So, it’s really important that we keep spirits up and keep residents talking to loved ones.

“We’ve had so many letters and notes thanking us for trying our best during this difficult time. And they give us suggestions of which activities we should try.

Ready, Steady, Cook was one suggestion and it was such fun. Two of our chefs created dishes from the same bag of ingredients in front of the residents so that they could choose their favourite. They were given two cards – one with green pepper and a red tomato – so they could vote. It was brilliant fun – just

like the TV show.

“In the end it was a pork tenderloin stir fry which narrowly beat pork tenderloin stroganoff with rice.”

Activities co-ordinators Nona and Lauren also make sure that particularly the female residents have their hair done, hands massaged, and nails painted, “anything to make them feel good about themselves”, said Nona.

“They have also been very anxious to show their support for the NHS and we make sure we join in with the Clap for Carers – while keeping two metres apart!”

Ombudsman Issues Guidance To Councils And Care Providers The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has issued guidance to those working for local authorities and care providers about good administrative practice and handling complaints during the Covid-19 crisis.

Available on the Ombudsman’s website, the guidance sets out the basic principles the Ombudsman expects organisations to use to underpin their work during this crisis. The Ombudsman will use these principles when it considers complaints about actions during the Covid-19 crisis.

Michael King, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, said: “The new guidance is designed to act as a compass for local authorities and care providers, and I hope will provide reassurance about how they should be working during this crisis.

“While we recognise the unique pressures currently placed on councils and care providers, we still expect them to respond appropriately to any complaints during this time of national emergency.

“We understand their responses may look different to those we would normally expect, but councils and care providers should still pay close attention to urgent and serious public concerns.”

The Ombudsman suspended all casework activity that demands information from, or action by, local authorities and care providers in March to allow those organisations to concentrate on their response to the crisis. It is working with key stakeholders to monitor the situation and will reengage with councils, care providers and complainants when it becomes appropriate, and government guidance allows.

PAGE 14 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 5

Why It’s Time To Introduce Clinical Decontamination Practices Into Care Environments

By Tautvydas Karitonas Head of Research & Development, Inivos

Care facilities in the UK have been profoundly impacted by the covid-19 pandemic, with patients and staff alike falling ill with the virus. Tautvydas Karitonas, Head of Research and Development for Inivos, outlines why care facilities must introduce hospital standard decontamination to protect residents and carers alike.

Care homes in the UK have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. The World Health Organization has estimated that deaths in care homes make up half of all coronavirus-related deaths in Europe – and in the UK, more than 7,500 deaths in residential care were associated with the virus.

With care home residents often vulnerable due to age or complex health conditions, it is perhaps not surprising that they are at higher risk of coronavirus.

This, in turn, can increase the potential exposure risk of their carers it’s not just the residents being affected by the high prevalence of COVID-19 in residential facilities. An analysis of key worker fatalities by Health Service Journal showed that care staff are among the most atrisk professionals in the health industry.

This is why it is so essential that the care industry takes immediate measures to demonstrate to patients, staff and their loved ones that their facilities are safe and hygienic places to live and work.

Care professionals work tirelessly to ensure the environment is safe and clean. But this new threat means that ‘manual cleaning’ (cleaning by hand) alone is not enough: more robust measures are required to ensure the risk of viral contamination and spread is kept to an absolute minimum.

Care facilities can take their cues from colleagues in hospitals and clinical facilities, who have been using technological innovations such as hydrogen peroxide vapour (HPV) and ultraviolet-C (UV-C) light.

Although hospitals, like care homes, have regular manual cleaning, often by specialist staff, this is supplemented by decontamination of beds, bays and wards using technology such as HPV and UV-C. Unlike manual cleaning, which can lead to droplets of virus being left behind by unintentional and unavoidable human error, these technologies have the power to completely decontaminate a space and eliminate the virus.

In simplified terms, the technology fills the area with either hydrogen peroxide vapour (HPV) or ultraviolet-C (UV-C) light, which work by breaking down the lipid (fat) outer layer of the particle and destroying the genetic material within - ultimately obliterating the virus.

Of course, finding the time when a room is entirely empty for decontamination can be difficult for hospitals and care facilities alike. Many hospitals have a process in place that allows them to seize the opportu-

nity of patient discharge to bring in technology to decontaminate a single bed, a bay or even an entire ward for the hour or two it is empty.

In the same vein, care home leaders and facilities managers will need to think carefully about how the existing patient flow can be utilized or adapted to implement new decontamination measures.

But it is no longer a case of whether care homes will implement clinical deep-cleaning and decontamination measures such as HPV and UVC – it is a matter of when. The pandemic, and its devastating effects on patients and staff alike, has forced the sector’s hand. All that remains is to take the leap.

Tautvydas Karitonas is a leading expert in harnessing decontamination technology to eliminate viruses, bacteria and other contaminants from hospitals, care homes and public spaces. In his role as Head of Research & Development, Tautvydas has led research and development into numerous pioneering solutions for virus outbreaks, including isolation pods, automated hydrogen peroxide vapour (HPV) and ultraviolet-C (UV-C) systems and decontamination wipes.

Inivos is a leading developer and provider of decontamination technology, designed to eliminate viruses, bacteria and other contaminants from hospitals, public spaces and businesses.

Since Inivos was founded in 2007, it has worked with hundreds of hospitals around the world to provide technology, training and rapid decontamination services to meet an immediate infection need and eliminate any opportunity for a patient to acquire infection whilst in hospital.

House Of Lords To Establish New Covid-19 Committee The House of Lords Liaison Committee has recommended the immediate establishment of a committee to scrutinise the long-term implications of Covid-19.

In a report the Liaison Committee recommend the new Committee should have a broad remit, looking at economic, societal and wider international implications of the virus, drawing upon members with world-class expertise in each of these fields.

The Committee will undertake ‘cross-cutting’ scrutiny of the Government’s Covid-19 response, developing understanding of the lessons learned and how they can be applied in the future.

The Liaison Committee’s recommendation to establish the new

Committee will be put to a motion for agreement in the House of Lords. Members will then be appointed to the Committee in the coming weeks.

Commenting Lord McFall of Alcluith, Senior Deputy Speaker of The House of Lords, said: “This is the first time either House has sought to establish a new Committee dedicated to the Covid-19 emergency and the Government’s response to it.

“Two key strengths of Lords Committees are their cross-cutting nature – they are thematic in approach rather than set-up to shadow government departments – and the real world experience our

Members can bring to them.“These strengths will be much in evidence in the new Covid-19 Committee which will be made up of experts across a whole range of relevant professional backgrounds and be free to consider all the aspects and impact of the current crisis including on the economy, education and the social bonds between generations.

“I firmly believe the new Committee will have a key role to play in ensuring we learn the right lessons from the crisis and understand to the fullest extent its effects upon our society, economy, and way of life.”

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 5 | PAGE 15

PAGE 16 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 5

Care Home Health & Safety and Infection Control The coronavirus outbreak is having a dramatic effect in all areas across the country. Whether the pandemic has affected our working or personal lives, it’s impossible to deny that this has been a once-in-ageneration shift in the public way of life. With so many people being furloughed or laid off due to economic uncertainties, there are people entering the care sector for the first time in an effort to support the front line of the virus and provide muchneeded help to the industry itself.

However, with this, there are some issues which must be addressed if the care sector is to maintain high standards in regards to its employees and those vulnerable people in its care. One of the key issues is health and safety. Whether this is infection control to prevent the spread of the coronavirus or more broad health and safety obligations that new entrants to care may not be familiar with, all staff must know their obligations to ensure safety is prioritised.

Though we face a considerable threat from the coronavirus, with many deeming care homes one of the worst-hit environments, we must not forget the importance of all health and safety measures when dealing with the vulnerable, elderly and infirm. Only through a commitment to all health and safety practices can those in the care sector,

especially new workers, properly support those in their custody.

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BEST PRACTICE FOR WORKING IN A CARE HOME

LOOKING AFTER YOUR OWN HEALTH & SAFETY - MENTAL AND PHYSICAL

For those not used to working in the care sector, having an awareness of health and safety best practice will be essential to keeping yourself and others safe.

MANAGING HEALTH AND SAFETY Leaders in the care industry will need to manage all aspects of health and safety carefully during the crisis. When introducing new staff to the care environment, regular risk assessments must continue and staff should be made aware of risk assessments already done. In addition, a clear outline of who is responsible for what will mean that all workers know their positions and that the risks are managed extensively. However, at the same time, it’s essential to always be aware that the working environment is home for those in care and that health and safety responsibilities need to be carried out while still ensuring residents feel comfortable.

INFECTION CONTROL & HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES The government advises those working in supported living to take measures to minimise transmission of the virus when coming into close contact with residents, such as when bathing, dressing or personal hygiene. This includes using PPE such as fluid repellent masks, gloves and aprons. These items should be placed in two bags and left for 72 hours before being disposed of.

The government also states that continuing to use cleaning products like disinfectant and bleach will be essential in reducing the spread of the virus but workers should be made aware of the risk assessments

In addition to following health and safety measures while at work in a residential care setting, new workers must also take care of their own health, especially now. For those who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, self-isolation in accordance with government guidance is essential and arranging for testing at a nearby facility will help control the spread of the virus.

For those in the care sector, whether they are new entrants or not, dealing with the virus will result in many challenging situations for mental health, whether it’s losing residents or staff or the increased anxiety of the situation at large. Both workers themselves and leaders in the workplace must make sure they are looking after themselves and their coworkers. Staff should also be supported and signposted regularly to resources to protect their mental health throughout.

The coronavirus will no doubt be challenging for all in the care industry and the outbreak makes for a difficult time to be entering the profession. The work of residential carers is vital and the outbreak has made that even clearer. To ensure that all workers and those they care for are protected to the highest level, an awareness of health and safety procedures by all staff will be necessary.

This article was written by Danny Marinou, Managing Director of SMAS Worksafe (smasltd.com), leading SSIP accreditation scheme for the care, education and construction industries.

Care Home Sees All Coronavirus Cases Make Full Recovery exposing them to the virus from those who tested positive. But it was absolutely critical that we reacted quickly and incorporated these isolation measures as soon as possible.”

As well as setting up ‘ward beds’, the isolation area also included chairs and activities to make sure that the residents didn’t have to remain bed bound and could still engage with normal activities during the recovery phase.

Patrick Atkinson, director at the Church Farm Care group, said: “The crucial thing is to react and isolate quickly if you believe someone is symptomatic.

Maria was instrumental in our containment process and in preventing further infection within our residents. Using her experience from the swine flu outbreak, she implemented a ‘zoning’ process, turning a communal area into a make-shift ward with beds after residents began showing symptoms.

“Many of our residents suffer from dementia, so it’s absolutely imperative that we look after their emotional needs as well. We are doing lots of different things across our four homes to keep everyone’s spirits high – from a socially distanced concert from a relative to opening our own in-house salon.”

IN a week dominated by headlines about how badly coronavirus is affecting care homes around the country, one specialist dementia care home in Nottingham has successfully managed to contain an outbreak and ultimately, save lives.

Church Farm at Skylarks (West Bridgford, Nottingham) has experienced 13 cases of coronavirus in recent weeks, with every single patient making a full recovery thanks to the hard work of carers and staff, led by the head of nursing, Maria Spollin.

Maria has years of experience in the care sector but was also working as an intensive care nurse during the 2009 swine flu outbreak, so she was well-equipped to lead the team following doctors confirming five positive tests. After this, the care team was instructed to treat any resident with symptoms of coronavirus as having contracted the virus. Family consent was acquired to isolate all those with the virus or showing symptoms.

Maria said: “This was of course a difficult decision to make as we had to consider that someone showing symptoms may not necessarily have contracted the virus, and if we opted to isolate them we would therefore be

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 5 | PAGE 17

Coronavirus: VAT Suspended For PPE Will Save Care Sector More Than £100m VAT has been suspended on essential personal protective equipment (PPE) for Covid-19, in a move which the Treasury estimates will save users including care homes more than £100 million.

Care homes, businesses, charities and individuals currently have to pay the sales tax at 20 per cent on protective facemasks, gowns and gloves, and are often unable to claim the tax back.

Sources at the Treasury have said that the three-month suspension of VAT on PPE was made possible after the European Commission indicated support for temporary reliefs to mitigate the impact of the pandemic.

Although the UK formally left the EU on 31 January, it remains bound by Brussels rules until the end of a transition period in December.

UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis had earlier this month called for the wavering of VAT on PPE equipment, saying: “No social care employer should be paying VAT for what has clearly become essential equipment.“This is a national emergency. The virus is tearing through care homes and everything possible must be done to stop it. That means cutting the costs of PPE from today.

“Care workers are worried sick about the people they look after and also fear for their own health. Suspending VAT immediately for the duration of the crisis will make a huge difference.

“The government must also send a clear directive to suppliers and

retailers not to hike the cost of life-saving safety equipment. No one should be trying to make a quick buck from people’s desperation to stay well during the pandemic.”

Care providers welcomed announcement that VAT is to be removed from the purchase of PPE for care providers for the next three months as they fight the coronavirus pandemic.

The Independent Care Group (ICG) said it was refreshing to see that the Government was listening to the pleas of social care providers who are struggling financially because of the fight against Covid-19.

ICG chair, Mike Padgham said: “We are pleased that the Chancellor has listened and taken this step to save some money for social care providers.

“It is a good start and we hope that it is followed by further measures, like efforts to ensure that more funding is given to local authorities so that they can help social care providers and that this help gets to the front line.

“We would also like the Government to help providers to support social care workers who are off sick because they have diagnosed Covid-19 or have symptoms.

“In the longer term we want a complete review of social care.

The ICG has previously warned that care providers are being ham-

pered in their fight against Covid-19 through a lack of PPE and insufficient testing. It has also called on the Government to provide better financial support for care providers amidst concerns that the £3.2bn so far pledged for local authorities to help them support social care is not getting to the front line.

Mr Padgham added: “Care providers have been suffering financial hardship for many years due to chronic under-funding. Now they are facing huge increases in costs, for instance the costs of bringing in agency staff to cover for staff who are unwell, sick pay costs and the increasing cost of protective equipment. Due to stopping admissions, some care homes are also seeing a dramatic reduction in income and homecare providers are suffering a reduction in contracts.

“The Government has repeatedly promised to do whatever was needed to get the country through the pandemic. Social care now needs that action, otherwise providers will not be able to play their part in beating Covid-19 and many could cease to operate at all.”

Social care currently looks after 400,000 people in care and nursing homes – that is three times the number in NHS hospital beds. Social care looks after a further 640,000 people in their own homes.

Team Colten Mobilises to Support Marathon Charities An all-round team effort by care home staff has helped raise £1,000 – and counting – for charities facing a funding shortfall due to the London Marathon not going ahead.

When they heard the annual race was cancelled due to Covid-19, team members at Colten Care’s Ringwood, Hampshire, head office and 21 care homes across the South were concerned about the good causes likely to miss out.

Joining the national 2.6 Challenge, reflecting the 26 miles in a marathon and the date the London event would have been on – Sunday, 26 April, they staged their own ‘marathon-related’ sponsorship activities.

Already, head office staff have raised more than £1,000 with amounts across the homes themselves still being counted.

While respecting all the essential social distancing rules, the list of activities included 26-mile bike rides and walks, 2.6-mile runs, cookery challenges, trampolining and hula-hooping.

At Kingfishers care home in New Milton, Hampshire, staff invited residents to take part in a 26-minute ‘seated dance’.

A head office manager, Senior Buyer Tim Jones, completed a 26-hour DIY decorating challenge at his home.

Among other colleagues and their children, activities included: • baking 26 fairy cakes and 26 scones • performing 126 handspring flips, 26 back somersaults and 26 front somersaults on a trampoline • a 26-burpee workout • a husband and wife together completing 260 press-ups in under 26 minutes • two children together running 260 times round their garden.

At Colten’s Braemar Lodge in Salisbury, colleagues clocked up a combined 26-mile walk through the gardens and home corridors.

Much to the delight of residents, they even incorporated their activity in an outdoor dance routine to tunes including The Proclaimers’ 500 Miles and You’ll Never Walk Alone by Gerry and the Pacemakers.

Jackie Cash, Clinical Lead at Braemar Lodge, said: “We wanted to make it entertaining for our residents.

“Because of lockdown and social distancing restrictions, this is such a strange time for everyone and people are missing their families and friends.

“We always want our residents to know we are there for them, even when we are fundraising for others, so we thought we’d put on a show as part of our walk.”

Resident Dennis Johnson, who helped man the start and finish lines at Braemar, said: “You have to feel sorry for the many charities who would have been relying on receiving money from the London Marathon.

“It’s great that Colten Care is stepping in to do its bit, and have some fun at the same time.”

One of the organisers of Colten’s head office involvement in the 2.6 Challenge was Operations Manager and keen runner Jacky Sylvester.

She completed the 50th marathon of her running career by finishing last year’s London Marathon while raising money for dementia research.

Jacky said: “When Team Colten put their minds to something, they really do deliver. I am so proud of my colleagues at head office for all the imaginative ways they have supported the 2.6 Challenge this year.

“The same goes for our fellow team members and residents across our homes. Well done to everyone who got behind our campaign.”

A short film of the 2.6 Challenge dance performance at Braemar Lodge features on Colten Care’s YouTube channel www.YouTube.com/ColtenCare.

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 5 | PAGE 19

Phones for Patients Initiative Launches to Help Hospital Patients and Care Home Residents Stay in Touch with Loved Ones During Covid-19 Lockdown Phones for Patients, a major new initiative which aims to distribute tens of thousands of securely repurposed mobile devices to UK hospitals and care homes, so that patients and residents can keep in touch with their loved ones during the Covid19 lockdown, has been launched by Bridgeway Security Solutions, a leading UK cyber security provider.

Due to the outbreak of Covid-19, all visits to hospitals and care homes have been suspended. Many patients are being admitted to hospitals without their mobile phone or charger, and the majority of care home residents rely on face-to-face visits and typically don’t own a mobile device. As a result, the lockdown has cut many patients off from their loved ones, at a time when many are most in need of love and support from those close to them.

Phones for Patients aims to bridge this communication gap by providing patients with the devices they need to stay in touch. Phones for Patients, run by Bridgeway, will collect mobile devices, chargers and cables donated by organisations and individuals, and the devices are then securely prepared for donation with all existing data and applications securely wiped, and apps such as FaceTime, Zoom and WhatsApp, installed on the devices. To speed up the device preparation process, Bridgeway is using twelve managed USB hubs, donated by Cambridge-based Cambrionix, which make it easy to charge, connect, and synch multiple mobile devices, simultaneously.

After preparation, the devices are deployed, for free, to participating NHS organisations and care homes for use by patients during their stay.

The first NHS recipients of donated devices from Phones for Patients will be Camden and Islington NHS FT, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, South Tees Hospitals NHS FT, Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS FT and University Hospitals of Leicester NHS FT. Other interested Trusts and care homes are encouraged to join the initiative.

Jason Holloway, Managing Director at Bridgeway and Founder of the Phones for Patients initiative said: “We recognise the devastating impact that being cut off from loved ones during such a challenging time has on hospital patients and care home residents across the UK. This is why we have launched this free initiative, and our whole team is dedicating

their work and spare time to make this happen. The first donations have been kindly pledged by Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Services, and Torbay Council. We have already secured donations of nearly 4,000 devices, with more being pledged in coming days. If any organisation has recently upgraded their mobile fleets, we urge them to donate the devices to Phones for Patients, where they can really make a difference to peoples’ lives.”

Iain O’Neil, Digital Transformation Director at NHSX, said: “Innovation that supports sometimes the simplest but most essential things in life, like helping us all stay in touch, are so important right now. The technology sector continues to share ideas and initiatives designed to support people during this crisis and I commend such efforts in such difficult times.”

Nikki Turner, Deputy Director of Digital Services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “Part of our Digital Strategy is to enable all clinicians to have a mobile device. It has therefore been a priority to ensure that we remain abreast of our device replacement programme and, as a result, we were fortunate to have a stock of unused iPhones. These have been enabled for patients' use; to achieve this our team have been working with Apple to provide the device and apps, Wi-Fi Spark to provide the connectivity and EE to provide free calls to remain in contact with their families. So, when we heard about the Bridgeway and NHSX ‘Phones for Patients’ collaboration it was the cherry on top that we are able to help beyond NUH and provide some of the devices to help with this initiative.”

To find out more about how to donate, or to get involved as a donation recipient, please visit our website www.PhonesforPatients.uk, or follow the initiative on Twitter @Phones4Patients.

Visa Extensions Announced For Alzheimer’s Society Calling on Care Homes to Find out Coronavirus Challenges Frontline Health And Care Workers Alzheimer’s Society is asking care home workers to complete a short set of questions to find out the challenges they face in dealing with the coronavirus health crisis. The answers will be used to inform charity’s urgent campaigning calls to the Government, following today’s release of statistics from the ONS showing a 300% rise in care home deaths.

More than 400,000 people are living in care homes in the UK and 70% have dementia, many with other underlying conditions. With 95% of people with dementia being over 65, many are extremely vulnerable to contracting the virus.

However, reports from care homes show that testing for residents and care home staff is not routinely taking place so far, and that many staff still do not have access to PPE, putting both staff and residents at risk.

Kathryn Smith, Chief Operating Officer at Alzheimer’s Society said, “Care homes have become the ‘forgotten front line’ in the fight against coronavirus. Following our urgent letter to Matt Hancock, we are keeping a close watch to make sure the Government’s plans to help care home residents are backed up by actions and not just words. To do this successfully, we need your help and opinions to make sure we’re prioritising the most urgent issues affecting care homes today.”

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Free visa extensions will be automatically granted to more crucial overseas health and care workers, the Home Secretary has announced.

Frontline workers, including midwives, radiographers, social workers and pharmacists, with visas due to expire before 1 October 2020 will receive an automatic one-year extension. It will apply to those working both in the NHS and independent sector and include their family members.

This builds on the Home Secretary’s announcement last month for NHS doctors, nurses and paramedics. All will be exempt for the Immigration Health Surcharge for the duration of the exemption.

In total approximately 3,000 vital health and care workers and their families will benefit from the extension.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said: "We are incredibly grateful to all overseas health and care workers fighting this invisible enemy."

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 5 | PAGE 21

How to Set Up a Helpline

By Stephanie Vaughan-Jones, Commercial Manager at Moneypenny

With the country in the grip of a national crisis and residential care homes on the front line of supporting the community, it could be timely to set up a dedicated phone line.

WHY? Care homes have seen their call volumes rapidly increase over recent months as concerned friends and relatives reach for the phone in place of being able to pay loved ones a visit.

Launching a helpline could help to prioritise and triage Covid-19 related enquiries, as well as put members of the public at ease by reassuring them that their query is being handled – particularly during a time of heightened stress.

For many, it has become apparent that a dedicated phone or helpline also has the potential to ensure that priority audiences’ needs are met, such as those with unwell family members or other key workers looking to speak with care providers.

HOW? By working with an outsourced telephone answering provider it is quick and simple to set up a dedicated phone line.

Firstly, giving the phone line its own separate number means that an outsourced partner can answer and handle all calls with ease on your behalf. It does not need to integrate with your in-house telephony system nor does it require you to resource it. All calls can be logged and information passed to the appropriate person for followup.

You can choose the number too with national 0333, freephone 0800 and regional e.g. 0203 options available to best suit the needs of your audience and brand image.

It is also important to think about the greeting the caller receives.

Are you giving your helpline an identity? Whatever you choose, it’s important to ensure a professional and on-brand greeting so that callers feel reassured and confident they’re in the best hands.

Take time to also think about how you want call information to be gathered, logged and shared. Do you want call handlers to just capture names, phone numbers and a snapshot of their enquiry? For care homes keen to gather more comprehensive information from callers, it is possible to integrate helpline information with CRM systems, quickly turning calls into permanent data records. This is the best option if increased demand has left you without people to do this manually and a good supplier will be able to act as both receptionist and data-inputter for your helpline.

Managing caller expectations is very important, particularly in times of heightened stress and anxiety, so you will need to consider your follow-up strategy. How quickly will callers hear back from one of your team? If someone will be back in touch later that working day, or perhaps within a 48-hour time period, callers need to know. Your outsourced telephone partner will be able help you identify your needs and turn this into an effective script that provides an appropriate level of support to helpline callers.

Established in 2000, Moneypenny is the world's market leader for telephone answering, live chat, outsourced switchboard and customer contact solutions. In total, more than 13,000 businesses across the UK benefit from Moneypenny’s mix of extraordinary people and ground-breaking technology.

For more information about Moneypenny’s work in the care sector, visit www.moneypenny.com/uk/healthcare-answering-services/

NHS-Funded Nursing Care Rate Announced For 2020 To 2021 The NHS-funded nursing care standard weekly rate per person for 2019 to 2020 will increase and be backdated to 1 April 2019.

The current rate of £165.56 will increase by 9% to £180.31 for the 2019 to 2020 financial year.

The higher rate of NHS-funded nursing care will also increase by 9% from the current rate of £227.77 to £248.06 per week for 2019 to 2020. This is only relevant for people who were already on the higher rate in 2007 when the single band was introduced. This will also be backdated.

For the 2020 to 2021 financial year, the NHS-funded nursing care standard weekly rate per person will increase by 2% from £180.31 to £183.92. This will be backdated to 1 April 2020.

The higher rate of NHS-funded nursing care will also increase by 2% from £248.06 to £253.02 per week for 2020 to 2021. This is only relevant for people who were already on the higher rate in 2007 when the single band was introduced and will also be backdated to 1 April 2020.

Taunton Care Home Resident Celebrates 102nd Birthday During Restricted Visiting

A resident at The Willow reablement unit at Oake Meadows care home in Taunton has celebrated her 102nd birthday in style despite restricted visiting at the home.

Maud Tearls is a former factory worker at a factory which made ammunition shells during the Second World War. She joined the Oake Meadows family on 14 April, just in time to celebrate her birthday on 23 April.

To celebrate her special day, the home gave Maude a bunch of flowers, a balloon and sang happy birthday whilst presenting her with a birthday cake, as well as lots of cards from family and friends. Maud also FaceTimed her son, daughter in law and granddaughter and spoke with her daughter over the phone.

When asked about her secret to a long life, Maud said: “good, clean living, that’s what I always tell them.”

Katrina Ball, home manager at Oake Meadows, said: “Maud is a lovely lady and we’re lucky to have her company at Oake Meadows. We hope she enjoyed celebrating her special day as much as she could!”

PAGE 22 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 5

Accepting Hospital Patients Into Care Homes Led To Doubling Of Covid-19 Deaths A social care leader says news that care home deaths from Covid-19 have doubled is “utterly shocking but not surprising” because the virus has been imported into them by patients discharged from hospital.

Mario Kreft MBE, the chair of Care Forum Wales, said the newly-published figures from the Office of Nationals Statistics (ONS)were an indictment of the failure to lock down earlier and harder.

Accepting hospital patients into care homes had, he said, played a major role in enabling the spread of the infection at such an alarming rate.

The report from the ONS showed that in the week ending April 17, there were 119 deaths from Covid-19 in care homes in Wales, compared with 56 deaths the previous week.

According to Mr Kreft, the lag in publishing the statistics meant the situation now was likely to be much worse with an even greater number of Covid deaths in care home.

Care Forum Wales has for weeks calling for the publication of the numbers to ensure transparency and also to identify the true scale of the crisis so it can be tackled more effectively.

The organisation, which represents more than 450 social care providers in Wales, has also warned that half the 650 adult care homes in Wales face the threat of closure unless urgent action is taken and more financial support is provided.

Mr Kreft said: “The fact that the number of care home deaths from covid has more than doubled within a seven day period is utterly shocking but sadly not surprising.

“The true situation will be even worse than these new figures suggest because of the time lag in publishing them.

“We can also see a clear increase in care home deaths during the last few weeks – not all of which mention Covid on death cert but likely there are more that are hidden.

“We have seen an increase in the number of care home deaths where Covid is not mentioned on the death certificate up from 95 in the week ending on March 13 to 183 in the week ending April 17.

“The information from the Office of Nationals Statistics has unfortunately confirmed what we have been warning about since February.

“The inadequacy in the policy to tackle the coronavirus crisis and the failure to lock down earlier and harder are now taking their tragic toll.

“Anecdotally, the message from our members is that admissions from hospitals have been a major factor in spreading the virus like wildfire in care homes, as opposed to community transmission.

“While those patients were not displaying symptoms when they were discharged from hospital, they later developed symptoms and infected other residents.

“There is now a very heavy toll on the residents and it’s clear from those care homes who have taken in hospital patients that there has been a very high risk of importing the infection into the care home and this has had tragic consequences.

“We understand from our members that they were assured these patients were Covid-free and they were accepted on that basis but in many cases that turned out not to be the case.

“Every death from coronavirus is one too many and a tragedy for the family and friends of those who have passed away, as well having an incredible emotional cost on the staff who dedicate their lives to caring for their residents.

“If we are to continue without adequate support from the government there will be severe, existential consequences for the care sector in general.

“The care home sector cannot function with high occupancy of 90 per cent or more and was in a fragile state even before this all began because of the way care homes are funded by local authorities and health boards.

“If occupancy falls below 85 per cent it means the care home is not viable and we are seeing cases where occupancy is down to around 45 per cent or in one case down to 20 per cent.

“Occupancy in homes that have not accepted hospital patients is also falling because of the natural way of things because these homes have very frail people.

“We are very concerned about this and we have said that we would not accept a policy that would lead to mass care home deaths and residents being treated as collateral damage.

“It’s vitally important we do everything in our power to shield social care and save lives.

“We welcome the testing of everyone coming out of hospital and it really does need to be ramped up because if care homes don’t function, the NHS won’t function so we have to keep care homes running.

“Care Forum Wales has been calling for a proper regime of testing since February and improvements in the supply of PPE. “We know people have been working very hard but there have been many promises on testing that have not come to pass but there is still a long way to go before we have the system of testing that we need, both to track staff so they can return to the front line and importantly to keep our residents safe.

Young People Write to Care Homes to Put Smiles on Faces of Residents A charity is offering to send packs of letters from young people into care homes to put smiles on the faces of residents.

In normal times YOPEY runs befriending schemes where young people – known as YOPEY Befrienders or YOPEY Dementia Befrienders – visit care homes, mainly in the East of England.

“These visits stopped with the lockdown, but our young volunteers still wanted to do their bit,” said charity founder Tony Gearing MBE. “So we started a letter-writing scheme where young people write to care home residents.

“Some are writing to the elderly people they made friends with before the lockdown, but many want to do more and are writing to residents in any care homes.

“We have also recruited young people from outside our area who were not YOPEY Befrienders before and also want to do their bit. The young want to show they are thinking of the elderly and concerned for their safety, and some are forming penpal friendships with particular residents.”

YOPEY has already sent out hundreds of letters to well over 100 care homes nation-

wide, but is looking for more care homes to take part.

All letters are sent in packs of about 20 – illustrated with photos of the young people, their hobbies and their artwork – to each care home that asks to take part by emailing hello@yopey.org.

The charity is not putting anything in the post to avoid the risk of transmitting Covid-19 from one location to another.

Once one pack has been read by residents – and maybe a few of the letter writers have received replies from those residents able to write back – the home can request another pack.

Mr Gearing added: “This is a free service we are offering to all care homes in the UK. It is not compulsory to reply to the letters as we know care homes are under huge pressure.

“The feedback we are getting from the care homes already taking part is that their elderly residents really love the letters from the young people.”

For more information visit the charity’s new Facebook page @IwanttohelpCareHomeResidents.

DO YOU KNOW THE CARER’S NEXT UNSUNG HERO? Regular readers will know we here at the Carer have been awarding an Unsung Hero each Summer and Christmas since 2016!

Now, in these unprecedented and testing times we are looking for another Unsung Hero! (How we wish we could reward you all!)

A two night luxury break for two people in a choice of over 300 UK-wide hotels is the prize!

Say hello to some previous winners!

Care Home urst of Cloverfield Marion Brockleh

Debbie Day of Cedars Care Home

£50 Marks & Spencer vouchers for two runners-up! e Boynes Care Centr Sam Buckley of The

Tina Higginson of Sam brook care home

A no-frills, no glitz or glamour competition - all we ask is for you to send us a paragraph or two nominating your Unsung Hero from any department with a brief description of how they've gone that extra mile and deserve to be recognised.

✓ Do you know our next Unsung Hero?

Email your nomination to us today at nominate@thecareruk.com

PAGE 24 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 5

Couple in Leeds Care Home Celebrate 65th Wedding Anniversary Together

Calls For Daily Publication Of Care Home and Community Deaths Heeded By Government Responding to the Government’s daily press briefing, Niall Dickson, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents organisations across the healthcare sector, said: “We have consistently called on the Government to recognise that care homes and community care are integral to our health and care system. We are pleased that the Government has heeded our calls on this and will publish figures on the people who have died with coronavirus outside of hospitals on

James Kinnear and Jean Kinnear who reside at HC One’s Sabourn Court celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary together this month.

The couple were wed on 2nd April 1955 at the Trinity Methodist Church in Leeds at 2pm, and are still in love to this very day.

James, also known as Jim, was in the Scouts and met Jean back when she was in The Girl Guides. They used to meet up every Tuesday and Friday, not thinking 65 years later they would be side by side.

James spent his life working as a coach builder and Jean was a telephonist. The couple have four sons together; Ian, Stuart, Andrew and Roy, plus grandchildren which they have now lost count of!

The pair’s secrets to a long and happy marriage are to never go to bed on an argument and always say ‘goodnight’, which they both still say to each other even now. They always learned to give and take in the relationship and own up to their mistakes.

The care home of course was unable to celebrate in usual style, however still made sure the special day was marked. The quiet lounge area was decorated and James and Jean had a Skype call with their four sons and other family members, and then opened up gifts that had been sent to the home from loved ones, and they even had a card from the Queen!

There was a lovely cake for them to cut into at tea time too to end a lovely day spent together to mark the joyous occasion.

James and Jean still plan to celebrate properly with their family once the pandemic is over too.

a daily basis. This is so that we have a full picture of the impact of the pandemic and can ensure that no one feels their loved ones are being treated like a second-class citizen.

“Whilst we welcome the Government’s announcement that it will continue to expand drive-through testing centres, mobile testing sites and the number of home-testing kits available to households, our members continue to identify that key health and care workers face barriers to accessing testing themselves. It is so important that the Government continues to engage with health leaders on agreeing suitable and easily accessible sites for NHS and social care workers to get tested.”

Care with Courage: Royal Star & Garter Launches Campaign Amid COVID-19 Pandemic A charity which cares for ex-servicemen and women has launched a new fundraising campaign during the COVID-19 crisis.

The campaign, which adopts Royal Star & Garter’s core strapline Care with courage, highlights the every-day bravery displayed by its residents and staff.

It comes as the charity faces increased costs and a loss of income during the COVID-19 pandemic while it focuses on ensuring the safety and well-being of its residents and staff.

A video which accompanies the campaign features a resident’s daughter, care staff and the charity’s Chief Executive Andy Cole discussing the courage prevalent in Royal Star & Garter’s three Homes in Solihull, Surbiton and High Wycombe.

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

Royal Star & Garter is currently facing significant additional costs to meet the fight against COVID-19. Staffing levels have increased to maintain its exceptional levels of care and in just two months it has spent over £100,000 on personal protective equipment (PPE) and new technology. At the same time, it is seeing a reduction in fundraising income.

Sophie Wiseman works at the Solihull Home. During April staff there lived and worked on-site to reduce the risk of infection. She spoke about how staff are adapting to deal

with the current situation: “In these uncertain times, all the staff have gone above and beyond, to keep our residents safe, well and happy. I have, like others I work with, changed roles, so that we can continue to provide the outstanding care we always deliver to our residents.”

Vanessa Brooks is a Health Care Assistant at High Wycombe. She said the challenges they face are worthwhile when she sees happy residents: “Despite what’s happening at the minute, this is a really good place to work and I love coming to work. Some of us are spending nights here, but it’s just about ensuring the residents are safe. We’re all doing things we might not normally do, but we’re a family and that’s what families do Images by Royal Star & Garter – they muck in together.”

Julia Annandale’s mother is at the Surbiton Home. She thought ‘Care with courage’ was perfect for the campaign: “I think it’s terrific because that’s what it is - it’s care done with huge courage. Courage just turning up for work every day, courage at keeping the whole show on the road without families who are unable to visit, courage in hiding their own personal worries so that the residents can stay calm and cheerful. I can’t thank the Royal Star & Garter staff enough for turning up every day during this crisis, and for making what must be enormous efforts, to keep everything as normal as possible.”

To support Royal Star & Garter and its Care with courage campaign, go to: https://starandgarter.org/carewithcourage/

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 5 | PAGE 25

PAGE 26 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 5

HYGIENE & INFECTION CONTROL Handwashing Gadget Launches To Help Care Homes

A motion-sensing gadget is launching to help and encourage better hand washing habits.

Wavewash can be fitted above sinks in any business, home, or healthcare premises, reminding people to wash their hands more thoroughly and helping them to achieve a 20 second wash every time.

Wavewash is intended for use in a wide range of businesses to help staff, customers or patients to wash their hands more thoroughly and meet their obligations under government guidelines. The product can also be especially useful in healthcare premises such as care homes where hygiene is crucial.

Once activated with a wave of the hand, Wavewash begins a light-up timer to indicate how long a person should continue washing their hands.

The 20 second timer gives users a clear indication of how long they need to wash, as recommended by the NHS and the government.

Under the government’s recently published COVID-19 guidance for employers (www.gov.uk/guidance/social-distancing-in-the-workplaceduring-coronavirus-covid-19-sector-guidance), employers should advise workers to regularly wash their hands for 20 seconds and they should consider providing any additional facilities needed to do so.

To help healthcare providers such as care homes to protect patients and staff from coronavirus, 100 Wavewash units are being offered to selected organisations in the sector, free of charge.

As well as being used in healthcare premises, Wavewash can be used in the toilets of pubs, cafes and restaurants to improve hygiene and reduce the spread of germs and viruses. It can also be used by businesses involved in food processing and preparation, where hand hygiene is essential.

Health authorities around the world, including Public Health England and the NHS recommend that everyone should wash their hands for at least 20 seconds using soap and water to easily and effectively kill the

microorganisms which can cause illness, including COVID-19 coronavirus.

Wavewash partner, Martin Hurworth said: “Health authorities around the world are urging us to wash our hands for 20 second using soap and water every time as it’s one of the easiest and most effective ways we can avoid getting sick and spreading germs and viruses to others.

“Unfortunately, accurately counting to 20 seconds is actually pretty hard, even if you sing ‘Happy Birthday’ twice and lots of people cut corners and forget to wash their hands for that long… and, of course, some people overlook washing their hands completely, which is disgusting.

“Wavewash aims to solve all of these problems. It’s a smart but noticeable device which reminds people to wash their hands better and helps them to do it.

“Telling people to wash their hands more thoroughly can work, but positive reinforcement, timely reminders and a little help can work so much better at nudging us into doing the right thing. I believe that Wavewash can make a real difference in getting everyone to wash their hands properly, helping to prevent the spread of germs and illnesses” The device has been designed to help all businesses, including those in healthcare to comply with governmental guidelines for hygiene and for the prevention and control of infections. As a result, Wavewash is intended to play a major role in helping businesses to prepare for life after the nationwide lockdown comes to an end, when good hand hygiene is expected to be crucial.

As part of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s social distancing guidelines (www.gov.uk/guidance/social-distancing-inthe-workplace-during-coronavirus-covid-19-sector-guidance), every business is expected to advise workers to wash their hands using soap and water for 20 seconds regularly, and should consider providing additional facilities to help with this. Wavewash can help companies towards fulfill-

ing these requirements, reminding workers to wash their hands thoroughly and helping them to wash for 20 seconds every time.

Wavewash’s smart design and simple interface also makes it ideal for the home, helping parents and children to clean their hands and keep one another safe.

Wavewash has been developed by a team of British engineers who were inspired after speaking to doctors and nurses about the problems caused by people failing to properly wash their hands in the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic.

The gadget is a simple tech solution which works using a non-contact sensor, so there’s no need to touch the device at all. It can also be fitted to virtually any surface using screws or a self-adhesive pad which are included and its smooth surface avoids the build-up of dirt and germs.

While washing your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds is advised by the NHS (www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/best-way-towash-your-hands), Public Health England (www.gov.uk/government/news/public-information-campaign-focuseson-handwashing) and the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html). Studies have shown that a 20-second hand wash with liquid soap is enough to effectively remove dirt, organic matter and most transient microorganisms which are acquired through direct contact with a person and from the environment.

Hand washing can minimise the spread of illnesses including influenza (annals.org/aim/fullarticle/744899/facemasks-hand-hygiene-preventinfluenza-transmission-households-cluster-randomized-trial), diarrhea and respiratory infections, and governments around the world recommend it as a central part of their advice to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) (www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/). Hand washing also reduces the risk of food poisoning (www.nhs.uk/livewell/healthy-body/best-way-to-wash-your-hands).

However, recent studies have suggested that just 5% of people wash their hands for long enough (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23621052), with the average wash lasting only six seconds.

Wavewash is inspired by the ‘nudge theory’ of behavioural science which is widely used by governments and public health bodies. The concept is that individuals are more likely to make particular choices or behave in a certain way if they are positively encouraged and supported to make it through indirect suggestions, rather than coercion or education.

The makers of Wavewash hope that the device will lead to more people thoroughly washing their hands in future, helping to make 20 secondlong hand washing a permanent habit.

Wavewash is available for purchase now. Visit www.wavewash.co.uk for more information or call 01603 343 727.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 5 | PAGE 27

PAGE 28 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 5

HYGIENE & INFECTION CONTROL Free Coronavirus Awareness Face Shields In Stock Now Video by iHASCO iHASCO , a market-leading provider of workplace eLearning, have released a free Coronavirus awareness video to help offer organisations and the general public practical advice on what Coronavirus is, how to reduce the risk of the virus spreading and what to do if you’re showing symptoms. This free resource is for anyone wishing to find out more about Coronavirus and how to minimise its impact. Employers can now, in under 10 minutes, provide a short video to all of their employees, spread awareness and help them understand best hygiene practices.

Access the video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJrpfmnOnpc or visit the free resource page on the iHASCO website at www.ihasco.co.uk/blog/entry/2716/covid-19.

The free video contains information gathered from the NHS, the Direct Gov website, The World Health Organization, and it also includes a few useful tips from iHASCO’s Infection Prevention & Control course.

As a leading provider of online Health & Safety, HR and Business Compliance training, iHASCO offers quality online training courses to over 10,000 UK businesses. With this in mind iHASCO felt it their duty to share this information in a short video.

Face Shields are now in full production and available for delivery from Numatic International, home of the famous Henry vacuum.

Manufactured in the UK, the Face Shield offers a simple, comfortable and reusable solution. We are prioritising dispatch of these Face Shields to Healthcare settings, including Care Homes.

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, we have urgently re-tasked our Design & Manufacturing Teams to deliver a Non-profit PPE initiative, supplying PPE to those that need it as quickly as possible.

For more information and to order: Call: 01460 269270 Email: PPE@numatic.co.uk Visit: www.numaticsupport.com/faceshield

“Being Health & Safety training experts, we have a duty to play our part in raising awareness to help reduce the risk of infection spread and keep people safe,” says Nathan Pitman, Director at iHASCO. “We know how to source quality information and present it in an engaging way to ensure the learner takes away the key points. Rather than focus on panic and frightening news headlines we want to provide information that is of use and provide practical steps organisations and the general public can digest, despite the uncertainty of things to come.

Visit www.ihasco.co.uk for further information.

Fight Back Against Bacteria and Viruses If the global COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything, it's that good personal and environmental hygiene and a deeper understanding of cleaning procedures is of the utmost importance in controlling the spread of pathogens.

We know that having a thorough cleaning regime and the right cleaning equipment is important but how do you know which equipment is right and what a thorough clean actually is?

Understanding more about the potential pathogens is a good place to start. Firstly, do you know what the difference is between antibacterial and antimicrobial? An antimicrobial agent protects against various types of microbes, including bacteria, viruses, mould and fungi, whereas an antibacterial specifically protects against bacteria.

Knowing which products are best to use alongside chemicals, as manual cleaning is still vital, is also key.

Some pathogens survive in different

conditions for different lengths of time and variations in temperature.

For example, did you know, MRSA can survive up to 8 weeks on a mop head and 7 months on dust?

Listeria Monocytogenes, (aka Listeria) which is known to cause fever, diarrhoea and can even affect your nervous system, is what is known as a resilient bacterium.

That means it can harbour on seemingly clean surfaces and create a protective biofilm over itself that chemicals alone cannot remove. This is where the right cleaning equipment comes into play.

Using a high-quality brush alongside the correct chemicals when cleaning will allow filaments to get into the crevices where bacteria may be harbouring and clean it away, creating a hygienic surface.

For more information about the highest quality, anti-microbial brushes available for the job, visit https://bit.ly/39oRq5r or call +44 (0)17 4786 0494

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 ultragentle on the skin and won’t wash off during normal daily washing. This means it is very economical to use versus alcohol-based 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.

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 5 | PAGE 29

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

Reduce Cross-Infection with Dorgard

As a measure to reduce the risk of cross infection care settings may introduce increased cleaning routines, but managing this with the increased workload can be difficult and easily overlooked. Preventing cross infection amongst residents and staff in care and nursing homes has never been more important. Staff may be concerned that contact with door handles and hand plates could increase the risk of spreading the coronavirus and finding a legal solution to hold your fire door open has never been more pressing than now.

Dorgard Original and Dorgard SmartSound can offer you a quick and cost effective solution to this pressing dilemma. They can be fitted to your existing fire doors by your own handyman in around ten minutes, providing you with an effective solution to reduce the risks of cross infection. Once fitted, these fire door holders will hold

your fire door in the open position with the help of a foot plunger. The devices will constantly ‘listen’ for the sound of your fire alarm and on hearing it the Dorgard will automatically lift the plunger and allow the door closer, fitted as standard to all fire doors, to close the door, ensuring fire safety is maintained.

By holding fire doors open in this way you remove the need for your staff to touch door handles and hand plates, reducing the risk of germs and viruses spreading. You can programme the Dorgard to automatically close at night should you require this.

If you would like to know more about how Dorgard can help you meet your legal fire safety requirements and reduce the risk of cross infection, call our customer care team today 0800 612 6537 or visit www.safelincs.co.uk or see the advert on page 18.

How Best To Assist With Limiting The Transmission Of Airborne Viruses Care homes and hospitals have been of particular focus in the news recently and how best to assist with limiting the transmission of airborne viruses within these establishments.

This is part of the greater discussion around Indoor Air Quality and how we can protect people who are working, studying or being cared for in increasingly airtight buildings for the majority of their day.

Humidity control as part of the Indoor Air Quality discussion is very much part of the debate as we try to replicate good quality fresh air in our homes and buildings irrespective of the outside air quality, whilst being conscious of energy usage which could put greater pressure on climate change.

The benefits of humidity control are well documented - creating a more comfortable condition, adding to thermal comfort and importantly reducing the transmission of bacteria and viruses.

Scientific data does show that to maintain a humidity of 50%rh will reduce the transmission of viruses by keeping the bodies defence mechanism (mucus membrane in the nose and throat) moist and able to capture airborne bacteria and virus before it enters the body.

Maintaining a relative humidity (RH) between 30-60% has been shown to influence the survivorship of viruses and reduce the transmission and infectiousness of viral diseases.

More recent studies have taken aim at the influence of relative humidity (RH) on specific families of viruses,

• While coronaviruses are durable on surfaces relative to influenza viruses, survival rates are reduced at moderate RH of 50%. (Casanova et al., 2010) • The infectiousness of airborne influenza viruses was significantly reduced when RH was above 40% (Noti et al., 2013) • Humidification in homes can reduce survival of influenza and promote recovery, by improving restfulness, in sick individuals (Myatt et al., 2010) • Maintaining 40-45% RH in hospitals reduced perceived air dryness and airway symptoms of patients and hospital staff (Nordström et al., 1994).

Figure 1: Effect of pathogens, microbes, and environmental contaminants on human beings. From Sterling et al. (1985).

like influenza and coronavirus. These studies focus on the observed survival on surfaces and in the air column, and the rates of infection under different environmental conditions. Below we outline key findings from commonly referenced or recent studies. Links to the studies are posted as well.

• Maintaining an indoor relative humidity between 40%60% may help to limit the spread and survival of novel coronavirus. Humidification maintains hydrated and intact mucosal barriers of human occupants, resulting in an increase resistance against any microbial attack. (Dietz et al., 2020).

So, where a humidity control system is not already in place in a facility, is there a practical solution to retro fit into the office, care home, classroom etc? Mobile humidifiers can be used but they do require regular manual filling and take up floor space.

Commercial systems can be installed into the fresh air supply (AHU), but sometimes this is not possible, or such a system is not already installed into the building.

One excellent solution is to use the HomEvap, a cold water evaporative humidifier, which can be fitted to a heat recovery unit in a house or supplied with a fan to be neatly installed above a false ceiling in an office – out of the way, plumbed in, and providing excellent control automatically. Energy usage ranges between 20 -90 watts dependant on if you require a fan or not. A

single humidifier can evaporate 5 litres of water per hour which will provide humidity control to a space with a volume of approximately 1200m3. The result is a comfortable, healthier environment for net zero energy usage (temperature can be reduced by 2⁰C when the humidity is raised from 30 – 50%rh for the same thermal comfort).

In a care home the solution is often not to put the humidifier in the day room or bedrooms but to control the humidity in corridors serving these rooms and to allow the humidity to migrate to the areas of concern.

This way there is no noise issue (although very low in a bedroom a small fan can still be a nuisance) and maintenance when required does not disturb the occupant of the room.

Humidity Solutions Ltd has a wealth of experience, expertise and application knowledge in the field of humidity control please do contact us for free advice. www.humiditysolutions.co.uk info@humiditysolutions.co.uk

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 5 | PAGE 31

HYGIENE & INFECTION CONTROL How Do You Control The Spread Of Infection?

The severity of any build up of bacteria or pathogen could be fatal. At SFS Protect, high standards of hygiene are recognised and paramount to the ethos of our service.

No sprays, no wipes, just vaporised Hydrogen Peroxide. The Nocospray 2, has been carefully developed around a heating and ionising turbine that transforms and emits the Nocolyse disinfectant into a non-corrosive, non allergenic, bio degradable gas – with no residue.

mint fragrance or with essential oils, should there be a requirement to remove odours. All Nocolyse gas when evenly distributed throughout isolated areas will eliminate dangerous viruses such as MRSA, Clostridium difficile, Norovirus, CPE, Coronavirus.

In relation to the current Pandemic COVID-19 Coronavirus, our “Oxypharm One Shot” has now been fully accredited and a full copy of this declaration is available on our web site.

THE PRODUCTS The Nocospray 2 will eliminate 99.99% of all bacteria in as little time as 90 minutes. There is no requirement for the removal of electrical equipment, furniture, fixtures and fittings, just the room to be completely sealed for the gas to work effectively.

Services At SFS, we offer 2 types of service.

Curative “One Shot” Disinfection is where there is a known or recurring problem.

Preventative Decontamination Disinfection is to maintain good levels of infection control. The “Decontimination” range is also available with a mild

OUR MISSION SFS Protect are dedicated to providing a caring and discreet service. Our mission is simple, to provide a safe and comfortable environment to work, play, learn and relax without the fear of contracting harmful viruses, bacteria and fungi.

TESTIMONIAL “SFS Protect are working with us to keep our employees safe by fumigating areas in any suspected COVID-19 cases. The team deliver a professional and efficient service, provide excellent technical support and respond quickly to any fumigation requests. Callout requests are fulfilled within 24 hours, leaving areas safe to return to within 40minutes of any suspected cases.”

Book now on 07468 428530, email info@sfsprotect.co.uk or visit www.sfsprotect.co.uk

JET - A Powerful Sporicidal Disinfectant JET is a powerful sporicidal disinfectant for use on non-porous high-touch surfaces.

JET is also a powerful cleaner destroying RNA and DNA in seconds. Its cleaning efficacy meets the requirements of a medical instrument cleaner, effectively reducing levels of protein and carbohydrate.

JET is the best safeguard for residents and staff wherever the risks of infection are highest and is ideal for use in care homes.

JET is sporicidal, mycobactericidal, virucidal, fungicidal and bactericidal in one minute. It has been tested in accredited laboratories and is proven effective against a wide range of microorganisms.

DOOR FRAMES & HANDLES

JET is built upon the same core chlorine dioxide technology as the Tristel medical device disinfectant products, but specially adapted for surface disinfection where cleaning and biofilm destruction are so important.

Chlorine dioxide is widely regarded as one of the most effective disinfectants for biofilm removal and prevention. JET delivers chlorine dioxide as a foam. It creates no aerosols when used.

Efficacy with the standard wipe in EN16615 means JET can be used with any sustainably sourced wipe, avoiding the use and waste of plastic wipes.

Find out more: BIT.LY/JETCH20

CHAIRS & WORK SURFACES

BEDS & BEDSIDE TABLES

FACE SHIELDS

Clean Care Is In Your Hands Skin health and surface hygiene expert, GOJO Industries-Europe Ltd, has backed the World Health Organisation’s global call to action for health workers.

The worldwide advocacy day for Hand Hygiene falls annually on 5th May, and this year its importance is even more significant, as the world battles COVID-19.

As a member of the World Health Organization (WHO) Private Organizations for Patient Safety group, GOJO Industries-Europe has always been a strong advocate of making hand hygiene second nature to everyone.

Once again, GOJO is supporting the WHO’s annual ‘Save Lives: Clean Your Hands’ campaign and encouraging everybody in the healthcare industry to get involved.

As the World Health Assembly has designated 2020 the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, the campaign’s focus this year is on the central role played by nurses and midwives in achieving clean care. This includes hand hygiene best practices, as well as recognising their crucial contribution to strengthening quality health systems.

The annual campaign and advocacy day targets a crosssection of influencers in the global healthcare sector, calling them to join together in celebrating and empowering nurses and midwives in the monumental work that they do to keep patients, families, and colleagues safe, by preventing healthcare associated infections.

This year’s specific calls to action are: • Nurses: “Clean and safe care starts with you.”

• Midwives: “Your hands make all the difference for mothers and babies.”

• Policy Makers: “Increase nurse staffing levels to prevent infections and improve quality of care. Create the means to

empower nurses and midwives.”

• Infection Prevention Control Leaders: "Empower nurses and midwives in providing clean care.”

• Patients and Families: "Safer care for you, with you.”

Chris Wakefield, Vice President, European Marketing & Product Development, GOJO IndustriesEurope Ltd comments, ‘Nurses and midwives account for nearly 50% of the global health workforce1 and play a vital role in providing health services and meeting everyday essential health needs. At GOJO, saving lives and making life better through well-being solutions is our mission and it continues to inspire our deep commitment to improving hand hygiene. In partnership with healthcare managers, we can help implement a tailored, effective, and total solution, which promotes compliant and healthy hand hygiene behaviour.

‘We are proud and loyal supporters of the WHO’s “Save Lives – Clean Your Hands” campaign, and urge everyone in the healthcare industry to join together in support of hand hygiene improvement globally.’

Free advocacy toolkits to support the WHO Save Lives: Clean Your Hands campaign are available on the WHO website: www.who.int/infectionprevention/campaigns/cleanhands/en/ WHO invites everyone to use the hashtags #SupportNursesAndMidwives #HandHygiene #InfectionPrevention on social media to ensure Save Lives: Clean Your Hands posts are picked up by the campaign.

For more information, email infouk@GOJO.com or visit www.GOJO.com 1 https://www.who.int/news-room/ fact-sheets/detail/nursing-and-midwifery

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 5 | PAGE 33

CATERING FOR CARE

Promoting Good Nutritional Care in Care Homes food first approach are commonly used in care homes.

IDENTIFYING NUTRITIONAL RISK IN CARE HOMES

THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD NUTRITIONAL CARE BAPEN estimates that 93% of malnourished individuals with or at risk of malnutrition live in community settings (1). Unfortunately, malnutrition is often unrecognised and untreated, particularly in vulnerable populations (2).

Malnutrition can affect every system in the body, leading to adverse changes in body form and function.

Physical effects include (3): • Impaired immunity • Pressure sores • Delayed wound healing • Muscle wasting • Adverse changes to the gastrointestinal structure and function • Generalised weakness • Increased risk of falls • Increased risk of bone conditions (i.e. osteoporosis) Other studies have shown that malnutrition is associated with more hospital readmissions (4), longer length of stay, increased complications and greater risk of mortality (5).

The good news is that dietary counselling given with or without oral nutritional supplements (ONS) is effective at increasing nutritional intake and weight (6).

Therefore, interventions which combine ONS and a

Nutrition risk screening is a rapid and simple way to detect those with or at risk of malnutrition, so that suitable care plans can be implemented. Nutritional screening for malnutrition is recommended in NICE clinical guideline 32 for all admissions to care homes and when there is clinical concern (7).

The Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) (www.bapen.org.uk/pdfs/must/must_full.pdf) is the most frequently used screening tool in the UK. It is a five-step tool suitable for screening adults across all care settings. It is used to detect those who are malnourished or at risk of malnutrition.

The five steps are as follows: • Measure height and weight to determine Body Mass Index (BMI) • Calculate percentage of unplanned weight loss in the past 3-6 months • Establish acute disease effect and score • Add scores together to obtain an overall score for risk of malnutrition • Use management guidelines and/or local policy to establish treatment plan All staff involved in nutrition-risk screening should be suitably trained to meet required standards for their organisation.

PERSON-CENTRED APPROACH TO NUTRITIONAL CARE Person-centred care (www.hee.nhs.uk/ourwork/person-centred-care) means “focusing care on the needs of the individual.” It’s about ensuring that people's preferences, needs and values guide clinical decisions, whilst delivering care that is respectful of

By Harriet Smith, Registered Dietitian on behalf of AYMES International

and responsive to their needs (8).

One-size does not fit all when it comes to good nutritional care. People’s dietary preferences are highly individual due to religious, cultural and ethical factors.

Additionally, nutritional requirements may differ according to medical need.

Food provisions in care homes must be able to meet an individual’s needs.

Having a discussion with care home residents and/or their family, friends or carers to obtain further information about food preferences can be useful when delivering person-centred nutritional care. Menus should provide variety and choice, with systems in place to gather the views about food and drink from their residents, families and friends.

Every mealtime matters, and individuals should receive appropriate support and assistance to ensure optimal nutritional intake. Organisational approaches such as communal dining and protected mealtimes are useful strategies.

Oral nutrition support should be considered in patients who have inadequate oral intake of food and fluids to meet their nutritional requirements. This may include a food first approach (i.e. food fortification, extra snacks, nourishing drinks, energy-dense meals), oral nutritional supplements (ONS) and dietary counselling.

ONS products are used for medical purposes in patients who meet the Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances (ACBS) prescribing criteria, have been screened using a validated malnutrition screening tool and have been deemed to be at nutritional risk. ONS should always be given under medical supervision and must be used appropriately and in accordance with local prescribing guidelines.

Local prescribing guidelines for the treat-

ment of disease-related malnutrition often recommend powdered ONS products such as AYMES Shake (aymes.com/products/aymes-shake) as first-line interventions in care home settings. AYMES Shake is a nutritionally balanced, milkshake-style supplement, providing 383kcal and 19g protein per serving when mixed with 200ml whole milk. AYMES Shake is one of the best value powdered ONS products available (9), and is therefore a sensible choice for cost savings.

ABOUT AYMES INTERNATIONAL: AYMES International manufactures delicious, costeffective oral nutrition supplements for the dietary management of patients with, or at risk of diseaserelated malnutrition. For more information, visit https://aymes.com/ or call +44 (0) 845 680 5496.

References: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

Malnutrition Task Force. Malnutrition in the UK Factsheet. Available at: http://www.malnutritiontaskforce.org.uk/resources/malnutritionfactsheet/ BAPEN Nutritional Screening Surveys in Hospitals in the UK, 2007 2011 (2014). Available at: https://www.bapen.org.uk/pdfs/nsw/bapen-nsw-uk.pdf Gandy, J. Manual of Dietetic Practice, chp. 6.2 Malnutrition (2014).

Sharma, Y. et al. (2017). ‘Malnutrition and Its Association with Readmission and Death within 7 Days and 8-180 Days Postdischarge in Older Patients: A Prospective Observational Study’.

BMJ Open.

Correia, M. et.al. (2003). ‘The Impact of Malnutrition on Morbidity, Mortality, Length of Hospital Stay and Costs Evaluated through a Multivariate Model Analysis’. Clinical Nutrition.

Baldwin, C. & Weekes, C. E. (2012) Dietary counselling with or without oral nutritional supplements in the management of malnourished patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics. [Online].

NICE, ‘Nutrition support in adults: NICE guideline CG32’, 2006.

Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg32/chapter/1Guidance NHS Health Education England. Person-Centred Care. Available at: https://www.hee.nhs.uk/our-work/person-centred-care MIMS April 2020

PAGE 36 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 5

NUTILIS CLEAR • Transparent results • Simple to use • Amylase resistant1 • Does not continue to thicken2 • IDDSI compliant

The Dysphagia Act

NEW NUTILIS CLEAR RECIPE BOOK COMING SOON

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URABLE SAFE, PLEAS US FOOD AND NUTRITIO LIVING FOR PEOPLE GIA A H WITH DYSP

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 5 | PAGE 35

CATERING FOR CARE Are You In Need Of Dysphagia Training*? *This training is intended for healthcare professionals only.

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

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

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

Existing health and social care staff members should also complete the learning to support their 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.

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

Infection Control Thermometers UK thermometer manufacturer, TME, explains the important role being played by food thermometers during the coronavirus.

Infection control has never been more of a priority for our hospitals, care and nursing homes keeping vulnerable people safe from the coronavirus. This critical task is obviously their number one concern. Careful food safety measures including the hygienic preparation and delivery of meals also continues to play an important supportive role.

Tom Sensier, MD: “TME Thermometers is staying operational throughout the crisis to continue manufacturing and supplying food thermometers for those who need them, and our staff are ready with help and advice.”

venting bacterial cross-contamination combines waterproof thermometers, colour coded dishwasher-safe probes and colour coded stainless steel storage for an ultra-hygienic food safety solution.

The CA2005-P thermometer with dishwasher-safe probe can be bought for as little as £65 and the CA2005-PK kit with 6 anti-cross contamination colour-coded needle probes is now just £125.

TME offers a full range of temperature test and measurement equipment for food manufacturing, catering and legionella risk prevention at its online shopping site www.tmethermometers.com or by contacting 01903 700651 sales@tmethermometers.com

TME’S ULTRA HYGIENIC FOOD RANGE

TME – When temperature matters

TME’s CA2005 thermometer range for pre-

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Caternet Powered by Zupa

With care plans running up to 100 printed pages, providers are increasingly turning to kitchen software to support their CQC nutrition and allergen responsibilities. With Caternet, care organisations build recipes and menus using live data from their suppliers. Going paperless means nutrition per serving is automatically calculated, with allergenic ingredients tracked and cross-referenced - transforming Regulation 14 risk management.

Creating recipe cards using a bank of meal preparation steps saves a digital record, accessible to service users and care professionals alike. Organisations that share menus to apps or websites can build trust with families, removing dietary concerns around religious and cultural backgrounds. This saves time spent manually updating meal plans as menus change.

Going paperless extends to purchasing with live prices and enforcing approved buying lists. Many organisations add in their HACCP food safety analysis guidelines to use as kitchen training packs. Included are forecasting tools that promote compliance across stock management too.

Caternet is developed with operators, buyers and chefs, who have all experienced similar operational and financial challenges.

It is specifically designed to help the sector remove manual processes. You will support nutrition and allergen compliance, buy more competitively, enjoy paperless financial administration, and reduce overheads.

Start saving time and money today.

023 8212 4099 www.caternet.co.uk sales@caternet.co.uk

PAGE 36 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 5

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES 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 13.

New Skincare and Incontinence Leaflet

of email, fax, regular telephone conversations and face to face meetings the firm are able to put together a professional and comprehensive bank application. The bank managers that Global work with are all specialist healthcare managers who have extensive knowledge within the sector and fully understand the requirements of the clients that Global introduce.

With over £1.8bn in completed care home loans you should strongly consider Global Business Finance to represent you for your next loan application.

Reader Enquiries - Tel: 01242 227172 Email: enquiries@globalbusinessfinance.com

Lotus Care Technology

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 or see the advert on page 17 for details.

Adaptawear Clothing To Help Healthcare & Care Home Workers: Independent & Assisted Dressing

The Oxford Up from Joerns Healthcare ensures minimal exertion on the part of the caregiver.

As with all Oxford products, injury reduction, fall prevention and ergonomic principles were fundamental considerations during the Up’s development phase. Perfect positioning of both the swing-away seat pads and knee support help ensure optimum patient positioning.

Adjustable leg positioning and a contoured base allow excellent access for the patient and promotes better posture and ease of use.

Contact Joerns Healthcare for more information on 0844 811 1156, send an email to info@joerns.co.uk or visit our website at www.joerns.co.uk. or see the advert on page 23.

CareZips Dignity Trousers ™

3-zip system facilitates fast and easy access to the abdomen and crotch without having to undress the patient or pull 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, washable and non-iron, the CareZips™ trousers are the best choice for daily use.

When worn over soft hip protectors, such as HipSaver QuickChange or OpenBottom, the CareZips™ contribute to prevention of fall-related hip fractures.

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

CareZips™ are adaptive dignity trousers that preserve the privacy of people receiving care during diaper changes.

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 knee again on the inside of the other leg. This allows total opening of the trousers at the crotch for diaper changes. The

Global Business Finance was established over 29 years ago by the firm’s present senior partner, Mark Widdows, and since then has arranged over £1.8bn in loans for healthcare clients.

The firm works exclusively in the care sector providing a very personalised service, as the firm knows every client is individual with individual requirements. Mark and his team spend time getting to know each of their clients in order that they can ensure all needs are met and the loan facility tailored to their client’s individual requirements.

Global offers national coverage and with the support

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

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, email: 01484 842217 or www.zeroderma.co.uk

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

Manufactured from aluminium and weighing just 22.5kg, the Up is among the lightest and most nimble in its category; but don’t be fooled, a maximum safe working load of 200kg (31st) also places it among the elite. High-grade castors offer outstanding manoeuvrability across a range of floor surfaces and

Global Business Finance

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.

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

Ad-Memoire - A New Digital Reminiscence Activity Resource Featuring Vintage TV Ads Ultimate Comfort For Extra-Wide Swollen Feet A Perfect App For Use In Care Organisations materials, expert shoemaking and advanced foot comDo you, or a loved one, struggle to find shoes or slipfort technology. It’s also why they’re recommended by pers to fit? Cosyfeet, the specialists in extra roomy over 11,000 healthcare professionals. footwear, can help. Wider and deeper than anything on The beauty of their footwear is in its simplicity. They the high street, their British designed footwear is expertly offer a roomy, one width fitting which can be adjusted to crafted to fit and flatter extra wide and swollen feet. fit a range of swelling, so you don’t have to worry about Their new spring collection includes a fabulous range complicated foot measurements. of fabric footwear in an array of exciting patterns and Lots of thought goes into Cosyfeet’s designs, includprints. Enjoy spot on style with their lovely polka dot ing minimal seams, easy openings and removable print or explore their collection of animal prints including footbeds so you can even wear your own orthotic. stylish zebra, fashionable snake and on-trend leopard.

Thanks to innovations such as Soft yet supportive, these their ‘Hidden Depth’ design, comfy styles are perfect for Cosyfeet fits swollen feet with relaxing at home. You’ll also STYLES FOR ease but still looks stylish and find a great choice of cottonMEN & streamlined. rich slippers which are ideal for WOMEN Cosyfeet offer VAT exemption the warmer months or if you STYLES SHOWN: Koryl, Katie, if you have a chronic medical suffer with hot feet.

Kama condition and a money-back Cosyfeet’s ethos is simple. guarantee if their footwear doesThey believe that swollen feet n’t work for you. should have the most comfortFor more information visit able, stylish footwear possible. cosyfeet.com or call Cosyfeet on That’s why they combine the VISIT cosyfeet.com 01458 447275. latest trends with premium

E

O

Packed with memorable 1950s & 60s TV and print ads from the History of Advertising Trust archive, and encouraging smiles and laughter all round, Ad-Memoire is designed to stimulate happy memories for residents to share. Geared to make life easier for carers and fun to use, it is ‘ready to go’ available on Apple and Android devices for streaming via laptop, tablet or smartphone for 1-2-1 or share on large screens via HDMI, Chromecast or

Apple TV for group sessions.

Ad-Memoire includes: Themed reels of TV ads including Motoring, Toys & Games, Sweets & Chocolates, Cooking, Oxo- Life with Katie, Breakfast, Ice-cream & Lollies and Housekeeping Ads of the Month: Updated each month, specially selected ads offering on-screen conversation prompts and downloadable fun advert and brand based quizzes, activities and colourful print ads.

Brand Bingo: Updated each month, Brand Bingo provides a weekly activity based on the popular, classic game but featuring on-screen images of colourful print ads instead of numbers.

EMAIL ad-memoire@hatads.org.uk to SIGN UP FOR A FREE MONTH’S TRIAL See information on AD-MEMOIRE at www.hatads.org.uk/hat-services/ad-memoire.aspx

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 5 | PAGE 37

TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE Covid19: Accelerating the Use of Digital Technology in Healthcare or Excel so why do many operators still use this method when invoicing?

How many industries with shift workers rely on manual payroll processing outside 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.

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

Evolving Technologies Technology moves forward at an ever increasing pace and forward thinking Care Homes are ensuring they are keeping in step with the tech.

Quieter and calmer care homes are on the horizon and embracing various technologies can help with getting there.

Smart phone and tablet technologies are a firm fixture in our everyday lives and these are translating into the Care Home landscape. Care Management plans can be developed and improved by collating data from these technologies in extraordinarily fast ways – leaving more time for staff to focus on their jobs and not painful administerial tasks. The information managers receive ensures that they can make informed decisions and keep accurate and safe records without impacting on time spent caring for residents.

Real time alerts can be delivered to mobile tech

– resulting in faster response times. Meaning peace of mind for both staff and residents.

It’s not just the mobile tech revolution that is having an impact on Care Homes. New developments in the field of Acoustic Monitoring are having dramatic impacts on staff and residents.

Acoustic Monitoring has proven capabilities of improving the nights sleep a resident may have and freeing up time for night staff. A recent investigation into the benefits of Acoustic Monitoring has shown that the technology can result in up to 60% fewer nightly disturbances for residents and up to a 70% reduction in nightly visits by care staff.

This translates to freeing up to 40% of staffs time during the night – leaving them to carry out other duties. This, in turn, can result in staff and residents having better, calmer days.

The technology can be used to determine patterns in night time activity and, when coupled with the power of Care Management Apps, provide a better understanding of a residents needs and, therefore, enable more dynamic and relevant care plans to be deployed.

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

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

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

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

There are three things that are key to making this goal a reality: people and place, lifestyle and technology.

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

innovation. Internet-linked devices can help people live at home for longer and stay connected to family and friends.

They can also help providers deliver smarter, more responsive care. For example, there’s a provider up in Warwickshire – WCS Care – doing great things with acoustic monitoring.”

Our CLB Acoustic Monitoring lets the care staff hear crying, moving around and breathing difficulty, just to name a few. When a sound like that is detected, it sends an alert to the night managers’ monitoring station. An important solution with big impact: it means care staff doesn’t have to knock on the residents’ doors regularly to check and see if they’re alright, ensuring the residents can have a good night sleep.

This alone reduced the amount of night-time falls at WCS Care with 34%. It also provided WCS Care with another interesting insight, Matt Hancock: “…when they analyzed the data, they found that lots of people were staying awake late into the night. This led the care home to set up a ‘wide awake club’ to support night owls and get them back into a healthier rhythm.”

ABOUT ADAPTIVE IT SOLUTIONS

Formed in 2002, awardwinning Adaptive IT Solutions provides professional IT services throughout all commercial markets, predominantly within the Healthcare, Dentistry, Education and Retail sectors.

Adaptive IT Solutions offers a vast portfolio of IT services including structured cabling, audio visual, hardware deployment and specialist digital clinical equipment. For more information about Adaptive IT Solutions: www.adaptiveit.co.uk.

For more information about CLB Acoustic Monitoring: global.clb.nl.

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 5 | PAGE 39

TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE How Compliance Management Systems Are Creating Outstanding Person-Centred Risk Assessments Tools For those assessing risk in care homes, the guidelines set out in Regulation 12 by The Care Quality Commission are clear.

Risk assessments must be “completed and reviewed regularly by people with the qualifications, competence and experience to do so”, while they “should also include plans for managing risk”.

The reality is, however, that effectively assessing risk in a busy care home is no easy task. There are a myriad of risks to consider. While the Coronavirus Pandemic has brought infection prevention risk assessments into sharp relief, health and safety hazards are everywhere. Registered Managers must constantly assess the dangers posed by windows, bedrails and legionella, scalding and slips and trips. There are fire risks, electrical equipment hazards and ergonomic risks to consider too.

BALANCING INDIVIDUAL FREEDOMS AGAINST RISK A CHALLENGE

But assessing risk in adult social care is not a binary exercise. Assessors must always weigh up a person’s individual freedoms and quality of life when analysing risk. The challenge is that service users often have complex needs and so their daily routines might have to be constantly assessed. Recruitment and retention presents another major challenge, especially if a service’s risk assessments tools are paper-based. If a skilled risk assessor leaves a service,

for instance, will the new assessor understand the systems and processes embedded by their predecessor? If not the risk to a home and those who live there are increased.

So in a busy home where staff and service user turnover is high, how do you ensure that risks are always identified, assessed, recorded and reviewed? The answer lies in the QCS Risk Assessment Module: new technology created by Quality Compliance Systems (QCS), which helps risk assessors to proactively and continuously manage hazards in real-time.

INTUITIVE DASHBOARD

Using an easy-to-read dashboard, which lists all risk plans that have been created, the control measures and the action plan, puts an assessor in control. Risks that have been finalised are labelled ‘complete.’ If risks are timesensitive, the system will notify an assessor when they need to be reviewed.

Managers can then instantly re-assess, assign or re-assign any risk assessments that need to be updated. And, if in the worst case scenario, an assessment is overdue, the system will issue a red flag.

But what really separates this system from other risk management tools is content. Anyone subscribing to QCS has access to over 350-customised policies and procedures and QCS is integrating these protocols, including its Coronavirus policies and procedures into its risk management system. This saves time, and allows professional risk assessors to build on their existing risk plans, add a greater number of control measures and, in doing so, create even more robust strategies.

ENHANCED VISIBILITY ENSURES BETTER RISK OUTCOMES

Furthermore, unlike last-generation legacy technology, the system provides multi-dimensional visibility. A click of a button takes all the factors and

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

dimensions into account and provides insight into potential risk outcomes.

Therefore, whenever an action has been completed, it will instantly and intuitively assess the level of risk and then categorises each individual risk as low, medium or high.

Enhanced visibility can also help when assessing risks to individual service users. With many elderly service users living with Dementia or some form of memory loss, risk assessments need to be completed frequently. For those requiring individually tailored support, that can often mean scheduling risk assessments many times a week. To ensure that the risks are constantly being assessed and managed, QCS has created a ‘timeline’ view, which showcases all of the risks, the control measures and the action plan on one screen. This not only gives a manager a ‘helicopter view’ of the most complex risks in a home, but also enables them to adjust risk assessment strategies to ensure the best outcomes for service users.

TIMELINE THAT IDENTIFIES TRENDS Finally, the timeline, which gives assessors both a ‘macro’ and ‘micro’ overview can help them to spot trends much more easily, and, in doing so, mitigate future risks.

But, such technology also provides teams with the ability to gauge how well or how poorly a service is performing in a raft of different areas.

If used correctly, in a CQC inspector’s eyes, using an enhanced visibility hub to evaluate strengths and weakness is a powerful way to evidence that a service is a Well-led organisation.

To find out more about Risk assessments and to try the new module for free, please visit qcs.co.uk/risk-assessment-module/

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 housekeeping tasks and log visitors using the digital visitor book. Residents can use the system to make personal choices on meals and activities and use the app to keep in touch with family and friends.

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

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

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.

PAGE 40 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 5

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

We were challenged recently to develop an alarm solution for a wandering resident in a care home on a limited budget. The alarm was to operate independently from the house nurse call system and required to send notifica-

tions to the carer mobile phone with time and dated incident reports. This we did with 100% success. The alarm is now a mainstream product sold nationally.

Reassurance and confidence in a supplier is paramount to a successful business relationship, especially where healthcare is concerned.

You can rest assured that when you buy and use our products you are connected with a company with backbone and a passion to offer care technologies that deliver performance and quality.

Visit www.medpage-ltd.com or see the advert on page 2.

Workforce Scheduling Solutions 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

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

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

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

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

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

How is data protected?

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

Visit www.wfsoftware.co.uk

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

NURSE CALL

IT’S NOT OBSOLETE UNTIL THE OPERA LADY SINGS

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 5 | PAGE 41

TECHNOLOGY & SOFTWARE Is This The ‘New Normal’?

With the COVID-19 crisis having such an impact on everyone’s life, is working remotely set to become the new normal? Care services are facing a massive challenge with workers, managers and owners having to isolate. GPs and other health professionals are also trying to avoid unnecessary contact.

Electronic care management systems have helped services meet regulatory guidelines. However this crisis has led to many more benefits becoming apparent.

With CAREis, our customers are giving remote access to GPs to review and leave notes and recommendations. Another service has their therapists working from

home and carrying out consultations remotely using CAREis to review and record their sessions. Managers using the system have reported that they find it reassuring to be able to remotely track and update care provision, audits and action plans. And families have been able to see what has been happening for their loved ones by logging in to the daily diary.

When choosing a new care management system it is important to check that it does everything that you need it to. Does it ensure your care and support is delivered as planned? Does it flag when things are missed? Does it allow remote access to you, your staff and selected professionals? Does it allow you to complete audits and inspection reports? Does it allow you to track and update action plans? Can you plan and track training, and carry out supervisions and appraisals on the system? CAREis does all this and more.

CAREis is easy to install and you can be up and running in a couple of weeks with or new easy start system. We can demo, install and support remotely. If you would like more information, please email us at info@careis.net or call us on 01424 400060

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

Facilities Maintenance and Management Software Simple to use, easy to maintain and very affordable.

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Reporting tasks and faults Asset tracking and value reporting Invoice management Add multiple images and documents Detailed analytical reporting Dashboard reporting showing live status of all tasks Management of all planned maintenance schedules Compliance testing and inspections Traffic light detailed reporting for audit purpose Audit reporting Direct allocation of work to relevant parties Can be used for help desk Supplier performance management and reporting Warranty and insurance management Can be used on any web enabled device Link tasks to calendar Create check lists for compliance purposes Contractor Quotes and Invoice Management Contractor Login upload function

www.mainteno.com 020 8798 3713 sales@redro.co.uk

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